Do you enjoy warm, dry weather? And you don't like to share your time with too many mosquitoes? Well, you likely just found the right canoe tour. July is a hot, dry time for this part of the country. August-September is a good time to experience the beginning Indian Summer and see the bull moose starting to rut. The nights then are generally cooler and temperatures can occasionally dip down to below freezing. Beware of the magic of aurora borealis.
Easy whitewater, paddeling and relaxed drifting will be the general character of this trip. Fishing for Arctic Grayling, Northern Pike and sometimes Inconnu is good. The Pelly is THE hot spot for wildlife viewing. There is an aboundance of both Black- and Grizzly bears. Backsloughs are home to moose and smaller game such as lynx, wolverine, wolve, river otters and of course plenty of beavers can, with some luck, be seen along the shore. Along the way we will stop at the Pelly Ranch as well at Ft. Selkirk at the confluence of Pelly and Yukon Rivers. This former Hudson Bay trading post is now an open air museum and we will stop there for a day to explore the varous buildings as well as go for a hike to stretch those unused leg muscles...
Difficulties of the river are ranging from generally flatwater to class II-III whitewater in some parts of Granite Canyon. However, our experienced guides will choose a route which will not exceed class I.
The tour starts in Ross River and ends only after approximately 700 km! The last 275 km we will paddle and drift on the mighty Yukon River towards Dawson City, which was once a booming gold rush town and is known around the world through famous Jack London.
The current of both Pelly and Yukon River is strong (7-12kph) and therefore the long distance can be negotiated with a lot of fun even for beginners.
Arrival in Whitehorse, meeting of group members. Overnight in a hotel.
Drive with van via Klondike and Campell Highway to put-in at Ross River and introduction to the technique of canoeing.
[1] Start of canoe trip. Paddling down the Pelly and later Yukon River. A total of approximately 700 km! The last 275 km we will paddle and drift on the mighty Yukon River. Arriving at Dawson City on day 17 and overnight in a hotel.
We discover Dawson City, the historic gold town and home of many legends. A visit to the Jack London and Robert Service cabins, the museum and the Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall are on the program. Overnight in a hotel.
We are leaving the fields of the Klondike today and will set up camp near the world famous Dempster Highway. 730 KM of gravel road linking the interior of Yukon Territory with Inuvik at the delta of the huge Mackenzie River in Northwest Territories. We camp at a delightful campground at the base of Tombstone Mountain.
We do some spectacular hiking in this remarkable landscape of tundra and mountains. The Tombstone Mountains` unique moon landscape has proved early travelers in this region with an unmistakable landmark. We spend the evening around the campfire.
Drive via Dempster and Klondike Highway back to Whitehorse. Overnight in a hotel.
Transfer to airport or connecting program.
(As the trip is done in expedition fashion changes in travel itinerary are a possibility and are left up to the discretion of the guide.)
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