2024 Alaska, Yukon and Haida Gwaii

June 2nd - 25th

Join Lobstick Tour Directors

Dianne and Colin Markusson

for a step back in time to the historical days of the Klondike Gold Rush!

306.536.8879

Majestic scenery combined with fascinating history, aboard riverboat, train, ferries and bus.

The Alaska landscape is as wild as it is beautiful. Its impressive mountains, breathtaking scenery, and amazing wildlife. A broad land larger than life. Get a closer look at the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline. Cruise aboard a sternwheeler riverboat in Fairbanks. In the Yukon visit Whitehorse and Dawson City. Step back in time where the first gold strike was made, and learn how gold changed this land forever.  Haida Gwaii shores bathed in warm, nutrient rich waters and often referred to as the Canadian Galapagos. The Haida First Nations People developed one of the world's most powerful and creative aboriginal cultures. Enjoy the pristine beauty, unique culture, endless hiking trails, magnificent beaches and exceptional birdwatching opportunities. Pick up some art from world renowned artists.

ITINERARY

Meals as indicated: B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner

Day 1 Jun 2 Su SASKATCHEWAN – OVERNIGHT ST ALBERT AB. Join our tour from Prince Albert, Saskatoon, North Battleford, Lloydminster, Vegreville or Edmonton. If time allows, anywhere in between along the route.  

Day 2 Jun 3 M ST ALBERT AB – OVERNIGHT FORT ST JOHN BC B. Travel through Whitecourt, Valley view, “pose” at famous “MILEPOST 0” in Dawson Creek, the official start of the Alaska Highway. Building of the highway took 30,000 Americans and Canadians. Learn how this 2,288km road was built in just 9 months and how it impacted the communities along its route.  

Day 3 Jun 4 T FORT ST JOHN BC – OVERNIGHT FORT NELSON BC B. Pass breathtaking landscapes along the highway through the Rockies, past Pink Mountain and Prophet River Valley to Fort Nelson’s Visitor Center and Museum. Fort Nelson is North America's largest gas processing plant, one of the largest deposits of shale gas, is a major transportation hub and the largest city in the Northern Rockies Regional District. 

Day 4 Jun 5 W FORT NELSON BC – OVERNIGHT WATSON LAKE YT B L bring your swim suit. Today is a scenic drive past clear lakes, rushing rivers, extreme canyons and the northern Rocky Mountains. Numerous unique rock formations, extreme wilderness, wildflowers and wildlife ranging from rare stone ram, black bears, grizzlies, deer, caribou, elk and wolves make this a beautiful journey. This northern route passes through vegetation from muskeg to hot springs. Enjoy a picnic lunch, relax and swim in Laird Hot Springs pool; then head to Watson Lake, just inside the Yukon border. Visit Sign Post Forest, one of the most famous landmarks along the Alaska Highway. It was started by a homesick GI in 1942. The unique Northern Lights Centre boasts state of the art panoramic video, with interactive displays that explain the science and folklore of the Aurora Borealis.  

Unsplash Photo Credits (L - R): Isi Parente, Pete Nuij, Joris Beugels, Robert Linder, Joris Beugels

Day 5 Jun 6 Th WATSON LAKE YT – OVERNIGHT WHITEHORSE YT B L. Journey through Swift River and Teslin in the Cassiar Mountains and Big Salmon Range. Stop for photo op at the SS Klondike Sternwheeler now a National Historic Site. It ran freight between Whitehorse and Dawson City, along the Yukon River, the first from 1929 to 1936 and the second, an almost exact replica of the first, from 1937 to 1950. Visit the Rapids Fishway (aka the Fishladder), which is the longest wooden fish ladder in the world.  

