Dog Camp Activity and Pan for Gold from Skagway
Recommended by 92% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Skagway, USA
- 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Explore White Pass and take a dog sled ride on a tour from Skagway. Head up to 3,292 feet (1,003 meters) of elevation at White Pass and take in views that extend all the way to the Yukon. See towering waterfalls, glaciers, alpine valleys, huge lakes, and snow-capped mountains. Then ride in a dog sled, meet the puppies, and learn about a musher's life in a remote part of Canada. You also pan for gold, hear stories from your guide about the gold rush in Alaska, and have a chance to spot wildlife. Includes activities, transportation, guide, and pickup and drop-off at the ship dock in Skagway.
- White Pass tour from Skagway, Alaska
- See native wildlife in their natural environment
- Enjoy a dogsledding activity and pan for gold
- Admire the alpine scenery, glaciers, and waterfalls
What's Included
- Local guide
- Clean well maintained mini bus
- Breathtaking views
- Good time for all
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Admission Fee - Admission fee
- MealsNo food or drinks are included in the tour. You are welcome to bring snacks or non alcoholic beverages with you on the bus. There are some snacks available for purchase at the dog camp.
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup point
- Skagway Cruise TerminalSkagway, AK 99840, USA
Pickup details
PASSPORTS ARE REQUIRED ON ALL TOURS LEAVING SKAGWAY. Thank you for joining Klondike Tours for your adventure in Skagway, Alaska! Skagway has multiple docks in operation. We will pick up guests at the docks in our tour busses. Please look for the bus marked Klondike Tours, or our representative who will have a sign saying the same at each dock. Please remember your PASSPORTS. There are three steps into the bus. There are no lifts. You will be briefed on cart safety at dog camp. The ground is frequently gravel and uneven. Please wear sturdy shoes. Seat belts are included on the bus.
What To Expect
Make your own way to the meeting point in town prior to departure, then board the 15- to 25-passenger minibus for your tour.
Your guide shares informative commentary as you head to White Pass, stopping when possible to see any wildlife along the way. If you're lucky, you might see bears, sheep, goats, marmots, or other native Alaskan animals. You also pull over to take in thundering waterfalls, historic landmarks, glaciers, alpine valleys, and the 'Welcome to Alaska' sign and the Yukon sign, and visit the gold rush town of Liarsville to pan for gold in their goldfields.
Your sled dog experience includes a ride in a 4-wheeler sled pulled by the dogs. So as not to overtax the dogs, going uphill and downhill the hardworking dogs receive help from the musher. Learn about the art of dogsledding from a Yukon mushing expert, and meet the puppies in the petting yard. Bring your passport for this experience just over the border in a remote part of Canada.
Your tour ends with your choice of drop-off at the original departure point.
Your guide shares informative commentary as you head to White Pass, stopping when possible to see any wildlife along the way. If you're lucky, you might see bears, sheep, goats, marmots, or other native Alaskan animals. You also pull over to take in thundering waterfalls, historic landmarks, glaciers, alpine valleys, and the 'Welcome to Alaska' sign and the Yukon sign, and visit the gold rush town of Liarsville to pan for gold in their goldfields.
Your sled dog experience includes a ride in a 4-wheeler sled pulled by the dogs. So as not to overtax the dogs, going uphill and downhill the hardworking dogs receive help from the musher. Learn about the art of dogsledding from a Yukon mushing expert, and meet the puppies in the petting yard. Bring your passport for this experience just over the border in a remote part of Canada.
Your tour ends with your choice of drop-off at the original departure point.
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- At time of booking passengers must provide your ship name so we know which dock to pick you up.
- Wheelchair accessible
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Vehicles are collapsible wheelchair accessible, passengers must navigate three steps with hand rails on all bus, however the driver is unable to assist passengers boarding and disembarking due to insurance regulations
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
We had an incredible time in Skagway with Chris as our guide! His friendly demeanor and engaging storytelling made the entire experience both fun and informative. He shared fascinating and relevant stories that brought the history of the area to life. The stop at the musher camp was a definite highlight—so unique and exciting! Core memory for sure!
We rode with Michelle and her sled dogs, (she has the coolest relationship with her dogs!) drank water straight from a glacier, and stopped to see a small black bear in nature!
All of this was set against the most breathtaking scenery you could ever imagine. Highly recommend this tour, and especially Chris—he made it unforgettable!
