Top 4 Rivers We’d Like to See From a Canoe (if we were crazy)

For those who really like canoeing, spending a month or more lazily paddling down a river, or braving the rapids sounds may like a dream come true, but for most of us, the four hour canoe trip on the local river is more than enough. Adventure travelers are a different breed and our hats are off to them. Anyone who spends their vacation time working so hard deserves that, at the very least. If you happen to be one of those crazy people, the following rivers would probably represent a dream vacation for you, if you ever had the chance to paddle them. If you ever do, make you sure you take out travel insurance, and never, ever drink the water.

The Mississippi River. It takes almost 2 months to canoe from its point of origin in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, you’ll be swamped with mosquitoes. And further South, you’re treated to plenty of snakes and alligators. So, if you get the chance to canoe North America’s largest river, take plenty of Skin So Soft or mosquito repellent and watch for hungry eyes on the surface.

The Amazon River. The world’s longest river, the Amazon stretches through some of the most beautiful, primitive country left in the world. The plant and animal life is beyond compare, and it would make a perfect vacation for an adventure traveler. The bad news is the anacondas there can grow to 30 feet long. The good news is that there’s no proof they eat people. Of course, we find ourselves wondering what exactly would be left for “proof” once they got done.

The Yangtze River. The longest river in Asia, the Yangtze wends its way through much of China. While this might not be the most wilderness oriented canoe trip in the world, you’d get to see a lot of China. The river is known colloquially as “China’s Main Street” and flows all the way to Shanghai. Take out travel insurance if you’re going, though. Chinese politics can get suddenly volatile, and the last thing you want is a cancelled trip and no way to recoup your investment.

The Nile River. The world’s second longest river, the Nile runs through much of Central and Northern Africa. OF course, most of us associate the Nile with Africa, and that nation’s existence has depended on the great river since ancient times. Most of the interesting things in Egypt are along the Nile River. And, if you go back to the river’s source, you’ll be able to see plenty of the eastern part of Africa as well, as the river’s tributaries originate in Tanzania and Ethiopia. Tell me, where else can you find a river that supports major civilizations AND has such abundant wildlife that the 20 foot long man eating crocodiles aren’t the most dangerous thing in the water? Wonder what is the most dangerous? Oddly enough, the vegetarian hippos.

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