Arctic Day: Yukon Wildlife & Hot Springs Tour | half day

Wildlife first, hot springs later: Yukon gets it right. This five-hour outing pairs the Yukon Wildlife Preserve with a relaxing soak at Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs, with hotel pickup and return to Whitehorse. I like the easy transport and the useful mix of education and relaxation. I also like the small-group format, capped at 20 people, which can make the ride and guide time feel more personal.

The main drawback is value. At $195.91 per person, this is not a cheap way to spend an afternoon, especially if you mainly want a quick look at animals. The preserve is a rescue and conservation site rather than a wild-animal safari, and some animals may be hiding. Bring water, and remember that towels and sandals cost extra or must be supplied by you.

Quick take: what matters most

• Two very different stops: You get 1 hour and 45 minutes at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve, followed by two hours at Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs.
• Simple Whitehorse transport: Pickup and drop-off are provided at The Sternwheeler Hotel & Conference Centre.
• A small group helps: The maximum is 20 people, a useful size for questions and a smoother ride.
• The hot springs are the crowd-pleaser: The springs received especially warm praise, with one visitor calling them an incredible part of the day.
• Plan for the basics: Water, a towel, and sandals are not all provided, so pack carefully.
• Adults only: The minimum age is 19, and the tour is offered in English, sometimes with a multilingual guide.

How the five-hour Yukon outing works

This is a half-day trip from Whitehorse, but the timing deserves a close look. The meeting point is The Sternwheeler Hotel & Conference Centre at 201 Wood Street, with the tour listed to start at 1:30 pm. The detailed schedule gives a 1:50 pm start at the meeting point, so you should confirm the exact pickup time when booking and be ready early.

The afternoon schedule is well chosen. You see animals first, while you are still alert and interested in walking around. Then you spend two hours at Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs, where the pace slows and the day becomes more restful.

Hotel pickup and drop-off add real value if you do not have a car. You avoid arranging a separate taxi or rental vehicle, and the tour ends back at the starting point. The ride is also a practical way to reach both sites without spending your limited Whitehorse time working out local transport.

The vehicle is described in one favorable account as comfortable, and the drive was considered easy. That matters in the Yukon, where the appeal is partly in the scenery along the way. Still, this is a guided transfer rather than a scenic road trip with frequent viewpoints, so do not book it expecting a full sightseeing drive.

Yukon Wildlife Preserve: a thoughtful animal visit

The first major stop is the Yukon Wildlife Preserve, where you have about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Admission is included, and the visit is guided by a local bilingual guide.

The preserve is designed around native Yukon animals and includes large enclosures. One enclosure has cliffs for mountain goats to climb. The moose area includes wetlands and is large enough to give the animals room to behave naturally. Those details matter because the experience is less like spotting a wild animal from a distant roadside and more like learning about animals that need care in a protected setting.

The preserve primarily houses rescue animals, and that gives the visit a clear purpose. You are not simply looking at creatures behind small barriers. You are seeing animals cared for in spaces intended to suit their needs as much as possible. The trade-off is that the animals may be spread out or out of sight.

That trade-off is important. Lynx and foxes were not visible during one visit, and you should expect that possibility. This is not a guarantee of close-up sightings, and it is not a conventional wildlife drive through open country. If your main goal is to photograph every species, the price may feel high when an animal stays hidden.

I would approach the preserve as an educational animal-care visit. The guide can add context about the animals and help you notice details you might miss on your own. Several accounts praised the guides for being kind, informative, and good at making the stop enjoyable. One solo participant especially appreciated the caring and funny nature of the two guides on the outing.

There is one practical caution about language. The tour is offered in English, but it may be operated by a multilingual guide. The company describes its guides as bilingual, and some people have found the explanations useful and informative. Still, if clear English commentary is essential for you, confirm the language arrangements before booking.

The 1 hour and 45 minutes is a sensible amount of time. It gives you room to walk through the preserve without turning the stop into an all-day commitment. One positive account described the timing as just right, while another called the preserve beautiful and worth the time.

Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs: the relaxing half

After the preserve, you get two hours at Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs. Admission is included, so you do not need to budget a second entrance fee. This is the part of the outing that gives the day its balance.

The hot springs received the strongest praise in the available comments. People described them as incredible and a big wow, and the stop clearly helped turn an ordinary animal visit into a more memorable afternoon. Two hours gives you enough time to slow down rather than rush through a short soak.

You need to bring your own towel and sandals. They are specifically excluded from the price, so do not assume the admission covers every item you need at the pools. Water is also worth packing. One person found the day long enough to wish the tour information had clearly advised bringing water.

The hot springs are particularly useful after walking around the preserve. You can finish the wildlife portion with a change of pace instead of adding another active stop. For anyone who enjoys alternating sightseeing with rest, the order works well.

Keep in mind that the hot springs are not an optional extra. They are a major part of the tour, and you should be comfortable spending two hours there. If you would rather have more time in town or want a wildlife-only outing, this package may not suit you.

