Magpie (Mutehekau Shipu) Multi-Day Rafting Trip (Canada)
The Original Magpie Outfitter since 1988.
In terms of dramatic scenery, untouched wilderness, spectacular camps, and numerous exciting rapids, the Magpie is, without question, one of the top whitewater rafting destinations in the world and among the best in North America. Earth River pioneered rafting on this now-classic trip, completing the first rafting expedition in 1988. Prior to Earth River’s descent, the river had only been explored by canoeists, who portaged many of the larger rapids.
Trip Dates:
2026: August 7- 14, 2026.
2027: August 14 – 21
$4,750/PERSON
Magpie Video
Trip Details
Trip Dates & Rates
Trip Dates:
2026: August 7 -14
2027: August 14- 21
$4,750 USD/PERSON
Why Earth River On The Magpie
- Earth River pioneered rafting on the river and has over three decades of experience running out.
- Widely recognized as one of the most experienced outfitters on this iconic Canadian river.
- The company has played a leading role in efforts to protect the River through conservation advocacy.
- From river safety and camp setup to food and daily planning, every detail is managed by a seasoned expedition team with extensive experience
- Small group size and a 3-1 guest guide ratio.
Brief Overview
Total Travel Days: 9, days on the river: 7
Group size: up to 18
Guide/client ratio: 1 – 3
Season: August
Meeting place: Sept- Iles, Quebec, Canada. Hotel Château Arnaud
Accommodations: 6 nights camping.1 night Hotel Château Arnaud at the end of the trip (night 7)
Suitable ages: 6 – 80
Activities: Rafting class IV, class III inflatable kayaking, standup paddleboarding, fishing.
Private departures: Custom groups with a minimum of 12 or more participants are welcome. Please contact the office for more details.
Trip Highlights
“Magpie Highlights:
- World-class whitewater
- 6 nights of dramatic camping, some camps across from major waterfalls.
- A week of total solitude
- Chance of viewing an aurora borealis
- Float plane to the start of the river
- Fantastic inflatable kayaking.
- Wonderful fishing
Who's It For
Age and experience
- Ideal for adventurous travelers, couples, solo travelers, and families.
- Suitable for ages 7-80.
- Previous rafting experience is not required.
Ability levels
- Class 3 and 4 rapids.
- Guests should have good overall fitness and be comfortable camping.
Trip difficulty
- Rated moderate.
- Rapids range from Class III to Class IV+.
- Daily itineraries include rafting, inflatable Kayaking, and sea kayaking.
Safety and support
- Professional guides lead rafters and inflatable kayakers.
- Guests receive comprehensive safety briefings and instructions before partaking in river activities.
- All gear is provided and maintained to the highest standards.
What's Included/Not
What’s included
- All food and beverages during the trip
- 6 days of guided activities (4 days rafting/inflatable kayaking, 2 days sea kayaking)
- Sotar rafts, type 5 life jackets, helmets, tents, dry bags.
- Float plane access to the river. Shuttle to the float plane dock in Havre Saint Pierre and from the takeout back to Sept Iles.
- Hotel and dinner on the final night in Sept Iles.
Not Included on Magpie Trip
- Round-trip airfare to Sept Iles Quebec.
- Taxi from Sept Iles airport to the hotel.
- Guide tips (typically 10% of trip cost)
- Hotel the night before the trip begins. Breakfast the morning after the trip.
- Catch-up fees for late arrivals (possible float plane or helicopter to reach the group on the river.)
Lodging Accommodations
Hotel Chateau Arnaud
Camping 7 nights. (Couples share 3-person tents and individuals in 2-person tents.)
Hotel final night: (Hotel Chateau Arnaud in Sept-iles.
Comfortable hotel with views of the Saint Lawrence River.
Magpie Lake Camping
Number of nights: 6 nights
Brief description: Fully supported wilderness expedition on one of Canada’s premier whitewater rivers.
Day By Day Itinerary
For seven days, we explore a wild area few people have ever seen. The whitewater builds in difficulty, with the most challenging 4+ rapids, in cluding 13 foot high “Trust Falls” coming on the final rafting day. For certain sections of the river, guests will have the option of inflatable kayaking. The rivers’ relatively warm 68-degree water and numerous class III and IV rapids make this one of the better inflatable kayaking rivers found anywhere. Each night, we will camp on remote beaches, islands, and on two occasions across from major waterfalls. Clear, star-filled nights may include the magical pulsing light of the aurora borealis.
