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                                                              21 Day Tour

'Canadian Arctic Adventure'
Yukon Ca; Northwest Territories Ca; Alaska USA
 

We have operated 4 tours to The Canadian Arctic region in 2006, 2007 and 2008, however this tour is not scheduled for 2009. Please contact us if you would like to indicate your interest in a possible future tour or to receive further information as it comes to hand.

"Have you ever wanted to experience the Inuit (Eskimo) culture along with the spectacular Arctic landscape and unique wildlife of Canada's remote Arctic north?

Our aim is to provide a real “off the beaten track” adventure through Canada's Yukon and Northwest Territories – a destination not normally available to tour groups because of it’s extreme climate and very remote location. These factors have created a unique culture and this, together with the spectacular landscape and abundant wildlife (which participants will experience at very close hand!) combine to make this region very appealing to visit".

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HIGHLIGHTS:
Ø      
Stand on the Arctic northern coastline of Canada and "toe dip" in the Beaufort Sea
Ø      
Meet Inuit people in their remote coastal villages and experience their traditional lifestyles close up
Ø      
Travel the adventurous “off the beaten track” route through the remote and beautiful Yukon wilderness and see where the world 
      famous Klondike gold rush happened 

Ø      
Marvel at the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)
Ø      
Spot grizzlies, mountain sheep, bison, moose, caribou, muskox etc in their natural wilderness environment
Ø      
Travel in a comfortable vehicle with large windows and overnight in 3-4 star hotel accommodation with en-suites
Ø      
Cross into Alaska by one of the world's most scenic routes (Top Of The World Hwy) and spend 3 nights in the pretty fishing 
      village of Haines which overlooks the Inside Passage 

Ø      
Spend time in Whitehorse on the Yukon River and enjoy a gold rush style can-can show
Ø      
Visit Follow the stampeder's route to the Klondike gold rush in a vintage train over the White Pass route from Skagway
Ø      
See the frontier towns of Dawson City Yukon and Chicken Alaska


DAY 1:   
     FLIGHTS TO CANADA               (Meals in flight)

Meet at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport for our flight to Whitehorse, Yukon Canada via Vancouver with Air Canada. Depart Sydney 10:00am on a direct flight to Vancouver arriving 7:00am. Depart Vancouver 11:30am arriving in Whitehorse 1:45pm (no meal included on the short flight from Vancouver to Whitehorse). On arrival in Whitehorse we transfer to the Westmark Klondike Inn for the next 4 nights.

DAY 2:         WHITEHORSE                                                                        
We begin today with a late breakfast then to the Visitors Centre for a screening of “Welcome To The Yukon”.  We then tour the historic town of Whitehorse on the famous Yukon River. After lunch enjoy a fascinating inspection of the ‘S.S. Klondike’ – a restored sternwheeler which plied the Yukon for many years and visit the longest wooden fish ladder in the world. Glass windows in a viewing area allow you to see chinook salmon on their way to spawning grounds upstream.      (B,L)

DAY 3:         WHITEHORSE                                                                            
Visit both the Yukon Transportation Museum (with video presentation featuring sternwheelers on the  Yukon River, historic White Pass Railway and the WW11 construction of the Alaska Highway) and the Beringa Interpretive Centre (multimedia exposition with life-sized exhibits of animals from the last Ice Age including a full sized replica of a woolly Mammoth). 
In the afternoon we visit Miles Canyon and enjoy a 2 hour sightseeing cruise on Lake Schwatka and the Yukon River.  Return to the hotel to freshen up before dinner (at your own expense). In the evening we enjoy the “Frantic Follies” show (vaudeville revue and gold rush variety entertainment) in our hotel.
     (B)

DAY 4:        WHITEHORSE                                                                           
Today is free for you to enjoy the numerous optional tours and attractions in Whitehorse.      
(B)

