Course Overview

Seniors Week is a great combination of learning whitewater skills in a relaxed river running environment amidst peers. It is an active vacation to challenge yourself at your skill level in either canoe or kayak, while also enjoying MKC hospitality and R&R. Perks include healthy & hearty cuisine, riverside stretching, evening socials, sauna and scotch tasting. Get ready for adventures and good times with friends this August!

Different for this week will be knowing when to take a break to stretch & hydrate, with a focus on technical river reading, and practicing efficiency – using the current to your advantage (a less is more approach!) In addition to kayak and canoeing skills, the week covers paddling posture, outfitting your own boat, reviewing video footage of yourself on the water, après paddling stretch sessions, and option to purchase a mid-week massage. The Scotch Tasting has become the signature event of Senior’s Week – do plan to bring a bottle of your own favourite!

The final day of your course is a full River Trip – allowing you to use your new skills on a different river and finish your active vacation with a healthy dose of adventure.

At our Wilderness Resort, you will have full use of MKC’s facilities, including hot outdoor showers, log sauna, and yoga pavilion. Camping, lodge or cabana accommodation and gourmet meals are also available. A Rapid Education combined with a wilderness getaway – Come join us this summer!

Who is this Course for?

Ideal for all skill levels! Our Seniors Week attendees range from beginners to some of our most experienced kayakers and canoeists (plan to learn a thing or two from them). We divide paddlers into small groups based on skill level the first morning of the course to ensure the learning progression is suitable for everyone.
Contact our office all year round if you are unsure of your skill level and to touch base about learning objectives. You do not need to be a certain age to sign up this week. We run our regular 5 day courses simultaneously.

Itinerary

Everything on this itinerary can always be swapped out with an afternoon of relaxing and reading, walking and relaxing at our wilderness resort.

Course Location

Our wilderness classroom is the beautiful Middle Madawaska River, located a short distance from our Resort, and just south of the town of Barry’s Bay, Ontario.

   

Cost

Instruction Fee

$1030

Accommodation + Meals

From $175 to $900. See below for various accommodation & meal packages

Rental Package

$365 (for boat, paddle, helmet, life jacket). Individual items also available to rent

Accomodation + Meal Packages

Cozy Lodge rooms, off-the-grid Cabanas, budget-friendly Dorms or wooded Campsites. Our Wilderness Resort offers something for everyone.

Shared Lodge Plan* | $900

Our rustic Lodge rooms have everything you need! Choose either a queen bed or 2 twin beds. Rooms are at ground level with nearby washroom facilities (en suite not available). Meals included.

Shared Cabana Plan* | $900

Enjoy our off-the-grid Cabanas tucked in the woods! Choose either a queen bed or 2 twin beds. Washroom facilities are a short walk away. Meals included. No electricity.

Shared Glamping Plan* | $900

Come glamp in MKC's forest! Our newest accommodation options are cozy, comfortable, canvas tents. Two twin beds with bedding can be converted into a single queen bed. Washroom facilities are a short walk away. Meals included. No electricity.

Dormitory Plan* | $750

Dorm room accommodation sleep up to six per room. Dorms are on the second floor with nearby washroom facilities. Meals included. Bring your own bedding.

Camping Plan | $650

MKC's wooded campsites are great for tents, trailers and campervans. Each site is equipped with a picnic table, onsite parking, and access to nearby washroom facilities. Meals included. No electricity.

Camping No Meals | $175

MKC's wooded campsites are great for tents, trailers and campervans. Each site is equipped with a picnic table, onsite parking, and access to nearby washroom facilities. Bring your own camping and cooking equipment to enjoy meals at your site. Dishwashing station available. No electricity.

Check In

The evening before your course between 7 & 10pm

Check Out

Friday at 7pm

*For those booking for one for Glamping, Cabana, Lodge or Dorm: it is likely you will stay with other students of the same gender. As a wilderness resort we have chosen to not expand too far into our surrounding forest and therefore have limited indoor accommodations. To book a private room as an individual is an additional cost

About our Meals

We take pride in serving healthy, hearty and delicious meals. As a proud member of FeastON, we source locally when possible and add our special touch with herbs and edible flowers from our own garden. Meals start with breakfast the first day of the course and include: 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners plus an après-paddling snack. Coffee, tea and juice are complimentary. BYOB.

Locally roasted specialty coffee and homemade snacks can be purchased from our Riverside Shop & Café.

   

Group Discounts

We welcome groups of 5 or more at a discounted rate (conditions apply)

What do folks think of Senior's Week?

Spent an exciting, fun and educational week at MKC. Did so in the company of an adventurous and young at heart crew of 55+ adults. Instructors were knowledgeable and paid great attention to individual student needs and interests regarding on-water skills development. Indeed, all Centre staff were attentive, courteous, and very helpful. Can't wait until next year!