Reviews
4.7
based on 311 reviews
Review summary
Last 12 months
132 reviews
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Travelers praise the knowledgeable and friendly guides for engaging storytelling on Alaska’s history and dog sledding, enhancing the family-friendly experience. Interactions with sled dogs and puppies stand out as memorable activities suitable for all ages. Drivers receive consistent commendation for their safety focus, informative commentary, and well-timed stops that showcase stunning mountain, waterfall, and wildlife scenery. The inclusion of gold panning adds educational variety, contributing to an enjoyable and well-rounded tour.
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Awesome tour! Guide was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. We forgot a bag on the bus and he even came back to our ship to bring it back to us. 10/10 it was great. The kids loved it.
Had a great time! Our tour guide (Chris) was fantastic! Lots of puppies to pet and play with and the dog sled ride was lots of fun. If you like dogs you'll love it!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for your review! Chris will be happy to know you enjoyed their tour!
We had such an amazing experience on the dog sled tour in Skagway! Our bus guide, Ty, was so much fun, very informative, and an excellent driver. The ride to the dog sled camp was beautiful, with incredible scenic views and a couple of stops along the way where we were able to get some amazing photos. Once we arrived at the camp, we got to spend some time with the puppies before heading out on the dog sled, which was definitely a highlight! I also highly recommend staying for the information about the dogs and their lifestyle. It was so interesting to learn about how they live, train, and prepare for their work. We also got a short gold panning tutorial and then got to try it ourselves. We even managed to find a couple of tiny flakes of gold, which was such a fun surprise!
Overall, it was such a fun and memorable experience, and we would absolutely recommend it to anyone visiting Skagway!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for your informative review! Ty will be happy to know you enjoyed their tour!
This was an excellent Alaskan experience. Staff were knowledgeable, friendly and responsive. The dogs were amazing and the dog sled experience is unforgettable. I even took home some gold flakes. Cool!!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for your review! We are glad you had a great time!
Our driver Chris made our dog sled experience absolutely unforgettable! From the moment we arrived, everything was well organized, exciting, and so much fun. The dogs were beautiful, energetic, and clearly loved what they do.
Chris was an amazing driver, very knowledgeable and hilarious. He kept us laughing the whole time while also sharing interesting information and making sure everyone felt comfortable and safe. This was such a unique, beautiful, and memorable experience. If you’re considering a dog sled tour, definitely do it—and if you get Chris as your driver, you’re in for a great time!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for your kind review! Chris will be happy to know you enjoyed their tour!
Hanging out with the puppies, riding the ATV with the dogs pulling it for training, and panning for gold was a great way to spend the afternoon learning what it takes to build a winning team.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for your review! We really appreciate it!
The best part about this was our tour guide Chris! Hands down, the best we've ever had ( and we've had alot). He made the ride to the camp SO MUCH FUN and interesting.
The dog sledding was really fun and we loved interacting with the puppies! Gold panning...ok!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for your kind review! Chris will be glad to know you had a great time!
This was an incredible day! Our tour guide, Chris was amazing. He was so knowledgeable about Alaska and gave a lot of interesting facts throughout the day. He stopped at many spots with incredible views for pictures and even took pictures for each family at each stop. We also stopped at a waterfall which flowed from a glacier and got to taste the fresh water (so good)! The dog sledding was better than I thought it would be. We originally booked a glacier dog sledding but it was cancelled. We booked this last minute and boy were we glad. My daughters and I got to stand up and ride on the back of the 4 wheeler and holy cow the memories we have from that! I will forever remember the giggles from bopping around on the hills, the looks of aw in their faces from the scenery, and the pure excitement! I would definitely recommend this excursion!!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for your kind review! We are so glad you had a great time at dog camp! Chris will be glad to know you had a great time!
This was the funest part of our trip! Wonderful company, and the puppies are adorable! When your on the mush ride stand in the back, and hold on!!"
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the review!
This was a great experience with the kids who could not get enough of the dogs. The “sled” experience was much more fun than expected and riding on the back of the vehicle made it especially exciting
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your review! We appreciate your kind words.
Our guide Ty was great! He was very knowledgeable and friendly, and gave great insights to the different areas. There were several stops on the bus tour to get out and take pictures of the extremely scenic and beautiful areas. My kids enjoyed meeting the sled dogs the most- playing with the puppies and then going on a sledding adventure was the highlight of their trip!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your review! We are glad you had a great time!
