Dear valued guests:
We at Aikens are committed to giving each one of our guests a wonderful Aikens Experience. The safety of our guests and staff remains our highest priority. As the situation around COVID-19 continues to evolve, so will our policies and procedures as new information and guidelines are made available from public health officials.
We are closely monitoring the situation and will provide further details along with any updates to our booked guests ahead of their planned trips if applicable.
That being said, we are optimistic in saying that although we’ve all been living under the thumb of a pandemic for almost 2 years, there are some positive signs starting to emerge, and we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We have plans in place and are looking forward to having you all wet a line at Aikens soon!
In an effort to be proactive and keep you up to date with what we are hearing, we have put together a list of FAQ’s that we’ve been receiving in the office recently. Hopefully, your question is answered below. If not, please do reach out… we welcome all questions and chatter directly as well!
Will Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge be open in 2022?
Yes! The current Manitoba provincial guidelines allow for lodges and outfitters to operate. We are planning to be open for business this upcoming summer, much like we did last summer. We will adapt to be in accordance to regulations as they materialize this upcoming spring and throughout our 2022 season.
Did Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge open in 2021?
Yes! 2021 proved to be another challenging year in the tourism industry, but once again, the incredible "Aikens Family", which consists of our guests, our staff, our volunteers, our partners and our suppliers, all contributed in their own way to make our 2021 season a success. We juggled the pandemic and all the government restrictions, along with forest fires in the provincial park... not ideal! But, we finished off the last 6 weeks of our season with a bang, and we look forward to carry that momentum into our 2022 season.
Is the border currently open?
On August 9, 2021, the border into Canada opened to fully-vaccinated Americans. Travelers from the United States who meet specific criteria to qualify as fully vaccinated and meet the testing requirements, may be allowed to enter Canada without having to quarantine. All travelers must use ArriveCAN to submit their travel information.
Follow these links for more information:
Travel restrictions into Canada
What are my options for flying into Winnipeg?
Canada implemented stricter entry rules for international flights earlier during the pandemic. As part of this new policy, only four airports in Canada were able to accept incoming international flights, and unfortunately, Winnipeg was not not one of them. When international non-essential travel was finally permitted, many routes to Winnipeg were not reinstated. For the time being, Delta has flight to Winnipeg through Minneapolis. Alternatively, you can connect through many Canadian cities.
I am an American worried about traveling over the border this year, even if it's possible. I prefer to stay home or only travel domestically. I would prefer to reschedule my booking at Aikens to 2023. Can I do this without penalty?
Yes, absolutely. We understand that people will have different comfort levels when it comes to traveling during a pandemic. We have already spoken to a few guests who prefer to wait until 2023, so we have rebooked their dates into next year and transferred the deposits and payments accordingly. This is an option for those of you that want to delay travel to Aikens for another year.
If my trip needs to be rescheduled because of restrictions, or because of some other issue that has come up, what are my options?
If you do not feel like you can come to Aikens during your booked dates because of COVID restrictions, or for any other reason, we are going to be very flexible in rescheduling without any penalties. Some groups have chosen to target dates later in 2022 (August and September), and as mentioned, others have already deferred to 2023. In all cases, the deposits and payments transfer 100% to the new booking so nothing is lost by officially making these changes with us.
I am a Canadian from outside MB. Am I currently able to travel to Winnipeg/Aikens?
Travelling to Manitoba from other provinces is currently only permitted to individuals who are fully vaccinnated, which means two weeks after your second dose. Canadian travellers who are not fully vaccinated must observe a 14-day self isolation when entering Manitoba.
Do you have to be vaccinated to come to Aikens?
Yes. As per the current travel requirements put in place by Transport Canada (effective October 30, 2021), travelers 12 years and older will need to provide an official proof of vaccination to board the float plane (guests and staff members).
I would like to book a trip for 2022, are you taking new bookings and deposits?
Yes, we have been taking new bookings for 2022 with the understanding that deposits for these trips are non-refundable. That said, the same flexibility in rescheduling exists as detailed in other answers.
Our bookings calendar is about 85% full. There are only a few openings in the first half of our summer, while August and September still have some decent availability to book new trips. While much of May, June, and July are already sold out, there is a chance that availabilities will be created as we move along this spring. For this reason, we have started a waiting list for specific dates. Contact us to discuss.
I would like to book a trip for 2023, are you taking bookings (new and repeat) and deposits?
This is a bit of a tricky one. Guests will typically rebook the same week year after year and we start off each new booking season by getting all of those on the calendar first. We usually have a 70+% repeat rate, and some weeks are perennially sold out, so we know that in advance.
To offer our visitors more options to book their visit to Aikens Lake, we have opted to open our 2023 calendar earlier than usual and to start penciling dates for guests. Due to the limited availability in 2022, and the pent-up demand we are already seeing for travel, we are confident that some new groups will want to "beat the rush" for 2023 dates. But before we do that, we wanted to offer our current 2022 guests the first opportunity to pencil in their dates for 2023. No commitments (ie: deposits) would be required on those 2023 trips until November 2022, and you can change your mind anytime. We are happy to hold spots in our 2023 calendar for our repeat guests, and it will allow us to build our schedule around it.
What kind of regulations and precautions will be in place for the float plane flights and on-site at Aikens for my trip this summer?
Restrictions and health orders are changing almost weekly. We are keeping up-to-date with the rules, and we will be adjusting as the season goes on, as directed by Manitoba officials. The safety of our guest and staff is our highest priority. As such, we have been working diligently in preparation for this upcoming season.
Out of care and concern for all, we have developed plans and have secured the necessary supplies to perform our enhanced cleaning protocols.
Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge is following all provincial health orders put in place by the Manitoba Government and by Manitoba Public Health officers. As of August 28, 2021 face masks are required in all indoor public place. This includes the office, the Bait & Tackle, the Main Lodge and Big Molly’s Bar.
Blue Water Aviation has implemented the following procedures:
- As per the current travel requirements put in place by Transport Canada (effective October 30, 2021), travelers 12 years and older will need to provide an official proof of vaccination to board the float plane.
- All guests must bring and wear a mask while entering the building, within 2 meters from staff and while in the plane.
- All guests must complete a health check questionnaire when arriving at the float base.
- Planes will be thoroughly disinfected and cleaned
Feel free to email julie@aikenslake.com or call 204-237-5253 to discuss restrictions and protocols.
We look forward to seeing you soon,
Your friends at Aikens