Overland Yukon

You climb down the ladder of your rooftop tent and pour a coffee from the camp stove while scanning the verdant plateau stretched to the horizon, a single gravel ribbon of highway beckoning you to follow it north into the Yukon’s vast outdoors.

Ach ja, Kanada. Eine nicht ganz so unbekannte Schönheit, zumindest insofern, dass es für eines meiner Sehnsuchtsziele reicht. Vor ein paar Tagen habe ich die Ve...rlängerung für das Arbeitsvisum beantragt und trotz des zurzeit Nicht-Dort-Seins bin ich sehr froh, dennoch in Erinnerung schwelgen zu können. Was folgt, ist ein kleines Hätte-Wäre-Wenn-Spiel. Mit vielen Konjunktiven hätte der Plan der letzten Monate nämlich folgendermaßen ausgesehen: Mitte April hätten wir unseren VW Bus in Halifax vom Hafengelände holen können. Danach wären wir für ein paar Wochen im Osten Kanadas geblieben, hätten die Landschaft erkundet und uns sicherlich mal wieder in die Natur verliebt. Weiter wäre es zu Freunden in die USA gegangen, für ein paar Tage, mit Wanderungen in den Bergen. Danach sollte es auf direktem Weg in den Yukon gehen, wo ich vor 2 Jahren ein kleines Stück Herz verloren habe. Das Ziel wäre der Dempster Highway gewesen, eine rund 800km lange Schotterpiste, bis nach Inuvik und danach weiter nach Tuktoyaktuk ans Nordpolarmeer. Gerade jetzt wären wir wohl wieder auf dem Rückweg gewesen. Auf diesen Abschnitt der Reise habe ich mich besonders gefreut, da ich knapp 100km der Straße schon gefahren bin und damals der tiefe Wunsch in mir aufkam, dort noch einmal entlang zu fahren - halt nur noch viel weiter gen Norden. Die erste Idee war tatsächlich eine Tour mit meinem Moped, schlussendlich wäre es doch der Van geworden. An diesem Punkt endet dann aber die Planung, der Rest des Jahres sollte dem Zufall überlassen werden. Nun ja, es ist, wie es ist. Eine andere Reise wird es jetzt also, ein Roadtrip Richtung Osten, das Baltikum ist die Alternative. Und ich freue mich schon meeega darauf! Wann es losgeht? Bereits vor ein paar Stunden. :D Cheers auf dieses unfassbar schöne Leben und liebe Grüße aus Polen. Welche Kompromisse musstet ihr bei eurer Roadtripplanung machen? Plan B? Abgesagt? Verschoben? Traum geplatzt? Alles beim Alten? (PS: Falls ihr nächstes Jahr eine Reise in den Yukon plant, dann möchte ich euch unbedingt einen Camper von Overland Yukon empfehlen - aus Überzeugung.)

When you start a business, it becomes your baby. Once it enters your life, its always there. You nurture it, care for it, help it grow and one day, it'll take care of itself. The work put in is tireless, but always worth it. Covid-19 has been the biggest challenge we’ve faced and it’s taking a toll on us. Social media is normally a highlight reel of good times but this post is about fighting for survival. Tourism in the Yukon practically vanished overnight. At the onset of th...e Coronavirus lock-downs in March, we took it day by day, telling clients we’d work with them until things became clearer. As time went by, the uncertainty of travel in 2020 grew. And that’s when the cancellations started pouring in. Being a small and relatively new business, we take 25% deposits for travel reservations. This deposit allows us to forecast the year and helps with operational cash flow during the off-season. We immediately felt the pinch as refunds outpaced new bookings 100-1. The current travel restrictions have starved our business from clients we need to stay alive. We’ve hosted travelers from all over the world. Today, the Yukon remains in a state of emergency with closed territorial borders. Our clients are limited to residents of the Yukon and just recently, BC (July 1st). The impact of this cant be put into to words. And we’re not alone in this fight. Every tourism operator in the Yukon is feeling this. Our partners and competitors. Once September comes around, we may see local shops start to close their doors. But our story doesn’t end here. We’re doing everything we can to provide people with an Overland Yukon experience in 2020 and beyond. We’re researching and exploring things like eco friendly tourism, guided trips and northern lights tours. We’re looking at different ways we can showcase the Yukon, its people and its culture to the world. We may be down but we’re not out. We miss our friends from across Canada, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, the US and around the globe. We thank everyone who has supported us in the past and plans to support us in the future. We will be here when the world is ready to travel again. #overlandyukon #exploreyukon

Did you get your copy? We were featured in the Spring 2020 issue of Explore Magazine.

Tired of doing house work every weekend? We're giving away a TWO-NIGHT CAMPING TRIP in one of our Jeep Overland rentals with all inclusive camping gear & rooftop tent. Head over to our Instagram page to enter! https://www.instagram.com/p/CBeYwesn791/

You heard it here - Kathleen Lake Campground is opening on Monday, June 22nd! Campers will need to plan carefully and be as self-sufficient as possible: Bri...ng all your own water Practice excellent hygiene Follow territorial health recommendations regarding physical distancing and group sizes (one bubble per site) So check your packing list twice and make sure you’ve got lots of soap and hand sanitizer! But then it’ll be all paddling, hiking, and relaxing around the campfire Fires will be allowed in established rings at each campsite and at the Kathleen Lake Day Use area. Please note - a Fire Ban remains in effect for all other areas of the park. Please check our COVID-19 information page for complete updates and planning info: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/yt/kluane/visit/covid-19-info See more

We’ve got a real treat for you today, @abbydells takes us to the Yukon to find mountain biking gold! Read the whole feature today on dirt rag mag.com! @ Yukon Territory Canada. https://dirtragmag.com/articles/road-to-gold

Unlike many parts of Canada, our borders are closed to non-essential travel and non-residents. Why is that? Well, our healthcare infrastructure is small, like o...ur population, so any COVID-19 outbreak would unduly strain our system. We miss our visitors, that feeling isn't on hold. But for now, a trip here is. #exploreyukonlater See more

Starting today, we are happy to be able to offer day use of some of our lakes and trails in Kluane National Park and Reserve! As we welcome you back we are ask...ing visitors to be cautious and conservative in their use of these places, as we are currently at a reduced capacity to perform rescues. For detailed safety information please go to our website: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/yt/kluane/securite-safety And for information about which trails and facilities are currently open and closed, please go to our COVID-19 information page with the latest information you need to know about your visit : https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/yt/kluane/visit/covid-19-info See more

Yukon Bird watching 101

Things are on pause at the moment but the beautiful places, people and tales of adventure will be here waiting for you when it is safe again. <3 #exploreyukon

Travel into the Yukon where nature prevails over crowds and wildlife outnumber people. Starting out in Whitehorse, Yukon, this trip is shot through Carcross, Haines Junction, Kluane National Park, Dawson City and the Dempster Highway.

Travelling to the Yukon this summer? Check out our Facebook Group Overland Yukon Roadtrips to plan, connect and ask questions about your trip. Its an open group to allow guests to provide feedback and plan future travel routes.