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22 day Gold Rush Tour into Yukon and Alaska
Explore Canada’s Yukon and Alaska and relive the Gold Rush of 1898.  Discover the land of the midnight sun, the land of the magic and mystery, the land of rivers, deep blue lakes and magnificent alpine scenery. This canoe-van combination tour begins with a nine day canoe expedition down the famous Teslin and Yukon Rivers. Far away from any civilization you will paddle your canoe down the mighty streams deep into the wilderness. You will then follow the trail of the gold rush history, and explore several abandoned settlements and constantly find relics from the historic gold rush trail. The camps are set up on the gravel & sand banks of the river. Wildlife is quite common in this area, and one can expect to see black bear, moose and bald eagles. All meals are prepared on open camp fires, and fresh trout, pike or grayling may round up the menu of the day.
The legendary Dawson City was once the heart of the gold rush, and mining is still a major part of this rustic town. After a bath we explore Dawson and relive the history of this famous town. Highlights will be the visits to a real gold mine and the Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall. Driving up the Dempster Highway the camp is set up on a campground near the Tombstone Mountains. Next days hiking trip into this great scenery is another highlight of the tour! Crossing the Yukon by ferry and via the Top of the World Highway we travel towards Alaska, passing through sub-arctic mountain tundra above the timberline. The trail leads alongside the Alaska Range and via the Alaska Highway we drive to Beaver Creek and Burwash Landing. Kluane National Park, home of the largest, non-polar ice fields in the world is our next point of interest, and you have the option of a float plane or bush plane ride up to these magnificent glaciers. Setting up the camp on the shores of the deep, blue Kluane Lake and maybe explore the immense scenery of the park during the next days. A hiking trip into one of the park's high alpine valleys may give you the chance to spot wildlife such as dall sheep, moose, caribou and grizzly bear. Another option is to discover the mighty Alsek valley on horseback. The stay in Kluane will be rounded up by an exciting raft trip down the wild Tatshenshini River. The next morning we travel over the Haines Road towards Haines, Alaska. The rich vegetation of the Alaskan coastline is an enormous contrast to the tundra vegetation of the Yukon.Via ferry you then travel through the Lynn Fjord, passing giant glaciers and with some luck will see seals, whales, bald eagles and the giant Alaska brown bears, making this area their home. Skagway, hundred years ago the base camp for all Chilkoot Pass travellers is another historic gold rush town.  Overnight here and discover this idyllic town before driving back to Whitehorse.
Day 1: Arrival Whitehorse Arrival in Whitehorse and meeting of group members. Opportunity to discover the famous capital of the Yukon, and your stops should include the MS Klondike, one of the last Yukon sternwheelers still around and a visit to the McBride Museum. Overnight in a hotel. Day 2 - 10: Teslin / Yukon River Van-transfer to Johnsons Crossing, start of canoe tour down the Teslin, later the famous Yukon River. We are spending nine days on these magnificent rivers, travelling downstream appr. 360 km.Day 10: Carmacks – Dawson City Arrival in Carmacks on the Yukon River. We part from our canoes and travel with our van via the KlondikeHighway towards Dawson City. Day 11: Dawson City We discover Dawson City, the historic gold town and home of many legends. A visit to the Jack London and Robert Service cabins, the theatre and the Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall are on the program. A highlight is the drive into the Bonanza and Eldorado Creeks where we visit an active gold mine. Day 12: Dawson City – Dempster Highway We are leaving the fields of the Klondike today and will set up camp near the world famous Dempster Highway.730 KM of gravel road linking the interior of the Yukon Territory with Inuvik located at the delta of the huge Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories. We camp at a delightful campground at the base of Tombstone Mountain. Day 13: Tombstone Mountains. We do some spectacular hiking in this remarkable landscape