Summer Dempster Highway Driving Tour

Travel the famed Alaska Highway, the North Klondike Highway and the Dempster Highway (Canada’s most northerly highway) to the town of Inuvik, at the Mackenzie River Delta. You will see some of the Yukon’s most incredibly captivating landscapes and experience a sense of the vastness, that for most visitors is an unparalleled experience. In Inuvik you have options on a variety of incredible day trips.

Dates 2012: June 15 to 22 / July 13 to 20 / August 24 to 31

Duration: 8 days / 7 nights

Group size: 4 to 9 guests

Rates:
$ 2995 CAD per person + 5% GST
single supplement $ 740 CAD + 5% GST

Included:
- All transportation described in this itinerary
- Entry to Dredge #4, Gold Mine Tour
- Visit to Diamond Tooth Gertie's gambling hall
- Airport transfers in Whitehorse and Inuvik
- Scheduled flight by Air North from Inuvik to Whitehorse
- 7 night's accommodation in hotels, highway lodges and B&B, as per itinerary
- Knowledgeable guide services for the duration of the trip

Itinerary:
Day 1:  After arriving at the airport we'll transfer you to the hotel in downtown Whitehorse. Meet your guide and the other participants for an information meeting. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Day 2:  Start of our adventure trip to the north: We'll drive along the famous Alaska- and Klondike Highways and stop en route to take pictures. See the Five Finger Rapids and cross some of the great northern rivers: Yukon, Pelly and Stewart. We’ll arrive in Dawson City (540 kms / 340 miles) in late afternoon. Walk around town and admire the many old and beautifully restored buildings from over a century ago.

Day 3:  This whole day is dedicated to Dawson City and its Gold Rush history. We'll drive the Dome Road to take in the incredible view of the city, the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike rivers and the vast gold fields. We'll visit Dredge #4, Discovery Claim and an active placer gold mine, where we'll try our luck at panning for gold. In the evening we'll visit Diamond Tooth Gertie's a turn-of-the-century gambling hall that offers roulette, blackjack, slot machines and spectacular Can-Can Shows.

Day 4:  We're off on the road less traveled! We'll leave the last trappings of civilization behind (we are well equipped) and head north on the Dempster Highway. In 1979, the Canadian government built this 800 km (500 miles) gravel highway to open up the oil and gas riches in the Mackenzie Delta. But the real riches are in the unsurpassed views, overwhelming beauty and magnitude of the landscapes. We'll stop at various spots to enjoy the landscape and maybe take a walk along an alpine creek, beside a craggy mountain, or in the treeless tundra. We'll make good time on the road despite the gravel surface, crossing several mountain passes to reach Eagle Plains in late afternoon. Here we'll find the only hotel, gas station and repair services along the entire highway. Don't expect a luxury hotel, but practical and clean accommodations that we'll share with highway work crews, exploration camps and worldwide travelers.

Day 5:  Just a half hour outside of Eagle Plains we'll reach the Arctic Circle Interpretative Display, with panoramic views of the Richardson Mountains. Shortly after, we'll cross into the Northwest Territories. Once through the last mountain pass, we'll descend into the seemingly endless Mackenzie River valley. We'll cross the Peel River by ferry before arriving in Fort McPherson, a small First Nations community. After visiting the village, we'll continue to the Mackenzie River which we'll also cross by river ferry. Another hour and a half gets us to Inuvik and our room for the next three nights in a charming B&B.

Day 6: This day is at your disposition. You may choose to book a sight seeing flight over the vast Delta or to the village of Tuktoyaktuk on the arctic coast. Or you hop onboard a small boat for a tour into the McKenzie Delta. Perhaps you only want to spend the day in town and visit the shops with local arts and crafts? You guide will help you make the most out of your visit to Inuvik.

Day 7:  Around noon our scheduled plane leaves and brings us via Dawson City back
to Whitehorse. Upon arrival we will be picked up and transferred to our hotel in downtown.

Day 8:  After breakfast, you'll take off on your next adventure!

Excluded:
- Trip cancellation, travel and medical insurance.
- Meals and beverages
- Activities & Excursions in Inuvik
- Additional cost for single accommodation
- Items of personal nature and souvenirs

About the Dempster Highway:
Starting in 1979, the Canadian government built this 800 km (500 miles) gravel highway to open up the oil and gas riches in the Mackenzie Delta. But the real riches are in the unsurpassed views, overwhelming beauty and magnitude of the landscapes. About half way up the highway, in Eagle Plains, we'll find the only hotel, gas station and repair services along the entire highway.

Things to know:
This tour has some elements of an expedition and therefore changes in the itinerary due to weather and road conditions are a possibility. We explicitly reserve the right to adapt the tour itinerary. 

We offer a similar trip in winter too, please follow this link

Alternative itinerary:
Should you wish to travel the Dempster on your own pace and / or by truck-camper, but for some reason don't want to drive yourself, then we can provide you with a personal, knowledgeable driver for your private trip.

Add-ons:
Interested in relaxing at a cozy cabin on a secluded lake? Our wilderness cabins are situated at Dalayee Lake, nestled in the rolling hills of southern Yukon, not far from Whitehorse. Click here for more info.