The Yukon on a Tight Budget

The territory eats budgets fast, but $50 a day is possible if you camp, drive your own vehicle, and cook — here’s the maths.

Keeping costs down

A low-cost Yukon trip comes down to where you sleep, how you eat and how far you drive.

The distances do most of the damage to a Yukon budget, and fuel is the cost you can't avoid. Where you sleep and how you eat decide the rest.

Sleeping and eating

Camping is the obvious place to start. Yukon government campgrounds charge a nightly fee, and firewood is included, so you can have a fire without buying a bundle. Most campgrounds are open in summer, and Yukon.ca has current fees and dates.

When you want a roof, a shower or a laundry day, the Yukon has a few places that suit a low budget. - In Whitehorse, Beez Kneez is a hostel with a shared kitchen and laundry facilities. - Also in Whitehorse, the 98 Hotel on Wood Street has clean, affordable rooms with shared bathrooms. - In Dawson City, the Dawson City River Hostel sits across the river from town, with private cabins, shared rooms and tent sites. The George Black Ferry runs in summer, so ask the hostel how to get there. The Bunkhouse downtown has simple rooms, some with shared bathrooms. Availability and seasons change, so check with each place directly.

For food, a cooler and a camp stove go a long way. Superstore and the Independent carry basic supplies in Whitehorse, and cooking your own meals leaves more room for the things worth paying for.

What you’ll skip

On a tight budget, you will probably skip aurora tours, flightseeing and sit-down restaurants. Skipping the aurora tour does not mean skipping the aurora, though. You can drive out to a darker spot away from town lights and watch on your own when the sky cooperates, and nothing is guaranteed. But some of the best things in the Yukon are free: hiking Grey Mountain or Miles Canyon, driving the North Klondike Highway, and swimming at Kookatsoon Lake, a day-use site with a small sandy beach and no lifeguard.

Winter changes the picture. Campgrounds close for the winter, so winter trips usually cost more, because you would need a hotel.

Questions, answered

Can I hitchhike?

Hitchhiking is not illegal in the Yukon, and people do it on the Alaska and Klondike highways in summer. Legal does not mean safe. It carries risk, rides can be slow and traffic is thin in places, so personal discretion is required.

Is tap water safe?

Tap water in the Yukon is treated and safe to drink. At campgrounds, look for signs saying the water is potable. Treat water from creeks and lakes before drinking it, because giardia, sometimes called beaver fever, can spoil an otherwise great trip.

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