of tundra and mountains. The Tombstone Mountains` unique moon landscape has proved early travellers in this region with an unmistakable landmark. We spend the evening around the campfire. Day 14: Dempster – Top of the World Highway Drive back to Dawson City and crossing the Yukon River by ferry. We travel via the Top of the World Highway towards Alaska, right through Sub-arctic Mountain tundra, above timberline. Today we pass the most northern US-boarder at Little Gold Creek and small historic towns like Chicken, Action Jackson or Jack Wade. Day 15: Kluane, Sheep Mountain Via Alaska Highway we cross the Alaska Border in Beaver Creek. We drive besides the shores of scenic Kluane Lake. Mount Wallace, better known as Sheep Mountain is one of our stops. Here, you will be able to spot the rare white dall sheep, and you have the possibility of joining a helicopter glacier flight. Day 16 / 17: Haines Junction (Kluane NP) Haines Junction, the gateway to Kluane National Park. We are setting up our base camp and explore the immense scenery of the Park during the next days. A hiking trip into one of the park's high alpine valleys may give us the chance to spot wildlife such as dall sheep, moose, caribou and grizzly bear. Depending on the level of interest among the passengers we can also organise a spectacular flight by bush plane over the immense glaciers of the park (optional). This adventure, over a virtually pristine wilderness, is especially spectacular during a clear day. With Haines Junction as a base one has a variety of options: What do you think of a horse back riding trip into the glacier valley of the Alsek River? This area is simply an adventure wonderland. Day 18: Kluane NP – Tatshenshini RiverWhite water rafting on the Tatshenshini River, a tumultuous rafting tour down this world famous river. Another highlight of the tour! Overnight at Million Dollar Falls Campground. Day 19: Million Dollar Falls – Haines, Alaska Drive south via Haines Road to Haines, Alaska. We are crossing Chilkat Pass in a pristine landscape and are following the Chilkat River where during fall salmon migration thousands of majestic bald eagles concentrate. We spend the rest of the day in front of the snow-covered Chilkat Mountain Range. Haines is known as an important centre of the native Tlingit culture and one can watch Totem pole carvers at work as well as visit the local theatre where ceremonial Indian dances are shown. Day 20: Haines - Skagway Via ferry we travel through the Lynn Fjord and with some luck we can see seals, whales, bald eagles and the giant Alaska brown bears, making this area their home. Skagway, a hundred years ago the base camp for all Chilkoot Pass travellers is still a historic gold rush town. Many well preserved relics bear witness to its colourful past, including the head of the notorious Chilkoot Trail. In the evening one can relax and get a taste of the gold rush atmosphere in one of the historic bars, for example the „Red Onion Saloon“ once a brothel. Day 21: Skagway - Whitehorse Sightseeing of Skagway in the morning. Optional ride with the famous Whitepass-Railroad. On our way back to Whitehorse we will stop at the smallest desert in the world - the Carcross desert - and we will of course also admire Emerald Lake, called „Rainbow Lake” from the locals due to its sensational coloration. Overnight in a hotel. Day 22: Departure Whitehorse Transfer to airport or connecting program.
Included in Tour
22 days round trip from/to Whitehorse, expert guidance on the entire trip, multilingual guides (English, French, German) airport transfers Whitehorse, guided canoeing trip Teslin-/Yukon Rivers (9 days), camping equipment incl. 2 person tents, overland transportation, two nights hotel accommodation (Whitehorse), historic tour through Dawson City incl. gold panning, rafting day trip (Tatshenshini River),  ferry Haines-Skagway, entrance fees for national parks, guided hiking trip into Kluane National Park, guided hiking trip Tombstone Mountains, entrance fee þDiamond Tooth Gerties entrance fee museum in Dawson City.
Not Included
Meals in hotels. Optional: Glacier flight (appr Included in Tour. Can-$ 80.00/person), Fishing license (appr. Can-$ 20.00), Horse back trip (appr. Can-$ 85.00/person), Whitepass-Railroad (appr. Can-$ 100.00/person). Camp food (appr. Can-$ 75.00-/person per week), personal extras.
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