Travel the famed Alaska Highway, the North Klondike Highway, the Dempster Highway (Canada’s most northerly highway) and the amazing Mackenzie River Ice Road to reach the Beaufort Sea on the Mackenzie River Delta. You will see some of the Yukon’s most incredibly captivating landscapes presented on winter’s platter and you'll experience a sense of the vastness, that for most visitors is a once in a lifetime experience.
Dates 2013:
Feb 23 to March 2 + March 9 to 16 + March 23 to 30 + April 6 to 13
Duration:
8 days / 7 Nights, from - to Whitehorse
Group size:
minimum 4 guests
Rates:
$2985 CAD per person + 5% GST
single room supplement $600 CAD
Included:
- All transportation described in this itinerary
- 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
- Emergency equipment, including satellite phone
NEW itinerary: more iceroads!
Day 1 : We'll greet you at the airport and drive you to the hotel in the heart of Whitehorse. Time permitting, we'll show you the town and you may want to pick up a few last minute items. Dinner on your own.
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 frozen Five Finger Rapids and cross some of the great northern rivers: the Yukon, the Pelly and the Stewart are on our route today. We'll arrive in Dawson City (540 kms / 340 miles) in the afternoon. Before we enjoy a fine supper we will visit the dredge in the gold fields of Bonanza Creek and the Midnight Sun Dome from where we can take in an incredible view over the Yukon River valley.
Day 3 : After breakfast we'll leave the last signs of civilization behind and drive north on the gravel surfaced Dempster Highway. We’ll stop often to take in the beautiful landscape and to take pictures. However, the low temperatures and a nasty wind may hamper our enthusiasm to stay out for very long. We drive past the Tombstone Mountains, a vast treeless plateau and cross two mountain passes before we reach the vast Eagle Plains Plateau. The hotel at Eagle Plains is the only place along the Dempster Highway to eat, sleep and fuel up (420 kms / 265 miles). Do not expect a five star resort, but a functional and clean truck stop where we’ll spend the night with truckers and road maintenance people.
Day 4 : Just north of Eagle Plains we'll cross the Arctic Circle. From this monument we’ll enjoy a great view of the Richardson Mountains and the road in the distance. Soon after we’ll drive over the last mountain pass and cross the border to the Northwest Territories. We now descend into the wide valley of the mighty Peel and Mackenzie Rivers. Here we make our first contact with ice roads as we cross both frozen rivers. In the small First Nation village of Fort McPherson we'll break to visit the cemetery where the members of The Lost Patrol rest. We then continue to Arctic Red River, another small settlement and the crossing of the much wider Mackenzie River, in less than two hours we’ll arrive in Inuvik (360 kms / 210 miles).
Day 5 : This day will be the highlight of the tour: After breakfast we'll drive onto the ice of the Mackenzie River and head north towards the delta and the frozen Beaufort Sea. You’ll be amazed about the width of the road (up to 100 m / 300 ft wide) in some places and the thickness of the ice (up to 1.5 m / 5 ft). We’ll drive past remote cabins, frozen-in tug boats and cut-offs to exploration camps. After 180 kms / 110 miles we'll finally reach firm ground at Tuktoyaktuk, a small Inuit (Eskimo) town of 1100 people. This is the northernmost point (69° 26’) on this tour and we’ll spend some time exploring the area. By mid-afternoon we'll return to Inuvik.
Day 6 : Today we drive another ice road to the small Inuit settlement of Aklavik on the other side of the McKenzie Delta (120kms / 75 miles). This route follows more the meandering channels offering a different view of the huge Delta. In Aklavik we will enjoy a hot chocolate in the local store before we turn around. We will arrive back in Inuvik early afternoon.
Day 7 : It's time to return to the south: We'll spend the morning in Inuvik and then transfer to the airport for our flight back to Whitehorse around noon. Upon arrival in Whitehorse you'll spend a last night at a downtown Hotel. Time for sightseeing, shopping and a night in town.
Day 8 : You'll start your next adventure in the Yukon or we'll bring you to the airport in time for your flight home.
Remark: You have the opportunity to book a short dog sled trip while in Inuvik.
If you are interetsd please inquire at time of booking.
Excluded:
- Trip cancellation, travel and medical insurance.
- Meals and beverages
- Additional cost for single accommodation
- Items of personal nature and souvenirs
- dog sledding
Things to know:
Average temperatures at this time of winter are between 0° and - 30° Celsius, but extremes may be as low as -45° Celsius. We ask you to bring adequate clothing to withstand these temperatures. You may buy winter clothing in Whitehorse or rent a clothing package.
This tour has many elements of an expedition and therefore changes in the itinerary due to weather and road conditions, including extreme temperatures or road closures, are a possibility. We explicitly reserve the right to adapt the tour itinerary.
Canadian law requires that you sign a release of claims and waiver of liability form prior to participating in this trip. This tour is a cooperation with other local operators.
We offer a similar trip during summer time too, please follow this link
Literature
"The lost Patrol", by Dick North
The Mounties Yukon Tragedy, a true winter story in northern Yukon
"The mad Trapper of Rat River", by Dick North
True story of Canada's biggest man hunt
Add-ons:
Are you 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. |
