Alaska/Yukon Adventure

ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD HIGHWAY AND INTO THE YUKON

Ayres Adventures 13-day Alaska/Yukon Adventure is a great way to explore the rugged and untamed beauty of Alaska and Canada’s Yukon Territory.

As we depart Anchorage, we’ll follow the winding roads of the “Top of the World Highway”, passing several operational gold mines before crossing the Canadian border into the Yukon. After crossing the Yukon River on a ferry, we’ll arrive at the historic town of Dawson City, then continue on to the Yukon capital, Whitehorse.

From Whitehorse we will cross into the Alaska panhandle, ride through British Columbia, and re-enter the Yukon to ride along the shores of Kluane Lake. Continuing northward, we’ll re-enter Alaska and finally arrive in Fairbanks.

In Fairbanks, we’ll have the opportunity to ride on the Dalton Highway up to the Arctic Circle. As we travel southward towards Anchorage and past Denali National Park, we’ll enjoy incredibly beautiful riding and scenery.

Throughout this tour, we’ll have the chance to observe various types of wildlife, including bears, wolves, moose, and caribou, as well as admire the breathtaking vistas of the Alaskan and Yukon wilderness.

Highlights of this Adventure include:

• Alaska has a multitude of scenic highways, with most of them being paved. Notably, The Top of the World Highway with its breathtaking vistas of the Alaska and Yukon wilderness.
• Exciting optional activities on free days such as scenic flights and gold panning.
• An optional trip to the Arctic Circle including a ride alongside the Alaska pipeline.

Our Alaska and Canada schedule has been designed to allow riders who wish to extend their tour to continue with our Prudhoe Bay Excursion, a bucket-list destination to the tip of the North American continent. For riders who combine the Prudhoe Bay Excursion with our Alaska and Yukon Adventure, we’ll cover the cost of lodging for the days between the trips. If you wish to rent a motorcycle for the intervening days, we’ll provide recommendations for exciting day rides.
Minor adjustments to the proposed itinerary may be required based on lodging availability. If alternate lodging is necessary, we will make every effort to secure accommodations of the same or higher quality and rating than what is specified in this listing.

AT A GLANCE YOUR ALASKA AND YUKON ADVENTURE

DAY 1: ARRIVE ANCHORAGE

The tour leaders will meet you at the airport and take you to the hotel where you can spend the day relaxing or exploring Anchorage.

In the late afternoon we will meet for the motorcycle handover followed by a brief kickoff meeting. Following the briefing, we will enjoy our first dinner together at a wonderful local restaurant.

DAY 2: ANCHORAGE TO VALDEZ, ~300 MILES

Our first ride will be along the stunning Palmer Highway, one of Alaska’s most scenic highways, as we make our way to Copper Center. Along the way we’ll stop to view the breathtaking Matanuska Glacier. Continuing south from Copper Center to Valdez, we’ll have several impressive photo opportunities. Upon reaching Valdez, we’ll have enough time to explore this small town before heading out for dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 3: VALDEZ TO TOK, ~260 MILES

Backtracking to Copper Center will allow us to stop at several scenic viewpoints that we may have missed during our southward journey, including the Worthington Glacier viewpoint. The ride along the Glenn Highway from Copper Center is both straightforward and visually appealing, with numerous interesting stops along the way.

DAY 4: TOK TO DAWSON CITY (YUKON), ~185 MILES

As we depart Tok, we’ll get on the world famous “Top of the World Highway” heading to Dawson City in the Yukon. Before crossing the border entering Canada, we’ll stop at the small mining community of Chicken to indulge in a slice of their famous pie. At Poker Creek, the northernmost border crossing point in the United States, we’ll cross into Canada. A brief ferry ride across the Yukon River will transport us to the historic Klondike Gold Rush town of Dawson City. No visit to Dawson City is complete without a Sourtoe cocktail.

DAY 5: DAWSON CITY TO WHITEHORSE, ~330 MILES

Today involves a full day of riding along the Klondike Highway, from Dawson City to Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon. This ride offers remarkable photo opportunities and the possibility of spotting wildlife.

DAY 6: FREE DAY IN WHITEHORSE

Whitehorse offers a variety of Klondike area attractions, including scenic flights, gold-panning, and a popular railroad trip. The town also has a wide variety of shopping opportunities as well as charming cafes and restaurants.

DAY 7: WHITEHORSE TO SKAGWAY, ~120 MILES

Get ready for a great ride surrounded by absolutely breathtaking landscapes as we ride along the famous Chilkoot Trail. The trail served as a significant pathway from the coast to the Yukon goldfields during the late 19th century. After crossing the border, it won’t take long to reach the charming town of Skagway, Alaska. Arriving in the early afternoon, we’ll have plenty of time to explore the town.

DAY 8: SKAGWAY TO BEAVER CREEK, ~330 MILES

We’ll begin our day early to catch the ferry to Haines, then proceed with a short ride to the Alaska/Canada border. We’ll cross back into the Yukon for a few miles before crossing into the Canadian Province of British Columbia. The ride from Haines Junction to Beaver Creek, where we’ll spend the night, features breathtaking scenery along the shores of Kluane Lake. The terrain is incredibly remote, beautiful, and there’s a high probability of spotting wildlife.

DAY 9: BEAVER CREEK TO FAIRBANKS, ~315 MILES

Today we will have our last border crossing, from Canada to Alaska. We’ll ride back through the small town of Tok on our way to Fairbanks. Just before arriving in Fairbanks, you may opt for a brief stop in North Pole, Alaska to mail some postcards stamped with the legendary postmark “The North Pole”.

DAY 10: FREE DAY IN FAIRBANKS

It’s a full day’s ride to the Arctic Circle on the Dalton Highway. For those who prefer not to spend the day riding, you can explore the entertainment options available in Fairbanks.

DAY 11: FAIRBANKS TO DENALI, ~125 MILES

As we head south, we’ll take the stunning Parks Highway towards Denali, relishing the breathtaking views and the chance of seeing wildlife along the way. We’ll arrive at the town of Denali with enough time to go on a brief one-way ride in and out of the park. The town has several charming boutique shops, ideal for souvenir and gift shopping.

DAY 12: DENALI TO ANCHORAGE, ~240 MILES

On our last day, we’ll ride along the Parks Highway towards Anchorage. Weather-permitting, we may have an opportunity to view and photograph Mt. McKinley, the highest mountain in North America. A quick and easy ride from the town of Palmer will lead us into Anchorage, where we will enjoy a wonderful final dinner together.

DAY 13: DEPART ANCHORAGE

After a relaxing breakfast, the tour leaders will arrange for your transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Total ~2205 miles