Day 1
Vancouver
Fly to Vancouver and check into an airport hotel for a relaxing night before your Yukon adventure begins. If you would like some more time in this great city, then we can build this into your holiday.
Day 2
Vancouver - Whitehorse
Fly to Whitehorse and collect the motorhome from the depot. Spend the rest of the day in this small city with a big-city feel, home to a vibrant arts community and world-class attractions. Visit the S.S. Klondike sternwheeler and Macbride Museum, take an easy hike around Miles Canyon, or unwind at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve and Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs.
Day 3
Whitehorse - Carmacks (110 miles)
Travel the North Klondike Highway to Carmacks, with its scenic riverfront boardwalk and the Tagé Cho Hudän Interpretive Centre. Just north of Carmacks, Five Finger Rapids is well worth a stop, as is Pelly Crossing further on, home to the Selkirk First Nation Cultural Centre at Big Jonathan House.
Days 4 - 5
Carmacks - Dawson City (221 miles)
Keep an eye out for wildlife on the drive north to Dawson City, an official National Historic Site and UNESCO World Heritage Site (Tr'ondëk-Klondike) that still evokes the heartbeat of the greatest gold rush in history, with its boardwalks and vintage false-front buildings. Many of Dawson's historic buildings are managed with a range of walking tours on offer, from the Commissioner's Residence to the Palace Grand Theatre. There are also poetry readings at the Robert Service Cabin, and the evening can be finished at Diamond Tooth Gertie's for a can-can show. Visit Dredge No. 4 National Historic Site and the Discovery Claim National Historic Site to try your hand at gold panning. Optional: a full day trip to Tombstone Territorial Park (approximately 185 miles round trip), a unique wilderness of rugged peaks, permafrost landforms and abundant wildlife, especially beautiful in late August when the fall colours appear.
Day 6
Dawson City - Tok, Alaska (185 miles)
A free ferry across the Yukon River connects to the Top of the World Highway. Head out on this beautiful scenic road and enter Alaska, stopping in Chicken for lunch. An overnight stop at Tok is the gateway to this untamed Alaskan wilderness; the visitor centre has information on nature trails and museums on pioneer life in Alaska.
Day 7
Tok - Beaver Creek (142 miles)
Depart Tok and follow the historic Alaska Highway through breathtaking landscapes to Beaver Creek, Canada's westernmost community, known as the land of the midnight sun where life flourishes under hours of intense summer sunlight. The overnight stop is nestled at the base of the foothills descending from the mountainous Kluane Park Preserve.
Days 8 - 9
Beaver Creek - Haines Junction (148 miles)
Continue south through Burwash Landing and Destruction Bay to Haines Junction, passing along the edge of Kluane National Park and Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as Kathleen Lake and the Da Ku Culture Centre. Haines Junction is a picture-postcard village and the perfect base for hiking in the park. Interpretive trails and exhibits introduce the wonders of one of North America's most awe-inspiring wilderness preserves, home to bears, caribou, moose and more. Visit the Kluane Museum of Natural History in Burwash Landing, and consider a glacier flightseeing trip for an unforgettable perspective.
Day 10
Haines Junction - Haines, Alaska (148 miles)
Pass breathtaking views of Tatshenshini-Alsek Park and through the alpine heights of Haines Pass to Haines, Alaska. The Chilkat River flats alongside the Haines Road are critical habitat for bald eagles and among the best places to observe them. Stop by Klukshu Village, a seasonal First Nations fish camp, and Million Dollar Falls, where a government-run campground, walking trails and boardwalks offer excellent viewing. Visit the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve in Haines, and watch for grizzly bears fishing from mid-August to mid-September at Chilkoot Lake.
Day 11
Haines (19-mile ferry to Skagway)
Enjoy Haines, a picturesque coastal town nestled in the heart of the Tongass National Forest, surrounded by towering mountains and lush rainforest. The Alaska Marine Highway operates a one-hour vehicle ferry service between Haines and Skagway, the gateway to the Klondike gold fields; booking well in advance is recommended. Explore the well-preserved gold rush town of Skagway, from where prospectors once hiked the Chilkoot Trail to Bennett Lake and navigated the Yukon River to Dawson City.
Day 12
Skagway - Carcross - Whitehorse (109 miles)
Travel the South Klondike Highway through the scenic White Pass to Carcross, originally called Caribou Crossing and home to the Carcross/Tagish First Nation. The village's historic structures include some of the Yukon's oldest buildings, among them the Matthew Watson General Store, alongside the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad depot and the Caribou Hotel Historic Site. An optional train excursion runs from Skagway to Fraser or Carcross (one way by train, one way by road). On the return to Whitehorse, stop for a walk in the Carcross Desert, the smallest desert in the world, and admire the colours of Emerald Lake.
Day 13
Whitehorse
Spend some final time in Whitehorse, known as the 'Wilderness City', with souvenir shopping downtown and a range of dining options. The Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre offers a fascinating insight into the Ice Age and First Nations culture. Return the motorhome to the depot in Whitehorse and fly home or onwards for another Canadian adventure.
