alaska and the yukon tours

We are the leading Inbound Tour Operators in northern Southeast Alaska and the Yukon, locally owned and operated. We provide guided multi-day lodge-based travel itineraries that showcase the most immersive scenic, wildlife, and adventurous tours that this region has to offer.

With over 30 years leading tours in the region, our itineraries are uniquely cultivated to include well-proven activities and adventures. They allow guests to safely immerse themselves in an authentic, well-planned and curated Alaska-Yukon experience.

The staff of Alaska Yukon Discovery Tours places a premium on our guests’ experience. They bring their expertise and enthusiasm for Alaska and the Yukon to each and every itinerary that we operate. Our team of leaders are committed professionals who are exemplary guides. We are dedicated to ensuring our guests an experience that exceeds their expectations!

Whether leading remote wilderness expeditions, or a multi-sport lodge-based adventure, we employ the best guides and instructors in the business. They are exceptional at helping individuals learn the best ways to approach a first glacier trek, an initial kayaking trip, or excel on more advanced expeditions. They have a passion for sharing their love of Alaska and the Yukon. We offer the highest quality customer service and safety on a wide range of adventure programming.

We look forward to having you join us in one of our amazing experiences and exploring Alaska and the Yukon!

Alaska & the Yukon Southbound Cruise Tour

Prepare to be swept away by the awe-inspiring serenity of the Alaskan and Yukon wilderness, where rugged landscapes and breathtaking vistas await your every turn. As you embark on the Inside Passage Cruise, get ready to unravel the secrets of glaciers, witness the majesty of wildlife, and lose yourself in the endless, enchanting shoreline.

But that's just the beginning of your extraordinary adventure. Your journey commences with a 12-night coach tour through the northern gems of British Columbia and the Yukon Territory, where you'll delve into frontier towns like Dawson City. Imagine the savory delight of a traditional salmon bake, the stories of the great gold rush coming to life, and your footsteps leading you to the iconic Watson Lake Signpost Forest.

And then, the pinnacle of your experience awaits aboard the Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Sea. This seven-night cruise to Vancouver is a voyage of unparalleled splendor, with enticing port stops in Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska.

*Given the remote nature of certain areas within our travel itinerary, certain services that are commonly provided during our tours might not be available.

Register for our free virtual presentation on Alaska & the Yukon November 22 at 7:00 pm CST

Day 1 - Regina, SK to Edmonton, AB

Commencing our journey from Regina, we'll head northward, rendezvousing with fellow travellers in Saskatoon, before arriving in Edmonton to welcome our fly-in guests for the first evening.

Day 2 - Edmonton to Fort St. John, BC

Dawson Creek stands as the inauguration point of the legendary Alaskan Highway, signified by Mile 0 . Our schedule includes a pause at this juncture for a memorable photo opportunity, accompanied by a warm Highway Welcome courtesy of the Dawson Creek Visitor Centre. Additionally, we'll receive our cherished Mile 0 Pin . As the day concludes, an evening welcome reception awaits us at the hotel.

Day 3 - Fort St. John to Fort Nelson

As you bid farewell to Fort St. John, the sense of embarking on a grand northern adventure truly takes hold. Upon reaching Fort Nelson, our journey will include captivating visits to both the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum and the Fort Nelson Visitor Centre .

Day 4 - Fort Nelson to Watson Lake, YK

Prepare to be captivated by the stunning scenery; you will be treated to an abundance of it in the days ahead, you will even have a high chance to see black bears, bison and stone sheep. In the early afternoon, we will pause at Laird Hot Springs , offering the perfect opportunity to take a relaxing dip in the inviting warm waters. A delightful picnic lunch is included here. As the day draws to a close, our next stop brings us to the Signpost Forest . You're encouraged to bring along your own sign, and your tour director will be on hand with everything necessary to help you put it up!

Day 5 - Watson Lake to Whitehorse

As you journey towards Whitehorse, the enchanting vistas of northern Canada will continue to unveil themselves. Upon arrival, you'll be treated to the picturesque beauty of Miles Canyon . We've also planned for a visit to the  S.S. Klondike Historical Site , where you'll partake in a guided tour of the grounds and have the opportunity to watch a captivating film about one of Canada's rare surviving steam-powered paddle wheelers.

Day 6 - Whitehorse to Skagway, AK, and Return

Today, we embark on an unforgettable adventure aboard the White Pass & Yukon Railroad . Starting in Fraser, BC, you'll traverse 27.7 miles of awe-inspiring mountain passes, picturesque bridges, and fascinating tunnels, all while enjoying a fully narrated train ride. Our journey concludes in Skagway, Alaska, where you'll have time to explore this quaint town, once the bustling gateway for countless gold seekers during the historic gold rush era. In the evening, we return back to Whitehorse.

Day 7 - Whitehorse to Dawson City

Departing from Whitehorse, we venture deeper into the pristine Yukon wilderness on our way to Dawson City. En route, we'll pause for a delightful picnic lunch , setting the stage for our arrival in the authentic frontier town of Dawson City. Here, history comes alive amidst gravel roads and wooden sidewalks, offering a vivid glimpse into the Gold Rush era. Tonight, prepare to be entertained at Diamond Tooth Gerties , where a troupe of skilled singers and dancers, accompanied by live musicians, will mesmerize you with a traditional Cancan show. Later in the evening, we invite you to join us for a champagne toast atop the Midnight Dome , offering breathtaking views overlooking Dawson City.

Day 8 - Dawson City

Begin your morning by exploring the wonders of the Dawson City Museum - a fitting starting point for your exploration of this charming town. As the day progresses, you'll embark on an incredible City Tour of Dawson City , delving into its rich history and its pivotal role in the gold rush. This tour will also lead you to the remarkable Dredge #4 Historical Site , offering a unique opportunity to step inside and experience its historical significance firsthand.

Day 9 - Dawson City to Fairbanks, AK

Our morning begins with an extended journey as we bid farewell to Dawson City. Venturing along the famed 'Top of the World' highway, we cross into Alaska. Along the way, we'll pause briefly at the iconic 'Welcome to Alaska' sign for a memorable photo opportunity. Our journey then leads us to the Delta Junction Visitor Centre, where we'll collect our Alaska Highway Certificates , marking the significant accomplishment of completing the Alaska Highway. Finally, our day concludes as we arrive in the vibrant city of Fairbanks.

Day 10 - Fairbanks

To kick off our morning, we'll embark on a City Tour of Fairbanks , getting acquainted with its unique charms. Part of the tour includes a stop at the renowned Santa Claus House , adding a touch of holiday magic to our journey.

For lunch, a hearty Alaskan meal awaits us at the Riverboat Discovery Dining Hall. Afterward, board the Riverboat Discovery and embark on an incredible riverboat adventure along Alaska's waterways. During this excursion, you'll witness the thrill of a bush floatplane taking off alongside the boat, visit the champion sled dogs and their kennels, and immerse yourself in the ancient Athabascan Indian culture at the Chena Indian Village.

As the late afternoon sets in, we'll journey to the historical theme park, Pioneer Park . Here, you'll have time to explore the park's grounds before gathering for an  Alaskan Salmon Bake Dinner , followed by an enchanting evening show titled 'The Golden Heart Revue' , hosted at the Palace Theatre.

Day 11 - Fairbanks to Anchorage

As we bid farewell to Fairbanks, our journey leads us southward to Anchorage. En route, we'll follow the scenic Parks Highway, which grants us spectacular vistas of Denali Park and the majestic mountain itself. Along this picturesque route, we'll make a well-deserved stop at Denali Viewpoint South , providing the perfect opportunity to capture memorable photos and stretch our legs. Our adventure continues as we reach Anchorage, where we'll settle in for the next two nights.

Day 12 - Anchorage

Our morning kicks off with a captivating City Tour of Anchorage , the largest city in Alaska. This tour promises a wealth of intriguing stops, and one highlight is a visit to ' Alaska Wild Berry Products ', where you can marvel at the world's largest chocolate waterfall!

The afternoon is yours to enjoy at your own pace. You can opt to relax and explore Anchorage independently, taking in its unique charms, or take some time to prepare for the exciting week-long cruise adventure that lies ahead.

Day 13 - Embarkation Day

This afternoon you transfer to Seward to board the Royal Caribbean’s ‘ Radiance of the Seas ',   your home for the next 7 nights.

Day 14 - Cruising Hubbard Glacier

While most glaciers tend to thin and retreat, Hubbard Glacier continues to thicken and actively advance toward the Gulf of Alaska. Sailing into Disenchantment Bay near the glacier’s 400-foot-tall face, you will get panoramic views of its gigantic expanse, Hubbard is a monstrous 76 miles long and 1,200 feet deep.

Day 15 - Juneau

You cannot get to Juneau easily without a sprint by air or by sea. But once you arrive, you will find majestic views and rich culture on every corner. With its snowcapped mountains, misty rainforests, massive glaciers andbounty of wildlife, Alaska’s remote state capital is the perfect place to dive into nature.

Day 16 - Skagway

The tiny town of Skagway still looks like it did during the Klondike Gold Rush over 100 years ago - and today it remains an outpost for thrilling Alaskan adventure.

Day 17 - Icy Strait Point

Icy Strait Point is one tiny port that is big on Alaskan wilderness and Native culture. Opened a decade ago by the Huna Tlingit Native Alaskans, it is easily one of the best spots in the region for fishing and whale watching.

Day 18 - Ketchikan

Ketchikan sits at the southern end of Alaska’s Inside Passage - a gateway to the wild landscapes and seascapes of Misty Fjords National Monument. The canned salmon capital of the world, it is a hub for fishing and outdoor sports. It is also home to three tribes of Northwest Coast Indians, making it a wonderful place to get a taste for the local culture.

Day 19 - Inside Passage Cruising

Your ship offers the perfect platform for viewing British Columbia’s Inside Passage. This archipelago spans 25,000 miles from Seattle to Prince Rupert near the Alaskan border.

Day 20 - Depart Vancouver

Disembark and transfer to the airport.

Dates & Prices

Double occupancy.

Balcony: $7,993.18 Outside: $7,587.62 Inside: $7,384.84

Single Occupancy

Balcony: $11,308.63 Outside: $10,487.37 Inside: $10,183.20

Prices are per person and include all taxes and fees. Prices are in CAD.

Not included in price: 

• Return Airfare
• Airline baggage fees for additional or over-sized luggage
• Airline fuel surcharges if there is a change in fuel prices
• Gratuities for Tour Director and Driver
• Meals and activities not specified in the itinerary
• Any personal expenses
• Travel Insurance
• Pre or post tour arrangements

Pick up locations:

Regina, Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, North Battleford, Lloydminster & Edmonton. Other pick up locations may be available upon request.

Departure details:

Your flight can depart Vancouver anytime after 1 pm.

-- Important Information

Deposit:  A deposit of $700 per person is due at the time of booking to secure your space. This is fully refundable up to 121 days prior to tour start date.

Final Payment:  Is due 120 days prior to tour start date. Cancellation penalties will apply. See our  Terms & Conditions  for full details.

Tour Highlights

7-Nights Aboard Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas

Time to relax and enjoy a different way of traveling

White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad

Also known as “The Scenic Railway of the World”. Take a journey to see the splendid panorama of mountains, glaciers and gorges; waterfalls, tunnels and trestles. Sit back, relax and enjoy the views and historic commentary.

Riverboard Discovery including lunch

Sit back and be taken into the heart of Alaska and learn about a family who has made the rivers of Alaska their way of life for five generations.

Salmon Bake Dinner

Take in an authentic Alaskan dining experience in a truly unique environment.