Day 6 Jun 7 F WHITEHORSE YT - SKAGWAY AK – OVERNIGHT WHITEHORSE YT B. Be sure to have your passport with you. Nestled at the northernmost reaches of the Inside Passage, the streets are lined with wooden boardwalks and restored buildings, looking much as they did over 100 years ago. It is a compact city and home to gold-rush-era buildings. This funky little town is easy to walk around to locally-owned shops. The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad runs vintage locomotives. The town is brimming with gold rush history and unique culture. After a full day in Skagway return to Whitehorse for overnight.

Day 7 Jun 8 Sa WHITEHORSE YT – OVERNIGHT DAWSON CITY YT B L. Head north on the Klondike Highway. Through Carmacks, once notable for Yukon river steamers headed to Dawson City. Stop for a picnic lunch at Pelly Crossing. Arrive in Dawson City, the heart of the Klondike. The city appears similar to boom town of 1890’s: clapboard buildings, boardwalk and gravel streets. No trip is complete without capturing a photograph of yourself atop the Midnight Dome. Follow the winding road to the incredible vantage point and take in the panoramic view of the region.

Day 8 Jun 9 Su DAWSON CITY YT B. Relive the excitement of the gold rush with your guided city tour. Tour of Dawson City & Gold Fields with a visit to Dredge Historical Site. Take in the walking tour that compares Dawson then (1898) & now. Trek through back alleys, historic buildings and see Dawson City the way locals do… and did. Hear incredible tales about the people that roamed the streets during the Gold Rush. FREE AFTERNOON to shop, rest or do as you wish. This evening, enjoy Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall. It’s has been wowing visitors with its unique Klondike days, period style, cancan entertainment and friendly charm. It is Canada’s Oldest Casino.  

Unsplash Photo Credits (L - R): Angela Malagon, Naoh Cova, Robert Thiemann

Day 9 Jun 10 M DAWSON CITY YT – OVERNIGHT FAIRBANKS AK B L. Cross the George Black ferry at Dawson City to Little Gold Alaskan border. Drive “Top of the World Highway” to the quirky town of Chicken. A community founded on gold mining and is one of the few surviving gold rush towns in Alaska. On a good day Chicken is home to 7 residents, a gift shop, saloon, liquor store and an outhouse. Stop in Tok for lunch, visit “Santa Claus House” at North Pole before heading to Fairbanks for the next two nights.  

Day 10 Jun 11 T FAIRBANKS AK B L D. Guided city tour of Fairbanks, the heart of Alaska's interior. Learn about the culture of this unique city and its beginnings in the Gold Rush era. Enjoy a family style lunch before taking a ride on the authentic sternwheeler Riverboat Discovery III along the Chena & Tanana Rivers. Visit the home and kennels of the late four-time Iditarod winner Susan Butcher. Visit a replica Athabascan Indian Village discover traditional Native lifestyles. Watch a fish wheel in operation and see the ‘Wedding of the Rivers’. Tonight in Pioneer Park, take part in an Alaska Salmon Bake plus the number one Show throughout Alaska and Canada, Golden Heart Review. This hilarious musical comedy leaves you a bit wiser about the life in the last frontier.  

Day 11 Jun 12 W FAIRBANKS AK – OVERNIGHT ANCHORAGE AK B  TRAIN RIDE. Spectacular scenery as you travel to Denali National Park, America’s highest peak. The Visitor Center is more of a campus and the Wilderness Center offers programs, exhibits, wildlife displays and a free film. Board the train in Denali. The seven-hour ride takes you across numerous creeks, rivers, bridges, and mountains. The lowest pass is 2300 feet and the highest point you will be at 2363 feet. Heading southbound toward Broad Pass offers majestic views of the Alaska Range in all directions. Travel into backcountry areas. Keep your cameras close because the sights will blow you away. When you arrive in Anchorage, your driver and bus will transfer you to your hotel which you will be staying for the next 3 nights. 

