5 Day Yukon Winter Experience with Aurora Borealis Viewing

An easy start followed by a guided drive tour of some of the city highlights. The capital of the Yukon Territory, Whitehorse, offers a charming inside view of the history of the North. We visit the Visitor Centre to learn about the different regions of the Yukon, the SS Klondike paddle-wheeler boat, and a restored relic from the gold rush days. To finish with an inspiration of the North, we will have a guided tour through the MacBride Museum. Whitehorse has great shops, galleries and museums that are open all year.This afternoon we experience the Yukon wilderness by snowshoeing today. Along the trail, the guide will point out the tracks of the many species of wildlife that inhabit the Yukon Forest, including the tracks of some large groups of wolves that live on the outskirts of Whitehorse. Trails leading over frozen lakes alternate with routes through dense spruce forests. Tonight, we make our first Aurora viewing outing. We will depart for Northern Lights viewing at the Aurora Centre in the comfort of insulated yurts with a steaming hot drink. The location has pristine, unhindered views across the horizon which lets you enjoy the phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis to its fullest. When you stand under the Yukon sky surrounded by mile upon mile of Yukon's wilderness, you cannot help but think of what the ancients, our ancestors might have thought as they too stood spellbound by the Northern Lights. It's little wonder that they believed the Northern Lights to be the spirits of the departed or the Gods themselves. Yukon is one of the best places on earth to see the northern lights “colourful bands of light that dance in the dark night sky”. While the northern lights occur year-round, summer's near-constant daylight makes seeing them next to impossible. In the autumn, winter, and early spring, however, clear, dark nights lend themselves to stunning displays.

We travel to the community of Champagne and the Long-Ago Peoples Place venue where our Southern Tutchone hosts, Harold, and Meta, will talk to us about the ancient cultural practices and lifestyle of Indigenous communities in these far northern areas. We continue to the magnificent Kluane National Park, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 with breathtaking landscapes and scenery. It is even more pristine during the snow-covered winter months. A truly hidden gem among outdoor enthusiasts for snowshoeing and ice fishing, we spend the day exploring this area west of Whitehorse along the famous Alaska Highway known for its impressive views. We will snowshoe to a perfect spot and set up our day camp for ice fishing at one of the many lakes on the outskirts of the park. With the help of an ice-auger, we drill a hole in the lake ice which can be from 30 cm to one meter thick! Hot drinks will be available to keep us warm. Take in the scenery around you and enjoy the beauty of the northern winter’s day while waiting for the big catch! If we are lucky and catch a fish, your guide will fillet it and cook it on the fire.

Enjoy experiencing the Yukon’s winter wilderness as described by the famous Klondike Gold Rush author, Jack London. After meeting your team of Alaskan huskies, you will watch the dogs getting harnessed and hooked up to the sled, and then you will hit the trail! The tour provides a scenic ride through some serene backcountry, allowing you to take in the majesty and beauty of the Yukon while getting some awesome photographs. After a break for lunch, we continue to the Yukon Wildlife Preserve where you can view and photograph wildlife in its natural habitat. Dall’s sheep, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, mule deer, wapiti (elk), woodland caribou, wood bison, muskox, moose and even lynx can all be seen on this tour, usually up close! To cap off a great day, we travel to the nearby natural Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs. The outdoor natural hot springs pool provides a warm sanctuary amid the cold weather and is a must-do activity while visiting Whitehorse.Tonight, after dinner, we make another Aurora viewing excursion where you will get picked up from your hotel and transferred to the Northern Lights Resort just outside of town. The family-run Resort is located in the rural idyll of the picturesque Yukon River Valley, just 20 minutes south of Whitehorse in a quiet open countryside, surrounded by pine forests and ringed by mountains. The large and quiet property is perfect for the Aurora viewing, is this location is far from any light pollution or neighbours. Enjoy the spectacular views of the Northern Lights from the large viewing deck, the viewing site by the Teepee or the privacy of your cabin. An even more spectacular viewing awaits you from the comfort of our Aurora glass chalets. The chalets offer perfect Aurora viewing with their floor-to-ceiling windows opening to the northern sky. There is nightly guided Aurora viewing and photography assistance.

Breakfast and then transfer to the airport for your return home at the end of your exciting time in Canada’s Yukon in the wintertime. (Breakfast if departure flight is after 10:00 am)