Watson Lake Signpost Forest

Travelers from around the world have been bringing signs from their hometowns to the Sign Post Forest since 1942. Don’t forget yours!

Diamond Tooth Gerties

Canada’s First Casino. Since 1971 Diamond Tooth Gerties has been wowing visitors with it’s unique Klondike period style, can-can entertainment and friendly charm.

The Midnight Dome

This incredible vantage point has panoramic views of the region. Marvel in the beauty of the Yukon River and Klondike Valleys.

Fort Nelson Museum

 With a “transportation” theme, the collections now consist of more than just antique cars and trucks.

Explore the cities of Dawson City, Fairbanks and Anchorage with local guides.

"more than we expected" We loved the tour; the experience was both enlightening & enriching. We came to the midnight sun - June 21 - "We came, we went, we saw!"  Lin & Murray Rigg - Saskatoon, SK

Fred was a natural in the position. He seemed to enjoy his job and tried to keep everyone happy and give them the best of his ability and character. He was 100% and liked everything about the cruise.  Ray Clyde - Dauphin, MB - 2016

ur first trip with WestWorld and they were all excellent!  Ken Bennett - Melfort, SK - 2016

All the ports of call were great. We had many many highlights from White Pass Railway to our group of people and would absolutely recommend this tour to my friends.  Roland Viklund - Saskatoon, SK - 2016

WestWorld provides a well rounded Yukon/Alaska experience. Every day felt like a new adventure!  Lloyd & Donna Bruner, Leask, SK

Loved the cruise, Fairbanks and Dawson. (The highlight of the tour was) the scenery, musical shows, and Riverboat.  Dianne Richardson - Simpson, SK - 2017

We loved the slow pace so we could thoroughly enjoy the experience. (The highlight of the tour) Definitely the glacier.  Dawne Keith - Holden, AB - 2017

Since this was our first tour with WestWorld Tours we found it very satisfying and it met all of our expectations. Did we give you value? Yes - the coach / cruise tour fulfilled our dreams of this trip.  Harvey & Cecelia Hartness - Regina

Great Trip, hope to do another one like it.  Sylvia Maher - Vancouver, BC

Received value and unexpectedly MORE, from the team and the company. (our tour director) Presented a wealth of knowledge of tour/cruise related information, planned and executed numerous activities in a most professional manner - outstanding.  Jeanette & Morley Schwindt - Winnipeg, MB

Our Tour Director - Hard working, enthusiastic, well organized and knowledgeable. Definitely (will recommend to friends).  Tom & Elaine McDonald - Sudbury, ON

....we've had a wide variety of worry free experiences that we would have missed had we travelled on our own.  Marilyn Mead - Ogema, SK

Enjoyed the whole trip. Great service; lots of fun. Got to know the "family" better.  Adeline Gunville - Gatineau, QC

The tour director and driver worked well together and made this tour unforgettable. Yes (we did receive value for what we paid).  Sharon Williams - Bay Bulls, NL

We took the Alaskan Cruise / coach tour. It was the only way to discover Alaska, the Yukon & Northern BC & learn the histoy and all the highlights by an exceptional tour guide.  Pat Foley - Maidstone, SK

Alaska and the Yukon

Tour length : 20 days

Price per person (based on double occupancy): starting at  $ 3,643

Valid : June 1 to August 31, 2023

Combine the best of both worlds! Travel for nearly 3 weeks through spectacular wilderness as you visit the most popular regions of Alaska. Then, pair with experiences across the border in Canada’s Yukon Territory. 

Highlights include: a trip into the backcountry of Denali National Park, traveling along the “Top of the World” Highway and a stay in the Yukon’s capital city. From activities like sailing on a wildlife and glacier cruise through Kenai Fjords to scenic flights above Wrangell St. Elias National Park, you’ll delight in a relaxed pace with flexible schedules catered to those with extended time to explore.

Day 1 – Anchorage Arrive in Anchorage where you will pick up your rental car and drive to your arrival hotel. A Milepost Travel Guide will be delivered to your first hotel along with your travel documents.

Day 2 – Anchorage/Denali Exploration begins today as you head north along the Glenn and Parks Highways to Denali (approx. 5 hours, 237 miles, 381 km). Stretch your legs en route in Wasilla, home of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, or Talkeetna, the expedition starting point for climbing Denali – North America’s tallest peak. Overnight at the Denali Park entrance.

Day 3 – Denali This morning, embark on the Tundra Wilderness Tour, a 5–5.5 hour excursion into the park with a certified driver-naturalist. This tour will guide you along the spectacular road corridor, promising different experiences every day, as Denali’s wildlife moves at its own pace and according to the seasons. Travel to the Murie Cabin near the East Fork River (Mile 43) to experience where Adolf Murie lived while conducting his famous research inside what was then known as Mount McKinley National Park!

Day 4 – Denali/Fairbanks Continue your adventure to Alaska’s Golden Heart City, Fairbanks (approximately 3 hours, 125 miles, 201 km). Perhaps, have a look at the Museum of the North, hop on an authentic sternwheeler cruise along the Chena River or enjoy a delicious, grilled salmon bake dinner at Pioneer Park. Overnight in Fairbanks.

Day 5 – Fairbanks/Tok Journey south along the scenic Richardson and Alaska Highways, all the way to the quaint community of Tok, Alaska. (Approximately 5.5 hours, 206 miles, 331 km). Overnight in Tok.

Day 6 – Tok/Dawson City Leave Tok today for a crossing at the Canadian border en route to Dawson City (approximately 3.5 hours, 150 miles, 241 km) along the famous “Top of the World” Highway. Overnight in Dawson City.

Day 7 – Dawson City Experience the attractions of Dawson City with a free day to enjoy optional tours. Choose from activities such as gold panning or a visit to Diamond Tooth Gertie’s. Overnight in Dawson City.

Day 8 – Dawson City/Whitehorse Embark along the Klondike Highway to Whitehorse (approximately 7.5 hours, 327 miles, 526 km). After your road trip, relax this evening in the Yukon’s Capital city. Overnight in Whitehorse. 

Day 9 – Whitehorse/Haines Junction Continue your journey with a drive to Haines Junction, gateway to Yukon’s Kluane National Park (approximately 2.5 hours, 100 miles, 161 km). Overnight in Haines Junction.

Day 10 – Haines Junction Visit to the Kluane National Park Visitors Center this morning and learn what the Park has to offer. Afterwards, the remainder of the day is free for outdoor activities and sightseeing at your leisure. Overnight in Haines Junction.

Day 11 – Haines Junction/Tok Travel the Alaska Highway north to Tok (approximately 6.5 hours, 297 miles, 477 km). En route you may wish to make a rest stop at the beautiful lookouts found at Kluane Lake or Beaver Creek. Welcome back to Alaska! Overnight in Tok.

Day 12 – Tok/Chitina Leave Tok and make your way to Chitina, gateway to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (approximately 4 hours, 204 miles, 328 km). Overnight in Chitina.

Day 13 – Chitina/Kennicott Board a scenic flight to McCarthy at the Chitina airport this morning. Soak in the breathtaking mountain views from a birds eye, aerial perspective. Land in McCarthy and transfer to Kennicott for your overnight.

Day 14 – Kennicott Your day is open to explore Kennicott and the Park however you’d like. Opt to take a historic tour of the Mill building or if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can join a guided glacier trek. Overnight in Kennicott.

Day 15 – Kennicott/Valdez Bid farewell to Kennicott and McCarthy as you board your return flight to Chitina. Pick up your vehicle (not included in price) and drive south on the Richardson Hwy. Pass through scenic Thompson Pass on your way to the community of Valdez, located on the shores of Prince William Sound (approximately 2 1/2 hours, 116 miles, 187 km). En route, you’ll have a chance to catch a glimpse of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and Worthington Glacier. Overnight in Valdez.

Day 16 – Valdez/Whittier/Seward Drive your vehicle right onto the Alaska Marine Highway for your crossing to Whittier. Ferry through Prince William Sound, famous for towering glaciers and abundant marine life. Upon arrival drive through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, North America’s longest tunnel. Continue to the seaside community of Seward (approximately 2.5 hours, 90 miles, 145 km). Overnight in Seward.

Day 17 – Seward Experience Kenai Fjords National Park by boat today. Your six-hour cruise includes lunch on board and offers opportunities to view tidewater glaciers and a variety of marine wildlife including humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, sea otters, puffins, and more! Your evening is free for an optional visit to the Alaska SeaLife Center or perhaps an Exit Glacier hike. Overnight in Seward.

Day 18 – Seward/Anchorage We saved the best for last! This final stretch of road on your journey is recognized as one of the most scenic in all of North America. Take your time, stopping for photo opportunities or hikes along the way. Overnight in Anchorage. 

Day 19 – Anchorage As your Alaska adventure comes to a finish, pack in any . Anchorage is a jumping off point for sightseeing excursions such as bear viewing, flightseeing, fishing and hiking. If you decide to stay in town, there are many wonderful gift shops, Alaskan art galleries, museums, fine dining and endless hiking trails. You may also pick up a bicycle rental in downtown and explore the Coastal Trail. Your last night is in Anchorage.

Day 20 – Anchorage Departure Return your rental car. End of tour.

– Rental car is not included in total price. – Hotel category is standard 3-star. All rooms feature private bath. – Meals are not included unless noted above.

Alaska & the Yukon

Itinerary Expand All

1 anchorage.

Welcome to Anchorage ! Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.

2 Anchorage - Whittier - Valdez

As you enter Whittier from North America's longest tunnel, the panoramic view of the ocean, mountains, and glaciers greet you. As the gateway to Prince William Sound , this is where you'll board a Glacier cruise for an up-close look along the 3-mile face of Meares Glacier, and the epicentre of the Great Alaskan Earthquake of 1964. Watch for eagles, whales, mountain goats, dolphins, and sea lions! Overnight in Valdez, the "Switzerland of Alaska."

3 Valdez - Tok

Leave Valdez, home of the Alyeska Pipeline Terminal, and enjoy views of Bridal Veil Falls, Worthington Glacier, and Thompson Pass. Visit the Wrangell-St. Elias Visitor Centre and discover why this vast national park measures in size six times that of Yellowstone National Park and rises from the ocean to 18,008 feet. Overnight in Tok, the "Dog Sled Capital of the World."

4 Tok - Whitehorse

Join the Alaska Highway and follow along the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge. Skirt the shores of Kluane Lake, once a meeting place for crews constructing the Alaska Highway. Behold spectacular vistas of the rugged mountains of Kluane National Park , home to 19,551-foot-high Mount Logan, Canada's highest peak. The next two nights are in Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon and the territorial headquarters of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

5 Whitehorse. Excursion To Skagway

Follow the Trail of ‘98 over the same mountains that thousands of determined gold seekers scaled on foot in the dead of winter while heading for the Klondike. From Fraser, your Tour Director will suggest an optional train trip on the narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Railway to Skagway . Otherwise, continue by motorcoach to Skagway. Stroll the wooden sidewalks past charming false-front buildings and colourful saloons. NOTE: Operation of the White Pass & Yukon Railway to Skagway is subject to seasonal conditions.

6 Whitehorse - Dawson City

Head northwest through the town of Carmacks, once an important supply station for gold seekers on their way to the Klondike. A stop at the Five Finger Rapids, a major obstacle to the hordes of fortune seekers that passed this way. Reach Dawson City , the centre of excitement after the first gold strike in the Klondike in 1896, which led to the world's largest gold rush. Tonight, enjoy the high-flying entertainment at Diamond Tooth Gertie's Saloon, featuring ragtime music, can-can girls, and Canada's oldest casino.

