YUKON EXPEDITION - CANADA

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A rare chance to experience from horseback the pristine natural beauty of the Yukon, the westernmost of Canada's territories that borders Alaska. A wonderful location for a horse riding holiday, the Yukon, or "Great River" in the old language, is supplied by the great lakes that characterise the landscape along with the ancient glacial valleys, volcanoes, alpine meadows, forests and tundra.

Over 10,000 years ago this was the first of Canada's territories to be settled - by the ancient peoples crossing the Bering Strait from Siberia on a land bridge. It is believed that these first people lived in small groups and followed a regular cycle of seasonal activities, following the patterns of the land as you will on this trip. They hunted caribou, moose and mountain sheep in spring and fall, and spent summers fishing for salmon.

A trickle of prospectors turned into a flood when rumours of gold provoked the Klondike Gold Rush in the late 1800's. People from all over the world braved the exceptionally hard winters in the hope of making their fortune. Few got rich, and it is estimated that the money spent getting there exceeded the value of gold found during the rush.

Now sparsely populated the vast Yukon abounds with snow-melt lakes and perennially snow-capped mountains and even today, when the world can seem so small, getting here is part of the adventure.

Following paths forged by animals over thousands of years where traces of the gold miners and hunters can still be glimpsed, this is an epic pack trip for adventurous riders!

Trip length 13 days / 12 nights/ 11 days riding Ride price detailed prices price promise 2012: double pp £1,949/€2,429/$3,135 Departure dates 24 June and 21 July 2012 Approximate riding time per day Six to eight hours Riding ability required Comfortable in all paces on varied terrain and fit enough to spend up to eight hours a day in the saddle Group size 3-6 Meeting point (getting there) Whitehorse International Airport, Yukon (YXY) Transfer Included from meeting point. It is a ten minute drive to the ranch Flight guide From London to Whitehorse International Airport (via Calgary or Vancover) from £800.00 Single supplement detailed prices No single rooms available (on some or all nights). Riders must be prepared to share.

SAMPLE ITINERARY - YUKON EXPEDITION

Day 1
Flights into Whitehorse International generally arrive in the evening. Pierre, your host for the trip, will be there to meet you and drive you to the ranch. This will be your first experience of the midnight sun in the Yukon, overnight in log cabins heated by a wood burning stove.

Day 2
Over the course of a relaxing breakfast around the campfire Pierre will discuss with you the plan for the week ahead. When the dishes are done it's time to meet the horses, all of which are selected and trained carefully by Pierre. An introductory ride to get to know your steed takes you off into the surrounding countryside for a couple of hours before returning to base for a warming bowl of soup. 
After lunch the group will leave by road for a trip back into town to pick up last minute provisions for the trip and back at the ranch enjoy a barbeque dinner around the campfire. Overnight once again in the log cabins.

Day 3
After a good night sleep the morning is a hive of activity. Horses and people alike enjoy a hearty breakfast and riders have the last chance of a hot shower for several days. The final preparations and packing is completed (hopefully only a stray spoon or bottle of wine is left behind) before departure into the wilderness. ...
The first days ride takes you five hours away to Bonnyville Lake where you will set up camp. There are horses to be seen to, tents to go up and firewood to be gathered as well as trees to sleep under and fish to be caught in the rich waters of the lake.
Camp meal and night spent under canvass.

Day 4
After breakfast and packing up camp you head towards Ibex Lake and enter the foothills of the mountainous region of the Yukon where snow still lingers on the high peaks. Which pass you take depends on the weather, either on the lake shores surrounded by pine forest or 1800 metres above tree level in the hills where you may encounter caribou, wild sheep or perhaps a grizzly or a wolf.
Today you will cover around 40kms before reaching Lake Ibex and setting up camp. Night spent under canvass.

Day 5
The morning ride takes you above the tree line, prime viewing position for wildlife, towards Mud Lake - an ancient lake molded by the glaciers. Finding some good grazing for the horses you will stop for lunch and a sleep. When all are well rested it's back on the trail, hunting out wolfs dens as you make your way to the shores of Mud Lake for your overnight stop. Six or seven hours in the saddle today. 

Day 6
The landscape changes today, leaving the wolf dens behind and making your way through the alpine meadows along an old path overlooking a glacial valley. To the south east rise the mighty coastal mountains. The land is pocketed with lakes created by beaver dams.
After lunch you descend to Rose Lake, on arrival the days five hour trail is complete and the rest of the day is spent around camp and fishing at leisure in the magnificent lake. 

Day 7
Today is a rest day, a day to enjoy what life is all about. Fishing, reading, hiking, sleeping, swimming if it is warm enough, or you are welcome to go for a short ride in the area. A good opportunity to admire the rich diversity of wildlife: many birds (eagles, eagles, ducks, geese and many other migratory birds), and beavers.
The camp stays put for the day and all await the arrival of the airplane carrying supplies and the spoon and bottle of wine that were left behind at the ranch!

Day 8
Refreshed and ready to continue, camp is dismantled and the days ride takes you west further towards the coastal mountains (2000ft above sea level and just 20kms away from the Alaskan border) deep in the bush and still following the shores of Rose Lake.
Camp is set up on the shores of the lake once again, in the shadow of the mountains and under the watchful eyes of the wild sheep, perhaps some caribou will cross the water nearby...

Day 9
After a good breakfast and the ritual of taking down camp you will head off to the old Watson Trail that takes you mainly through the open forests. Today is a great day for moose spotting. Lunch is taken by a hunter's cabin where Pierre will describe the Yukon's trapping tradition. As usual time is allowed for a siesta whilst the horses graze nearby before you saddle up once again and ride for another 20kms to your campsite for the night in a forest clearing in the wilderness along the Watson River.

Day 10
Ascending to the alpine meadows where lunch is taken and then a descent to the glacial valley, still enjoying the incredible scenery of the coastal mountains, to the sandy banks of Alligator Lake (so called because of its shape rather than it's inhabitants!) where you will set up camp for the night.

Day 11
The land opens up into generous open spaces today, you trail for 40kms to Coal Lake, another great spot for fishing and swimming and for your camp for the night. This is the last time you will set up camp as a group before settling down around the campfire and a hearty dinner.

Day 12
The camp is taken down and packed away. The group waits for the sea plane to arrive. The camping equipment and luggage is flown back to camp. Without the burden of the luggage the 40km trail ride can be taken at a faster pace and the alpine tundra along the banks of Fish Lake is an incredible sight. Before long you will be back at the ranch where you can have a hot shower and a bite to eat before heading into town to get last minute gifts for your loved ones.
Overnight at in the log cabins.

Day 13
Departure after breakfast.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ITINERARY IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO PREVAILING CONDITIONS AT THE TIME

The weight limit for this ride is 15 st/209 lb/95 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.

FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.

WHAT IS INCLUDED
Transfers, all accommodation (3 nights log cabin, 9 nights camping), three meals per day, all riding and camping equipment (except for sleeping bags and mats), services of an experienced local guide and European escort.
For price details click here

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
International and domestic flights, items of a personal nature, tips.

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