Day 12 Jun 13 Th ANCHORAGE AK B. Full day guided tour taking you to Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center which plays host to orphaned wood Bison, black and brown bears, moose, elk, lynx, caribou and muskox. Take the Alyeska Aerial Tram scenic ride to the top of Mt. Alyeska. At 2300 feet, witness frosty views of the Turn-again Arm, up to seven “hanging” glaciers and endless peaks deep into the Chugach Mountain range. Don’t forget to look down! Moose and bear sightings are common on the aerial tram rides. Continuing on your guided tour and sights of Anchorage, with Ulu factory/ fish ladder, Earthquake park, and Beluga point.   

Unsplash Photo Credits (L - R): James Pack, Riley Edwards, Mario Mendez, Dillon Groves, John Peters, Simon Hurry

Day 13 Jun 14 F ANCHORAGE AK B. Free Day for all - rest, shop, sightsee on own. Savour delicious craft beer, Helicopter & Dogsled tour, rent a bike - ride or take a walk along 11mile Tony Knowles Coastal Trail FREE except for the bike, Heritage Museum - FREE located inside a Wells Fargo Bank branch. It is the largest private collection of Alaska Native artifacts in the state. Lake Hood - FREE the busiest floatplane runway in the world. Continuous tiny aircraft effortlessly taking off or landing on the water right in front of your eyes. 

Day 14 Jun 15 Sa ANCHORAGE AK – OVERNIGHT TOK AK B. Today’s entire drive will treat you to vistas of forested slopes, snowy peaks and glacier-filled valleys through your windows. Travel through Chickaloon that is surrounded by the Talkeetna and Chugach Mountains and flanked by the mighty Matanuska River. Then through Glennallen, which is one of the best places to live in Alaska. It offers residents a sparse suburban feel and most residents own their homes. Visit Sinona Creek Trading Post. Then to Tok, Alaska's official welcoming committee as the first major community across the Canadian border for Alaska Highway travelers. It is also known as the "Sled Dog Capital of Alaska," and many of its residents are involved in some way with dogs and dog mushing.

 Day 15 Jun 16 Su TOK – OVERNIGHT WHITEHORSE B. From Tok to Whitehorse is one of the most isolated stretches on the highway and literally in the middle of nowhere. Pass through Burwash Landing a small community along the southern shore of Kluane Lake. First used as a summer camp until a trading post was built in the early 1900s. It is the home of the Kluane Museum of Natural History and the Kluane First Nation, and also home to the world's largest gold pan. Destruction Bay is also a small community on Kluane Lake. Community residents provide Yukon government services to residents in the area, including nearby Burwash Landing and some tourism-related businesses. Where the Alaska Highway and Haines highway meet is Haines Junction. From 2021 to 2022 their population has increased by 330 people.   

Day 16 Jun 17 M WHITEHORSE – OVERNIGHT WATSON LAKE BC B L. Whitehorse is framed by four peaks, of which Golden Horn Mountain (4,902 ft) is the tallest and most prominent. The drive to Watson Lake is scenic and varied. Have your lunch at Teslin campground. Stop at Rancheria Falls for a short walk of 500m on a well groomed path to boardwalk trail that awaits two beautiful waterfalls.  

Unsplash Photo Credits (L - R): Grace Simoneau, Jaron Mobley, Jason Nelson, Alenka Skvarc, Stephen Meyers

Day 17 Jun 18 T Watson Lake - OVERNIGHT STEWART BC B L. Heading south to Cassair Mountain Jade Store. Stop for lunch along the route before continuing on to Kitimat-Stikine, Meziadin Junction and then drive into Stewart. It is situated across from Alaska's Misty Fjords National Park and at the end of the Portland Canal, with hundreds of scenic waterfalls cascading down their sides. Stewart is a unique border town and is Canada's most northerly ice-free, deep-sea port. Formerly called Portland, the town's name was changed to Stewart to eliminate confusion with Portland in Oregon.

