One of the world's great rivers, the Mackenzie River (Deh Cho or "Big River") flows about 1,120 miles (1,800 km) generally northwest from Great Slave Lake to enter the Arctic Ocean through a vast delta.

Navigable only in summer (June-October), it drains the northern portion of the Great Plains and is the main channel of the near 2,600 miles (4,180 km) Finlay-Peace-Mackenzie river system. Oil, discovered at Norman Wells in the 1930s, and natural gas, found in the delta region in the 1970s, are major resources of the area.

The river was first charted by Alexander Mackenzie in 1789, and later became a main transportation route for the Northern fur trade.

Most of the communities along the river started as fur trading posts, but today are fully serviced, Dene communities, with strong ties to the land.
The one community along the river that has a different past, is Norman Wells, home of an oil refinery for over 60 years.

Today, the river is a major supply route to the communities along its shores, and to the communities along the Arctic Coast.

We will not encounter a lot of traffic on the river, but will see Coast Guard, Fisheries, and RCMP activity as well as the vital tug and barge traffic.

This is an historic river and an adventure you will not soon forget.