Day 0: TRAVEL TO SEPT-ILES, QUEBEC CANADA
Travel from your home airport to the Sept-Iles airport, all flights connect through Quebec City or Montreal. Once you arrive in Sept-Iles take a taxi to Hotel Chateau Arnaud, where an Earth River guide will meet you and give you the dry bag and briefing for the trip. Note: If you arrive the night before (recommended) you must reserve your room on your own in advance.)
DAY 1: SEPT-ILES – MAGPIE LAKE
Today we meet in the morning and then take a beautiful 2.5-hour drive along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, past high sea cliffs, remote beaches, and impressive waterfalls, to our rendezvous point with the float plane. The view from the plane of the rugged, seemingly endless boreal forest stretching uninterrupted to the horizon in every direction is humbling. We arrive at 30-mile-long Magpie Lake, where we camp on the first night.
DAY 2: MAGPIE RIVER (RAFTING/ INFLATABLE WHITEWATER KAYAKING)
This morning we paddle a few minutes to where the Magpie River spills out of the lake. The river’s relatively warm water (68°F) is due to the upper layer of lake water feeding into it. The day is filled with numerous Class IV rapids. For the more intrepid in the group, there will be a chance to paddle some of these class IV rapids in an inflatable kayak (A kayak guide leads the way through the rapids) . The terrain varies from old-growth boreal forest to hillsides of thick white lichen, green moss, and granite reminiscent of northern Europe.
DAY 3: MAGPIE RIVER (RAFTING / INFLATABLE WHITEWATER KAYAKING / STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDING)
Today we run a series of Class IV rapids down to our first impassable Class VI rapid, where the guides line the boats around. After lunch, we continue through a few more rapids to our second Class VI rapid, which is also lined around by the guides. In the afternoon, we float down to camp on a swift current. The scenery in this section is stunning, with 1,000-foot walls rising from the boreal forest. This is the perfect stretch of river for first-timers to try inflatable kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. We spend the night on an island.
DAY 4: MAGPIE RIVER (RAFTING / INFLATABLE WHITEWATER KAYAKING / STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDING)
In the morning, we raft a series of class 2 and 3 rapids down to half mile long, class IV Saxophone Rapid. This stretch above Saxophone is an excellent opportunity for people to try the inflatable kayaks and stand-up paddle boards. Below Saxophone, we have lunch on a granite bluff where the river makes two sweeping 90-degree turns, affording river views in all four directions. After lunch, there are numerous class 3+ rapids down to a large sand beach where we spend the night.
DAY 5: MAGPIE RIVER (RAFTING / INFLATABLE WHITEWATER KAYAKING /STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDING) / GORGE CAMP
Today features the biggest rapids of the trip, including Double Drop (IV+), Ledges (IV), Trust Falls (IV), and Picket Fence (IV+). At nearly a mile long, Picket Fence is the longest and most technical rapid on the river. In the afternoon, we paddle across a lake to the magnificent Gorge Camp for the night. Perched on the edge of a stunning granite gorge, with three impassable Class VI cataracts, this is one of the most spectacular river camps in the world. The views from this camp are only surpassed by those from the Falls Camp the following evening.
DAY 6: MAGPIE RIVER (HIKING / SEA KAYAKING / STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDING) / FALLS CAMP
This morning, we take a half-hour hike to the base of the first falls in the gorge. The feeling is surreal as we stand mere feet from the wild maelstrom dropping over one hundred feet. Later in the morning, we hike to the end of the gorge and board stable inflatable kayaks for a two-mile lake paddle to the top of the 90-foot Magpie Falls. Here the entire river plunges 90 feet off the Laurentian Plateau in a thunderous crescendo of sound and spray. A constant rainbow rises from the mist. We camp on a ledge directly across from the main falls. If the aurora borealis appears in the evening, it will be to the north, directly over the falls.