 Day 18 Jun 19 W STEWART BC - PRINCE RUPERT BC B. Before going to Prince Rupert you will visit the North Pacific Cannery National Historic Site, one of the longest standing canneries in the Port Edward area. NPC was founded in 1889. It had almost 90 years continuous salmon production and fish processing. This afternoon wander through the sunken gardens nestled in the heart of Prince Rupert behind the Courthouse.  It was created in 1920’s to be the new location of the Courthouse. Things changed and the sunken hole became a beautification project. Settle into your hotel for the evening.   

Day 19 Jun 20 Th PRINCE RUPERT - OVERNIGHT HAIDA GWAII BC B. Today you board a BC Ferry to cross Hecate Strait to Skidegate in the breathtaking Haida Gwaii (Islands of the People), also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands and the Canadian Galapagos. It is an 8hour sail. Arrive and get settled into your beds for the next 2 nights. 

Day 20 Jun 21 F HAIDA GWAII BC B. An explore and visit day beginning at the Haida Heritage Center, the premier cultural centre and museum of the Haida people which protects and fosters Haida culture by reaffirming their traditions and beliefs, encouraging artistic expression and serving as a keeper. Visit Jungle Beach, where the fine sandy beach stretches out for miles in both directions. Pass the Naikoon Provincial Park. Take in the tranquil scenery on Rainbow Wharf, Masset. The Village of Masset is a small fishing village located on Graham Island - the largest of the more than 150 islands that comprise the archepelago of Haida Gwaii. Old Massett is one of 2 villages where the Haida Nation regrouped in the late 1800s, having been forced to leave most of their ancient villages due to declining numbers, a consequence of smallpox introduced by Europeans.  

unsplash photo credit: Cory Schadt

Day 21 Jun 22 Sa HAIDA GWAII OVERNIGHT ON FERRY – PRINCE RUPERT B. The day to sightsee, stroll, shop, eat and enjoy your final hours on the island. This evening you will board the ferry and sail through the night to Prince Rupert. Overnight on ferry in cabins.

Day 22 Jun 23 Su PRINCE RUPERT – LAVA -  BURNS LAKE BC B (on ferry). Early morning arrival in Prince Rupert, off to Memorial Lava Flow Bed Park Campground and Lava Lake. The park is one of the youngest and most accessible volcanic features in the province, a geological disaster that destroyed two villages and killed an estimated 2,000 people around the year 1700. Lava beds rise as much as 12 metres above the modern road. A quick stop in New Hazelton where in the early 1800’s the lure of gold and silver, which did produce but most prospectors failed to hit the paydirt. On through Smithers to the northern gateway to the untamed wilderness of Tweedsmuir North Provincial Park at Burns Lake for overnight. 

Day 23 Jun 24 M BURNS LAKE BC to EDSON AB B D. Traveling through Fraser Lake, nestled in the heart of some of British Columbia's most beautiful scenery. The area can boast of 170 lakes within a 50mile radius. Prince George, once had the most millionaires per capita in the country and in the 1980’s, a boom in the lumber industry made it the second-largest city in British Columbia. McBride is rich in farmland in the valley bottom, with a mix of forest and alpine surrounding the valley. Mount Robson it is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, towering over the surrounding peaks. Winter or summer, this is one of the finest views in the Rockies. A little stop at the alpine town of Jasper. It is the commercial centre of Jasper National Park. Amid the snow-capped Canadian Rockies, the park has glacier-fed lakes, forests and rivers. Overnight in Edson, located in the heart of Alberta's rolling woodlands. The main industries that drive the local economy are resource-based: coal, oil, natural gas and forestry products. Enjoy your Windup farewell tonight.

Unsplash Photo Credits (L - R): Sanket Darji, Nicholas Bullett, Harsh Singh, Nick Saxby, Kaiwen Zhao, Lorena Kelly

Day 24 Jun 25 T EDSON AB – SASKATCHEWAN B. Homeward bound cherishing wonderful memories of your travels and new found friends. With stops in Edmonton, Lloydminster, Saskatoon and Prince Albert.

