Whitehorse, YT, Canada

Whitehorse, the name of the city has no connection to horses so you don’t have to imagine that there are plenty of white horses but it comes from the association of the white capped waves of the Yukon River with the horses' manes.

So the city‘s existence is linked to the Yukon River that has brought many prospectors looking for gold in the area and with the railway added to the possibility of transport in the area the city has gained a reputation of being the transportation hub of the Yukon. These possibilities have pushed the city’s economy further and it developed into a nice settlement of about 23,000 residents and now it is the capital of the Yukon.

Being the city with a high number of residents compared to the other cities and a commercial center of the region, you can expect the services to be of a high standard and they really are. Tourists will have little to complain about when they visit Whitehorse.

To understand a little bit of Whitehorse’s history, how it came into being and see the remains of a glorious past, that is of the Gold-Rush era, you can take the Whitehorse Heritage Buildings Walking Tours that will introduce you to all the beautiful historic Gold-Rush buildings. It is more interesting to go on this tour than explore the buildings, which are not so close to each other, on your own. The tour is available throughout the summer and is among the favorite.

Another tour that takes a bit longer, for about 6 hours is the city bus tour introducing you to all the major landmarks and the Yukon River.

If you want to take in all the recreational opportunities the river offers, there’re the River Cruises that make for a perfect way to enjoy the different parts of Yukon and the famous Miles Canyon. Because there are plenty of signs directing you to Miles Canyon, it easy to find the point where the cruise starts. It is a scenic ride and the explanations and colorful presentation of the guides make the trip a sheer pleasure.

Another tour of the Miles Canyon is offered by Gold Rush Float Tours focusing on revealing the tourists the time of the gold rush era. Taking the tour you can really have a glimpse of that period and compare your present life to that of the people whose possibilities of earning their living was finding gold. Things have not changed much since then we still search for “gold” the methods just differ.

But these tours that imply mainly laying back and viewing are perfect for less active people, you can explore the river more actively by renting a canoe or a sea kayak and plan your self guided trip that can last from one day to a week. Among the sights you can explore there is the Miles Canyon and the Teslin, Pelly and Yukon rivers. The areas along the rivers offer great recreational opportunities for outdoor lovers.

But the list does not and here, wildlife watching opportunities complete the list just fine and there are few those who would miss taking advantage of such a possibility. You can see bison, moose, musk ox, elk, mountain goats, and rare peregrine falcons together with local wildlife all at the Yukon Game Farm and Wildlife Preserve a few kilometers north of Whitehorse.

Night entertainment is quite rich in opportunities but one thing that is particular to this region is the show called Frantic Follies that comprises cancan dancing, whooping, sentimental ballads and many others. If live music is your thing there are plenty of venues that feature it. 

Whitehorse can be a great destination whether you plan on staying one day or more and the outdoor recreational activities are definitely the ones that make this place worth visiting.