Well I am lucky enough to have just returned from beautiful Canada. I have always wanted to visit Canada and was extremely excited when I was offered a trip to the Yukon from Tourism Yukon to see if we could find some accommodation and activity providers so that we could start selling Northern Lights trips across the ocean! The week went very quickly and I can honestly say it was one of the best trips of my life. I am an outdoors girl you see; I like the wilderness, lakes, clear skies and mountains and the Yukon has this in bundles! We hope to start selling trips to the Yukon very soon for Aurora experiences but until then enjoy my photos and dream of what is to come.
The trip started with a 10 hour flight to Vancouver with Air Canada. It went quickly and I was pleased to arrive and be taken straight off to see some of the sights. We enjoyed a delicious fish and chip lunch in the charming seaside town of Steveston and a quick (and very interesting) tour of the old cannery.
After a few hours it was time to get back on the plane for our flight to the capital of the Yukon; Whitehorse. A small city in terms of population but rather large in terms of its actual footprint (Canada’s fourth largest). I have to say I didn’t see very much of it that night as I was really pleased to see my huge kingsize bed. The next morning I woke up early and went for a lovely walk along the river in the sunshine. I immediately fell in love with the Yukon there and then.
The journey from Whitehorse to Dawson City was quite long but the views made it worthwhile and a stop for a picnic at five finger rapids was a highlight.
Dawson City is the Yukon’s second largest community and has an individual charm that grows on you the longer you stay. Wooden clad colourful buildings alongside the river selling local trinkets and stories of the history of the town make it a great stop for tourists yet it still seems to maintain its authenticity somehow. We stayed here for a couple of nights and enjoyed the local food and entertainment at the towns casino. We a
lso made a trip to the famous gold mine and tried to find our fortunes panning for gold as well as enjoying a fantastic hike in Tombstone Territorial Park to take in the fabulous ‘fall’ colours.
From Dawson City we headed to the top of the world highway and enjoyed a drive with some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. We crossed the border into Alaska and enjoyed lunch at the small (population 15) settlement of Chicken. Another cute stop with good food and great hospitality. We then crossed back into Canada and our tour continued through the small towns of Beaver Creek and Haines Junction. From Haines Junction my persistence and patience paid off and I was lucky enough to get quite a good sighting of the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights but sadly as soon as I had woken my fellow trip-mates up (1am – whoops!) they had completely faded away. Nobody was too cross with me and they all claimed to believe me!
From Haines Junction we enjoyed both a hike in Kluane National Park along Lake Kathleen where I was desperate to swim but settled for a paddle and a stunning flightseeing tour over the ice fields and glacier. Both the hike and the flight were truly spectacular and I cannot wait to visit Kluane National Park again to enjoy some more time there.
Our time in the Yukon was coming to an end but we still had time to visit Alaska once more and enjoy the Skagway railway which was stunning as well as visit some of the beautiful cabins and inns which I hope to add to our online brochure very soon.
Our final night was to be a big one as we were camping (well not real camping…more like glamping!) in RV’s in a camp ground alongside Marsh Lake about 40 minutes outside Whitehorse. The camp ground was lovely, the trees were tall and by the time we arrived (after a delicious dinner at Inn on the Lake) the camp fire was lit and a local band were singing. It was a great experience only made better by a glass of wine and toasting marshmallows. I slept really well that night after so much fresh air and I was really pleased when I woke up the next morning and the sun was shining (albeit a bit windy) and I went for a lovely refreshing dip in the lake to wake myself up! A lovely end to the perfect trip.
After a quick freshen up and time for a bit of shopping it was time to head back to the airport for our return flights to the UK via Vancouver. I felt very sad leaving but knew I would be back very soon as I had fallen totally in love with the vast wilderness and wonderful hospitality of the Yukon. If you are interested in a trip to the Yukon then please keep an eye out for new packages coming soon and start your Canadian adventure today……..
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