 ITINERARY SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

 Make the tour fit your schedule, Contact Dana in Prince Albert Office at 1.800.665.0171 for a fly option.

For more information or to book:

Call: 306.763.7415 or 800.665.0171 ask for Dana Email: info@lobsticktravel.com

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY - Visit our office: #2 - 17th Street East Prince Albert SK S6V 1G5

 2024 ALASKA, YUKON & HAIDA GWAII TOUR INCLUDES:

- Two Professional Tour Directors to welcome you and look after details. Their care and attention ensure you have a worry free tour.

- PA Northern Bus Lines, driver, sound and entertainment system, lavatory, comfortable reclining seats and coach cleaned daily.

- Ride on: Sternwheeler Riverboat tour, Aerial Tram, Ferry across to the Top of the World Hwy in Dawson City, 7 hr Train ride from Denali to Anchorage, 8 hr BC Ferry ride to Haidi Gwaii and Overnight sail from Haidi Gwaii to Prince Rupert.

- 14 different styled night accommodations ranging from hotels, motels, and ferry cabins.

- 23 breakfast every morning ranging from continental to full hot buffet.

- 7 lunches / picnics, 1 Salmon Bake Dinner and 1 Farewell Dinner, meals indicated as B, L, D.

- Step on guide tours of Dawson City, Fairbanks, and Anchorage and surrounding areas of each.

- Sites: Mile O, breathtaking landscapes, pristine beauty, clear lakes, rushing rivers, extreme canyons and the northern Rocky Mountains, numerous kinds of wildlife, gold fields and historical dredge sites, scenic waterfalls, sunken garden, and longest wooden fish ladder in the world.

- Remote islands and temperate rainforest, centuries-old totem poles.

- Swim in hot springs, walk amongst streets lined with wooden boardwalks and restored buildings.

- Learn about the gold rush history and unique cultures in each area and Aurora Borealis.

- Be entertained at Diamond Tooth Gerties, period style, cancan entertainment and at the Golden Heart Revue – humorous show about the beginnings of life in Fairbanks and changes as time went on.

- Plenty of photo opportunities: From the “Top of the World Highway”, to the top of Mt. Alyeska, Golden Horn Mountain, Mount Robson, forested slopes, snowy peaks, Canada's most recent (1700) volcanic eruption and lava flow, glacier-filled valleys, to the fjords, and fishing villages.

- Opportunity to stroll through numerous shops and stores of crafts, carvings, jewelry, jade and more.

- All tips for driver, step on guides and tour directors.

PRICES:

$7,191.00 double $6,273.00 triple

$10,289.00 single $5,814.00 quad

TIPS, TAXES & FEES INCLUDED IN THESE PRICES. DEPOSIT: $500.00 PER PERSON TO SECURE SEAT. BALANCE DUE: March 2, 2024

PAY BY CASH, CHEQUE, CREDIT CARD or E-TRANSFER.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

 PASSPORTS: All passengers REQUIRE a valid passport for this tour and must be valid for 6 months beyond the date of return.

 INSURANCE: All passengers MUST HAVE adequate out of country medical insurance for this tour.

MANULIFE WORLD INSURANCE: Lobstick Travel & Tours offer personalized coverage you need, to be financially protected against the cost of unexpected emergencies that happen prior to or during your trip. For your insurance rates call Dana at Lobstick Travel 1.800.665.0171. Passengers have the option to obtain insurance at their discretion. If you chose to decline or purchase insurance elsewhere, we require our waiver from to be signed and returned to office. 

CANCELLATION:

If you must cancel for any reason, CONTACT Dana at Lobstick Travel 1.800.665.0171 IMMEDIATELY.

 CANCELLATION POLICY: applies the day you notify us.

60 days or more prior to departure – loss of deposit.

59 – 31 days prior to departure – lose 50% total cost.

30 days or less prior to departure – lose 100% total cost.