DAY 5:        WHITEHORSE – DAWSON CITY                                    
Depart for Dawson City with first stop at the Yukon Wildlife Reserve (herds of caribou, elk, moose, buffalo, muskox etc. in their natural environment). We follow the Klondike Highway northbound skirting lakes and often with great views of the Yukon (especially at the famous Five Finger Rapids).
As we approach Dawson City  (at the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike Rivers) the scars of the world’s greatest gold rush are incredible! We do a familiarisation tour of this famous frontier gold rush town built on permafrost and only 240klm south of the Arctic Circle.  We check into our downtown hotel for the next 3 nights.         (B,L)

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DAY 6:        DAWSON CITY                                                                       
First highlight today is the steep drive to the summit of the ‘Midnight Dome’ lookout for sweeping views over Dawson City, the Klondike River and spectacular Ogilvie Mountains. Next we visit the historic cabin that was home of writer Robert Service (Canada’s “Henry Lawson”) and enjoy a presentation about his life and works by local identity Tom Byrne. During the afternoon we take a guided inspection of a historic gold dredge – a 5000 ton monster that worked the alluvial fields for many decades.
       (B,L)

DAY 7:        DAWSON CITY                                                                          
Free day to enjoy at your leisure.    
(B)

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 DAY 8:        DAWSON CITY-DEMPSTER HWY-EAGLE PLAINS                          
T
oday we commence our Arctic adventure following the Dempster “Highway” – a very recently constructed 750klm gravel road following the historic Royal Canadian Mounted Police dog sled route north to the Arctic Coast. The scenery is fantastic and we stop often for photos etc. Tonight’s accommodation is at the Eagle Plains Lodge.      (B,L,D)
* Eagle Plains offers us an excellent chance of experiencing & viewing Aurura Borealis (the Northern Lights).
 

DAY 9:        DEMPSTER HWY – INUVIK                                             
Shortly after departing Eagle Plains we cross the Arctic Circle and continue northward across the vast open tundra plains toward the Peel River and the ferry crossing.  Our final obstacle en-route to Inuvik is the ferry crossing of the world’s 10th largest river – the MacKenzie. We visit the informative Inuvik Visitors Centre before arriving at the Eskimo Inn Hotel for the next 3 nights.
    (B,L,D)

DAY 10:        ARCTIC COAST & ESKIMO VILLAGE                                              
Today we fly the short distance from Inuvik across the delta country of the MacKenzie to the Arctic Coast and Tuktoyaktuk. We spend the day with local Inuits (Eskimos) and experience their lifestyle and culture  - visit a private home, smoke house, churches, and ice house 30 feet underground - and have the chance to purchase genuine Eskimo arts & crafts.  See a dog sled team and enjoy an Arctic Ocean “toe dip”.
     (B,L)

DAY 11:        INUVIK                                                                           
A free day to enjoy at your leisure.
      (B)

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DAY 12:        INUVIK – EAGLE PLAINS                                             
Return along the Dempster Highway to Eagle Plains with stops en-route.
       (B,L,D)

DAY 13:        EAGLE PLAINS – DAWSON CITY                                     
Continue along the Dempster Highway to Dawson City. Time to visit venues you may have missed first time around.
     (B,L)

DAY 14:        DAWSON CITY – BEAVER CREEK                                 
First highlight is a ferry crossing of the Yukon River then we follow the very scenic “Top Of The World Highway” from Yukon Territory into Alaska USA.  We lunch at Chicken (once a hectic gold rush town in the Alaskan mountains) and join the famous Alaska Highway to Beaver Creek and our overnight accommodation. We enjoy a dinner theatre program tonight.      (B,L,D)

DAY 15:        BEAVER CREEK – KLUANE NATIONAL PARK -  HAINES, ALASKA                   
C
ontinuing along the Alaska Highway with quite remarkable scenery of Kluane National Park en-route (towering snow capped mountains with glaciers and magnificent lakes and rivers). Our day of breathtaking beauty is completed with our arrival in pretty Haines (overlooking the waters of the famous Inside Passage).  We book into our motel for the next 3 nights.     (B,L)

