Arctic Ocean Dreams and the Dempster Highway

Day 1: Whitehorse

Welcome to Canada‘s Yukon! Your tour guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel where you will meet your fellow travellers. Your guide will run the group through a brief orientation.

Day 2: Whitehorse - Dawson City

Today we’ll head north along the Klondike Highway to the world-famous Gold Rush Capital; Dawson City. Along the way, we’ll catch frequent views of the Yukon River, which, at about 3200 Km long, is one of the longest waterways in North America. We’ll stop at the infamous Five Finger Rapids and stretch our legs at some of the old post offices, roadhouses and villages that give the area its unique northern character.

Day 3: Dawson City

This legendary boomtown was epicentre of the famous Klondike gold rush of 1898, and gold still animates the place. Immerse yourself in Dawson’s history, and try your luck panning the creeks yourself. A visit to Bonanza Creek, the Jack London cabin, the Dawson City museum, and the Mid- night Dome are all on the agenda. You’ll also want to take some time to simply stroll around the town, with its garish Gold Rush architecture and friendly locals. In the evening the can-can girls kick up their skirts for a night of entertainment at Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling Hall.

Day 4: Dawson City - Eagle Plains

Today your journey begins on the legendary Dempster Highway! As far as the eye can see, the untouched tundra landscape is crossed by caribou, moose and bear. This 730 km long gravel road is the only road connection to Inuvik and people come from all around the world to drive to its end. We will travel through the magnificent Tombstone Territorial park and with a bit of luck we will see the imposing dark peaks and many more scenic landscapes of the arctic tundra. The final stop today is Eagle Plains.

Day 5: Eagle Plains - Inuvik

Early in the day we’ll cross the Arctic Circle, with a pause for a short celebration. We have one more mountain range, the Richardson Mountains, to cross before descending to arctic coastal tundra and the indigenous communities of Fort McPherson, Tsiigehtchic (scenes of the epic story of the Northwest Mounted Police and the “Lost Patrol”) before reaching our final destination for the day at Inuvik. Inuvik is the hub of the western arctic and home of the Inuvialuit, in whose language the name means “Place of People.” We’ll make this our base as we explore the arctic coast.

Day 6: Tuktoyaktuk Day

It’s a full day today as we head north on the newly completed road to Tuktoyaktuk, an isolated coastal village. We’ll have a
tour of the town and have a look at the pingos rising up from the tundra. We will learn about First Nation history during our time in this unique northern location. If you don’t know what a pingo or muktuk is; you’ll find out today.

Day 7: Whitehorse Departure

There’s just enough time to pay a visit to the Igloo Church this morning before we board the plane back to Whitehorse. Once in Whitehorse, you can either extend your stay with the afternoon free for shopping, relaxing, or exploring the town, or you can head back home.

Reverse Itinerary on request