A journey up the Dempster
Join us on a 5-7 day adventure up the iconic Dempster Highway. We start in the capitol city of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory and make our way along one of the most beautiful and remote highways in the world to the village of Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T on the Arctic Ocean. We then turn our bikes south and make our way back. Along this route we will experience landscapes of extreme beauty such as the Tombstone, Ogilvie, and Richardson Mountains, the Mackenzie river valley, and the Arctic tundra. We will also experience the incredible people and rich culture of the north as we wind our way from the Yukon river basin to the Arctic ocean and back.
We know that different people are looking for different experiences so, depending on your budget and desires, we can do this fast and light in pure moto camping style or a little more comfy with hotel accommodation and a more leisurely riding pace. Not to mention any combination of the two.
We work with you to plan your Dempster trip the way you want to do it.
Participants: Minimum 3/Maximum 5
Price: $4500-7500 CAD + 5%GST per person (depending on the services and accommodation you would like us to arrange)
Includes: motorcycle rental, fuel, breakfasts/lunches/dinners, full basecamp, support vehicle and crew, 6 nights accommodation in campsites and/or local hotels, liability insurance for motorcycle
Not included: flights to and from Whitehorse, travel insurance, comprehensive motorcycle insurance (optional), alcoholic beverages, riding gear (helmet/jacket/pants/boots/gloves), remote emergency evacuation insurance(required before attending the trip)
Day 0: Arrive in Whitehorse (food and accommodation are not included)
Day 1: Meet with the Tombstone team. Safety orientation and route briefing. Meet your bike and get your gear ready. Ride Whitehorse to Dawson City (550km). Sightseeing and dinner in historical Dawson City. (Hotel in Dawson City, lunch and dinner included)
Day 2: Dawson City to base camp near the Arctic Circle. After a hardy breakfast in Dawson City, we will travel through the Tombstone Mountains, above the Ogilvie River, stop for fuel and lunch in Eagle Plains and then onto the Arctic Circle and our comfy base camp. 450km. (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Day 3: Base Camp to Inuvik, N.W.T.. We travel through the Peel and Mackenzie river valleys on two ferries and on to the city of Inuvik. Here we will begin to experience the culture and beauty of the Arctic. We will stay at local accommodation in Inuvik, dine and local eateries, and ready ourselves for the journey to Tuktoyaktuk! 350km. (Breakfast, lunch dinner)
Day 4: Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk and back. We ride beyond the final trees and into the Arctic tundra. As lakes give way to the smell of ocean air, we arrive in the remote village of Tuktoyaktuk on the shores of the Arctic ocean. 325km. (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Day 5: Inuvik to base camp. We travel back the way we came, stopping at different points of interest and seeing things from a different vantage. (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Day 6: Base camp to Dawson City. It’s back to Dawson city for a celebration dinner and to tell tall tails of our great adventure. Maybe even try a Sour Toe Cocktail! (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Day 7: Dawson City to Whitehorse. We enjoy the mostly paved route back to Whitehorse and once there, soak our weary bones in the soothing waters of Takhini hot springs. You drop your dirty bike at our headquarters and we take care of the mess. You retire to your accommodation in Whitehorse and plan the next leg of your Yukon adventure or get ready to catch your flight home. (Breakfast, dinner) (Day 7 dinner and accommodation not included in trip cost)
Level of difficulty: Intermediate to advanced riding skills required. The Dempster does not have much technical riding but the road is very remote, there can be loose gravel sections, rough sections, and if it rains it can get very slick. We can accommodate riders of all levels. If your group is fast we can travel fast, if your group wants to take more time we can do that too.
We suggest building in time before and after your trip so that you can explore more of the Yukon. This also gives us a little flexibility with when we ride and the option to wait out bad weather, bad road conditions, wildfires, and other things that might impede our progress.
Using your own bike is fine if it is in good repair and capable of keeping up with our T7s! -$900 (will be reimbursed after booking)
