Yukon River Canoe Expedition for Adults

Personal and professional development on the river

9 days from Carmacks to Dawson City, with Fort Selkirk and Five Finger Rapids along the way.

Paddle, camp, learn and lead through the Yukon wilderness with a small group of adults and experienced outdoor educators. This expedition combines a northern canoe adventure with personal and professional development through practical skills, shared responsibility, leadership and time to reflect.

Join as an educator, adventure travel professional or outdoor enthusiast. You don't need to work in a classroom to belong here. Bring curiosity, a willingness to contribute and an interest in becoming more capable outdoors.

As part of the expedition, our Guides will also provide hands-on instruction in:

• Core outdoor and expedition paddling skills for safe, confident canoe travel on the Yukon River including two Outdoor Council of Canada certification courses. 

• Outdoor cooking and backcountry expedition planning for future trips personally or with your work. .

• Outdoor leadership fundamentals, including group dynamics, risk management, and field-based teaching.

• Yukon geography, culture, and environmental history, connecting Indigenous knowledge and environmental stewardship.

Our approach is rooted in the belief that nature itself is the ultimate classroom. Through storytelling, field workshops, and guided reflection, participants will leave with practical, transferable strategies to integrate outdoor experiential education and climate action learning into their own classrooms, camps, community programs, and/or home. Whether you’re a teacher looking to expand your curriculum, a youth worker aiming to inspire environmental leadership, child care worker or an adult adventurer seeking to turn your passion for the outdoors into something more purpose-driven —this Yukon training course is your next step.

Carmacks to Dawson City: nine days of river learning

Travel the Yukon River from Carmacks to Dawson City, with Five Finger Rapids, Fort Selkirk and time in Dawson adding depth to the expedition. Develop paddling, camping, outdoor cooking and leadership skills while sharing the work of expedition life.

Learning for work and life

Educators can explore field-based teaching and facilitation. Adventure travel professionals can strengthen group leadership and expedition judgement. Outdoor enthusiasts can build practical skills and confidence for their own future journeys.

People, place and change

Explore northern geography, history and environmental change through observation, discussion and field learning. A visit to Fort Selkirk and a finish in Dawson City connect the river journey with the histories and cultural significance of the places along it. Exact timing and activities depend on conditions and group needs.

There’s more than one reason that Fireside Adventures keeps coming back to the Yukon year after year. From the people to the vast expanse of nature, here are just a few reasons that the Yukon is one of the world’s greatest natural classrooms.

A Natural Paradise

With a population of less than 48, 000, it’s impossible to visit the Yukon and not find yourself far from the hustle of civilization. Once you leave Whitehorse, you’ll be immersed in some of the most pristine and thriving wilderness that Canada has to offer. In the Land of the Midnight Sun, you’ll see an abundance of wildlife, the ruins of the Gold Rush, enjoy days of zero darkness, and so much more.

Room to Breathe

Alongside your trusty guides and the best fellow educators, there’s no better way to recharge and refocus so you can return in September ready to take on the challenge of being one of your school’s most competent climate leaders. Get ready to free yourself from the demands and distractions of modern life, and find the space to breathe deeply. Fresh air and peaceful days await on the Yukon River!

Participants are asked to arrive in Whitehorse the day before departure. Day 0 is an optional but highly recommended day where participants will be able to gain extra pre-trip training, including joining their Fireside instructors as they prepare for the trip.

We’ll begin at the Beez Kneez, where your instructors will welcome you and guide the group through an engaging and purposeful start to the journey.

The afternoon includes a full trip orientation: reviewing the paddling plan, connecting through a short team-building session, conducting personal and group gear checks, finalizing the menu, and working together to pack food and equipment. We’ll also spend time on the water with a two-hour introductory paddling session to build confidence and rhythm as a team.

As the evening unfolds, instructors will be available to gather in downtown Whitehorse for relaxed introductions, conversation, and a few laughs. It’s a chance to settle in, connect, and begin shifting into an expedition mindset. As the Yukon River begins to call, there’s a shared

sense of anticipation in the air... the quiet excitement of pushing off into something bigger than yourself. This first day is about coming together, feeling prepared, and stepping just beyond your comfort zone as the journey begins.

Meet in Whitehorse at the time confirmed by Fireside and travel by shuttle to Carmacks, the starting point of the nine-day Yukon River expedition.

Build your foundational canoe skills, including essential paddle strokes, canoe handling and on-water safety. Work on knots, tarp setup and low-impact camping, then begin settling into the shared routines of paddling, camp setup and outdoor cooking.

The pace and first campsite depend on river conditions and the group.

Paddle, camp, learn and lead

Continue north on the Yukon River from Carmacks toward Dawson City. River days combine canoe travel with practical outdoor skills, shared meal preparation, camp routines and reflection. Develop your paddling rhythm and take increasing responsibility within the expedition team.

Five Finger Rapids and Fort Selkirk

Features such as Five Finger Rapids provide opportunities to discuss reading the river, observing hazards and making thoughtful decisions under your instructors’ guidance. A visit to Fort Selkirk connects the journey with the histories and cultural significance of the Yukon. Exact timing and activities depend on river conditions and group needs.

Finish in Dawson City

Complete the river journey in Dawson City, with time to visit the town and reflect on the expedition. Dawson is part of this route, rather than an optional extension to a Carmacks finish. Fireside coordinates the land shuttle back to Whitehorse within the selected nine-day departure. Confirm the return time before booking flights.

This is a sample sequence, not a fixed schedule of daily stops. Weather, river conditions, group needs and learning opportunities shape the journey.