Northern Vacations

Cross the Arctic Circle!

 

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Cross the Arctic Circle!

 

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Includes:

  • Airport transfers in Whitehorse and Inuvik.
  • Guided transportation by 15 passenger van as per itinerary OR combination of transportation by van and small plane
  • Scheduled flight by Air North from Inuvik to Whitehorse OR return flight by small plane
  • 7 night's accommodation in hotels, lodges and a B&B as per itinerary
  • Emergency equipment including satellite phone and GPS
Description
CAD Cost
Price
$2275 +5% GST
Single Supplement
$500 +6% GST

Rates are per person. Minimum 4 passengers

Yukon & Arctic Tour

Cross the Arctic Circle and drive the Ice Road to the Arctic Ocean
8 days / 7 nights

The Yukon’s most exciting guided highway tour. Travel from Whitehorse along the famed Alaska and Klondike Highways to Dawson City, home of the famous 1898 Klondike Gold Rush, then take the Dempster Highway (Canada’s only the cross the Arctic Circle) and the amazing McKenzie River Ice Road to reach the Beaufort Sea on the McKenzie River delta. Along the way, you’ll call in at a wonderful mix of Northern and First Nations/Inuit villages, each rich in traditional culture and Gold Rush and fur trade history. And you’ll see some of the Yukon and NWT’s most incredibly captivating winter landscapes and experience the almost incomprehensible vastness of the Canadian Arctic

Travel Itinerary:

Day 1 (Sat) Whitehorse
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'll have time for some last minute shopping. Dinner on your own.  Hotel: Riverview Inn

Day 2 (Sun) Whitehorse – Dawson City
Start of our adventure trip to the north: We'll drive along the famous Alaska- and Klondike Highways and stop an route to take pictures. See the frozen Five Finger Rapids and cross some of the great northern rivers: Yukon River, Pelly and Stewart River are on our route today. 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. Hotel: Aurora Inn

Day 3 (Mon) Dawson City
A full day to explore Dawson City and the Goldrush history. We drive to the Midnight Sun Dome to take in the incredible vistas over the city, the Yukon River and the snow covered gold fields. We then continue up the creeks to the gold fields of fabled Bonanza Creek to visit the immense Dredge #4. Optional snowmobiling tour.
 
Day 4 (Tues) Dawson City – Eagle Plains
After breakfast we'll leave the last signs of civilization behind and drive north on the Dempster Highway. We’ll stop often to take in this incredibly beautiful landscape and to take pictures. We drive past the Tombstone Mountains, a vast treeless plateau and cross two mountain passes before we reach the nearly endless plateau at Eagle Plains. The basic motel at Eagle Plains appears an oasis. It is the only place to eat, sleep and re-fuel for 460 km / 285 miles.

Day 5 (Wed) Eagle Plains – Cross the Arctic Circle - Inuvik
Just north of Eagle Plains we'll arrive at the Arctic Circle. You’ll thrill at the spectacular views of the vast Richardson Mountains. Soon after the roadway takes us over the last mountain pass and the border to the Northwest Territories.
The road descends onto the vast Mackenzie. At Fort Macpherson, you’ll experience your first ice road as we cross both the Peel and Mackenzie rivers over the ice. Though home to just 3000, Inuvik appears an oasis after 2 days on the Dempster. Hotel: Arctic Chalets.

Day 6 (Thurs) Inuvik – Tuktoyuktuk - Inuvik
Today will be memorable. We'll drive onto the ice of a side arm of the Mackenzie River and head north towards the delta and the frozen Beaufort Sea (Arctic Ocean). 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). After 180 kms / 110 miles we'll finally reach firm ground at Tuktoyaktuk, a small, traditional Inuit (Eskimo) town of 1100 people. We’ll spend some time exploring the town with an old mission vessel, many old cabins and enjoy the exuberant kids playing in the streets. We'll return to Inuvik, in the late afternoon.

Day 7 (Fri) Inuvik - Whitehorse
It's time to return to the south: we'll spend the morning exploring Inuvik and then transfer to the airport for our flight back to Whitehorse at 12.45. Upon arrival we'll spend our last night at the River View hotel. Evening free for sightseeing, shopping and a night on the town.

Day 8 (Sat) Whitehorse - depart
Transfer to the airport in time for your flight home. End of tour.

2009 Departure Dates:

Feb. 21 & 28 / March 7 & 21 / April 4