Yukon Quest Dog sledding | Follow the toughest race

Arrive Whitehorse. Your guide will meet you at the airport and provide a transfer downtown. On the way to the hotel, the guide will point out some of the city’s main attractions including the SS Klondike National Historic Site, the Yukon Visitor Centre, the Old Log Church and the Log Cabin Skyscraper. The Yukon’s capital city, Whitehorse is Canada’s largest north of the 60th parallel. With its numerous café’s and galleries and wel travelled, well-educated population, Whitehorse has a surprisingly cosmopolitan feel. But the real beauty of Whitehorse is its proximity to some of the country’s most beautiful natural landscapes, literally just minutes from downtown! Conditions permitting, we’ll have a chance at your first views of our stunning Northern Lights before bed. Overnight in a hotel in Whitehorse.

After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, we’ll walk to the Yukon Quest start line. You can feel the excitement in the air as you approach the start line. The first teams begin arriving in the early morning to prepare for departure, and the teams are staked out according to their start positions. Spectators have the chance to meet the mushers as they load the sleds and prepare to depart. And of course, you’ll get up close and personal, with the real starts of the show, the 14 delightful Alaskan huskies that comprise each team. Though teams pass through several check points during the race, the Yukon Quest is much more of a test of wilderness survival than Alaska’s Iditarod sled dog race. Teams are required to spend several days between check-points without aid or re-supply, and the Yukon Quest is considered a much more difficult event than the Alaskan race. The dog’s excitement to be underway is obvious as the teams are hooked up and led to the start line; its all the handlers can do to hold them back! We’ll watch as the teams depart, then travel north of the city to the Takhini River Bridge where we can watch the teams as they turn from the frozen Yukon River on to the Takhini River and pass by en route to the first checkpoint at Braeburn Lodge, some 200km from Whitehorse. Afterwards, we’ll visit the Yukon Wildlife Preserve for views of the many large mammal species that inhabit the Yukon including moose, caribou, musk-ox, elk, mule deer, Dall’s sheep and mountain goats! Overnight in a hotel in Whitehorse.

After watching world-class Mushers starting the race, today you’ll get to experience the world of White Fang and Buck for yourself! We’ll travel to a scenic alpine valley located just a short distance outside the city for an introduction to the exciting adventure of dog sledding. This area is a favourite backcountry location for local residents; its stunning scenery provides easy access to some of the most beautiful wilderness in the Yukon. Overnight in a hotel in Whitehorse.

You’ll spend the days mushing your own team of Alaskan husky along a winter trail. The swish of the sled’s runners and the panting of the wonderful huskies and the sound of your own heart beating with excitement are the only sounds you’ll hear as we leave civilization behind for the Yukon wilds. We’ll stop for a trail-side lunch cooked over the open fire before returning to the trailhead. Overnight in a hotel in Whitehorse.

We’ll leave the Yukon’s capital city behind for the wilds of the Yukon interior today. As we travel the North Klondike Highway northbound, you’ll begin to get a sense of the sheer size and grandeur of the Yukon. At half the size of Ontario, or roughly the same size as California, the Yukon’s total population is only 36,000 people. Breathtaking doesn’t describe the vastness or the beauty of the Yukon’s wilderness! Our route roughly follows the Yukon River valley and takes us through a few small settlements and villages including Braeburn, Carmacks, Pelly Crossing and Stewart Crossing before the Ogilvie Mountains come into view. The road then drops down to the famous Klondike River Valley that spawned the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. Still considered the greatest gold rush the world has ever seen, the gold discovery near Dawson City in 1896 drew more than 50,000 people to the Yukon in 1898, making Dawson City the largest city west of Winnipeg (Canada) and north of Seattle (USA)! As a national historic site, Dawson City today still retains its turn-of-the-century pioneer feel. Saloons with batwing doors and buildings with wooden facades, wrapped with wooden boar walks, line un-paved streets. Straight out of the Old West, this is the Yukon you imagined! We’ll take a short city highlight tour on arrival and point out some of Dawson City’s most famous locations including the Palace Grand Theatre, the former Territorial Legislature (now housing the Dawson City Museum), the Commissioners Residence, the SS Keno and the homes of famous Klondike authors, Robert Service, Pierre Berton and Jack London. We’ll also stop by the official Yukon Quest check point to check on the expected arrival times of the first teams arriving this evening. The town’s fire siren will announce the first team in, and everyone rushes down to the checkpoint to see who has arrived. To add to the excitement, the first team to arrive is given several ounces of gold by Dawson City as a reward. Overnight in a hotel in Dawson City.

Today we’ll experience the relaxed pace of Dawson City while we wait for the first team to arrive. Spectators will have the chance to meet the mushers and their handlers as they load the sleds and prepare to depart. And of course, you’ll get up close and personal, with the real starts of the show, the 14 delightful Alaskan huskies that comprise each team. Though teams pass through several check points during the race, the Yukon Quest is much more of a test of wilderness survival than Alaska’s Iditarod sled dog race. Teams are required to spend several days between check-points without aid or re-supply, and the Yukon Quest is considered a much more difficult event than the Alaskan race. Yukon Quest teams will be arriving throughout the day, providing many more opportunities for great Quest photos. In between, we’ll visit some of Dawson’s most interesting attractions to gain more insight into the Klondike Gold Rush history and the people, history and culture of the local Trondek Hwechen (Han) First Nation. Teams will continue to arrive throughout the day and into the evening, occasionally under the soaring Northern Lights, making for a memorable evening. Overnight in a hotel in Dawson City.

Following breakfast, we’ll return to Whitehorse, once again along the scenic North Klondike Highway. During this southbound trip, we’ll stop by the Five Finger Rapids overlook for views of the 4 impressive chunks of rock in the middle of the river that gave river travelers and paddle-wheelers some difficulty during the gold rush. Overnight in a hotel in Whitehorse.

Time for one last look around town this morning before the transfer to the airport. Check-in for your departing flights. End of tour services