7 Dawson City

Highlights on your morning sightseeing tour include Bonanza Creek, site of Claim #1, where the first gold strike was made; and a presentation by Parks Canada regarding the Gold Rush Era. Enjoy a photo opportunity at the SS Keno, the last sternwheeler to run between Dawson and Whitehorse. The rest of your day is free to soak up the exciting history of this Gold Rush town at your own pace. Perhaps a return to Diamond Tooth Gertie's Saloon is in order?

8 Dawson City - Fairbanks

A full day and well worth it, as the scenery is magnificent. Have your camera ready for photo opportunities at Dawson overlook and Top of the World Highway, where the motorcoach will re-enter Alaska, and visit one of the last surviving gold rush towns in Alaska before heading west on the Alaska Highway to Fairbanks .

9 Fairbanks

Morning sightseeing features highlights of Alaska's second-largest city and a visit to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Board the Sternwheeler Riverboat Discovery III for a leisurely cruise on the Chena River. You will see a bush floatplane take off alongside the boat, visit the home and kennels of the late four-time Iditarod winner, Susan Butcher, and see her champion sled dogs in action. Be immersed into the ancient Athabascan Indian culture when our Alaskan Native Guides take you on a personalised tour of the Chena Indian Village. This afternoon, try your hand at striking it rich by Gold Panning with a local provider.

10 Fairbanks - Alaska Railroad - Denali National Park

Board the world-famous Alaska Railroad for a memorable journey through untamed wilderness. Sit back in comfort and enjoy spectacular scenery through wide windows. Be sure to take advantage of the domed-roof car. The ride ends in Denali National Park & Preserve . North America's highest peak, 20,310-foot Denali, formerly known as Mount McKinley, dominates the park's six million acres of glacial streams, river valleys, and multi-hued tundra. After a short orientation tour of Denali, the afternoon is free to explore on your own.

11 Denali National Park

A free day for independent activities. A hike along the many wilderness trails might be good fun. Also take advantage of several optional outings, including a wildlife tour to seek out grizzly bears, caribou, moose, and Dall sheep; a raft trip down the Nenana River; or a helicopter ride over the park. Your Tour Director will have plenty of other suggestions.

12 Denali National Park - Anchorage

Relish one last look at the outstanding scenery and wildlife of Denali before travelling south toward Anchorage and the tour hotel for guests extending their stay in Alaska. For guests with homebound flights, the trip ends at Anchorage International Airport. However, with possible delays for weather, we strongly suggest that guests do not book flights prior to 5 pm.

Trip Inclusions Expand All

Trip inclusions.

• Adventure is knocking with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach.
• Journey on the Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks to Denali National Park is included.

Included Meals

• No meals are included on this trip.

Accommodation

• Anchorage Fairfield Inn & Suites Anchorage Midtown (Superior Tourist-Class)
• Valdez Best Western Valdez Harbor Inn (Superior Tourist-Class)
• Tok Tok Lodge (Superior Tourist-Class)
• Whitehorse Sternwheeler Hotel (Superior Tourist-Class)
• Dawson City Downtown Hotel Dawson City (Moderate First-Class)
• Fairbanks Bridgewater Hotel (Moderate First-Class)
• Denali National Park Denali Bluffs Hotel (Superior Tourist-Class)
• Airport transfers at your arrival and departure destination are not included in the price of the tour.
• Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
• Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.
• Wildlife in Alaska is often seen in early season (May-early June).
• This tour travels to the Yukon Territory, which is part of Canada. Non-U.S. citizens may need a visa.
• Alaska and the Yukon are blessed with exquisite scenery, fascinating attractions, and an extraordinary amount of daylight in the summer months. We take advantage of these extended daylight hours in this vast territory; therefore, some of the traveling days can be long. However, rest assured there are frequent photo and comfort stops.
• Visiting and participating in activities in these locations is subject to favourable weather conditions.
• Enjoy the spectacular colours of Alaska & the Yukon on our special Fall Foliage departures: August 21 (if Mother Nature permits).

Enjoy inside visits to Canada's the must-see sites with a great mix of included excursions, free time and affordable value. Read more

Cosmos build free time into every one of their holidays, so you can eat, shop, and explore the way you want. Read more

Cosmos' easy going, fun-filled and multilingual Tour Directors and Local Guides love exploring as much as you do. Read more

Trip Reviews (6) Most Recent 'Alaska & the Yukon' Reviews

Cosmos Worldwide (2023-24)

Availability twin share (per person) solo (own room), similar tours.

13 Days Vancouver Vancouver

Operated By: Cosmos

13 Days Anchorage Vancouver

12 Days Vancouver Vancouver

17 Days New York New York

Cosmos Tours

Travel Styles

© 2010-2023. Global Journeys. You're viewing our site in Australian dollars.

About Us | View Your Booking | Terms & Conditions | Site Map

Global Journeys Pty Ltd. Member of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) & ATAS Travel Accredited (No. A11351).

• Contact an Expert
• Globus family of brands

A world beyond. Hassle-free planning, regional Tour Directors & Local Guides, Handpicked hotels and inclusions, seamless transportation, VIP access, and rare Local Favourites that go beyond the guidebook. 

Adventure is knocking. Turn “never thought I would” into “glad I did” with a budget-friendly tour that includes all the essentials plus a great mix of included excursions and free time. 

Cruising Elevated. Cruise on Suite Ships with the widest stateroom views from your window-facing bed. Relaxed luxury flows throughout the ship in every detail plus personalise with Classic, Active, and Discovery excursions.

Discover Tours

Ways to travel, trip planning, the globus difference, europe and britain, north america, south and central america, africa and middle east, australia and new zealand.

• Eastern Europe
• Greece and Turkey
• Scandinavia
• Switzerland
• The Netherlands and Belgium
• Western United States
• Eastern United States
• Southern United States
• Eastern Canada
• Western Canada
• Central America
• South East Asia
• Israel and Jordan
• South Africa
• New Zealand
• Find Your Way to Travel

Tour Styles

Tailor your holiday with complimentary YourChoice excursions

Go off-the-beaten-path in Europe and North America

Combine the benefits of touring with the freedom of independent travel

Enjoy thinner crowds & thicker wallets by travelling in the low season

Hand-pick your travelling party on a European Private Tour

Go beyond on a world-famous train journey

Explore the world with tours of only 20-24 guests

Combine land and sea on a cruise and tour holiday

Tour Themes

Feel rejuvenated and renewed on a Globus Faith-based tour

Taste your way through favourite foodie hotspots

Experience it all on a multi-country tour of Europe

Globus makes it easy for solo travellers to see the world

Discover some of North America's biggest festivals and events

Visit America's most picturesque National Parks

Latest Deals

Earn Qantas Points on your next Globus tour!

Experience the world with the Globus family of brands

Exploring America's Great Parks and Hawaii

Before You Book

• Book with Confidence
• Health & Safety
• Welcome Back Credit
• Flights & Transfers

Before You Travel

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Qantas Frequent Flyer

Get Inspired

Follow the adventures of Carla, our Globus Guru

View our e-brochure

Travel stories to feed the soul

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Start planning your next holiday

Meet Globus

We've spent 95 years perfecting your holiday

Why true travellers tour

Explore the world your way

Travel in style on a Globus tour

Lighting the path to a better tomorrow

Meet the rest of the family

Join the Globus family of brands team

• Globus Family of Brands
• Agent portal

Ultimate Alaska & The Yukon With Alaska Cruise

• Personalise Your Trip
• Tour Director

Next Section

First Class Touring

River Cruising

Vacation Packages

Alaska & the Yukon with Alaska Cruise ( 8365 )

19 days from Anchorage to Vancouver

Alaska & the Yukon with Alaska Cruise

Starting at $4,709

 Add to My Favorite Tours  In My Favorite Tours   Remove

View My Favorite Tours »

2024 Tour Details View 2023 Tour Details » View 2025 Tour Details »

•  Overview

 Photo Highlights

•  Itinerary and Meals
•  Tour Options

 Tour Director

 accommodations,  optional excursions,  private touring.

Have a group already?

2024 Tour Details View 2023 Tour Details »   View 2025 Tour Details »

The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on this vacation:

 Meals

 meals & itinerary.

7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners

Wildlife in Alaska is often seen in early season (May-early June). Visiting and participating in activities in these locations is subject to weather conditions. The U.S. Embassy requires travelers to and from Canada to have a valid U.S. Passport. This tour travels to the Yukon Territory, which is part of Canada. Non-U.S. citizens may need a visa. Alaska and the Yukon are blessed with exquisite scenery, fascinating attractions, and an extraordinary amount of daylight in the summer months. We take advantage of these extended daylight hours in this vast territory; therefore, some of the traveling days can be long. However, rest assured there are frequent photo and comfort stops. Enjoy the spectacular colors of Alaska & the Yukon on our special Fall Foliage departure: August 21 (if Mother Nature permits).

 Itinerary

Day 1 anchorage.

Welcome to Anchorage! Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions..

Day 2 ANCHORAGE–WHITTIER–VALDEZ

As you enter Whittier from North America’s longest tunnel, the panoramic view of the ocean, mountains, and glaciers greet you. As the gateway to Prince William Sound, this is where you’ll board a Glacier cruise for an up-close look along the 3-mile face of Meares Glacier, and the epicenter of the Great Alaskan Earthquake of 1964. Watch for eagles, whales, mountain goats, dolphins, and sea lions! Overnight in Valdez, the “Switzerland of Alaska.”

Day 3 VALDEZ–TOK

Leave Valdez, home of the Alyeska Pipeline Terminal, and enjoy views of Bridal Veil Falls, Worthington Glacier, and Thompson Pass. Visit the Wrangell–St. Elias Visitor Center and discover why this vast national park measures in size six times that of Yellowstone National Park and rises from the ocean to 18,008 feet. Overnight in Tok, the “Dog Sled Capital of the World.”

Day 4 TOK–WHITEHORSE

Join the Alaska Highway and follow along the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge. Skirt the shores of Kluane Lake, once a meeting place for crews constructing the Alaska Highway. Behold spectacular vistas of the rugged mountains of Kluane National Park, home to 19,551-foot-high Mount Logan, Canada’s highest peak. The next two nights are in Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon and the territorial headquarters of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Day 5 WHITEHORSE. EXCURSION TO SKAGWAY

Follow the Trail of ‘98 over the same mountains that thousands of determined gold seekers scaled on foot in the dead of winter while heading for the Klondike. From Fraser, your Tour Director will suggest an optional train trip on the narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Railway to Skagway. Otherwise, continue by motorcoach to Skagway. Stroll the wooden sidewalks past charming false-front buildings and colorful saloons. NOTE: Operation of the White Pass & Yukon Railway to Skagway is subject to seasonal conditions.

Day 6 WHITEHORSE–DAWSON CITY

Head northwest through the town of Carmacks, once an important supply station for gold seekers on their way to the Klondike. A stop at the Five Finger Rapids, a major obstacle to the hordes of fortune seekers that passed this way. Reach Dawson City, the center of excitement after the first gold strike in the Klondike in 1896, which led to the world’s largest gold rush. Tonight, enjoy the high-flying entertainment at Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Saloon, featuring ragtime music, can-can girls, and Canada’s oldest casino.

Day 7 DAWSON CITY

Highlights on your morning sightseeing tour include Bonanza Creek, site of Claim #1, where the first gold strike was made; and a presentation by Parks Canada regarding the Gold Rush Era. Enjoy a photo opportunity at the SS Keno, the last sternwheeler to run between Dawson and Whitehorse. The rest of your day is free to soak up the exciting history of this Gold Rush town at your own pace. Perhaps a return to Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Saloon is in order?

