Day 1 - Whitehorse

The Yukon’s capital city, Whitehorse is a pleasant, walkable city of just 25,000 with plenty of things to see and do. Walk the Millennium Trail, which takes you to the Whitehorse dam and through boreal forest. An excellent place to view birdlife including eagles, as well as northern wildflowers. Directly across from the SS Klondike is a beaver lodge and a short walk upriver is a bald eagles nest. Also, do not forget to check out some of the local art galleries and make some time to enjoy some locally roasted coffee and people watch at one of the city's many busy coffee shops.

Stay one night in Whitehorse.

Pick up your car and drive along the Alaska Highway to Haines Junction. Why not take a flightseeing tour of the St. Elias Ice Fields and stop at the Visitor and Cultural Centre to find out more about the major parks in the region and First Nations culture. A short drive (approx. 28 miles) west on the Alaska Highway brings you to Sheep Mountain Visitors Centre, where the all-white Dall’s Sheep can be spotted grazing on the grassy slopes.

Stay two nights in Haines Junction.

Day 3 - Kluane National Park

Spend your day hiking in Kluane National Park, which is one of Canada's truly spectacular places. Roughly half the size of Switzerland, Kluane is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is home to 12 of Canada’s 20 highest peaks, including the country’s tallest (Mt. Logan – 5920m), the world’s largest (non-polar) icefield and one of Canada’s largest grizzly bear populations. Kluane is part of the largest internationally protected area in the world, together with parks in Alaska and British Columbia. Beginner to intermediate hikers will have easy access to a wide range of trails, which are graded according to length and difficulty. And for experienced hikers, a back-country trek offers the chance to explore one of the longer routes through remote regions of the park, while tent camping along the way. It’s also possible to start some hikes further into the park with a floatplane ride. Guided hikes are also available. 

Day 4 - Haines Junction/Kluane National Park to Carmacks (approx. 190 miles)

Stop for a coffee at Braeburn Lodge, famous for its massive cinnamon buns, then continue northbound on the Klondike Highway. Home of the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation, Carmacks sits at a historic intersection of trails, waterways and roads that makes this community a central stopping point. Named for George Carmack, the co-discoverer of Klondike gold, the historic village was both a riverboat refuelling station and a major stop on the Overland Trail linking Whitehorse and Dawson City. Visit Tagé Cho Hudän Interpretive Centre, a local museum that showcases the past and present culture of the Northern Tutchone people. A stroll along the tree-lined Carmacks Riverfront Boardwalk is perfect for contemplating the mighty Yukon River.

Stay one night in Carmacks.

Day 5 - Carmacks to Dawson City (approx. 220 miles)

Return to the Klondike Highway and drive to Dawson City. Either stay or visit Klondike Kates Cabins and enjoy the infamous Sourtoe Cocktail at the Sourdough Saloon in this Downtown Hotel. Home to the 1898 Klondike Gold rush, considered the greatest in world history, Dawson City today is a national historic site, and drips with history. Once home to some 50,000 residents at the height of the gold rush including Jack London, Thomas Edison, and the Guggenheims; today, gold miners and dance hall girls still roam the dusty, un-paved streets and wooden boardwalks. 

Stay three nights in Dawson City.

Day 6 - Dawson City

Spend the morning at Hunter Creek learning about the Gold Rush. You may also want to listen to a Robert Service poetry reading which takes place at 1300 each day at the Robert Service Cabin. Following the Robert Service Reading, travel up Bonanza Creek Road to see Dredge #4 National Historic Site and Discovery Claim (site of the original gold discovery in the Klondike in 1986) and return to Dawson. If you have time travel up the Midnight Dome for views of the beautiful Yukon River Valley and the Top of the World Highway. In the evening visit Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino for the Can-Can floorshow.

Day 7 - Dawson City – Full day Hike in Tombstone Territorial Park (Dempster Highway)

Travel part of the Dempster Highway to enjoy a full day’s hiking in Tombstone Territorial Park, a unique wilderness of rugged peaks, permafrost landforms and abundant wildlife before returning to Dawson City in the evening.

Day 8 - Dawson City to Mayo (approx. 145 miles)

Drive to the village of Mayo located at the confluence of the Mayo and Stewart rivers, in the middle of beautiful wilderness. Mayo is a hub for fly-in fishing, rafting excursions and other exciting outdoor adventures. Highway travellers find plenty of interesting ways to spend their time in town as well. The Binet House Museum displays exhibits on the area’s history, intriguing artefacts, and a 3-D map of the surrounding landscape. Explore the heritage of the Na-Cho Nyäk Dun, who have lived in the area for countless generations and whose Traditional Territory you’ll be standing upon. Stroll the riverfront along the Prince of Wales Trail, part of the Trans Canada Trail that reaches across the country. Today the river is a dream destination for paddlers, and the area is loved by anglers who like feisty fish. Off the water, visitors take to the area’s nature trails to spot wildflowers, northern berries, the occasional ageing building—left behind by the mining era—and loads of gorgeous views.

Stay one night in Mayo.

Day 9 - Mayo to Whitehorse/Lewes Lake (approx. 250 miles)

Drive to Whitehorse along the Klondike Highway and stay for three nights in the shadow of the spectacular "Seven Sisters" mountain range at Boreale Lodge. Boreale Explorers, who own the lodge are the Yukon’s premier mountain biking and soft adventure day tour company, so make sure to book a day's mountain biking or canoeing. Guided hiking is also available. Accommodation is on a full board basis.

Enjoy the best of the Lewes Lake area, either on a guided trip with Boreale Explorers or under your own steam. As well as all the outdoor activities you can do, why not visit nearby Carcross and spend some time exploring the smallest desert in the world and the First Nation village. Learn about the local culture, history and geography.

Day 12 - Lewes Lake to Tagish (approx. 35 miles)

A perfect spot for relaxing at the end of your Yukon adventure or to take advantage of yet more outdoor opportunities from fishing, canoeing or kayaking on the lake, to hiking and wildlife watching in the surrounding wilderness. In the evening you may also see the sky lighting up with the Aurora Borealis. Stay two nights at Tagish.

Spend the day hiking, wildlife watching, canoeing or fishing.  

Day 14 - Tagish Lake to Whitehorse (approx. 65 miles)

Return to the Yukon's capital city for your final night before you fly home.

Day 15 - Whitehorse

Return to the airport for your flight back to the UK.