Bill R

I did the Seniors Week Kayak Clinic at MKC. What an outstanding experience! It was such a great experience. The administrative staff and instructors were outstanding. Such a friendly and helpful group. All instructors were very knowledgeable, skilled, and helpful with my learning experience. The food was outstanding for the week and there was accommodation for those with food allergies. I cannot say enough about this organization

Pat

Kayak or canoe with your peers this summer!

August 19 – 23

Book Now

Can’t find your preferred date? Let us know and we’ll do our best to help. Contact Us.

5 Days

Yoga Whitewater Week

Yoga and kayaking or canoeing. Join us for our famous 5 day course with additional yoga programming to harmonize your learning with mindful motion.

Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

$1030 / Per person

COURSE DETAILS
Weekend

Weekend Whitewater

MKC’s Weekend Canoe or Kayak Clinic is an introduction to the exciting world of whitewater paddling.

Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

$475 / Per person

COURSE DETAILS
5 Days

Family Week

Enjoy your next family vacation learning whitewater kayaking or canoeing at MKC! A truly uplifting getaway for the whole family!

Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

$1030 / Per person

COURSE DETAILS

Reviews

5 star ratingWhite water rafting Brilliant fun from start (jumping from a bridge into the river) to the end (flipping the raft)
Easily the best activity of our 2 week holiday in Ontario.
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simon o Avatar
simon o
8/03/2023
5 star ratingA great week at MKC I have been to MKC many times over the years, and it is a fabulous way to spend a weekend or a week. I did the 5 day kayaking course with my daughter and granddaughter this year. The instruction at MKC is some of the best you will find anywhere in the world. The facilities are beautiful. It is set in a wooded area of north east Ontario. August is a great time to attend because the water is warm, and not a lot of bugs. July may be a bit warmer, , and early September in this area can be very beautiful, and the water is still warm. May and June in this area can be a bit buggy so come prepared if you are going in the early summer.

The river is dam fed from a top release dam, so the conditions are consistent and the water warm-- no need for dry suits-- I think the water was around 80 degrees this past week. The river itself is probably a class 2-3 river, but has some good technical lines for more advanced paddlers.

MKC is great at accommodating all levels of paddlers. I have gone with paddlers who have never been in white water, or a kayak for that matter, and by the end of the week, they are running the river with confidence. I have been doing white water kayaking for around 30 years, and I still learn something new every time I go. More importantly, I have fun with both the family I bring and the staff at the facility.

The business is now being managed by the founder's granddaughter. It is a third generation business. Stefi holds true to her grand parents and parents vision of a top notch teaching facility, but at the same time brings her own touches and personality to the operation. Since Stefi has starting running MKC, I have notice some really nice changes to the facilities, and the food is excellent-- I am vegetarian and really enjoyed the vege dishes. Lots of good looking meat dishes for those who like them. The staff all seem to be very happy and excited to be doing what they are doing. They clearly have a solid team that makes every part of the experience excellent.

There are various packages available. You can camp and do your own meals if you are on a budget. They have bunk style rooms for groups, and individual rooms for individuals and couples. There are also several screen walled cabins up in the bush that I love-- feels like camping but with a real bed and no wet tent to deal with when you get home. The accommodations are not fancy, but clean and comfortable. The chalet where meals are served and where people gather is beautiful. If you have kayaks (or canoes if that is what you are doing) you can use your own equipment or rent from MKC. There equipment is top of the line.

Price wise, I view it as an all inclusive vacation with the added benefit of instruction. It is a lot less money that you would pay for an all inclusive vacation pretty much anywhere else, and you are building skills and great memories.
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Chris C Avatar
Chris C
8/13/2023
5 star ratingAdventure Rafting Great day adventure rafting with friends and family. From bridge jumping, surfing, flipping the raft and the laughs in between. Thanks to our guide Tatiana for an entertaining 2 hours.
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Sherpa57752201563 Avatar
Sherpa57752201563
8/05/2023
November 17th 10am - 6pm EST

Early bird sale.

20% OFF

all 2 and 5 day MKC kayak and canoe programs. Includes Yoga Week, Slalom Week, Week of Rivers, Women’s Week and Weekend, Family Weeks and Weekends, Senior’s Week, Kayak and canoe instructor courses

Must place deposit to receive discount. We cannot combine discounts.

early bird sale heron
March 4th - 8th 2024

10% off

5 day kayak + canoe courses

5% of all revenue from this week is donated to your choice of three organizations

We are forever grateful for the support we continually receive from our communities. To say a small thanks, we want to give back.