The guide and group size

The tour includes a local bilingual guide, which gives you more than transportation between two admission sites. A good guide can explain the preserve’s purpose, point out animal features, manage timing, and answer questions during the drive.

The strongest comments praise guides who were kind, funny, prompt, and informative. That personal attention is one of the better reasons to book a guided version instead of arranging your own visit. A small group can also make pickup and drop-off less awkward and help you get answers without shouting across a large bus.

The stated maximum is 20 people. That is small enough to feel manageable, though not necessarily intimate. The actual group may be smaller, but you should plan for a shared outing rather than a private tour.

Guide quality can vary, as it can on any group experience. The tour may be operated by a multilingual guide, and one less-satisfied account felt that the English explanations were hard to follow. If detailed narration is your main reason for paying the tour price, ask about the guide language before you commit.

Is $195.91 a fair price?

At $195.91 per person, this is a premium half-day activity. The fee includes hotel pickup and return, a local bilingual guide, admission to the Yukon Wildlife Preserve, and admission to Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs.

That package can make sense if you value convenience. You are paying for transport, coordination, admissions, and a planned pairing of two Whitehorse-area attractions. A comfortable vehicle and a guide who adds useful information can save you time and planning effort.

The value is less convincing if you only want the preserve. The preserve visit lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes, and the animals may not all be visible. One dissatisfied account felt that the preserve could be visited independently for far less, and that is a fair comparison to keep in mind.

The hot springs change the calculation. Since both admissions are included, the tour is not simply a costly transfer to a single attraction. You are buying a full afternoon with two distinct stops. I would consider the price easier to justify for a first visit to Whitehorse, a solo visitor without a car, or anyone who prefers a ready-made plan.

For two people, the total rises quickly. Two tickets cost about $391.82 before any personal extras such as towels, sandals, drinks, or food. If you have access to a car and are comfortable arranging admissions yourself, compare that cost with an independent visit before booking.

Who will enjoy this afternoon most?

I would recommend this tour to you if you want a compact introduction to two popular experiences outside Whitehorse. It suits solo visitors especially well because hotel pickup, transport, and a shared group remove much of the planning work.

It also fits adults who like a gentler schedule. The wildlife preserve provides walking and learning, while the hot springs give you time to rest. The minimum age of 19 makes this an adults-only outing.

You may want another plan if your priority is seeing wildlife in the wild. The preserve provides protected habitats and rescue care, but it cannot promise that every animal will appear. You should also look elsewhere if you want a low-cost zoo-style visit or if you do not enjoy hot springs.

The tour can work for first-time Yukon visitors who want structure. It is less useful for repeat visitors who already know the preserve and hot springs and can arrange their own transport.

What to pack and how to prepare

Arrive early at The Sternwheeler Hotel & Conference Centre. Because the stated start times differ slightly, confirm whether pickup is at 1:30 pm or 1:50 pm and do not cut it close.

Pack these basics:

• Drinking water
• A towel
• Sandals
• Comfortable clothing for walking
• Anything you need for a two-hour hot springs visit

Admission to both stops is included, but towels and sandals are not. The supplied information does not list a meal, so plan around the afternoon schedule rather than assuming food is provided.

Confirmation is issued at booking. Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund, and the tour requires a minimum number of participants to operate.

My verdict on this Whitehorse tour

You should book the Yukon Wildlife and Hot Springs Tour if convenience, a small shared group, and a balanced afternoon matter more to you than finding the lowest possible price. The hot springs are the strongest part of the package, while the preserve adds a worthwhile look at Yukon animals in spacious, care-focused settings.

I would hesitate if you mainly want guaranteed animal sightings or if you have a car and prefer to pay admission directly. The $195.91 price is easiest to defend when you use the included transport, guide, and both admissions.

For a first Whitehorse visit, I like the pairing. You get a meaningful animal stop, a relaxing finish, and no need to manage the driving. Just bring water, towel, and sandals, confirm the pickup time, and treat the preserve as a conservation visit rather than a wild safari.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at The Sternwheeler Hotel & Conference Centre, Trademark by Wyndham, at 201 Wood Street in Whitehorse, Yukon.

What time does the tour start?

The meeting information gives a 1:30 pm start, while the detailed schedule states 1:50 pm. Confirm the exact pickup time when booking and arrive early.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately five hours.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Hotel pickup and drop-off from Whitehorse are included, and the activity ends back at the meeting point.

How long do you spend at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve?

You spend about 1 hour and 45 minutes at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve.

How long do you spend at Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs?

The hot springs portion lasts about two hours.

Are admission fees included?

Yes. Admission to the Yukon Wildlife Preserve and Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs is included.

Are towels and sandals provided?

No. Towels and sandals are not included, so you should bring your own.

Who can take this tour?

The minimum age is 19. Most people can participate, and the group maximum is 20 participants.