|
Where We Sleep . . .
UPPER LABARGE LODGE:
Our lodge is a magnificent hand-hewn log cabin graced with a river stone fireplace, elegant dining room and strategically located bar overlooking the picturesque lake. Facilities include reading room, sauna, hot tub, and all rooms have ensuite bathrooms and adjacent sitting rooms.
HOMESTEAD LODGE:
It's hard to imagine a greater contrast than that between the endless rugged beauty of the wilderness and the elegant rustic comforts of the Homestead Lodge - the most northernly viable homestead in Canada. Genuine northern hospitality is matched by private log cabins with massive ensuite bathrooms.
WILDERNESS OUTPOST:
Nestled on the banks of the Great River, the Outpost combines nature in her unadorned glory with indulgent creature comforts. The luxury canvas tents blend an authentic camping experience with the structural integrity and convenience (including ensuites) of conventional cabins.
DOWNTOWN HOTEL:
The Downtown Hotel, located in the historic old town, has been completely rebuilt and refurbished with all modern facilities, yet it preserves an authentic Klondike boomtown atmosphere. The Jack London Grill and the Sourdough Saloon are the watering holes of choice for all the local characters.
|
The Trip
Day 1 - Whitehorse to Upper Labarge
The epic journey begins in Whitehorse, legendary capital of the Yukon, built along the banks of a mighty river on the site of timeless cultures and the dreams of avaricious prospectors. After exploring the town's myriad charms, we board our private expedition riverboat for the start of our 8-day, 600 km luxury safari through the heart of Canada's most pristine wilderness. Accompanied by seasoned guides, we'll stop at whim to view wildlife up close, explore ancient archeological sites, and hike across untouched valleys.
Day 2 - Upper Labarge Lodge
Wake up to the sounds of nature amidst the fabled ancestral lands of the Ta'an Kwachan Council. Set off before breakfast by canoe or sea kayak to visit the local beaver and bald eagle population and spot indigenous arctic loons and migratory trumpeter swans. Enjoy a gourmet camp breakfast, then spend the morning fishing for arctic grayling or hiking to the ridges above the Ta'an village through virgin boreal forests past herds of woodland caribou.
Day 3 - Upper Labarge to Homestead Lodge
Board our riverboat after breakfast and venture into the Thirty Mile' section of the Yukon (designated one of only 28 heritage rivers in Canada), where narrow channels run through dramatic high cut bluffs. Test your skills navigating at the wheel as we pass by huge shipwrecked paddle wheelers and overgrown ghost settlements on the river banks. After a gourmet picnic lunch on Steamboat Island, board our private floatplane for the spectacular flight over the immense and perilous Five-Finger Rapids. Arrive at the Homestead in time for sun-downers around the fire.
Day 4 - Homestead Lodge
Travel upriver to Fort Selkirk, where the abandoned log buildings and early settler stories are brought alive by the interpretive expertise of local Selkirk First Nation guides. If you're lucky, there may be an opportunity to help out with the ongoing archaeological dig, otherwise take a stroll on your own and soak up the ambience and sense of history. In the afternoon, walk to Pelly Farm, a true wilderness homestead, where you will meet the resident family and explore the blacksmith shop. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure, although you may be able to persuade the chef to gather the ingredients from the garden for a hands-on demonstration exploring the lost culinary art of homestead cooking.
Day 5 - Homestead Lodge to Wilderness Outpost
Journey north, deep into the heart of the sub-Arctic wilderness, where the Great River runs through wide-open valleys framed by looming rock bluffs. This is where the Stewart and White Rivers join the Yukon, bringing with them vast amounts of glacial and alluvial silt, and the Great River turns white. This afternoon take a guided walk in search of wildlife or pan for gold in Crystal Creek, then gather round the cook shack for sun-downers, fine food and storytelling around the campfire.
Day 6 - Wilderness Outpost to Dawson City
This morning begins at a leisurely pace with a guided naturalist hike through the surrounding wilderness, home to 30 per cent of Canada's grizzlies, the Porcupine caribou herd and peregrine falcons, and seasonal home to millions of migratory birds. In the late morning we continue our journey by riverboat, stopping for wildlife sightings and for a last gourmet shore-picnic in the wild. In the late afternoon we arrive in the fabled Northern Eldorado of Dawson city, where you will have a chance to unwind. The cultural richness of Dawson is a perfect counterpoint to the stark beauty of the preceding days of wilderness, and for our final dinner, we will enjoy a sumptuous feast and then celebrate amidst the renowned hospitality of Diamond Tooth Gerties, the local hotbed of gambling and cabaret shenanigans.
Day 7 - Departure
The journey ends this morning as we say our goodbyes after breakfast. From here, you can either take the courtesy shuttle by road back to Whitehorse, journey into Alaska to continue your adventures, or catch a flight back home via Whitehorse.
|