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- Virginia Falls — A thunderous, dramatic waterfall that drops into a narrow gorge (larger than Niagara by height). The viewpoint and the thunder of the water are the park’s signature scenes — you’ll remember the echoing canyon long after the trip.
- South Nahanni River & Canyon System — The backbone of the park: multi-day river trips with whitewater, long meanders and walls of rock rising straight up from the water. It’s the best way to feel how wild and big this place really is; camping on gravel bars beneath cliffs is prime wilderness stuff. (My personal favorite — nothing beats a slow float through that canyon at sunset.)
- Rabbitkettle Hotsprings — Fragile, otherworldly tufa (travertine) domes and boardwalks over mineral terraces. It’s a rare northern hot-spring formation and looks nothing
- Virginia Falls — A thunderous, dramatic waterfall that drops into a narrow gorge (larger than Niagara by height). The viewpoint and the thunder of the water are the park’s signature scenes — you’ll remember the echoing canyon long after the trip.
- South Nahanni River & Canyon System — The backbone of the park: multi-day river trips with whitewater, long meanders and walls of rock rising straight up from the water. It’s the best way to feel how wild and big this place really is; camping on gravel bars beneath cliffs is prime wilderness stuff. (My personal favorite — nothing beats a slow float through that canyon at sunset.)
- Rabbitkettle Hotsprings — Fragile, otherworldly tufa (travertine) domes and boardwalks over mineral terraces. It’s a rare northern hot-spring formation and looks nothing like the forested pools you imagine — more sculpted, almost lunar in places.
- Cirque of the Unclimbables — A granite amphitheater of soaring spires and classic alpine faces. If you like big rock, dramatic photography, or just gawking at impossible peaks, this high-country cirque is a showpiece.
- Hoodoos and Side Canyons — Smaller, intimate sections of the park where erosion has carved bizarre pillars and tight, walkable side canyons. Great for short hikes, scrambling, and photos without committing to a long river trip.
- Wildlife viewing — Dall sheep on the slopes, moose and caribou in lowlands, and the usual northern mix of black/grizzly bears, wolves and beavers. Sightings aren’t guaranteed (it’s wild, not a zoo) but when you see them it feels properly remote.
- Backcountry hiking & alpine lakes — High country routes, glacial-fed lakes and meadows that reward effort with solitude and clear water for rinsing off. Trails are minimal in places, so the walking feels like real exploration rather than a stamped path.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.