Day 1
Whitehorse Arrival
Depart London Heathrow – 10:05
Arrive Vancouver – 11:35
Journey Time – 9 hours 30 minutes
Depart Seattle – 18:55
Arrive Whitehorse – 21:20
Journey Time – 2 hours 25 minutes
Upon arrival in Whitehorse collect your rental car. The rest of the day is free to explore Yukon’s capital on your own. The ‘Wilderness City’ sits on the banks of the Yukon River and is intersected by the Alaska and Klondike Highways. As well as having a pristine wilderness on its doorstep, it’s also home to a vibrant arts community, great restaurants, buzzing coffee houses, galleries and museums.
Overnight – Whitehorse
Day 2
Whitehorse
Join a hike along the shores of the impressive Yukon River through beautiful Miles Canyon. On this easy, non-paved interpretive walk, your local guide will point out important areas during the Klondike Gold Rush and share colourful stories of Yukon’s past and present. Discover interesting facts of Yukon’s natural history and learn the importance of the many plants and wildlife.
Overnight – Whitehorse
Day 3
Whitehorse to May
252 Miles
Travel north to the Silver Trail to explore a sensational landscape in this remote part of the Yukon. On the way to Mayo you will catch glimpses of the Stewart River and several pullouts allow for spectacular views of glaciated terrain. A visit to the historic towns of Elsa and Keno is also recommended. Keno City is a modern day mining town with historic past. It was once the hub of the largest silver producing region in the world. Modern mining equipment sits beside historic log cabins and false fronted buildings. While you are in Keno, be sure to travel up the mountainside to the Keno Signpost. Stunning vistas await!
Overnight – Mayo
Day 4
Mayo to Dawson City
143 miles
This morning leave Mayo and continue your journey north along the Klondike Highway. On this scenic drive, you’ll feel the grit, heartache and golden dreams of the Klondike Gold Rush when you reach Dawson City. This authentic gold rush town is bursting with historic sites and engaging attractions. The Dawson City Museum (not included) is the place to begin your exploration of Dawson, the gold rush and Yukon’s First People and explorers.
Overnight – Dawson City
Day 5
Dawson City
To really experience the historical quest for gold in the Klondike, a trip to Dawson City wouldn’t be complete without seeing a gold mine and finding gold, using the oldest method in the world – gold panning. Today, join the tour of the operating placer gold – learn the processes, from staking a claim to selling the gold and all that’s between; compare the historical methods to the modern technologies and hear the stories about life in the Klondike goldfields. The rest of the day is free to explore the former capital of Yukon on your own. Optional activities and attractions include the Jack London Museum – a cabin where the author of Call of the Wild and White Fang lived during the Klondike Gold Rush, city tour with a costumed guide or an audio tour (activities not included).
Overnight – Dawson City
Day 6
Dawson City to Tok
184 miles + ferry
After the bustle of Dawson, take the free ferry across the Yukon River to the Top of the World Highway, and enjoy expansive views along this winding ridge-top road before crossing into Alaska.
Overnight – Tok
Day 7
Tok to Kluane National Park
290 miles
Today drive back to the Yukon. Travelling south on the Alaska Highway, you’ll parallel the majestic outer rim of Kluane National Park and Reserve of Canada. Watch for moose, grizzly bears and Dall sheep on your scenic drive in Yukon down the Kluane Parkway. Haines Junction is the perfect base for excursions like glacier flightseeing, hiking, canoeing and river rafting.
Overnight – Kluane National Park
Day 8
Kluane National Park
Take a flight (included) over the icy heart of Kluane National Park & Reserve and its majestic peaks – this is a unique opportunity to travel the most spectacular section of the mighty Kaskawulsh and South Arm Glaciers; Pinnacle Pick and Mount Kennedy are in the foreground. From 10,000 feet, the spectacle seems to extend forever. The rest of the day is free to explore the wild beauty of an unspoiled Canadian landscape: mountains, lakes, rivers and forests that have been home to Southern Tutchone people for thousands of years.
Overnight – Kluane National Park
Day 9
Kluane National Park to Haines
148 miles
Today’s route takes you along one of the Yukon’s best kept secrets, the stunning Haines Highway. Bordering Kluane National Park and Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park in British Columbia, this route travels over the magnificent coastal mountains via the 3200ft Chilkat Pass before dropping dramatically to the Alaskan coast. With more than 3000 nesting pairs of bald eagles, Haines boasts the highest concentrations of bald eagles in North America and the Bald Eagle Preserve is an excellent place to view them up close.
Overnight – Haines
Day 10
Haines
Enjoy a day touring at your leisure in Haines area with your rental car. The history and culture of Haines is truly fascinating. From the Dalton Trail and Historic Fort Seward to the Presbyterian Mission that founded the town site of Haines, if you’re a history buff the past comes alive at the Sheldon Museum & Cultural Center. The strong cultural ties of the area are also of great interest. You can see native carvers and artists at Alaska Indian Arts or head out to the village of Klukwan and visit their cultural museum. For a different experience, visit The Hammer Museum, the only one of its kind in North America (activities and admissions not included).
Overnight – Haines
Day 11
Haines to Skagway
6 miles + ferry
A short ferry ride (included) from Haines takes you up the Lynn Canal to Skagway, known as the gateway to the Klondike Gold Rush. Stroll the boardwalks among the charming false-fronted buildings of Skagway.
Overnight – Skagway
Day 12
White Pass & Yukon Route
Today take an unforgettable journey aboard “The Scenic Railway of the World” to the White Pass Summit. Begin your excursion as you board the train in Skagway and travel 20 miles from tidewater, to the Summit of the White Pass – a 2,865 foot elevation! Relax in vintage passenger coaches as you retrace the original route to the White Pass Summit, passing Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch. Enjoy a breathtaking panorama of mountains, glaciers, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles and historic sites. See the original Klondike Trail of ‘98 worn into the rocks, a permanent tribute to the thousands of souls who passed this way in search of fortune.
Overnight – Skagway
Day 13
Skagway to Whitehorse
109 miles
Depart the Klondike Highway to Whitehorse. Carcross, with its many historic gold rush period buildings, totem poles and buildings painted with large First Nations inspired motifs is a photographers delight! Enjoy a meal of salmon, elk or arctic char during your final night in the Yukon’s capital. Shop, sightsee or explore before returning home the next day.
Overnight – Whitehorse
Day 14
Whitehorse Departure
Drop off your rental vehicle at Whitehorse Airport, where your vacation ends.
Depart Whitehorse – 13:55
Arrive Vancouver – 16:15
Journey Time – 2 hours 20 minutes
Depart Vancouver – 18:15
Arrive Heathrow – 11:25 (Next Day)
Journey Time – 9 hours 10 minutes
