Tour Arctic

Explore the land that borders on the Arctic Ocean.

Ride across Canada from south to north.

Tour Arctic is part of the Cycle Canada Series, expeditions designed to explore the diversity of the country and its people. With this event, Cycle Canada and Tour du Canada riders will travel through British Columbia and two Canadian Territories, plus having the opportunity to dip a tire or toe in one more ocean.

This tour is the realization of a dream that began more than 10 years ago when we launched a self-guided Trail of '98 ride to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the 1898 rush to discover Gold in Canada's north.

Support in populated and remote wilderness areas

Tour Arctic is a supported tour and accommodation is mainly camping. There will be some indoor stays and two major ocean ferry trips — through British Columbia's Inside Passage and on Alaska's Marine Highway. Cycling will be on paved and unpaved roads. Services in some areas can be minimal and riders will pass through remote areas with spectacular scenery. On most nights we will have hot showers and electricity. There will be some stays in no-service campgrounds and wilderness camps.

Maximum group size of 18 to 20 riders.

For the fourth annual ride we will be taking up to 18. Please contact us early to register.

To the top of Vancouver Island and two ferry rides

Leaving Vancouver it's a cross-town ride to catch the ferry to Vancouver Island. The first day is a short warm up day and the terrain is gentle.

From Nanaimo we head north to Port Hardy and travel by ferry through the spectacular Inside Passage to northern British Columbia. After some rest and relaxation time on the B.C. ferry and a day off in Prince Rupert, we'll take an Alaska ferry to sail deep into the land of the Midnight Sun, where nights are very short at that time of year.

The Yukon and the Trail of '98

On our second leg of the tour we cross the Coast Mountains at White Pass and on this day we'll climb 1000 metres over a distance of 18 km. Our route parallels the Trail of '98 used by would-be prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush.

Our first overnight in the Yukon is at the historic town of Carcross (shortened from Caribou Crossing). From there it is a half day ride to Whitehorse and an afternoon to explore this fun and historic town. Then it is on to Dawson, passing through the Selkirk First Nation and land of the Ta'an Kwäch'än. Dawson was the boom town during the gold rush and we'll have a rest day there.

The Dempster Highway

Leaving Dawson City in the Yukon we follow the Dempster Highway to Inuvik - in the Northwest Territories. The Dempster Highway is an unpaved road that stretches 734 km (456 miles) through Arctic wilderness to reach the delta of the Mackenzie River. Along the highway we travel through the Gwich'in land, and cross the Arctic Circle. The route includes two short ferry rides, crossing the Peel River and the MacKenzie where it is joined by the Arctic Red River. There are few services along the route and the riding is extremely challenging. Daily distances for this portion of the trip are reduced. Most nights for this portion of the tour are wilderness camping but you will have full support from our wilderness guide.

The Dempster and tour ends in Inuvik, where riders have a celebratory dinner before going their separate ways. Inuvik is the end of the road going north but an option from there is a short flight to Tuktoyaktuk on the shore of the Arctic Ocean.

Included in your Tour Arctic package:

Pre-Trip

• Trip preparation guide, including training tips, route and routine overviews and safety information.
• Half-day trip orientation on the first day of the schedule.

Meals and Accommodation

• Pre-booked accommodation.
• Mainly camping.
• Camping is in private serviced or government campgrounds and unserviced remote sites.
• Some indoor stays at university residences, hotels, motels and ferry cabins.
• Double accommodation with some single.
• At two or three locations we may need to put 3 or more in dorm or motel rooms due to limited availability.
• Some single accommodation available as a suppemental cost.
• Support staff to drive support vehicle, deliver bags
• Meals included are prepared by our staff including dinners and hot breakfasts on riding days.
• A make-your-own lunch, fruit and snacks will be available to take with you on riding days.
• There will be some additional meals, including on the B.C. ferry and a group celebration dinner in Inuvik.