Day 8 DAWSON CITY–FAIRBANKS

A full day and well worth it, as the scenery is magnificent. Have your camera ready for photo opportunities at Dawson overlook and Top of the World Highway, where the motorcoach will re-enter Alaska, and visit one of the last surviving gold rush towns in Alaska before heading west on the Alaska Highway to Fairbanks.

Day 9 FAIRBANKS

Morning sightseeing features highlights of Alaska’s second-largest city and a visit to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Board the Sternwheeler Riverboat Discovery III for a leisurely cruise on the Chena River. You will see a bush floatplane take off alongside the boat, visit the home and kennels of the late four-time Iditarod winner, Susan Butcher, and see her champion sled dogs in action. Be immersed into the ancient Athabascan Indian culture when our Alaskan Native Guides take you on a personalized tour of the Chena Indian Village. This afternoon, try your hand at striking it rich by Gold Panning with a local provider.

Day 10 FAIRBANKS–ALASKA RAILROAD–DENALI NATIONAL PARK

Board the world-famous Alaska Railroad for a memorable journey through untamed wilderness. Sit back in comfort and enjoy spectacular scenery through wide windows. Be sure to take advantage of the domed-roof car. The ride ends in Denali National Park & Preserve. North America’s highest peak, 20,310-foot Denali, formerly known as Mount McKinley, dominates the park’s six million acres of glacial streams, river valleys, and multi-hued tundra. After a short orientation tour of Denali, the afternoon is free to explore on your own.

Day 11 DENALI NATIONAL PARK

A free day for independent activities. A hike along the many wilderness trails might be good fun. Also take advantage of several optional outings, including a wildlife tour to seek out grizzly bears, caribou, moose, and Dall sheep; a raft trip down the Nenana River; or a helicopter ride over the park. Your Tour Director will have plenty of other suggestions.

Day 12 DENALI NATIONAL PARK–ANCHORAGE–WHITTIER (EMBARKATION)

Relish one last look at the outstanding scenery and wildlife of Denali before traveling south toward Anchorage. After arrival in Anchorage, transfer to Whittier and board your cruise ship. This remote village is nestled along breathtaking Prince William Sound, home to a stunning array of wildlife, including bald eagles, sea otters and killer whales, so have your camera ready.

Day 13 CRUISING: HUBBARD GLACIER

Hubbard is the longest tidewater glacier (meaning it ends at the ocean) in North America. However, unlike nearly every other tidewater glacier on the continent, Hubbard is advancing, not retreating; it is forever pushing a little further into the bay. Chunks of ice that break off become floaties for seals.

Day 14 SCENIC CRUISING: GLACIER BAY

A relaxing day at sea provides time to explore the ship’s many amenities. With the serene majesty of snow-flecked and forested mountains defining its shores, Glacier Bay National Park offers some of the most dramatic scenery in the world. Keep your binoculars and camera on hand as you cruise Glacier Bay to the mile-wide Margerie Glacier, where you may have a chance to witness ice calving. Wildlife abounds in Glacier Bay, so stay ready—you never know when you will see the fluke of a humpback rise out of the water or spot a lone brown bear wandering a wind-swept beach.

Day 15 SKAGWAY

In winter, the sidewalks are all but rolled up in Skagway, so you can imagine the frightful conditions endured by gold prospectors who passed through en route to the Yukon. Take your time and poke your head into every little shop, from the Trail Bench to Lynch & Kennedy’s Dry Goods. The Red Onion Saloon, with its honky-tonk piano and costumed barmaids, is a treasure trove of memorabilia featuring pictures of Klondike Kate, Peahull Annie, and other historic characters. To complete the picture of those rip-roaring days, visit the nostalgic Trail of ’98 Museum.

Day 16 JUNEAU

Located at the foot of grand mountain peaks on Gastineau Channel, Alaska’s capital city of Juneau has massive Mendenhall Glacier and the Juneau Icefield at its back door. Visit the rustic shops in town—or get out and kayak, raft, hike, whale watch, flightsee, or fish. There is no end to the adventure because of the long daylight hours.

Day 17 KETCHIKAN

Alaska’s “First City” of Ketchikan is so named because it is the first major landfall for most cruisers as they enter the picturesque fjords of the Inside Passage, where the town clings to the banks of the Tongass Narrows, flanked by green forests nurtured by abundant rain. An important hub of the salmon-fishing and -packing industries—visitors can try their luck on a sport-fishing excursion or simply savor the fresh seafood at one of the local restaurants. It is also one of the best spots along the Inside Passage to explore the rich cultural sights of Native Alaskan nations like the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian.

Day 18 SCENIC CRUISING: INSIDE PASSAGE

Arguably one of the greatest cruising routes in the world, the Inside Passage stretches through stunning landscapes, from Misty Fjords National Monument to famed Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. Sailing the Inside Passage offers opportunities to spot some of Alaska’s most iconic wildlife, with humpback whales and orca plying the bountiful waters alongside the ships, bald eagles soaring overhead and brown bears lumbering on the shoreline.

Day 19 VANCOUVER (DISEMBARKATION)

Your vacation ends this morning. Please schedule homebound flights after noon.

Extend vacations

Tour options.

Start your vacation earlier or stay longer with destination options before or after your Cosmos tour.

Alaska & the Yukon

12 days from Anchorage to Anchorage

Vacation Details Get a Quote

With COSMOS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

Escorting tours for more than 5 years

“ Hi , I am Wade Gruhl. After growing up in Iowa , I have lived in Alaska since 2000. What attracted and keeps me here are the mountains , animals , lakes , rivers and the wide open spaces. I enjoy hiking , camping , skiing , dog walks , travelling and exploring Alaska. I started as a wilderness hiking guide in Skagway in 1998 , and have been sharing this amazing place with people ever since. I began Tour Directing in 2015 and am excited for the opportunity to enhance your visit to Alaska and the Yukon which is my favorite region on this planet. ”

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyCosmos site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Valdez Flightseeing

Enjoy a flightseeing tour that provides beautiful views of the spectacular glaciers and the stunning Chugach Mountains around Valdez. Wildlife, waterfalls and multiple glaciers included!

Price Range: $$$$

Arctic Circle Air Adventure

Fly above the Arctic! This thrilling tour allows a guest to experience the Brooks Range, cross the Arctic Circle and fly the wilderness airways of Alaska's Arctic.

Alaska Salmon Bake

Operating in historic Pioneer Park, this family owned establishment has been a staple in Fairbanks for over 30 years and provides a wonderful all-you-can-eat Alaskan style meal that is certain to please!

Price Range: $

Golden Heart Revue

This light-hearted musical comedy about the gold rush and the founding of Fairbanks is filled with songs, stories and laughter. 

Denali National Park

Denali National Park Sightseeing

Denali National Park is home to North America's highest peak and to some of the most incredible scenery and wildlife in the country! One of the only ways to truly explore the park is along the Denali Park Road, on a guided sightseeing excursion into the heart of the park.

Sled Dog Kennel Tour

Sled dogs play an important cultural role in Alaska's past and present, so during your time in Denali, consider this excursion to meet sled dogs, visit with puppies and see summer training in action.

Price Range: $$

Rafting the Nenana River

A float trip excursion along the Nenana River travels 11 miles through the Alaska wilderness, allowing guests to explore more of the Alaska wilderness.

Price Range: $$$

Denali Fly Fishing Experience

Fly fish for Arctic Grayling on lakes in the heart of the Alaska Range for a true wilderness experience.

Denali Wilderness Walking Tour

Enjoy a moderate walk through local terrain narrated by a naturalist local guide.

Flightseeing over Denali

Stunning views of the Alaska Range, ancient glaciers, and towering peaks combine to make a flightseeing excursion of Denali a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Choose from a selection of flight experiences, including a more active heli-hiking excursion!

Denali Photography Excursion

The Alaska Range provides some of the most spectacular and inspiring scenery on earth. Discover how to use your camera as an instrument while exploring the best of the Parks and Denali Highways.

Want help finding a vacation?

Schedule a "Roam From Home" Appointment »

Access eBrochure s  |  Sign Up for Travel Deals

YUKON TOURS

• Yukon Tours

Good for Kids Adventuresome Favorite/Top Tour Good for Families Historical ADA Accessible Roundtrip Transportation Historical Includes Food Reset All Filters

Skagway White Pass Summit and Beyond Tour

$95 / person

This 100 miles roundtrip includes a guided scenic drive to the Yukon border with multiple photo stops, admission to the Yukon Suspension Bridge site, and crossing the bridge. Don't miss the chance to take pictures in front of READ MORE...

Yukon Suspension Bridge & Summit Tour

$126 / person

This three-hour tour includes a small group guided scenic drive to the Summit with photo stops, admission to the Suspension Bridge, and, if time allows, a visit to Reid Falls and the Gold Rush Cemetery in Skagway. Please note READ MORE...

Skagway Yukon Discovery Adventure

$130 / person

With so much to see, this is an incredible excursion for your time in Skagway. You'll learn about the history of the 1898 Gold Rush Trail while driving through the mile-high mountains and lush forests this state has to offer. READ MORE...

Skagway Yukon Extended Summit Drive Tour

$135 / person

Soak up the natural wonders of the Yukon as you enjoy a scenic ride exploring the crossroads of the Klondike. Take advantage of amazing photo opportunities and capture the true beauty of sweeping landscapes, towering mountain READ MORE...

Why Alaska Shore Excursions?

• Free Cancellation
• Secure Payments
• Best Price Guarantee
• On Time Ship Return Guarantee
• Alaska Tour Experts
• Chat & Phone Support

Skagway Blogs

Best Alaska Zipline Tours

Glaciers in Alaska: Juneau Icefield, Mendenhall Glacier, & More

Best Alaska Land Tours

All Tours (32)

Bear & Wildlife (2)

Hiking & Guided Hikes (4)

Sightseeing and Yukon (6)

Dog Sledding (4)

Kid-Friendly (12)

Kayaking & Canoe (5)

Adventures (25)

Rafting and Float (4)

Rafting (3)

Glacier (3)

• Copyright 2023 Alaska Shore Excursions

Alaska & Yukon Tours

Excursions and hotels in alaska.

2024 rates should be available mid-October for all vendors!

Choose Your Activity!

Learn More »

• SALE! NOW HALF OFF!

Denali Adventure

Explore Denali on this exciting adventure in Alaska that you won’t forget! Packed with unforgettable sights and adventures, this mini vacation is perfect for the traveler that is eager to visit Denali National Park. The sights from the deluxe railcars are a great way to travel between destinations.

• Map Marker Denali
• Hour Glass 3 Days, 2 Nights
• User Ages 2+

Explore beyond your boundaries!

Explore shore excursions and tours offered in Alaska without having to buy one of our packages. Almost all of our partners are 100% Alaskan owned & operated, and offer tours for cruisers and non-cruisers. We’ve got a wide selection of amazing day trips that will make your trip to Alaska memorable and with reputable operators.  Or check out our online cruise booking engine, where you’ll get the lowest rate AND support from a local agent!

Plus, when you book with AYT (instead of those OTHER big DOTCOM travel websites), we donate a portion of our proceeds to the United Way of Southeast Alaska – providing services to 34 communities between Metlakatla & Yukutat.

What our customers have to say!

"What a great experience!!! We saw several whales which was the highlight of our visit to Juneau. We were on a shore excursion from a cruise so dinner was also served. It was a delicious seafood buffet. We absolutely loved this excursion."

"Alaska & Yukon tours are the travel MVPs and my go to for trip planning. Nate is the most responsible travel agent and provides excellent service. Will definitely be booking through him again!"

"We saw a bunch of whales and had a fantastic time! The experience was very laid back and relaxing, didn't feel rushed like some other tours. Crew was very professional and knowledgeable. Boat was clean and spacious. Good selection of refreshments."

"Great packages in Alaska and you don't need a cruise! Plus they are so knowledgeable about flights - everywhere. They are so attentive, you'll feel like a VIP!"

"Nate was fast and efficient. I wanted a flight seeing/glacier trekking trip in Juneau Alaska and I needed it in the next three days. No problems, no phone trees, a real person working with me to get what I needed. It was such a pleasant experience!!"

"I particularly like their attention to detail that differentiate the excursion experience from other providers. Ask questions about what’s important to you, and they’ll let you know how they may be able to hit the mark. I’d definitely recommend!"

15 Day Alaska & The Yukon

Price for this Tour

Single: $9,050

Twin: $7,890

Triple: $7,150

10 Meals Included

Additional information.

Tour# 23017

Passport Required

August 15-29, 2023

Overnight Stops

Anchorage, AK (3)

Denali Nat’l Park, AK (2)

Fairbanks, AK

Dawson City, UT

Whitehorse, YT

Skagway, AK (2)

Tour Highlights

Bus to nashville airport, rt air nashville to anchorage, anchorage trolley tour, rail service from anchorage to whittier, 26 glacier cruise of prince william sound, lunch on the cruise included, alaska railway anchorage to denali nat’l park, alaska cabin night dinner theatre at denali, bus tour denali nat’l park with box lunch, dog sled demonstration at denali, guided tour of fairbanks with local guide, alaska salmon bake and show fairbanks, half-day cruise on riverboat discovery, buffet-style lunch at pump house, quick stop at north pole, alaska, stop at chicken, alaska, top of the world highway, diamond tooth gerties, dawson city sights, fjord express through the lynn canal from skagway to juneau, white pass & yukon narrow guage railroad, lunch at talbot arm restauramt, visitor’s center & gardens palmer, ak, matanuska valley, if you would like to make a reservation for this tour, please fill out the form below and we will get back to you., important information, *if your tour travels outside the u.s. and/or involves cruise or air, we must have your full name as it appears on birth certificate, passport and/or driver license with photo..

*Please do not change boarding point without notifying ahead of time.

*See  General   Info  page for required deposit amounts.

*If you wish to use a credit card, after submitting your reservation, we will contact you by phone regarding credit card information. ​

YUKON TOURS

Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the yukon and alaska wilderness.

Our drivers are experienced, knowledgeable, and passionate about Alaska. They will provide you with insights into the local culture, history, and attractions, making your journey even more enjoyable.

• Bus Yukon Tours
• Check Calendar Departs on Mondays, Returns on Tuesdays
• Hour Glass 11 hours
• User All ages

Fairbanks to Dawson City Tour

Our Fairbanks to Dawson City shuttle will take you down the Alaska Highway and over the Top of the World Highway into the historic Canadian Forty Mile.

• Hour Glass 10 hours

Dawson City to Fairbanks

Our Dawson City to Fairbanks shuttle will take you down the Top of the World Highway and up the Alaska Highway into interior Alaska.

Early Black Friday Deals:   Book now   Up to 50% OFF

Destinations

Alaska & the yukon.

• In-depth Cultural
• Fully Guided

Places You’ll See

• Introduction
• Day 1 ANCHORAGE
• Day 2 ANCHORAGE–WHITTIER–VALDEZ
• Day 3 VALDEZ–TOK
• Day 4 TOK–WHITEHORSE
• Day 5 WHITEHORSE. EXCURSION TO SKAGWAY
• Day 6 WHITEHORSE–DAWSON CITY
• Day 7 DAWSON CITY
• Day 8 DAWSON CITY–FAIRBANKS
• Day 9 FAIRBANKS
• Day 10 FAIRBANKS–ALASKA RAILROAD–DENALI NATIONAL PARK
• Day 11 DENALI NATIONAL PARK
• Day 12 DENALI NATIONAL PARK–ANCHORAGE

Want to read it later?

Download this tour’s PDF brochure and start tour planning offline

What's Included

• Accommodation
• COVID-19 Health & Safety Measures

Where You'll Stay

Operated by cosmos.

The Cosmos Story. For nearly 60 years, Cosmos has done something remarkable: Bringing the world to people; and people to the world. By pioneering value touring vacations, we have a long history of turning travel dreams into reality. We make possible “never thought I would” or “never imagined I could” moments by making travel attainable and easy. And in doing that, we help travelers expand their horizons, clear their heads and open their hearts to the world around them. Cosmos understands that adventure is waiting for us – all of us – out in the world. And there simply is no better time than the present to discover new sights, new sensations and new experiences. That’s why we pride ourselves in turning “what if” moments into “I did” realizations. With our new look and feel, we’re celebrating this ideal and the unparalleled and attainable access we offer our travelers to the globe with value-centric vacations in 64 countries, on six continents. Let the unexpected begin. Let awe-inspiring take over. Adventure is knocking. As a Cosmos traveler, we know you will answer – as you always have – by finding adventure in the world around you.

Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Customer Reviews

• Overall Rating Rather poor 2.0
• Itinerary Excellent 5.0
• Guide Excellent 5.0
• Transport Excellent 5.0
• Accommodation Average 3.0
• Food Average 3.0
• Tour Operator Cosmos 4.2
• MO Mary · 6th June 2022 This was not entirely the tour company's fault. 15 of the tour group were found to be COVID positive on day 5 in Whitehorse. We had to be left behind. But we did not get anything much in the area of accommodations or repatriation as I had hoped. For... Show more Trip date: May 2022

Dates & Availability

Pay-by-instalments

Take advantage of our 0% interest instalment plan on selected departures. Learn More

• Upcoming departures
• August 2024
• August 2025
• Get Instant Confirmation Wednesday 29 May, 2024 Sunday 9 Jun, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €3,452 0% Interest Instalments Confirm Dates
• Wednesday 12 Jun, 2024 Sunday 23 Jun, 2024 English Sold Out Based on Double Room €3,452 See Similar Tours For These Dates
• Wednesday 19 Jun, 2024 Sunday 30 Jun, 2024 English Sold Out Based on Double Room €3,452 See Similar Tours For These Dates
• 1 Other Unavailable Departure
• -2% Get Instant Confirmation Wednesday 3 Jul, 2024 Sunday 14 Jul, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €3,461 €3,393 0% Interest Instalments Confirm Dates
• Get Instant Confirmation Wednesday 17 Jul, 2024 Sunday 28 Jul, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €3,452 0% Interest Instalments Confirm Dates
• Get Instant Confirmation Wednesday 24 Jul, 2024 Sunday 4 Aug, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €3,452 0% Interest Instalments Confirm Dates
• -2% Get Instant Confirmation Wednesday 31 Jul, 2024 Sunday 11 Aug, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €3,461 €3,393 0% Interest Instalments Confirm Dates
• -2% Get Instant Confirmation Wednesday 21 Aug, 2024 Sunday 1 Sep, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €3,461 €3,393 0% Interest Instalments Confirm Dates
• Get Instant Confirmation Wednesday 4 Jun, 2025 Sunday 15 Jun, 2025 English Multiple Room Types €3,800 0% Interest Instalments Confirm Dates
• Get Instant Confirmation Wednesday 11 Jun, 2025 Sunday 22 Jun, 2025 English Multiple Room Types €3,800 0% Interest Instalments Confirm Dates

Frequently Asked Questions

We are there for you! If you have any questions about this tour, then please don't hesitate to contact us 24/7 and we will get back to you latest within 2 hours!

Got a question about this tour?

Reach out to our travel experts.

Good to Know

• Currencies $ US Dollar USA $ Canadian Dollar Canada

As a traveller from England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for types A, B.

• Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
• Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
• For any tour departing before 8th January 2024 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after 8th January 2024, a minimum payment of €250 is required to confirm your booking with Cosmos. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 50 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
• Some departure dates and prices may vary and Cosmos will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
• The following cards are accepted for "Cosmos" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
• Insurance Unless otherwise mentioned, TourRadar does not provide travel insurance. We do however recommend purchasing it through our tried and trusted partner, World Travel Nomads .
• Accessibility Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveller, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team , who are ready and waiting to help you.
• Honeymoon Safari
• India for Female Solo Travellers - Is India S…
• How to Plan the Ultimate USA Road Trip
• Chile Travel Guide | All You Need to Know
• Adventure Week Sale - Up To 55% Off
• 10 Best Gorilla Trekking Companies (with revi…
• Hiking in Europe in March

Similar Tours

Keep Exploring North America

• 10 Best Cultural Travel Companies
• 10 Best Cultural Experiences in The World 2023/2024
• North America from Anchorage
• North america In-depth Cultural
• 12 days North america
• Operators in North America
• Alaska & the Yukon Tours in Canada and USA
• In-depth Cultural Tours
• Canada Alaska Tours
• Canada and USA Tours
• North America Tours
• Family Tours
• Group Tours
• Fully Guided Tours
• Explorer Tours
• Canada Alaska
• Canada tours

Salmon are vanishing from the Yukon River — and so is a way of life

As waters warm, alaska native families confront a world without the fish that fed them for generations..

Serena Fitka sat in the cabin of a flat-bottomed aluminum boat as it sped down the Yukon River in western Alaska, recalling how the river once ran thick with salmon. Each summer, in the Yup’ik village of St. Mary’s where Fitka grew up, she and her family fished for days on end. They’d catch enough salmon to last through winter, enough to share with cousins, aunts, uncles, and elders who couldn’t fish for themselves. 

“We’d get what we need, and be done,” Fitka said, raising her voice above the whir of the outboard motor and the waves beating against the hull. “But now there’s nothing.” 

The boat skirted the river bank as Fitka glanced out the window, her face shielded from the mid-July sun. Gray water, thick with glacial silt, lapped against the land’s muddy edge below a summer palette of green: dark spruce needles, light birch leaves, and willows a shade in between. A bald eagle soared 10 feet above the river, scanning the water.

“I thought this wouldn’t happen in my lifetime,” Fitka said. “I thought there would always be fish in the river.”

There have been salmon in the Yukon, the fourth-longest river in North America , for as long as there have been people on its banks. The river’s abundance helped Alaska earn its reputation as one of the last refuges for wild salmon, a place where they once came every year by the millions to spawn in pristine rivers and lakes after migrating thousands of miles. But as temperatures in western Alaska and the Bering Sea creep higher, the Yukon’s salmon populations have plunged.

State and federal fishery managers have resorted to drastic measures to save them. In 2021, for the first time in Fitka’s life, regulators prohibited all fishing for the river’s two main salmon species — king and chum — even for subsistence. For the better part of three fishing seasons, thousands of Yup’ik and Athabascan fishers have been banned from catching the fish that once kept their families fed. 

“We grew up with fishing, cutting fish, smoking fish all our lives,” Fitka said. “And to have it taken away just like that — without warning, without mentally preparing yourself — is traumatizing.”

All five species of Pacific salmon swim in the Yukon, but Fitka’s family and the thousands of other Indigenous people who live on the river rely mainly on kings and chum. The kings usually arrive at the mouth of the Yukon in early June. With a range that extends from California to Russia’s Far East, they’re the biggest, fattiest, and priciest species, selling for more than $40 a pound at high-end grocery stores in the lower 48 states. Around the same time come the chum, a less fatty, more abundant cousin of the king. 

Staggering numbers of both species have disappeared in recent years. Two decades ago, for instance, more than 200,000 kings would make it back to the Yukon to spawn each year. This summer, scientists counted just 58,500 , which was slightly better than the previous summer’s meager tally, the worst on record. 

The Yukon’s chum swim up the river in two distinct runs, a summer run that starts in early June and a “fall” one that starts in late July. Although the summer run showed signs of a rebound (the nearly 850,000 chum allowed for a brief window of fishing), the fall run comprised only 290,000 chum, less than one-third its historical average.

Salmon are vital to the river’s Yup’ik and Athabascan communities as a source of nutrients and a symbol of cultural identity. Dense with protein and fat, Yukon kings are highly nutritious. To swim as many as 2,000 miles upriver, against the current — the world’s longest salmon migration — the fish put on huge stores of fat, some bulking up to 90 pounds . (Their journey is equal to running an ultramarathon every day for a month without stopping for a snack.)

“There’s nothing richer than a Yukon king,” said David Walker, a longtime fisherman and the water plant manager in the Deg Xit’an Athabascan village of Holy Cross.

Such a nutritious food source is especially important to the people living in one of the most remote regions in the United States: Many villages along the Yukon and its tributaries have no more than a few hundred residents and are accessible only by river boat or small plane. That isolation makes the cost of goods exorbitant and fresh produce scarce. A gallon of gas in the small Holikachuk and Deg Xit’an village of Grayling costs $8. Twenty miles downstream, in the smaller village of Anvik, a tin of spam sells at the only store in town for $7.95.

“Our food and fuel — everything has to be brought in by barge or by airplane — so that really increases the cost of living,” Fitka said. “That’s why we’re so reliant on our fish and our animals that we harvest.” According to a 2017 survey by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, every household in rural western Alaska makes use of fish, and people in the region eat an average of 379 pounds of wild food each year. 

Salmon also embody a custom that has brought relatives and neighbors together for generations. Across more than 1,000 miles, from Yup’ik villages at the mouth of the river to Han and Gwich’in fish camps near the Canadian border, Alaska Native families spend much of their summers at the river’s edge, hauling in fish, carving them into filets or strips, hanging them to dry, smoking, eating, and sharing them. 

Fitka’s job is to help protect this tradition. She’s the executive director of the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association, a nonprofit that advocates for salmon conservation and subsistence fishing rights along the river. On the boat in July, she was leading an educational exchange with a handful of visitors from the upper Yukon in Canada, where the lack of fish has been devastating for several First Nations. 

In Old Crow, a village of 200 people in the Yukon Territory, the town’s sonar station on the Porcupine River, a tributary of the Yukon, counted just 349 king salmon last year, according to Katherine Peter, fisheries and harvest support coordinator for the Vuntut Gwich’in First Nation. So this summer, the Vuntut Gwich’in government shut down all fishing for any species for the first time, in an attempt to help as many salmon get up river to spawning grounds as possible. 

As the boat cut through chop on its way to Russian Mission, a Yup’ik village about 100 miles upstream from St. Mary’s, we passed a handful of fish camps tucked away from the bank. The river would usually be abuzz with fishing activity in mid-summer: outboards humming, nets drifting, and smoke billowing from smokehouses dotting the shore. But that July day, we were the only people on the water. 

Anglers along the Pacific coast of North America have been staring down steadily diminishing salmon runs since the start of the millennium. In Washington state, overfishing, pollution, and habitat loss have shrunk Puget Sound’s population of king salmon to one-tenth its historic size. California’s rivers, like the Klamath and Sacramento, used to support millions of king and coho salmon. Those stocks have thinned to just a few hundred thousand. The shortages prompted the federal government to shut down California’s king salmon season this year for the third time in 15 years . 

On the Yukon, the first real dip in numbers occurred in 1998, when roughly 100,000 fish returned to spawn, about half the size of a normal run. Two years later, the run fell by half again. 

The collapse put pressure on governments to conserve stocks. In 2001, the state of Alaska narrowed windows for subsistence fishing from 7 days to 48 hours and took unprecedented steps to restrict commercial fishing, which families on the Yukon depend on for income. The Canadian government restricted the commercial king salmon catch, which all but disappeared . 

The closures came at a high cost for the region’s economy. Average earnings for people who fish for a living on the lower river dropped from more than $10,000 in the 1990s to about $2,000 after 2000. In Dawson City, a small outpost on the upper river that was the Yukon Territory’s commercial fishing hub, the salmon industry “washed away,” said Spruce Gerberding, who grew up fishing as part of his family’s business near Dawson. 

Since then, the situation has grown more dire. The number of kings crossing into Canada routinely fails to meet the goal of 42,500 agreed upon by U.S. and Canadian officials under the Yukon River Salmon Agreement. (That treaty, finalized in 2002, aimed to make sure enough salmon would reach their spawning grounds in the Yukon Territory and British Columbia each year.)  

The collapse of the Yukon’s chum was more sudden. Runs regularly numbered in the millions until 2020. That year, anglers and scientists alike were astonished when the usual droves of chum failed to appear. A year later, both the summer and fall runs had dropped to their lowest levels on record — each below 500,000 . 

The disappearance of so many chums and kings has been the subject of growing scientific inquiry. For years, the vanishing kings posed an ecological mystery because the Yukon flows mostly unimpeded — untouched by the sort of industrialization that has destroyed salmon habitat in California, Oregon, and Washington. The river’s salmon don’t have to contend with large-scale dams that block passage to spawning grounds, clear-cuts that destroy streams, or mega-farms that siphon off water.

But salmon are notoriously difficult to study. They spawn in fresh water, then spend most of their lives far out in the Pacific, an area dubbed the “ black box ” because it’s so vast and poorly understood. Most salmon research — in Alaska and along the entire Pacific Coast — is focused on streams and lakes, where it’s easier to study their habitat, sample the water, and count stocks. 

Scientists have recently made progress in unraveling the mystery in the Yukon, and their main suspect is climate change. As humans pump greenhouse gases into the air and cause global temperatures to rise, salmon are getting hit on two fronts: Both their saltwater feeding habitat and their freshwater spawning grounds are rapidly heating up. Marine heat waves in the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska are becoming more frequent, and the Yukon itself, like other northern rivers, is warming twice as fast as streams farther south. 

“Salmon are cold-water species, so when temperatures go up, their metabolism increases, so they need more energy to just be, just live,” said Ed Farley, an ecologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center. “That means they’re going to have to feed more.” 

At the same time, hot spells in the ocean and melting sea ice have set off a cascade of changes, forcing salmon to find new food. When the Bering Sea heats up, juvenile chum don’t nab as much of their usual, nutrient-dense prey, like krill, tunicates, and small fish. Instead, they settle for jellyfish, which proliferate in warm seas and carry less fat. Salmon wind up burning more energy while consuming fewer calories, and struggling to pack on the fat necessary to survive in the open ocean and, later, complete their long journey up the Yukon. 

During recent marine heat waves, scientists found chum with empty stomachs and smaller fat reserves — “by far the lowest we have ever seen in the 20 years of monitoring salmon in the northern Bering Sea,” said Katie Howard, who leads Yukon River salmon research at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. 

“The chum, pretty much as soon as they hatch, they migrate out of the river,” Howard said. “They’re tiny, tiny, tiny fish. They’re probably less prepared to deal with this big change, with higher temperatures and different food available.” 

It’s more complicated for kings. Juveniles spend more time maturing in fresh water than chum. That extra year lets them fatten up before they head out to sea, giving them more energy and a better chance at survival in the warming ocean, Howard said. 

Still, even though kings aren’t dying at sea in the same way that chum are, they are returning to the river younger, smaller , and increasingly malnourished. That makes them susceptible to rising river temperatures, which force the fish to burn through fat reserves more quickly. 

They are also dealing with a new disease that appears linked to rising temperatures. A parasitic protozoa called Ichthyophonus, which is harmless to humans but eats away at fish tissue, has been showing up in more and more salmon, their hearts speckled with white bumps. Scientists aren’t sure exactly what’s causing the spike in infections. What they do know, according to Howard, is that the onset and severity of the disease seems to increase in warm waters.

Compared to other king salmon populations struggling with climate change, lack of nutrients, and disease, those in the Yukon are doing especially poorly. Howard has an idea about why: They’re the farthest north, and they migrate the farthest in fresh water. 

In rivers to the south, Howard said, some fish populations have shifted their migrations earlier in the season when the water is cooler. That’s not an option for Yukon kings because they’re so far north that the summer season isn’t long enough to accommodate such a move. They can’t swim under the ice that covers the river into May, Howard said. 

“They’re going to be the first ones to struggle,” Howard said, “because they are already at the extreme of what salmon can do.” 

When salmon from the Yukon River feed in the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska, they need to navigate more than unusually warm waters. Some end up in the nets of commercial fishing boats, hundreds of miles from villages on the river. Massive trawlers in the Bering Sea accidentally scoop up salmon while targeting pollock and other species. Smaller vessels farther south, in a commercial zone off the Alaska Peninsula called Area M, catch and sell salmon, including chum and some kings from the Yukon. Much of the chum intentionally caught at sea gets frozen, sent to processors in China and elsewhere in Asia, then packaged and sold in chunks at grocery stores in the U.S. and Europe. 

Many people on the Yukon feel angered by this double standard. Why do federal and state regulators prevent them from fishing, both commercially and for food, but allow big businesses to catch salmon in the ocean — sometimes incidentally, sometimes for profit? 

“I don’t know why they shut us down. We’re not the problem,” said Ronald Demientieff, an elder in Holy Cross. “You have to regulate us because they killed them in the ocean? We’ve been regulating our fish way before Fish and Game came to this place.”

The trawlers, which make up the biggest fishery by volume in the U.S., deploy gigantic, billowing nets that sometimes scrape across the bottom of the ocean as they wrangle pollock — the meat used in McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish . Their nets can span the length of four football fields , large enough to capture hundreds of thousands of salmon as bycatch over the course of a season, including Yukon kings and chum. 

Scientists are quick to say that these fisheries can’t be blamed for the Yukon’s salmon declines. The math just doesn’t check out. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, trawlers in the Bering Sea catch about 20,000 king salmon each year , and roughly half of those come from western Alaska. In 2021, about 50,000 chum from western Alaska and the Yukon wound up in the pollock nets, a number that’s well short of the 1.5 million that disappeared that year.

“If you look at how many fish they’re catching [that are heading] to western Alaska, it cannot explain anywhere near the decline in the chum salmon that just occurred,” Farley said. “It’s a small number of fish from western Alaska being caught in the bycatch.”

Even though bycatch doesn’t appear to be a major driver of the salmon shortage, Yukon salmon are still swimming into large nets at sea at the same time that communities  along the river are being told to keep their nets out of the water. In 2021, when Alaska Native families on the Yukon weren’t allowed to fish for chum or kings, Bering Sea trawlers incidentally scooped up more than 18,000 western Alaska kings and 51,500 chums. Not all of those were from the Yukon, but some were, and others were from stocks on rivers like the Kuskokwim, where there have also been severe shortages and fishing bans in recent years.

“Whether it’s 1 percent or 0.25 percent — or whatever percent [of bycatch] they’re trying to say that reaches the Yukon — that is a percentage that we need,” Fitka said. “We need it in the river if we want to rebuild our stocks.”

In Area M, fishing businesses had a banner season in June 2021, hauling in more than 1.1 million chums. State biologists aren’t sure exactly how many of those were headed back to the Yukon, though it was likely a small fraction. Researchers estimated a year later that the Area M fleet caught about 5 percent of the chums bound for western Alaska , while people along the river weren’t allowed to catch a single fish to eat.

Unlike Indigenous nations in other places such as Washington state , Alaska Native communities on the Yukon don’t have treaty rights to fish. Under state and federal law, subsistence fishing in Alaska is given priority over other uses like commercial fishing, but Alaska Natives aren’t given priority over other groups. The lack of specific rights — and the lack of control over management decisions — has left tribal leaders with little recourse except to push state and federal officials to adopt stricter conservation measures on fishing companies at sea. That requires navigating a maze of agencies and regulators: The Alaska Board of Fisheries and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game regulate salmon fishing in Area M; those two along with the Federal Subsistence Board and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have jurisdiction over the Yukon River; and the federal North Pacific Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries oversee pollock fishing in the Bering Sea.  

Two Indigenous organizations — Tanana Chiefs Conference and the Association of Village Council Presidents — are suing the federal government over its management of the Bering Sea pollock industry, including the amount of bycatch that’s allowed. A federal rule already exists that limits the pollock fleet’s incidental catch of king salmon, but there’s no cap on chum. In October, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council met and agreed to weigh options to reduce chum bycatch , including a limit on fish specifically from western Alaska.

John Linderman, an Alaska Department of Fish and Game official and co-chair of the Yukon River Panel, the joint U.S.-Canada board that governs the Yukon River Salmon Agreement, told Grist that the ideal scenario would be getting bycatch down to zero. Trying to reduce it is an “obligation,” he said. “There are no ifs, ands, or buts.” 

Linderman defended the North Pacific Fishery Management Council for taking measures in past years to keep kings out of pollock nets and for looking at new steps to save chums. But no option now being weighed by the council would eliminate bycatch, as some people on the Yukon want. 

At the October council meeting, Jon Kurland, NOAA Fisheries’ regional administrator in Alaska and a council member, said an action that would end bycatch “of course would be best for chum salmon, but to me would not be practicable.” Proponents of the pollock industry say a hard cap on chum bycatch could force the lucrative fishery to close. And if that happens, big businesses like American Seafoods wouldn’t be the only to suffer. Kurland noted that many coastal Alaska villages, including several on the lower Yukon, rely on sales generated by the trawlers. (That fact has caused some tension in western Alaska between subsistence fishing advocates and regional nonprofits that bring in revenue from the pollock catch.)

In February, Fitka and dozens of Indigenous leaders from the Yukon and western Alaska traveled to Anchorage for a meeting of the Alaska Board of Fisheries, a group of seven people appointed by the governor to regulate the state’s fisheries, including Area M. They wanted the board to adopt tighter rules on those salmon businesses, asking them to restrict fishing time in June by around 70 percent , a reduction of more than 250 hours.

The issue was contentious because commercial fishing advocates and representatives from Alaska Native villages on the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands, where local economies are linked to the Area M fisheries, largely opposed major restrictions. They said significant cuts would risk sinking Area M fisheries and jeopardize local tax revenue that funds schools and other essential services. After three days of public testimony and several more days of deliberation, the Board of Fisheries narrowly rejected the proposal backed by Yukon tribes and adopted a watered-down version instead, winnowing harvest times by only 42 hour s. 

After the final vote, Fitka and dozens of other people in her delegation silently walked out of the meeting in protest. 

With fish racks and freezers empty along the Yukon river, people are turning to other sources for food. The Yukon’s only commercial fish processor, which has been shut down for three years, started building greenhouses and selling vegetables in 2021. More than a dozen tribal members and elders told Grist that they’re eating more moose, whitefish, pike, and goods bought at village stores, like “chicken, hot dogs, and spam,” according to Walker. And they all seemed to agree on one thing: There’s just no substitute for Yukon salmon.

“Nothing can replace the fish,” said Tessiana Paul, an administrator at the tribal government in Holy Cross. “Gosh, it just feels like we took it for granted now.”

To make up for the shortage in Holy Cross and several villages upriver, the region’s tribal consortium – Tanana Chiefs Conference – sent residents frozen sockeye salmon, a leaner species. The fish came from Bristol Bay, the world’s largest sockeye run, a few hundred miles south of the mouth of the Yukon. In one of the many paradoxes of climate change, Bristol Bay’s sockeye runs have boomed in recent years, as the northern lakes where the fish spawn have warmed to an optimal temperature. 

For people who grew up eating fatty Yukon kings and chum, the smaller Bristol Bay salmon, which make a shorter migration and carry less fat, are a disappointing substitute. The first batch of sockeye that came to Holy Cross last fall was decent, according to Walker, though a second bunch that came in late spring was “all freezer-burned.”

“Nobody could eat them. They were as yellow as your paper,” he added, referring to a reporter’s lemon-colored legal pad.

Walker was preparing a stew of moose meat and vegetables, which sat quietly simmering on his stove as he described the need to harvest two moose each year instead of just one, which used to be enough to keep a family fed for months. Without fresh salmon, people are feeling more pressure to hunt.

“A lot of families here — they run out of moose pretty fast,” Walker said. “In fact, somebody was asking us for moose just the other day. I’ve got to give them some.”

For some, the question of what to eat has morphed into a question of whether to leave. In Anvik, a village of some 75 people upstream from Holy Cross, more than a dozen people have moved out in the past few years, according to Robert Walker, the Anvik Tribal Council’s first chief (and David’s cousin). “Right after the fisheries closed down people moved to Anchorage to get jobs,” he said. “The impact was so great they had to find another way of life.”

Paul said she and her husband, Eugene, have contemplated leaving Holy Cross, where they both grew up, and are now raising their children. She has the Kenai River in mind, about 300 miles east of Holy Cross and a few hours by car from Anchorage, where visitors and locals alike flock with fly rods or dip nets to scoop salmon out of the water every summer.

“People from Anchorage can easily go down to Kenai and get 40 fish and take them home and put it in their makeshift cache,” Paul said from her office in Holy Cross. So many people line the Kenai’s banks each summer to pluck fish from the river that it’s notorious for so-called “ combat fishing ,” referring to the anglers jostling for space. “They’re getting more fish than we are on the Kenai, and it’s combat fishing.” 

The lack of salmon has been felt around the Kenai, too. Locals once made a living setting nets for kings along the peninsula’s gravel beaches, until their population started falling . This year the state adopted its strictest regulations yet to protect Kenai kings, a move that forced small family businesses to shut down .

Still, to Paul, the thought of having some salmon on the Kenai Peninsula is better than having none in her home village. “It’s probably easier than being here and not being able to fish at all.” 

In Russian Mission, the last stop on Fitka’s trip, we finally saw signs of fresh salmon. Slender red fish bellies dripping with oil were slung across wooden drying racks. Boats were nosed up to the beach, sporting fishing nets in their bows. The smell of “summertime perfume” hung in the air: smoldering birch, cottonwood, or alder logs smoking salmon. 

Chum numbers had edged back up this summer, and for the first time in three years, the state opened some subsistence fishing for chum on the lower Yukon. The window applied only to the first chum run, and people weren’t allowed to use their preferred gillnets, forced instead to haul in fewer fish using more selective gear like dip nets. Even so, it was welcome news to Basil Larson, who had repaired his camp just in time, after it had been destroyed by a spring flood. By the time we met him, Larson, who is on the board of the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association, had already caught two dozen summer chum. He and his mother had carved the fish into long orange strips, and dozens of them hung like streamers in his small smokehouse, about 100 yards from the river. A broad-shouldered man with a long, black goatee, Larson described his internal conflict about catching salmon when there are so few to be found.

“My mind is saying we’ve got to get these fish passing [to spawn],” he said, “but my heart is saying we need a little taste for winter.” 

The evening before Larson showed me his fish camp, he and more than 50 other people, including Fitka and the visitors from Canada, got a taste of salmon at a potluck in Russian Mission. In a fluorescently-lit room in the middle of the village, elders shared memories of a time when there were no restrictions on fishing for food. “Everywhere you went, it was always fish oil and fish smoke,” said Charlene Duny, a resident of Russian Mission. “And now when we finally smell it, oh, my mouth waters and my heart aches.” 

On a buffet table in the middle of the windowless room lay two small dishes of local salmon, dwarfed by platters of hot dogs and hamburgers. One held a pile of chum strips, each dried into a crimson jerky; the other contained a few dozen half-dried chum bellies, each cut into a pink piece a few inches long. As residents and visitors shuffled through the food line, both dishes slowly emptied. The salmon was gone long before the burgers.

A message from   

Your support keeps our climate news free. All donations doubled!

Grist is the only award-winning newsroom focused on exploring equitable solutions to climate change. It’s vital reporting made entirely possible by loyal readers like you. At Grist, we don’t believe in paywalls. Instead, we rely on our readers to pitch in what they can so that we can continue bringing you our solution-based climate news. Donate now, and your gift will be matched dollar for dollar.

At Grist, we don’t believe in paywalls. Instead, we rely on our readers to pitch in what they can so that we can continue bringing you our solution-based climate news. Donate now, and your gift will be matched dollar for dollar.

Billions of snow crabs are missing. A remote Alaskan village depends on the harvest to survive.

A celebrated startup promised kentuckians green jobs. it gave them a ‘grueling hell on earth.’, community fridges don’t just fight hunger. they’re also a climate solution., ‘nothing’s predictable’: extreme weather is ruining farmers’ crops, and their finances, cooking oil has a deforestation problem. a startup says it has a solution., arizona’s gila river indian community moves forward with first solar canal project in the us, the decade-old broken climate promise that looms over cop28, one solution to fight climate change fewer parking spaces., where could millions of ev batteries retire solar farms., modal gallery.

• +1-855-932-1711
• Login | Register Login Register My Account Hello Credits My Account Future Cruise Credits Total Balance of {balanceAvailable} available for booking. Logout
• PLAN A CRUISE
• DESTINATIONS
• THE EXPERIENCE
• CRUISE DEALS
• ALREADY BOOKED

Find A Cruise

Flight Ease

Pre & Post Cruise

Charters & Incentives

Celebrations

Future Cruise Credit

Holiday Cruises

Specialty Cruises

Family Travel

Personal Cruise Consultant

All Destinations

Australia & New Zealand

Canada & New England

Grand Voyages

Mediterranean

Northern Europe

Pacific Coast

Panama Canal

South America & Antarctica

Transatlantic

United States

Why We Sail

Shore Excursions

Suites & Staterooms

Music & Entertainment

Onboard Activities

Cruise Deals

Sign Up for Special Offers

Have It All Premium Package

• Manage My Bookings
• Make A Payment
• Book Shore Excursions

Know Before You Go

Navigator Mobile App

Mariner Loyalty Program

Buy A Gift For A Guest

Prepare For Your Cruise

Onboard Internet Packages

Beverage Packages

Holland America Line’s Black Friday Sale Features Prepaid Crew Appreciation and Up to 30% Off Cruise Fares

Guests can plan ahead and book their 2023-2025 cruises with this limited-time offer.

Seattle, Wash., Nov. 7, 2023 — Cruisers can get an early start shopping for the holiday season with Holland America Line's Black Friday Sale that runs from Nov. 17 to Dec. 1, 2023. Guests who book select cruises through 2025 will receive prepaid stateroom crew appreciation, resulting in an added value of up to nearly $700 per person depending on the length of sailing. Black Friday promotional sailings also feature discounts of up to 30% off cruise-only fares.

Guests who want to add even more value to their cruise can combine the Black Friday offer with Holland America Line's popular Have It All premium cruise package. Have it All perks include shore excursions, a beverage package, specialty dining and Wi-Fi.

"Black Friday is synonymous with the best holiday season deals, and Holland America Line 's Black Friday Sale is no exception," said Beth Bodensteiner, chief commercial officer for Holland America Line . "With included crew appreciation and reduced cruise fares, guests can take advantage of significant savings. And by adding our Have it All Package, guests can further enhance the value of their dream cruise vacation.”

Prepaid crew appreciation applies to the first and second guests in a stateroom. Travelers can take advantage of the Black Friday Sale on more than 800 departures, from December 2023 through select 2025 cruises. Value of gratuities ranges from $112 for a seven-day cruise to $688 for a 43-day sailing, per person.

Reduced cruise fares of up to 30% off are available on a variety of worldwide itineraries spanning Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, South America and Antarctica. The reduced fare also applies to the cruise portion of an Alaska Cruisetour, combining an Alaska cruise with an overland tour to Denali and the Yukon.

Guests who book the Have It All premium fare receive even more amenities included in their booking:

· Depending on the cruise length, guests can enjoy up to three shore excursions valued at $100 each. A wide selection of tours worldwide are available, ranging from active adventures and immersive culinary experiences to historical explorations and cultural discoveries.

· With the Signature Beverage Package, guests can savor a wide range of wine, beer, spirits, cocktails, soda, coffee and more, with bar service charges included.

· Depending on the ship and cruise duration, guests can indulge in Holland America Line's award-winning specialty dining for up to three nights. Pinnacle Grill offers the ultimate steakhouse experience at sea, while Tamarind showcases the traditions of Southeast Asia, China and Japan. Canaletto serves authentic Italian cuisine.

·       A Wi-Fi Surf Package keeps travelers connected while away from home. With Holland America Line's most popular package, guests can access their favorite websites, including email, news, sports and more.

The Black Friday Sale excludes Grand Voyages and itineraries less than five days. Visit www.hollandamerica.com for full terms and conditions.

• Alaska Insight
• Watch KAKM Live
• Indie Alaska
• Ways to Watch
• There is Hope
• AK Passport
• In My Family
• KSKA Schedule
• Hometown, Alaska
• Listen to KSKA Live
• All Radio Programs
• Outdoor Explorer
• Addressing Alaskans
• State of Art
• Alaska Economic Report
• Hear me now
• Military Voices
• One Small Step
• Alaska Morning News
• Talk of Alaska
• Alaska News Nightly
• Traveling Music
• Black History in the Last Frontier
• Latest News
• Environment
• Mental Health
• Rural Health
• Alaska Legislature
• Washington, D.C.
• Public Safety
• ANCSA, 50th Anniversary
• Midnight Oil
• Daily Digest
• AKPM Community Education Engagement
• Race Matters
• Ready to Learn
• Library Explorers
• Molly of Denali
• Learning Media
• Parent Resources
• Watch PBS KIDS
• Workforce Development
• Ways to Give
• Benefits of Membership
• Together We Are Stronger
• AKPM Merchandise
• E-Newsletters
• Organization
• Public Documents
• Public Meetings
• Accessibility Commitment
• Donor Portal

Western Alaska salmon crisis affects physical and mental health, residents say

The  salmon crisis  in the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers is harming more than local economies, food security and culture, according to people in the region. It is also harming human health.

That was a message emphasized on Friday at a  field hearing held  by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, in Bethel, the regional hub for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Field hearings,  held outside of Washington, D.C. , are often located in sites directly affected by specific issues.

Murkowski said she convened the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing in Bethel so that Alaskans there could explain the impact of the salmon collapses to people outside the region and outside the state who might not grasp its severity.

“Part of my job is to convey the urgency here,” she said at the start of the  five-hour hearing .

Among those testifying was Dan Winkelman, president of the  Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp. , the Tribal organization that is the region’s main health provider. Friday’s event was held at the organization’s Bethel headquarters.

Lack of salmon, Winkelman said, “is not just negatively affecting our culture and well-being but our good health,” he said.

He ticked off the numerous well-known nutritional benefits of salmon. It is a complete, high-quality protein that builds lean body mass and helps people’s bodies function correctly, he said. It is rich in Omega-3 fatty acid and essential minerals key to heart health, brain health, immune function and control of inflammation, he said. It is a nutrient-dense food that helps people maintain healthy body weights and avoid diet-related health problems, he said.

For these and other reasons, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has recommended that people eat at least two servings a week of fish like salmon, Winkelman said. In the past, with widespread daily consumption of salmon, residents of the region easily met that recommendation, he said.

“However, when fish is not available, meals are supplemented with store-bought, highly processed foods that contain added sugars, salts, and saturated fats, and often less protein,” he said. “Diets become more energy dense instead of nutrient dense, which can lead to an increase in unhealthy weight gain and increased rates of chronic disease development. Often, I have providers tell me that his has become a problem or the last decade or so in the in the Y-K region.”

In rural areas across the state, wild foods generally provide all the required dietary protein, according to  studies  by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Salmon has been the dominant wild food in many rural regions, and that is especially so in the  Yukon-Kuskokwim region , according to state and federal experts.

Additionally, salmon harvesting itself is physical exercise that keeps residents fit, Winkelman said in his testimony.

The scarcity of salmon also affects mental health, said residents testifying at the hearing.

Jonathan Samuelson, executive director of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, described salmon harvesting as part of a holistic approach to wellness.

“When we’re forced to deviate from our traditional ways of life, it only amplifies our unwellness. Our way of life and our cultural knowledge and the way that we be in the world is our path to wellness, and we know that,” he said.

Kara Dominick of Bethel spoke about how a return to salmon-harvesting traditions helped her recover from a serious opioid addiction.

“The river and the tundra became my peace. In the end, it was what made my life feel whole and meaningful again. I may not have been here today if I didn’t have that connection and access to my culture and subsistence opportunities,” she said in her testimony.

The “deeper connection to our culture and our way of life” is critical to addressing the substance-abuse crisis that is gripping much of the population, Dominick said. But now that avenue of recovery is under threat, she said.

“With the decline in salmon numbers comes further separation from our culture. How is this going to affect our mental health? How much worse will it get? I fear for our people,” she said.

Charles Menadelook, subsistence resources program director for  Kawerak Inc. , a Nome-based Tribal consortium, expressed similar fears.

He talks to his young family members about the importance of subsistence harvesting, he said, his voice faltering with emotion. “I tell them, they need to go fishing. They need to go snow hunting. Because I don’t think it’s going to be around much longer,” he said.

Yereth Rosen, Alaska Beacon

Alaska Beacon  is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Andrew Kitchenman for questions: i[email protected] . Follow Alaska Beacon on  Facebook and X .

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Anchorage’s unsheltered and good samaritans prep for cold snap, anchorage hoop hero alissa pili returns home for great alaska shootout, anchorage superintendent says ‘strategic failure’ at play in snow-related school closures.

• All content
• Rural Alaska
• Crime & Courts
• Alaska Legislature
• ADN Politics Podcast
• National Opinions
• Letters to the Editor
• Nation/World
• Film and TV
• Outdoors/Adventure
• High School Sports
• UAA Athletics
• Food and Drink
• Visual Stories
• Alaska Journal of Commerce (Opens in new window)
• The Arctic Sounder
• The Bristol Bay Times
• Legal Notices (Opens in new window)
• Alaska Craft Brew Festival
• 2023 Bear Paw Festival (Opens in new window)
• Best of Alaska
• Career Fair (Opens in new window)
• Achievement in Business
• Youth Summit Awards
• Turkey Trot Photo Contest
• Holiday Season Giveaway
• Teacher of the Month
• Alaska Visitors Guide 2023 (Opens in new window)
• Celebrating Nurses (Opens in new window)
• Holiday Bazaar Guide (Opens in new window)
• 2023 Best of Alaska (Opens in new window)
• Alaska Health Care (Opens in new window)
• On the Move AK (Opens in new window)
• Senior Living in Alaska (Opens in new window)
• Youth Summit Awards (Opens in new window)
• Alaska Visitors Guide
• ADN Store (Opens in new window)
• Classifieds (Opens in new window)
• Jobs (Opens in new window)
• Place an Ad (Opens in new window)
• Customer Service
• Sponsored Content
• Real Estate/Open Houses (Opens in new window)

Western Alaska salmon crisis affects physical and mental health, residents say

Strips of salmon are seen hanging in a smokehouse on the Kuskokwim River on July 19, 2017. Salmon has been a mainstay of diets in the region, providing high-quality protein that helps residents avoid numerous physical ailments, the head of the region's tribal health provider testified on Friday. Lack of salmon therefore has negative health consequences, he said. (Photo provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

The salmon crisis in the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers is harming more than local economies, food security and culture, according to people in the region. It is also harming human health.

That was a message emphasized on Friday at a field hearing held by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, in Bethel, the regional hub for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Field hearings, held outside of Washington, D.C. , are often located in sites directly affected by specific issues.

Murkowski said she convened the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing in Bethel so that Alaskans there could explain the impact of the salmon collapses to people outside the region and outside the state who might not grasp its severity.

“Part of my job is to convey the urgency here,” she said at the start of the five-hour hearing .

Among those testifying was Dan Winkelman, president of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp. , the tribal organization that is the region’s main health provider. Friday’s event was held at the organization’s Bethel headquarters.

Lack of salmon, Winkelman said, “is not just negatively affecting our culture and well-being but our good health,” he said.

He ticked off the numerous well-known nutritional benefits of salmon. It is a complete, high-quality protein that builds lean body mass and helps people’s bodies function correctly, he said. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acid and essential minerals key to heart health, brain health, immune function and control of inflammation, he said. It is a nutrient-dense food that helps people maintain healthy body weights and avoid diet-related health problems, he said.

For these and other reasons, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has recommended that people eat at least two servings a week of fish like salmon, Winkelman said. In the past, with widespread daily consumption of salmon, residents of the region easily met that recommendation, he said.

“However, when fish is not available, meals are supplemented with store-bought, highly processed foods that contain added sugars, salts, and saturated fats, and often less protein,” he said. “Diets become more energy-dense instead of nutrient-dense, which can lead to an increase in unhealthy weight gain and increased rates of chronic disease development. Often, I have providers tell me that this has become a problem (over) the last decade or so in the Y-K region.”

In rural areas across the state, wild foods generally provide all the required dietary protein, according to studies by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Salmon has been the dominant wild food in many rural regions, and that is especially so in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region , according to state and federal experts.

Additionally, salmon harvesting itself is physical exercise that keeps residents fit, Winkelman said in his testimony.

The scarcity of salmon also affects mental health, said residents testifying at the hearing.

Jonathan Samuelson, executive director of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, described salmon harvesting as part of a holistic approach to wellness.

“When we’re forced to deviate from our traditional ways of life, it only amplifies our unwellness. Our way of life and our cultural knowledge and the way that we be in the world is our path to wellness, and we know that,” he said.

Kara Dominick of Bethel spoke about how a return to salmon-harvesting traditions helped her recover from a serious opioid addiction.

“The river and the tundra became my peace. In the end, it was what made my life feel whole and meaningful again. I may not have been here today if I didn’t have that connection and access to my culture and subsistence opportunities,” she said in her testimony.

The “deeper connection to our culture and our way of life” is critical to addressing the substance-abuse crisis that is gripping much of the population, Dominick said. But now that avenue of recovery is under threat, she said.

“With the decline in salmon numbers comes further separation from our culture. How is this going to affect our mental health? How much worse will it get? I fear for our people,” she said.

Charles Menadelook, subsistence resources program director for Kawerak Inc. , a Nome-based tribal consortium, expressed similar fears.

He talks to his young family members about the importance of subsistence harvesting, he said, his voice faltering with emotion. “I tell them, they need to go fishing. They need to go snow hunting. Because I don’t think it’s going to be around much longer,” he said.

Originally published by the Alaska Beacon , an independent, nonpartisan news organization that covers Alaska state government.