First Class Experiences: Yukon with Diane
The Yukon, located in Canada’s northwest is certainly a place like no other. With something to do in every season, our travel specialist, Diane, went for 7 nights from 30th August to 7th September to discover this extraordinary destination. There are lots of memorable experiences she enjoyed during her first visit to The Yukon, such as the Kluane Glacier Air Tour flightseeing and witnessing the famous Northern Lights.
Experience the Wilderness and the Great Outdoors
The great outdoors, the experiences of canoeing, Glacier flightseeing, seeing a wolf and a black bear, the Northern Lights... in other words, the Wilderness, was one of the things Diane liked the most from this trip: "Great scenery of Mountains and lakes and a friendly welcome in the Cities". She recommends being prepared for a unique adventure; If self-driving be aware of the long distances between towns ie Whitehorse and Dawson City, and take extra food, snacks and water for the journey. Some roads are only suitable for SUVs.
This time of the year is perfect for anyone with a sense of adventure. The Northern Lights is one of the most popular activities in The Yukon, but there is so much more to do: "You can go canoeing, hiking, glacier flightseeing, visit the very interesting MacBride Museum in Whitehorse, explore Dawson City and the wonderful history of the Gold Rush. Go gold panning for yourself. Visit Tombstone Territorial Park for hiking". In fact, many hiking trails are available to explore this vast and rugged land, surrounded by wildlife.
Whitehorse
The air in the Yukon was very dry, so skin moisturiser and lip salve are highly recommended! The Yukon is very casual, and the layer system was best for clothing. We had an orientation city tour of Whitehorse, absolutely amazing. The first stop was the YUKON VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE. Brilliant info, leaflets, displays etc. We watched a short film about the Yukon, its history, the land and its people. This should be the first stop for any visitors to Whitehorse and the Yukon. "The MacBride Museum was brilliant, I could have spent all day there. Well worth a visit". Entering the Museum by the Aurora Hall, this is a gallery which houses the Northern Lights Icicle Art Installation which has been achieved by the MacBride Museum, the Lumel Studios and the support of the community. The icicles were attached to the ceiling in a glass of the many colours of the Northern Lights. Home to 40,000 objects, the galleries illustrate stories from Yukon First Nations (there are 14 First Nations in the Yukon), the natural world section had over 40 species of exhibits, the Klondike Gold Rush, The Innovators and Icons showcase examines the present-day history and the people who built the Yukon. We were also shown a room that had old animal bones, and we were able to touch a Mammoth Bone. Amazing, over 12,000 years old.
Dawson City
Diane took a self-drive tour from Whitehorse to Dawson City, 535 km North. After driving for one hour, they stopped at BRAEBURN LODGE on the route on the Klondike Highway, which is a roadhouse, for a taste of the World’s largest Cinnamon Bun. "They are massive and very delicious". Facility stops are few and far between on the Klondike Highway, so Diane recommends making sure that the tank is full of petrol and that you have plenty of water, snacks etc. "As we journeyed North, the trees became more autumnal and the colours were lovely" - she said. The next stop was FIVE FINGER RAPIDS. This was a beautiful area with walks and a viewpoint. We set off for our last leg of the journey, another hour and a quarter, with the scenery of Boreal Forest. Great excitement as a Wolf crossed the road in front of us. "Dawson City was like an old Western Town and I was expecting John Wayne to ride into town on horseback!!" The roads were un-made and the town had a preservation order so all the buildings looked old even if brand new. New builds had to be built in the old style. Dawson City was just 6 blocks and full of character. They travelled to the TOMBSTONE TERRITORIAL PARK INTERPRETIVE CENTRE, and then went down to the Yukon River passing the SS KENO NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE one of the paddle steamers that used to travel up and down the Yukon River. Furthermore, they visited the GOLDFIELDS.
The Northern Lights
Northern Tales have a wonderful set-up. They were taken first to a big heated log cabin with free coffee, tea, hot chocolate, biscuits and comfortable seats to use until the Aurora activity. There was also a campfire outside with seats as well. Camera Tripods are available to use and it was explained to us all about which camera settings are needed for the Aurora photos. After about half an hour Kristen took us all outside to the open field as the Aurora was starting to show. (Conditions have to be right with a high KP index and there are several Aurora apps to check this. A clear sky is needed, ideally not a full moon and away from any light pollution) The conditions were excellent, you could see the stars in the night sky. With the naked eye you could see the white/ grey ribbons of light in the distance which after time moved to cover more and more sky, eventually overhead. The best colours for an aurora are taken by a camera with a long exposure.
Kluane National Park
Flying over KLUANE NATIONAL PARK with its glaciers and snow-capped mountains. We had wonderful views of MOUNT LOGAN, Canada’s highest mountain at 19,545 feet. The weather was just wonderful. "We were in the air for 1 hour and 15 minutes. We even spotted some big horn sheep below. I would certainly recommend this scenic flight."
Inspired to explore this amazing destination, request our brochure here. If this article has inspired you to visit Yukon, our team of expert advisors would be happy to personalise your perfect holiday, just call us on 0161 888 5632 or click here to explore more holidays with First Class Holidays.
