TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Okanagan
PRICES AND DATES
Excludes
Dates
2023
August 8 – 19. Northbound | Closed
2024
August 6 – 17. Northbound | Full
ITINERARY
DAY 1
Kelowna
No riding.
Accommodation in Kelowna.
Welcome to northern British Columbia’s beautiful Okanagan valley – a restful expanse of vineyards, orchards, lakes, and mountains. This semi-arid desert, with towns like Osoyoos, Penticton, Summerland, Peachland and Kelowna, all thrive because of abundant summer sun. This area even holds the record for the warmest average daytime temperature in Canada, and claims second place for the area of least precipitation in Canada outside the Arctic! Perfect motorcycle riding weather. We hope you will join to to explore.
Arrival in Kelowna. We will arrange for your pickup from the airport and brought to our hotel. Our first meeting will be at 3pm to go over any paperwork for the trip and to make introductions to your fellow riders and crew.
DAY 2
Willams Lake
455km
Accommodation near Williams Lake
DAY 3
Barkerville
197km
Accommodation near Barkerville
We arrive in the town of Wells to drop back, shuck the motorcycle gear and go next door to the famous re-created town of Barkerville. With hundreds of heritage buildings, authentic displays, and shops it was declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1924. Barkerville is the largest living-history museum in western North America.
DAY 4
Smithers
547km
Accommodation near Smithers
Originally developed as a railway town, Smithers now enjoys an active, outdoors vibe with several great micro breweries within walking distance of the hotel. The majestic Hudsons Bay Mountain overlooks the town. The nearby fish ladders of the Moricetown Canyon will be a stop, as we watch salmon climb the fish ladders.
DAY 5
Stewart
327km
Accommodation in Stewart
The easier routing for today is to continue up the Cassier Highway and spend a leisurely day getting to Bell 2 Lodge, for fuel and lodging. For those who are after more riding, leave early with the guide, and zip over to Hyder, Alaska (required entrance to USA) and if time permits, can follow the gravel road up to see the Salmon Glacier. Turn around and backtrack until you hit the Cassier, and turn left to head north. This extra route will put you at 552 kms for the day, including 60 kms of gravel.
DAY 6
Dease Lake
392km
Accommodation near Dease Lake
These next two days are designed to keep our pace gentle, and allow plenty of stops for photography, leisurely picnic lunches and an abundance of time to talk to locals at the gas station, or at coffee stops. The stories from locals are just as interesting as the scenery, we should not be moving so fast as to miss them! Early arrival into Dease Lake could tempt some to fish, take a float plane scenic trip, or venture down to Telegraph Creek if the road is good. The tiny town of Telegraph Creek was badly damaged in the forest fires from a few summers ago.
DAY 7
Watson Lake
257km
The second of our relaxed days takes us to the infamous small town of Watson Lake, better known as the town with the signpost forest. Along the way we will take a nice break at Jade City.
DAY 8
Whitehorse
428km
Accommodation in Whitehorse
Straight west today as we skirt the BC/Yukon border, crossing the Continental Divide at kilometre 140. Halfway to Whitehorse you get to hold your breath as you cross the long (584m) grated, metal Nisutlin Bay Bridge over Teslin Lake.
DAY 9
Whitehorse
No Riding, Rest day
Accommodation in Whitehorse
Almost 2/3 of Yukon’s population lives in this capital city. A day off here can be filled with museums or why not take a full day trip by coach to the White Pass and Yukon Route narrow gauge railway.
DAY 10
Carmacks
224km
Accommodation in Carmacks
Those who are keen can take an early morning loop south to Carmacks and the world’s smallest desert before returning to Whitehorse and picking up the rest of the group as we head a short distance north visit Five finger Rapids. We backtrack once done there 23 km back to Carmacks for the night.
DAY 11
Dawson City
355km
Accommodation in Dawson City
With our time in the far north ending, we head out one last time, arriving in Dawson City, a town strongly linked to the historic Klondike Gold Rush. Don’t forget the the famous “Sour Toe Cocktail”; you can drink it fast or you can drink it slow, but the lips have gotta touch the toe!
DAY 12
Dawson City
No Riding, Fly Out
If your schedule allows, stay for another night or two in Dawson City. You can hire the bike one more day to explore the magnificent Top of the World Highway. Or stay in town and enjoy the Yukon’s Discovery Days festival, as it be on today with parades and music.
