May 18, 2018
Accommodations ‘on the water’ means something a little different in the Northwest Territories (NWT). At Yellow Dog Lodge, you can cast yourself adrift on a private floating deck and camp in the middle of the lake, beneath the midnight sun. It’s this whimsical and wonderful nature experience that earned the NWT lodge a top spot on the video-list of Canadian Ultimate Adventures.
The video is one of several developed for a Canada 150 series, which was sponsored in part by Best Western Hotels and created by Must Do Canada. The videos feature explorers travelled from coast to coast to coast over 150 days to explore what make Canada such an incredible country.
Videos include: Top 6 Canadian Ultimate Adventures of 2017; Mile 30 Adventures: Overnighting on a raft alone in the middle of nowhere!; and Canada 150: Best Things to See and Do in the Northwest Territories.
Gordon Gin, the owner and operator of Yellow Dog Lodge and the mind behind the idea of the floating camps, describes the experience as the perfect getaway for anyone who wants an immersive and authentic wilderness experience.
“We have two floating camps now – one on Duncan Lake and one on Graham Lake. We developed the first one in 2010 because we wanted to provide a more affordable do-it-yourself option for our guests. Working in the tourism industry in the NWT means you have to be innovative and flexible; and cater to the different types of vacationers coming to your door. Travelling to remote locations can be pricey and we developed this option as a more economical way to experience the remarkable NWT.”
Each floating camp is equipped with a fully furbished wall tent, with bed configurations to suit accommodations of up to 4 persons, a wood-fired stove, swim platform, a personal canoe and a BBQ.
“The tent camp on Graham lake is set up for couples and includes a hand made queen size bed made from local pine. The getaway is perfect for the couple or small family who want a little space of their own with privacy, comfort and safety,” Gin says.
“If you’re looking for some quiet time with nature and an incredible adventure
all at the same time, you can’t beat [Yellow Dog] lodge.”
-Canadian Ultimate Adventures Video
As tourism businesses grow and diversify in the territory, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has programs to provide support and help operators enhance their competitive advantage.
The Tourism Product Diversification and Marketing Program helped to make these floating camps possible as well as other projects at Yellow Dog Lodge such as the installation of a solar /battery system and additional boats and motors that helped expand the operation to include five additional remote lakes for day trip excursions.
Photo via Yellow Dog Lodge
“From sleeping on a floating barge on a secluded lake, to flying over the world’s first World Heritage Site, to taking a dip in the Arctic Ocean; the Northwest Territories has given us memories that we will cherish for a lifetime.”
- Road to 150: Best Things to Do In the Northwest Territories video
Viewers may also notice some other iconic NWT experiences in the videos as well – Nahanni National Park, the aurora, the Dempster Highway, Arctic Ocean and communities of Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk.