03 Sep 2024
Canada's Yukon may be home to twice as many moose than people, but the 46,000 enterprising and creative folks who live here are exceptionally talented. Yukoners celebrate a varied history and a dynamic arts culture, and our vast northern landscapes figure prominently in art and stories. From festivals to galleries to dozens of museums, historic sites, and interpretive and cultural centres, Yukon's story is brought to life for visitors in so many ways.
Explore the rich cultures of Yukon's First Nations people
Respect for the land, its creatures and the forces of nature, combined with a storytelling tradition, form the foundations of Yukon's First Nations cultures. Visitors can explore the Yukon's cultural diversity and connect with First Nations people across the territory.
The Yukon has 14 distinct First Nations, each with their own unique traditions and cultural heritage and visitors will find an unparalleled richness of First Nation artwork, craft, storytelling, music and dance. Visit traditional carvers in their studios, listen to Elders tell the stories of their people and learn about the living history of Yukon's first people.
Yukon Culture Quest 10-day Itinerary
This meandering journey connects several First Nation communities and six impressive cultural centres. View artefacts and handcrafts, meet Elders, and be inspired by traditional stories that have been passed down through generations. Meet talented Yukon artists in their homes and studios. Tour local galleries and learn about indigenous arts and crafts. Plan your culture quest around the Adäka Cultural Festival, held each year in late June or early June, and one of many celebrations of Yukon music and art.
Days 1-2 – Inland Tlingit Traditions
Starting from Whitehorse, drive through the Southern Lakes and learn about Tagish and Inland Tlingit culture. Drop by the Carcross-Tagish First Nation carving shed in Carcross. Visit the Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre and George Johnston Museum in Teslin. Learn about the Nisutlin River Delta National Wildlife Area.
Days 3-4 – Southern Tutchone Roots in Kluane
Head west on the Alaska Highway to Haines Junction to visit Da Kų Cultural Centre and the heritage of Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (CAFN) people. Watch a film about Kluane National Park, and join a guided interpretive walk at Kathleen Lake. Visit the Tachäl Dhäl (Sheep Mountain) Visitor Centre the next day before driving beneath the majestic St Elias Mountains into Alaska. Then circle back across the Top of the World Highway to Dawson City.
Days 5-7 – Dawson and the Hän People
Start with a visit to Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre to get your cultural bearings. Drive a short distance up the Dempster Highway to the Tombstone Interpretive Centre. Take in one of Dawson's vibrant festivals, and tour the shops for local arts and crafts.
Day 8 – Yukon River and the Northern Tutchone
More cultural stops await, so pace yourself on the southbound leg of your quest. Return to Whitehorse on the North Klondike Highway making stops in Pelly Crossing to visit Big Jonathan House – perhaps a side trip to Fort Selkirk – and a tour of Tagé Cho Hudän Interpretive Centre in Carmacks.
Day 9-10 – Cultural Attractions in Whitehorse
Longhouses and a giant circular fire pit at Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre face the riverfront, reconnecting First Nations people to the river they were once intimately connected with. MacBride Museum offers excellent historical displays on Yukon First Nations people. Local galleries display carvings, textiles, beadwork and other traditional arts. For a unique destination, the fly-in village of Old Crow in North Yukon houses the John Tizya Centre.
Take me on a road-trip through the Yukon: Canadian Affair's Yukon's Klondike Kluane Loop Tour
14-night motorhome tour from £1869 per person based on May 2025 departure. Price includes return international flights from London Heathrow, two-nights hotel accommodation, and 13 days motorhome rental.
To book, visit https://www.canadianaffair.com/ or call 0203 925 6364
About Yukon:
Situated in the upper Northwest corner of Canada, next to Alaska, the Yukon is Canada's most accessible northern destination. Home to Canada's highest mountain (Mount Logan) and the planet's largest non-polar icefields located in Kluane National Park - a UNESCO World Heritage site. One of North America's most undiscovered destinations; close to 80 percent remains pristine wilderness with 5,000-metre peaks, forested valleys, unspoiled waters and untamed wildlife. Roughly the size of Spain at just over 186,000 square miles, the Yukon is home to more than 220,000 caribou, 70,000 moose, 22,000 mountain sheep, 7,000 grizzly bears, 10,000 black bears and 250 species of birds, with a human population of only 46,000.
For further information on the Yukon, visit www.travelyukon.com