This was a well rounded excursion. Though the ride was an hour from port, the views and driver commentary made it all fly by smoothly. The dogs were eager to run/do their job once harnessed. The greatly anticipated puppy time was okay. The puppies were either sleeping or wanted no parts of being held or even pet as I can imagine it is a bit overwhelming/overstimulating for them. Wouldn’t say it was bad, just not what we were hoping for in that aspect. The trail we took was stunning and a good length of time. It was really neat to see the dogs work as a team through the course. Our driver was fine. It’s clear they love working with the dogs over people but that’s also understandable. We got to interact with the dogs for a few moments while the handlers returned them to their waiting area. Panning for gold was interesting though not necessarily something we’d need to do again. It was nice to not feel rushed through the experience. The ride back included picture stops at multiple photo worthy points. All in all we would recommend this others.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your informative review! We appreciate the feedback!
Ty was PHENOMENAL! I cannot write enough good things about him as a driver and a guide. I hope he never lets anyone dim his light and he continues to shine through this job. He has such a good presence about him and you can tell how much he loves his job and connecting with customers. We loved getting to meet the puppies, the working dogs, and Michelle was so cool!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your kind words! Ty will be so glad you enjoyed their tour! Thanks for going to dog camp with us!
Such a beautiful and fun experience! We loved the scenery and the dogs. The sledding was a lot of fun too, we loved all of the excursion!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your kind words! We are glad you enjoyed dog camp!
Unfortunately, if you are looking for authentic dog sledding, this is not the place. If you are looking for dogs that look like the picture posted, you won’t find any here. Disappointed , expensive and not an accurate description of the excursion.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
We are sorry that you did not have a great time on our tour. The dogs that were pulling you are actual Iditarod sled dogs that have competed or currently competing in the races. We are unsure how much more authenticity you are expecting, but we try really hard to give you a quality tour. We are sorry we could not meet your expectations.
This was an incredible experience, from the minute we boarded the shuttle! Our driver, Chris was so knowledgeable about the area & stopped several times along the ride to and from camp to catch amazing views including the train chugging by a waterfall, mountain lakes, and even a bald eagle resting. The sled dog camp was amazing & our kids loved every minute of snuggling puppies & being pulled by sled dogs! We will never forget this incredible adventure!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your lovely review! Chris will be so glad to know you guys had a wonderful time!
Play with puppies. Lots of sled dogs to interact with. Talk to a musher. Pan for gold. Favorite part in all honesty was the tour guide. Ty was very knowledgeable and gave out lots of info about the area.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your review! We appreciate your kind words and Ty will be glad to know you enjoyed their tour!
Would
Would give this a 1 were it not for the guide who was great and made it interesting and fun. You ride 1 1/2 hrs across the border to Canada to a dog sled camp with a few nice sightseeing stops along the way. Once get there you get to pet the puppies and sled dogs. The sled ride is a bunch of dogs properly harnessed attached to an ATV with the motor running and the gas pedal pushed. The dogs just trot in front and don’t have to put an effort into it. What a farce. Last less than 10 min. Gold panning is about 5 min. affair. Ride back with one stop along a lake.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your review. It sounds like this experience was not for you! We apologize for the inconvenience!
You have the opportunity to learn so much about dog sledding and the environment in this area. The drive to the sled dog camp is absolutely beautiful. Our driver and guide, Ty, was amazing. Although, he was admittedly second best to his wife, CJ. Ty’s knowledge and humor made the trip more memorable. If I was younger, Ty would have me convinced to move to Skagway to work for the season. Now, the dogs. Who doesn’t love puppies? But the power of these dogs trying to pull us before we even got started was truly amazing. The dogs pulled us in an ATV and when they got to truly run, we were going about 18 mph. I’m pretty sure they could go faster. The knowledge of every person working at the camp and our guide made our cruise to Alaska truly remarkable. Thank you to Ty, the people at the Tutshi dog sled camp, and Klondike tours for a great experience. Ty- I hope you enjoy your PENcil, it’s refillable with a cheap bic pen ink. ☺️
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for such an amazing review! Ty will be so so glad you had a great time on their tour! Thank you for the information for other guests that are looking to book with us!
