Yukon is part of Northwestern Canada. Deriving its name from the Gwich'in phrase chųų gąįį han, which means white water river and refers to "the pale colour" of glacial runoff in the Yukon River. Sharing boundaries with Alaska in the west and the Northwestern territories to its east. Home to various flora and fauna. This is the Canadian wild where one can find their adventure of a lifetime. Summer in Yukon is renowned for wonderful hikes and adventure tours.
However, winter in Yukon is when the magic ensues. Yes, I am talking about the most magical phenomenon our planet has to offer us. The Aurora Borealis also known as the Northern Lights. Mostly found in places at higher altitudes. I personally believe one has to be extremely lucky to witness the music and dance of these lights.
My journey to Whitehorse- the capital city and the only city of Yukon was short-lived. My roommate had always wanted to see the Northern Lights. So did I. Hence, we planned a trip to Whitehorse, Yukon in the month of February via a tour company called Landsby Canada. The trip cost us about CAD$1400 per person which included the flight tickets, hotel accommodation for 3 nights at the Best Western Inn (a decent 3 star hotel) the northern lights tour and a half day dog sled tour. We even received a winter clothing rental for the three days along with our tour guides who made our travel easier by providing shuttle services throughout our trip.
Talking more about Whitehorse, this city is a beacon for tourists from all across the world. Promising the ethereal views of the Aurora Borealis which is best seen during the months of late August to Mid April. Since this is when the nights are longer as compared to the summer months when the days are longer.
Our first night at the campsite we met a family of four from Britain, a mother and daughter from Mexico and a few old ladies from Toronto, a Chinese couple from Vancouver. Each one of us excited to see the Northern Lights. Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side. We waited till 2am but due to high volume of cloud cover we were out of luck. Our experienced guides helped entertain us by teaching us night light photography. We sat next to the bonfire and bonded over stories and ended the night with hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows.
The second day we toured the small downtown of Whitehorse, dropping by a local museum and street shopping souvenirs. Around 1pm we decided to go explore the Yukon Wildlife preserve. A 30 minute drive from our hotel in downtown. Home to the Canadian wildlife of the North. We took the tour bus that drove around the preserve whilst the guide shared details about the wildlife. From the arctic fox that changes its skin colour seasonally to the camouflaging Canadian lynx. The wild Moose and Bison, the wise Caribou or the charming mountain goats and thin-horn sheep. The animals here are unlike any in the world. We ended the day with food from the Gold Pan Saloon which is a pub connected to our hotel. I definitely recommend it. Not only was the food phenomenal but the ambience was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Felt like I walked into a late 80's sports bar in the north.
Day three was a happy day, owing to the wonderful huskies that made our dog sledding experience that of a lifetime. Tales of the sour-toe cocktail made its way to us on the drive to the site. Our guide confirmed our fictitious hearsay into fact. Legend has it that, once upon a time in Dawson City - approximately 550 km north of Whitehorse, circa 1920, brothers Otto and Louie got caught in a blizzard. Louie put his foot through a patch of ice and soaked his foot. When the brothers got back to their cabin, Louie's right foot was frozen solid. To prevent gangrene, Otto used his axe to chop off Louie's toe and placed the toe in a jar of alcohol to commemorate the event. In 1973, legend has it that Captain Dick Stevenson found the jar still with the toe in a remote cabin. He came out with the idea of the Sour-toe Cocktail Club - an exclusive club with one membership requirement. To be admitted, potential members must drink the legendary sour-toe cocktail. The rule is, you can drink it fast or you can drink it slow, but your lips must touch the gnarly toe. So gross, but to date the club has 100,000 members hailing from all over the world!
Our last night in Whitehorse was commemorated by a brisk walk around the snowy city. We had our dinner from 506 All Day Grill before heading back to our hotel and calling it a night. The next morning we boarded our flight back to Victoria at 10:30am catching a late sunrise at 9:38am. As the plane flew over the snow capped mountains I felt a warm feeling within. It was Happiness, to have witnessed wonder in the winterland of Northern Canada.