DAY 16:        HAINES                                                                                      
A free day to enjoy at your leisure.
As a suggested optional tour, some may wish to board the Fjord Express (65ft fast cat) for the round trip along the Inside Passage to Juneau (Alaska’s capital). The voyage allows fabulous wildlife spotting (perhaps an Orca or Humpback whale!) and stops at a sea lion rookery. It follows the Lynne Canal – the continent’s longest and deepest fjord. At Juneau board a coach for a town tour and a visit to Mendenhall Glacier. You may also enjoy free time in Juneau for exploring/shopping etc. Return to Haines.     
(B)

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 DAY 17:        HAINES                                                                                       
A free day to enjoy at your leisure.
    (B)

DAY 18:        HAINES – SKAGWAY – WHITEHORSE                                 
Another day of sensational scenery and highlights commencing with the 35 minute fast ferry trip to Skagway where we board the famous ‘White Pass Train’. This scenic railway climbs to the summit of White Pass and takes you through Alaska’s most spectacular scenery. See cascading waterfalls and beautiful vistas as we retrace the steps of the gold seekers stampeding to the Klondike goldfields in 1898. After crossing the USA/Canada border we join our coach for the final leg to Whitehorse.      (B,D)

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DAY 19/20:        WHITEHORSE – SYDNEY                 (meals in flight)
Depart Whitehorse 7:35pm to Vancouver. Depart Vancouver 11:55pm on a direct flight to Sydney - lose a day crossing the International Date Line .

DAY 21:        ARRIVAL IN AUSTRALIA
We arrive at Sydney International Airport 7:55am. 
 

PRICE: TO BE ADVISED WHEN THIS TOUR IS RE-SCHEDULED.
We offer the choice of three options on this tour. Prices quoted below were relevant to our 2008 tour. 

·         OPTION 1: SYDNEY/SYDNEY
Travelling with the main tour group as per the itinerary with no stopover or changes.
Approx $8,000 per person, twin share (economy class)

·         OPTION 2: VANCOUVER/VANCOUVER
For those who wish to fly with an alternative airline, use frequent flyer points or entering/departing from a port other than Vancouver. Travellers on this option will meet up with the main tour group in Vancouver for the domestic flight to Whitehorse, Yukon.
Approx $5,750 per person, twin share

·         OPTION 3: SYDNEY/SYDNEY (with stopover)
For those who would like to do some extra touring from Vancouver either prior to or after our Candian Arctic tour. On this option travellers must use the same flight itinerary and airline as those on Option 1.
Approx $8,100 per person, twin share (economy class)
N.B. $100 stopover fee is applied for changes to flights.

The single supplement on this tour is approx $1500.

INCLUDES:

Ø       Return economy flights SYDNEY – WHITEHORSE with Air Canada
Ø       Quality accommodation, 3-4 star rated with en-suites
Ø      
Meals as shown – (B-breakfast, L-lunch, D-dinner) plus meals in flight
Ø      
Coach travel with experienced Yukon based operator

Ø       Admissions and fares as follows:-
·        
‘Welcome to Yukon’ screening
·        
SS Klondike tour
·        
Fish ladder
·        
Yukon Transportation Museum
·        
Beringa Interpretive Centre
·        
Lake Schwatka cruise
·        
Frantic Follies show at Whitehorse
·        
Yukon Wildlife Preserve
·        
Robert Service cabin and show
·        
Dredge No. 4 tour
·        
Ferry crossings
·        
Flights and guides at Tuktoyaktuk
·        
Dinner show at Beaver Creek
·        
Fast ferry to Skagway
·        
White Pass train journey

Ø       Airport transfers in Canada

Ø       Gratuities (at accommodation/restaurants only) 

Flights/stopovers/extensions/etc
We will be operating this tour in conjunction with the well known ‘Travelscene’ organization (as we are not licensed Travel Agents and do not have the great experience in international arrangements offered by Travelscene). Contact details for our Travelscene representative for information on alternate flights or additional tours before or after our 'Canadian Arctic Adventure':-    Maree Wright, Travelscene Nowra, 129-131 Junction St, PO Box 796, Nowra NSW 2541
                      Email: maree@travelscenenowra.net.au

           
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