Canadian tourism has come a long way since the days when visiting friends and relatives was the main reason for travelling there from Britain. And with good reason:there aren’t many countries where you can experience world-class skiing, trail-riding, mountain biking and hiking as well as trying to finance your visit with a little gold panning at the end of the day. The Yukon in Canada’s northwest is ideal territory for a soft or hard-adventure break, with holiday options to suit all.
Adventure packages
Where? The territory offers boating and rafting on the Yukon River, summer hiking tours with huskies through alpine and forest landscape, canoeing on lakes and hiking around the edge of Kluane National Park. There are also winter activity packages, fishing tours and gold-mining trips.
When: Mostly in late spring and summer, although Tourism Yukon is beginning to promote winter events such as the Whitehorse Arctic Winter Games and annual Yukon Quest Dog Sled Race, held in February and March. During the same period, Whitehorse stages its annual music festival under the Northern Lights.
How much does it cost? 1st Class features a seven-day hiking with huskies tour for £565 per person departing every Saturday between June 3 and September 9. It includes all meals and camping equipment, the services of a guide and local transfers. Clients need to bring a sleeping bag and backpack and be of average fitness. Walking conditions are good and the pace will suit anyone. The dogs are not harnessed during the trek and make good trail companions.
1st Class also offers a seven-day Yukon River boating trip with meals and camping equipment for £684, and one week combining hiking with huskies and lake canoeing for £565. Individual canoe rental costs from £20 for the day.
Who else offers it? Arctic Vision and Go Wild! Tours (arcticv@yknet.yk.ca) offers kayaking, heli-hiking, biking, rafting and cultural tours in Yukon and the western Arctic. Nahanni River Adventures (nahannoi@yknet.yk.ca) does river trips escorted by licensed professional guides for beginners and experts on the wilderness rivers of Tatshenshini, Yukon and Nahanni.
Operator Uncommon Journeys (uncommon@yukon.ne) organises dog team trips, heli-hiking and canoeing on remote rivers within the Yukon. Cloudberry Adventures (cloud@cloudberry.ca) does sea and white-water kayaking and canoeing expeditions as well as back-country snowboard tours.
Muktuk Kennels and Sled Dog Tours (arabbit@yknet.yk.ca) do half-day, full-day and night trips by dog sled. The base can be found at Lake Laberge which is 30 miles from Whitehorse. Snowmobiling is also available. Trans North Helicopters at Haines Junction do heli-tours and helihiking in Kluane National Park (kluanetours@yukon.net).
Escorted coach tours
Where? Highlights of a coach tour of the Yukon combined with parts of Alaska include passages through the White Pass and Yukon Railroad and Alaskan Railroad, gold panning, Dawson City tour, Whitehorse and St Elias Mountains.
When? Departures from May-September.
How much does it cost? Jetsave has introduced a fully escorted 13-day Yukon Gold and Alaskan Wonder tour from £1,869 in May, including 11 nights accommodation, flights and excursions.
Who else offers it? Vacation Canada, Travelpack and Canadian Connections. 1st Class Holidays features an 11-day Goldpanner tour including 10 nights’ accommodation, the tour, flights between Vancouver and Whitehorse and Anchorage to Vancouver and some meals. Prices start at £1,442 in September.
Lodges, resorts and inns
Where? They are found at lakeside retreats, in national parks, remote wilderness areas and in the mountains as well as fly-in fishing lodges.
When? People mostly tend to visit during summer.
How much do they cost? You can stay for two nights at the Tagish Lake Resort, a 1hr drive southeast of Whitehorse, from £272 per person twinshare in September. This includes your own log cabin with excellent views, full board and unlimited use of resort facilities such as mountain bikes, boats and canoes.
A week at the Dalton Trail Lodge on the edge of Kluane National Park costs £1,205 and includes full board and resort facilities plus a day’s fishing with experienced guide. These are featured by 1st Class Holidays, which also offers a number of other lodges. The Icefield Discovery Lodge, in the St Elias Mountains, overlooks three vast glaciers and several major peaks.
Accommodation costs £315 per person per night between May and August, including round-trip flights from Silver City, use of recreational equipment, guides, all meals, warm clothing and suitable walking boots.
Who else offers it? All Canada Travel and Holidays offers lakeside log cabins at the Tagish Lake Resort, which is a 1hr drive south of Whitehorse, Yukon.
The peak-season twin room lead in is £38 per person per night. Activities available to energetic holiday-makers include canoeing, mountain biking, hiking and wildlife watching.
Flydrive itineraries
Where? Itineraries often combine parts of the Yukon Territory with Alaska. A typical route is from Whitehorse to Skagway along the Klondike Goldrush Trail, then on to Dawson City. The drive also takes in Fairbanks, Denali National Park and Anchorage in Alaska, before re-entering the Yukon on the Alaska Highway via Kluane National Park.
When? May to September.
How much does it cost? Travelpack featuresa 14-day Yukon and Alaska Explorer self-drive tour from £730 per person with twinshare room.
Who else offers it? 1st Class Holidays features a 10-day itinerary including Whitehorse, Dawson City, Beaver Creek, Kluane National Park and Haines from £725 including accommodation and car. 1st Class combines the Yukon with Alaska in a fly-drive.
All Canada Travel and Holidays, Vacation Canada, Canadian Connections and Travel 4 also offer itineraries.