Route Support

• Daily maps and route instructions.
• Head office toll free telephone and Skype assistance.
• Support vehicle to carry your gear.
• The support vehicle is equipped with power outlets for charging phones and computers and for pumping up sleeping mats at locations where we have power.
• Riders have individual storage shelves for gear. There is a fridge, coffee maker, shelter tent, tool kit and floor pump on the vehicle.
• Ferry fees are included.
• CycleCanada water bottle, safety triangle to wear while riding.
• Support staff, cook and driver.
• Full tool kit and work stand on support vehicle.
• Additional support from licensed wilderness guide in remote sections.
• Full tool kit and work stand on support vehicle.

It is a requirement of participation on Tour Arctic that during certain stretches of the tour, participants must ride in groups of 3-4 riders. Solo riding will not be permitted during these times.

Join us for the Tour Arctic Bicycle Tour

We are pleased to announce our dates and fees for 2013.

Please check availability on our tours before registering.

• Vancouver, B.C. to Inuvik, NWT
• Dates: July 15 to August 9, 2013
• Fee: $4,150.00
• Single Supplement: $140.00 (*see note below)
• Deposit: $1,000.00

Fees are per person in Canadian funds

Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) is in addition to above fees. A discount on this tax applies to non-residents of Canada.

We recommend you obtain travel, medical and personal insurance.

Please read our policy statement for Cycle Canada events: Policies

You'll find information on other great cycling tours in Canada here: Cycle Canada Events.

*Single room option may be limited. Nights in Vancouver and Inunvik are single rooms and included in fee. The supplement is for other nights where we stay indoors. We are not able guarantee private bathrooms. Accommodation on Alaska ferry is two to a cabin, we regret we can not offer single cabins

What to bring on Tour Arctic:

A Bike and Enthusiasm

• A bike in good working order, a flexible attitude and enthusiasm!
• Tour Arctic is planned for paved and upaved roads. Please read the FAQ on Tour Arctic for further details on choice of bicycles: Tour Arctic FAQ.
• For camping nights, a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and a pillow.
• Mess kit (cup, plate, bowl, eating utensils). Participants bring mess kits and are only responsible for cleaning their own kits.

Personal Items

• Don't forget a tool kit, just in case you have a flat or other minor mechanical problem. If your bike has unique and difficult to find parts you may wish to bring spare parts – please check with us.
• A helmet, water bottles, sunscreen, insect repellent and a rain gear in case of inclement weather.
• Cash for lunches, munchie stops and meals on rest days and ferry days.
• Personal items such as camera, identification (passport or other acceptable document for travel into the U.S.), cycling and aprés cycling clothes

Luggage and Bike Boxes

• Travelling light is a good plan
• Cycle Canada has no official limit on transporting your daily luggage. We aim to have tenting sites close to the truck but this is not always possible. So, keep in mind that you may need to carry your bags at times.
• One area where we do have constraints is taking hard shell bike cases. Some soft shelled bike cases may not present a problem. We generally can transport Bike Friday Cases on the assumption that box is used as storage for the cyclist's gear. If you need to bring a bike case please let us know, we'll assist with advice so you can make arrangements. If you have special logistical issues, such as travelling from overseas, please let us know. We'll do what we can to help.

Proudly Canadian

Cycle Canada, The Veloforce Corporation is a Canadian company that organizes cycling activities. It is owned by Bud & Margot Jorgensen. Bud is a long-time recreational cyclist and founder of Tour du Canada. Our operations are located in Alliston, Ontario, just north of Toronto.

We have been organizing affordable supported cycling expeditions and vacations throughout Canada since 1987.

Cycling in Canada

We believe that Canada is the best place in the world to go for a bike ride.

Our primary focus is to offer an enjoyable cycling experience. We encourage participants in our events to ride at their own pace and to join us with the goal of completing their tour by bicycle. We believe they will enjoy a cycling trip more in groups where they get to know other riders and share the pleasure of travelling as cycle tourists.

Read more about the management of Cycle Canada here: About Us.

Our Pledge to You

Participants in our events have a right to expect that Cycle Canada, as organizers, and its staff will make all reasonable efforts to ensure that riders complete their ride and are enriched by the cycling experience. We hope that each rider will find companionship in, and be tolerant of other members of the group and help to make the trip a memorable and positive experience for all riders.