Stories of the North | A 14-Day Cultural Yukon to Arctic Expedition

Inside the bus:

• Comfortable lounge and seating area to relax and connect
• Indoor space for meals and shared moments
• Kitchen setup with stove, cooler, and cookware
• Woodstove for warmth and cozy evenings
• Solar-powered lighting and USB charging
• Occasional WiFi
  

Outside:

• Nights are spent camping in tents in remote locations
• Evenings around the fire, under open skies
• A closer connection to the land and the places we travel through
  

This is not about luxury.

It’s about having a solid basecamp while staying fully immersed in the North.

This trip is designed for people who enjoy being active and spending time outside.

You don’t need a hardcore hiking background, but you should feel comfortable spending full days outdoors, moving over uneven terrain, and taking on some steady climbs along the way.

We include hikes in places like Carcross, Kluane, and Tombstone, usually ranging, with elevation gain and occasional steeper or rocky sections. On certain days, there is the option for longer or more challenging hikes, depending on the group and conditions.

Between these days, there are also more relaxed moments focused on cultural experiences, travel, and time spent on the land.

Overall, this trip is still more active than a typical sightseeing Yukon tour, but less physically demanding than our full expedition-style hiking trips.

If you enjoy a mix of movement, fresh air, and meaningful experiences, and don’t mind getting a bit dusty or tired at times, you’ll fit right in.

We’ll pick you up in Whitehorse around 8:30 AM, where you’ll meet the crew and start settling into the rhythm of the journey ahead.

From there, we head into our first experience together, a guided walking tour and visit to the cultural centre. It’s a chance to get a feel for the place, not just the landscapes, but the stories, the history, and everything that shaped the Yukon long before we showed up. We’ll move through town on foot, along the river, taking it in as a group and easing into the trip.

After that, we grab some food, go over the plan for the days ahead, and get everything dialed.

By the afternoon, we leave Whitehorse and drive south to Carcross. It’s not far, but the shift is noticeable, wider landscapes, lakes, and mountains starting to open up around us.

Once we arrive, we set up camp near the water and settle in for the evening, a relaxed first night outside before heading into the mountains the next day.

We wake up in Carcross, right by the lake, grab a coffee, and head straight for the mountains.

From camp, we climb into alpine terrain above the lakes, with wide open views in every direction. This area is known for it, big ridgelines, deep blue water below, and that dry, open landscape that makes Carcross feel completely different from anywhere else in the Yukon. Expect some steady elevation, uneven ground, and a proper day on the trail.

We spend most of the day up there before heading back down to camp.

In the afternoon, we reset and keep things simple. Cooking together, hanging out by the lake, and taking in the views as the light starts to change.

A big day outside in one of the best spots in the Yukon.

We start the morning in Carcross with a slower pace.

After spending time out in the mountains the day before, we take the time to learn more about the place we’ve been moving through. We meet with a local host and spend the morning hearing stories, getting context on the land, and seeing a different side of Carcross.

From there, we pack up camp and hit the road west.

On the way, we stop in Haines Junction at Dàku Cultural Centre, where we get another perspective on the region and the people connected to this part of the Yukon.

We continue on toward Kluane Lake, where the landscape opens up even more, bigger mountains, longer distances, and a real sense of space.

By the end of the day, we arrive at Kluane Outdoor Inspirations, where we settle in for the night in a true northern cabin, full of character, warm, and set right on the edge of Kluane Lake.

We wake up by Kluane Lake and step straight into it.

This place is huge. The lake stretches out forever, the mountains rise straight out of it, and the scale of it all is hard to wrap your head around.

We head out for a hike above the lake, gaining elevation and opening up views that keep getting bigger the higher we go. On clear days, you’re looking all the way toward the icefields. It’s one of those hikes where you don’t need much talking, you just keep looking around.

Back at Kluane Outdoor Inspirations, we’ve got time to warm up, jump in the sauna by the lake if you want, and reset after the day.

In the evening, we gather around the fire for a shared meal and a fireside conversation led by a citizen of Kluane First Nation. This is where it goes deeper, hearing about the land from someone who knows it through experience, not just maps or trails.

Another night in the cabin.

We pack up and hit the road north toward Dawson City.

This stretch is part of the experience. Long roads, big landscapes, and a few classic Yukon stops along the way. We’ll pull over where it’s worth it, whether that’s for the views, a quick wander, or just because something catches our eye.

We make a stop at Braeburn Lodge, home of the famous oversized cinnamon buns, and continue on past places like Five Finger Rapids, where the river cuts through the landscape in a way that’s hard to miss.

By the time we reach Dawson, the energy shifts.

After days out on the land, the town feels different, wooden boardwalks, old buildings, and that slightly chaotic gold rush vibe that’s still very much alive.

The night is yours to explore.

Keep it chill or go all in. Grab a drink in one of the old saloons, catch a show at the casino, or, if you’re up for it, try the Sourtoe Cocktail. Dawson doesn’t really do normal, and that’s the fun of it.

We start the morning in Dawson with an interpretive talk in town, adding a bit more depth to the place before we leave it behind. After that, there’s time to explore properly. Dawson might look rough around the edges, but it’s packed with good spots. Strong coffee, bakeries that actually deliver, small shops with local art and gear you won’t find anywhere else. It’s the kind of place where you end up staying longer than planned without really noticing.

