Friday, April 29, 2016

Camping at Algonquin With Overhang Adventures

Are you visiting the bustling metropolis of Toronto in summer? Are you someone who has never camped before?

If the answer to both these questions is yes, then get ready to embark on an amazing journey into the heart of Canadian wilderness at the Algonquin Provincial Park, with the assistance of some cool guides from Overhang Adventures who will teach you all you need to know about camping.

Last summer,  my husband and me, two people who had no prior camping experience signed up for a package tour "Intro to Algonquin" by Overhang Adventures (in association with Parkbus), where we were to attend a 3-day front country camping trip at Algonquin with our tour guides, Jill and Kris.

Here, we are discussing why this trip was simply amazing and why it is a must attend for all who are new to camping:

Smooth Journey to The Park: The Algonquin Provincial Park is located around 3 hours away from Toronto. The round trip from Toronto to Algonquin was included in our trip package and we were picked up by Parkbus at one of the scheduled stops of the bus in downtown Toronto early in the morning. The bus journey was nice and comfortable and definitely very scenic, especially as the fall colours were arriving in mid-September.

Excellent Introduction to Multiculturalism: As we arrived at our stop in Algonquin Park, we were greeted by our guides for the trip who introduced us to each other and to the other campers in the team. There were visitors attending from 11 countries in the world and we were to stay together as a team in the Algonquin wilderness for the next two nights! Unity in diversity was definitely something we learnt in this trip!





Fun and Learning: We learnt a lot of activities in this trip: setting up our tents, learning the various types of knots, playing outdoor games, splitting wood pieces with an axe in the safest possible way, etc. Our guides gave us hands-on experience in all these activities and were very patient throughout our learning process. Each and every one of us received equal attention from the guides who never failed to help us out. The whole evening was spent in a fun and fruitful manner.






Wholesome food: Though definitely we cannot expect fine cuisines on a camping trip and food was primarily vegetarian in nature (as that's the safest way to treat a multicultural crowd), it was enough to keep us full and also tasted quite good after our long hikes and canoeing activities throughout our tour. It is also wise to take some dry food with you as you might feel hungry in the after hours and need to satisfy your pangs of hunger at such times. We also often helped in the cooking procedures which was again a lot of fun.


Beautiful Nature: We were surrounded by natural bounties all around us, we sighted a few birds and also had some interesting non-human visitors to our campsite: a sly little fox and a cute and daring raccoon. A vast, blue lake stretched out for a long distance just a few steps away from our campsite where we would often spend time relaxing.

Bathroom facilities: The Whitefish Lake campground is also the only campground in Algonquin with basic toilet facilities, without bathing facilities. So, for all those of you who are a bit jumpy at the thought of having to do "it" in the open, might rest assured that is not the problem here.


Loads of activities: You will be trained to canoe and no worries, me being a non-swimmer and a water-fearing person, was able to canoe on the Whitefish Lake with my husband for nearly an hour and a half, thanks to the helpful guides who stayed with us on their canoe, guiding us through the lake. We also enjoyed long hikes encompassing wildlife viewing and scenic viewpoint stopovers. Of course, the bonfires at night complete with the ghost stories told by our fellow campers was also extremely exciting.


Excellent Memories: On this camping trip, as a first-time camper I learned a lot and was at the end of the trip really thankful to Overhang Adventures for arranging such a trip where you can experience what it is to be a camper while staying within the easy reach of safety and comfort, a preparation for the next level-up where you can actually go backcountry camping. The tour is suitable for all and you are can opt out of any activities you deem might be difficult for you. You also learn to interact with people from across the world, live with them as a team and learn new things together. In the presence of guides, your safety is ensured as long as you follow the rules properly.

So, the next time you are visiting Toronto in summer,  be sure to enjoy your Algonquin trip with Overhang Adventures.
















No comments:

Post a Comment