Our unique services include transportation from your home to the Island, then back home again! We haul all the equipment, your gear, the canoes, kayaks… and YOU! And it’s all included in the trip.
Even though we’ll be doing the driving, you will still need your driver’s license, along with money or credit cards for incidental gifts and other purchases. You are responsible for your own prescription drugs and any toiletries you need. We will provide you with a comprehensive packing list of recommended items to prepare you for the trip.
Cars: We will drive you to and from the Keweenaw Peninsula, from your home, to the ferry… and the ferry is a 3 hour affair, arriving at Rock Harbor on Isle Royale. Then, it’s all up to us, in assorted canoes and kayaks! After the trip, we ferry back to Copper Harbor, and we’ll drive you right back home… (you can sleep on the way!)
This is a wilderness camping trip, on water that can be rough and terrain that can be rougher. We make sure to communicate with all of our campers to explain proper camping procedures and trail etiquette, including the “rules of the road” for canoeing and kayaking. We do not bring beginners on this trip. It’s not for novices. Honest and frank evaluations of your own capabilities is required for your safety, as well as everyone on the trip.
The Jardin Expedition is bonded and insured, in case of accidents or injury. We ask that all participants sign a waiver, acknowledging the dangers of outdoor adventuring. This is a free will activity, and you assume responsibility for your own safety. The Jardin Team works very hard to ensure your safety and comfort, given the inherent dangers and difficulties that are part of these activities.
Upper Michigan and Lake Superior experience wild swings of weather events, and we will provide a checklist of recommended clothing and gear to help protect against all weather options. As famous author Alfred Wainwright once said, “there is no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.”
No. We will provide all canoes and kayaks. We also bring tents and campsite equipment. Heck, we even provide you with a wetsuit, if you need one.
We will leave from Harper Woods, drive you the 9 and a half hours to Copper Harbor in the Keweenaw Peninsula, provide you with a round trip Ferry pass, then when we’re done, we do the driving and bring you back home. Of course, once on the Isle, you’ll be powering yourself around the bays, rivers and inlets!
Over the years, June and July in Lake Superior have shown us many different kinds of weather. When we expected 50 degrees, we sometimes got 80, and when we expected 70 degrees, it was in the 40’s… so like we always say about Michigan weather, be prepared for anything. (Per our Deep Water Protocol, we will provide you with a very warm wet suit, to help keep you cozy and warm).
This is wilderness camping. Everything we will eat, we will haul in with us. We practice “Leave No Trace” and provide food that’s easy to prepare and clean up after. On the car trip up, we will stop for breakfast, and you are welcome to bring snacks for the car. We usually collaborate on a “picnic” lunch along the coast of Lake Michigan on our way. Once we return to Copper Harbor, following the trip, we will have dinner at the Harbor Inn, which is a very nice restaurant with great food! If you have food allergies, we will do our best to accommodate you.
Yes, your deposit of $350 will be due on December 23, 2022. There is no refund of deposits after January 4, 2023. The balance of your $1500 (for a total of $1850) will be due February 16, 2023.
We leave on a Friday and get home the following week, on Saturday. So 9 days, including 2 days of travel. A detailed trip itinerary will be provided as part of your welcome kit.
Yes. But at your own risk. And just so you know, there is virtually no cellular service once you’re on the island. But you can use your phone to take photos, naturally. Upon request, we can provide protection gear to keep it safe and dry. Although we do have a small solar panel charger, its capacity is not limitless, so plan accordingly.
Basic paddling skills are definitely a prerequisite. This is not a beginner’s camping trip. Isle Royale is rough and rugged terrain and the very real probability of portages means carrying gear and watercraft over that terrain. On top of this, every day will involve paddling for several hours, sometimes against the wind, rain, and other elements that want to stop us in our tracks!
The Park Service defines a “small party” as six people or less. It is only these small parties that are allowed to camp in the areas to which we travel. On our trips, we always provide two experienced guides, leaving four spots for our clients.