By late morning, we leave town and head up the Dempster Highway, one of the most legendary roads in the North, built on permafrost and stretching deep into the Arctic.

The road climbs, the forest starts to fall away, and suddenly you’re out of it. No more trees, no more towns, just tundra and mountains stretching out in every direction.

We stop at Tombstone Territorial Park visitor centre, then keep driving deeper in.

This place is wild. Not in a “nice viewpoint” kind of way, but in a raw, open, nothing-held-back kind of way. Sharp peaks, wide valleys, and a feeling that you’re very small out here.

We set up camp in the middle of it, far from everything. Tomorrow is hiking time again.

We head straight into the terrain, moving through tundra, open valleys, and up onto ridgelines, depending on conditions and the route we choose. This isn’t a built trail system, it’s rough, uneven ground, with that soft, bouncy tundra under your feet and space to move in any direction.

As we gain elevation, the views open up completely. Mountains all around, 360 degrees, with no signs of anything else out there. It’s the kind of place where you keep turning around because every direction looks just as good.

There’s always a chance of spotting wildlife out here too, caribou moving through the valley, or just tracks crossing the ground ahead of you.

It’s an off-route day, moving through real terrain, some elevation, uneven footing, and a bit of route finding as we go.

By the end of the day, we make our way back to camp, set in the same wild spot by the river.

As it gets dark, the sky opens up. No light, no noise, just stars, more than you usually get to see.

We pack up camp and continue north on the Dempster Highway.

The further we go, the more it opens up. Long stretches of road, rolling tundra, and fewer and fewer signs of anything around.

By the end of the day, we reach Eagle Plains, one of the only stops along the entire Dempster.

It’s a strange place in the best way. A remote outpost in the middle of nowhere, where truckers, travelers, and the occasional adventurer all end up crossing paths.

Inside, there’s a bar that feels exactly like it should out here, a bit rough, a bit random, and somehow perfect after a long day on the road. Cold drink, stories from whoever happens to be there, and that feeling of being very far from everything else.

We settle in for the night.

We leave Eagle Plains and continue north on the Dempster.

Today is a full driving day.

Not long after leaving, we stop at the Arctic Circle sign. It’s a quick stop, but still one of those moments that hits, standing there, knowing how far north you’ve made it by road.

From there, we keep going.

The road stretches on, wide skies above, and the landscape keeps shifting the further north you get. Fewer hills, more open space, and that steady feeling of heading somewhere remote.

We cross into the Northwest Territories and continue through the Mackenzie Delta, where the land starts to break up into water, channels, and low, flat terrain that feels completely different from where we started.

By the end of the day, we arrive in Inuvik.

After everything behind us, this feels like a proper milestone.

From Inuvik, we head out with a local host and shift fully into a different pace of the trip.

We travel along the Mackenzie River, moving through the delta by boat, surrounded by water, low land, and a landscape that feels completely different from everything before. This is where the road ends and a new kind of travel begins.

Over the next days, we spend time on the land and on the water. Fishing, moving along the river, stopping where it makes sense, and learning through the experience itself.

We reach Tuktoyaktuk, where the land meets the Arctic Ocean. There’s time to explore the community, stand at the edge of the ocean, and take in where you are, far north, at the end of the road.

Throughout these days, there are moments of storytelling, shared time, and local food when it’s part of the experience. Nothing staged, just what’s offered, when it happens.

We camp out there, close to the land, and settle into the rhythm of the North.

This is a proper Arctic experience, simple, real, and shaped by the people who live here.

This day is intentionally left open.

Travel in the North doesn’t always run on a fixed schedule. Weather, river conditions, ferries, things can shift, and this day gives us the space to adapt without rushing the experience.

If everything has gone smoothly, we use this time to explore more around Inuvik, take it slow, or just enjoy a bit of downtime after the past days out on the land.

If not, this day gives us the flexibility to adjust and keep the trip running the way it should.

We head to the airport and fly back to Whitehorse.

After days on the road, on the river, and out on the land, this is the final stretch of the journey.

Flights are usually scheduled late morning, and we recommend planning onward travel for the following day to allow for any northern delays.

The minimum age to book with YuSquatch Mt. Adventures is 18 years old unless accompanied with a legal guardian on the tour.

A 25% non-refundable deposit is required to secure all bookings.

Cancellation Schedule
• More than 90 days before departure: 25% non-refundable
• 90 to 61 days before departure: 50% non-refundable
• 60 to 31 days before departure: 75% non-refundable
• Within 30 days of departure: 100% non-refundable

If you are unable to attend your trip, we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible. Subject to availability, we may be able to offer a trip transfer, participant substitution, or trip credit.

Please Note
Trips operate in remote wilderness environments where weather, wildfires, transportation disruptions, or other unforeseen circumstances may impact itineraries or trip operations.

Yusquatch Mountain Adventures reserves the right to modify, delay, reroute, or cancel trips when necessary for safety or operational reasons.

We strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance, including trip cancellation and interruption coverage.

For full details, please refer to our complete Cancellation & Terms Policy.