OUR MISSION
Working as stewards of the land we lead with integrity and dedication, to provide our guests with exclusive opportunities to experience the best outdoor adventures in Canada’s remote North while ensuring we are sustaining this incredible habitat for generations to come.
OUR VISION
For our guests, we want to provide the best outdoor adventures into Canada’s North . This means we lead with integrity and through hard work so our guests feel comfortable, safe, and satisfied knowing that we have put the quality of their experience as our highest priority.
Your Adventure Begins with Canadian Wildlife Adventures – in the land of the midnight sun
You’ll begin your journey here on a float plane from Yellowknife, NWT, flying about 227 air miles that usually takes about an hour and a half.
The trip aboard the float plane is breathtaking – because we are just south of the arctic circle, you’ll see where the tree line ends and Canada’s barren lands begin. Don’t let that term fool you, because while you may think of a flat, grey and desolate place, it couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Looking outside the window, you’ll see for yourself the true beauty that awaits. It begins with the lakes teeming with lake trout and carries on with rivers and streams loaded with arctic grayling. You can’t help but notice the tundra, with its bounty of animals and riotous colors of plants and berries. Then, before you know it, your pilot will circle around the Lodge and when the doors open, you’ll see your own private piece of paradise, and your smiling hosts will be there to greet you.
Leaders of the pack
If you were hoping to find people who understand the thirst for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. Patti and Kevin McNeil are the owners and managers of Canadian Wildlife Adventures and all of its lodges. Passionate outdoor enthusiasts, they started in the adventure tourism industry in 2000, and purchased their first lodge in the NWT in 2012, expanding to 4 more lodges in 2021. Their staff are chosen because of their passion for adventure and creating unforgettable experiences for clients on their trips.
As a guest, it is their hope that you will enjoy the easygoing atmosphere, living the old adage “You will come as strangers but leave as friends.” You can be assured that Patti and Kevin have a genuine desire to meet your expectations.
Feel free to ask any questions you may have, and let them know if you need anything during your stay
Oh the People You’ll Meet
At any given location with Canadian Wildlife Adventures, you’ll meet some of the nicest people. Along with your hosts and fellow guests, you will come to know the staff – who are there to make certain that this trip is everything you could hope for.
Whenever you have time, take the opportunity to chat with them and share stories.
Take advantage of this while you are here, and you are surely going to enjoy everyone’s differing perspective on being in Canada’s stunning home of adventure. Your guides are experienced in the challenges of the north, and they will ensure you are always safe – regardless of the activity you are enjoying. And your fellow guests are just as excited as you to be here!
The Lodge at Aylmer Lake
This is home base for Canadian Wildlife Adventures. With the exception of canoe expeditions, all of our offerings begin and end right here.
Surrounded by the bounty of nature, the Lodge’s incredible vistas will be imprinted on your memory. It is a unique type of beauty that few have had the chance to experience… and YOUR chance is now.
This is where you’ll enjoy the famous home-cooked meals, relax among friends and enjoy pastimes like reading and games, or just lively conversations. Sit inside or out and enjoy the incredible views and all they have to offer.
A Place to rest your weary head
With all that fresh air, along with days and evenings filled with dreams coming true, you’ll be wanting a great place to relax and reload for another day. This is where you will appreciate your accommodations. With us, it’s about comfort, and our guests often comment about the quality of the cabins for such a remote location.
We’re quite sure that you’ll appreciate the charm of your cabin at Aylmer Lake. It offers comfortable bunks for a good night’s sleep, table and chairs for recounting the adventures of the day, wi-fi if you want to connect with the “outside” world, and in-cabin controlled heating for your personal comfort.
At our outpost locations, we’ve created a comfortable and safe environment so that you will be relaxed and content in your downtime.
Good Information to have
Hotels in Yellowknife
You will need to arrange for hotel accommodations both on your arrival AND departure dates. The following is a list of accommodations in Yellowknife. Select whichever you prefer and the link will take you directly to their site.
Worth noting is that some hotels offer shuttle service to and from the airport and the float plane base.
Insurance
We can’t think of anything worse than having one of our guests having an injury or a medical event. If you were to need to leave the lodge ahead of your scheduled date, ALL COSTS ARE BORNE BY YOU. After waiting so long for your big adventure, we want to do everything possible to safeguard you and your adventure investment. We strongly recommend that you take out insurance on your trip. After much research, your hosts chose Global Rescue. With the excellent coverage of Global Rescue, you can relax knowing everything is covered. This includes personal reasons and health reasons.
CANADIAN WILDLIFE ADVENTURES TEAM
Your Head Guide and Co-Owner
KEVIN McNeil
Kevin started hunting and fishing as a child with his father. It has been his life-long passion, and his knowledge and expertise on outdoor adventures is renown among his peers. Kevin has been pursuing this enthusiasm for 45 years – and in 2000, he started an outfitting business.
In that time, he has guided clients from all over the world. A consummate outdoorsman, Kevin spent countless hours researching the outdoor adventures and locations that his new company would offer. Kevin’s Bluesky Outfitting company has achieved and maintained Mossy Oak Preferred Outfitter status for 21 years – one of only two in Canada.
In 2012, the business expanded from northern Alberta into the barrenlands of the Northwest Territories (NWT) with the acquisition of Aylmer Lake Lodge and the birth of Canadian Wildlife Adventures. Kevin spends all of July, August, and September in the NWT. Believing they are blessed to be stewards of this vast area, Kevin and his family are filled with gratitude for the people who are excited to experience the rich opportunities that happen on the Barrenlands. His focus is to create and maintain teams of experienced people who are passionate about the outdoors and want to share their expertise with clients. Kevin loves to mentor his team and provide them with the tools to provide an unbeatable adventure for the clients.
Whatever job Kevin undertakes, he autographs his work with excellence – and you will recognize that immediately. Personable and optimistic, Kevin is always striving to make a difference for his team and his clients.
Your Head Guide and Co-Owner
Patti McNeil
Patti spent her summers growing up in Northern Alberta and lived there for years – with a wood stove for cooking, bush refrigeration, and no electricity. Her passion for the world outside was borne from cooking 3 full meals a day over a camp fire for haying crews – every summer for years. Until she met up with Kevin, she never had the full experience of camping and cooking in the outdoors. Once she started, she was
addicted. Now her broad outdoor knowledge has led her to learning and understanding the patterns that drive wildlife in their environment.
Patti’s background is finance, logistics, operations and fixing business processes that are broken. This knowledge makes her a perfect fit to run the back end of their businesses.
Her skills blend perfectly with Kevin’s – leading to the creation and successful operation of outdoor adventure businesses for the past 23 years. Patti works tirelessly to ensure that clients have a stellar trip – both in the lodge and in the beautiful world outside its doors. Her attention to the smallest details ensures that nothing falls through the cracks – and that has led to clients who love to return. In a pinch, she
can even step in and guide. Patti is an avid fisherman, and has hunted for years. She holds the family record for mule deer at 189 6/8, and the family fishing record for Lake Trout at 67 pounds!
Patti prides herself on being able to wear many hats – to make sure that everything runs smoothly.