DAY 7: MAGPIE RIVER (SEA KAYAKING / STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDING)/ SEPT-ILES
This morning we paddle the sea kayaks or stand-up paddle boards downriver, with the current for 4 miles to the takeout where we meet the van. In the afternoon, we arrive back in Sept Iles and check into the hotel. That evening we have a farewell dinner.
DAY 8: SEPT ILES / MONTREAL / CONNECTING FLIGHTS
After breakfast on our own, we transfer by taxi (on our own) to the airport for the flight to Montreal and then on to our international flights.
Getting There
From the Northeastern and Southeastern U.S. and Europe the Magpie is faster and easier to reach than any multi-day western U.S. river like the Middle Fork of the Salmon or Colorado.
There are a number of ways of reaching the starting point, including flying, driving, or a combination of both.
1) Fly to Montreal which has direct flights from many large U.S. cities. Arriving in Montreal, transfer to the 2-hour flight to Sept Ile, arriving the evening before and spend the night in a hotel (on your own). It is also possible to fly into Sept Ile the morning the trip begins, but this is risky if there are delays with your flight.
2) Fly to Montreal early and spend a few days there. flights before flying up to Sept Iles.
3) Fly to Montreal early and take a short flight to Quebec City. Quebec City is one of the most beautiful and historical cities in North America. It offers a rich cultural contrast to most American cities. Highlights include walking the historic Old Town with its cobblestone streets and enjoying the French cuisine.
Catch the afternoon flight to Sept Iles the day before the trip begins or the early morning flight to meet the group.
(*Note: Many flights from Montreal to Sept Iles have a short layover in Quebec City, so a stop over in Quebec City can be arranged through Air Canada at no additional charge)
4) Fly into Montreal, rent a car, and drive up to Sept Iles (8 hours). The southern route is relatively flat along the St. Lawrence River and involves taking an hour catamaran ferry. The northern route is beautiful with an impressive, mountainous coastline. There are whale watching tours offered near Tadoussac, where the Saguenay River meets the St. Lawrence River. Both drives take you past Quebec City.
5) Drive to Sept Iles from the U.S. New York: 17 hours, Boston: 15 hours, Washington D.C.: 23 hours, Chicago: 23 hours. Although it makes the drive a bit longer, it is possible to visit the Gaspe Peninsula and Nova Scotia on the drive.
Flight times to Montreal:
New York (1 hour)
Chicago (2 hours)
Washington D.C. : (1.5 hours)
Atlanta (2.6 hours)
Houston (2.6 hours)
Western U.S. Cities (5-6 hours)
London (6.5 to 7 hours)
Paris (7 – 7.5 hours)
Trip Extension Ideas in Sept Iles and Cote Nord
Extending your stay in Sept Îles offers a chance to experience Quebec’s rugged coastline and maritime culture. Boat tours for whale viewing and sea kayaking are available in the area.
These extensions can be added before or after the expedition, depending on travel routes and timing.
*Note: Please contact Earth River for more information and to help coordinate logistics if needed.
FAQs
HOW DIFFICULT IS THE RAFTING?
The Magpie features a wide range of rapids from Class II to Class IV+. Children under 12 are limited to rapids up to Class IV.
IS THIS TRIP SUITABLE FOR FAMILIES?
Yes, families with children who are comfortable outdoors.
WHAT IS THE CAMPING LIKE?
Camping is fully supported and comfortable. Earth River provides all major equipment and meals. Guests carry only personal items. The food is cooked by the guides and is excellent. Wine and beer are served at dinner.
WHAT SHOULD I PACK?
A detailed packing list is provided before the trip.
WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE?
Conditions can vary. Expect mid-seventies during the days, and cool nights down to 45 degrees. We usually get a day of rain on each trip. Guides adjust daily plans based on weather and river conditions.
HOW LARGE ARE THE GROUPS?
Up to 18 guests. Groups are kept smaller than those on Salmon and Colorado River trips due to limited camp space and to maintain group intimacy.
DO I NEED PRIOR RAFTING EXPERIENCE?
No experience is necessary.
Magpie Stories: “How Rapids Get Named” tells the story of the naming of the Magpie’s most iconic rapid, 13-foot-high “Trust Falls.” “Big Brains Come in Small Packages” is about Cade Hertz at age 10, who now leads our Magpie trips.