We had a great experience, very family, friendly, and our tour guide Ty was just the best. Very knowledgeable and shared lots of information as we drove to the location and back stopped for great scenic pictures. We just loved it and would highly recommend it. Everyone had a great time from the adults down to the olds, and the one year-old. And don’t worry they will get you back to the cruise ship on time.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your kind words! Ty will be glad to know you had a great time!
Pleasant one hour drive, but saw no wildlife. Glacier was off in the far, far distance.
The property was muddy, unkept, with old buildings, and outhouses for the tourists.
I didn’t realize that the dogs are NOT Siberian huskies, but instead simply muts! Having several dogs pull the side-by-side was a crazy experience! This was a very expensive excursion for our family, and quite disappointing .
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your review. We appreciate your feedback. As the dog camp is in rural Canada and run by an actual musher, this is a pretty authentic excursion that we offer! It sounds like this experience was not for you! Sorry about that!
It was great especially for children They had puppies the kids could hold and the ride was great we were fortunate that the person that runs the tour was our guide for the ride so very knowledgeable
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the review! We are so glad you enjoyed dog camp!
Extremely enjoyable. Beautiful drive, loved the dogs and found the mushers talks very informative. Would do it again
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your kind words! We really appreciate it!
CJ the driver/tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. Felt the dog camp could have included a lot more information on the dogs. The sled ride was just ok, not what we were expecting. The mining for gold is a weird addition since you see them put the gold flakes in and know how many you are looking for. Maybe kids would enjoy?? Would skip this excursion.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the information. We are sorry this experience is not what you were expecting.
We had an exceptional time on this tour! Tyler was a wonderful tour guide - friendly, funny, and passionate about Alaska while sharing so much information. A small hiccup at the onset (a non-working microphone) highlighted what sets this company apart: the issue was swiftly resolved with humor and grace. The entire experience, from the drive to the musher's summer camp was delightful. Highly recommended!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your kind review! Tyler will be glad to know you had a good time on their tour!
We traveled with 2 kids, age 7 and 10. This was the Alaskan highlight! We were with CJ who met us promptly at the cruise port. We were in about a 20-passenger van. She narrated along the 1-hour + drive about the Alaskan gold rush, life today in Skagway, nature and wildlife. There were several photo stops. We were fortunate that she spotted a bear and pulled alongside the road so that we could all enjoy. At the dog camp we were able to play with the puppies and attended a brief presentation by one of the trainers about the Iditarod. We met several dogs that had competed in the race. He informed us about the qualities they look for in forming a team of 16 dogs. Then we were able to do a “dog race” along scenic trails used for training the dogs. It was exhilarating!
We had dressed for snow, but in the summer, there was no snow!
We had a fabulous excursion and highly recommend this tour. And, REMEMBER YOUR PASSPORT! The dog camp is in Canada. We had to return to the ship to retrieve ours and were lucky that the tour operator graciously permitted us to participate in a later tour.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your informative review! CJ will be so glad to know you enjoyed her tour! Thanks for the reminder for passports!!!
Wonderful trip! Highly recommend. Our driver was amazing, the dogs were beautiful, the scenery is stunning. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review!
Phenomenal, our guide Chris was amazing. We stopped at several points of interest enroute to and from the Musher Camp. (The train tour does not.) plenty of photo opportunities, waterfalls, the Welcome to Alaska Sign, etc. It was very family friendly. The personnel at the camp were very informative. The puppies were loads of fun and the dog sled ride was incredibly fun. It has our highest recommendation!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your thoughtful review! We are so glad you had a fun time at dog camp with Chris!
As someone who has done a dog sled excursion multiple times, I have something to compare this to…
I did a dog sled summer camp experience a few years ago in Juneau, and was super excited for my first-time Alaska visitor friend to experience this one in Skagway…however, I was super let down.
The whole experience was lackluster compared to the other one (https://www.viator.com/search/62390P4?mcid=70066). The cart in the Juneau experience, although it also had a motor assist, was way cooler and more realistic of an experience than these literal ATVs and had less blind spots that allowed the passengers to see much more of the experience than this one. They only used the motors on the uphills, vs during this Skagway one the ATV was on the whole time. The mushers in Juneau were 10x more friendly and informative throughout the day than this experience (although the musher who gave us the informative talk about the Iditarod was pretty good, funny enough I think he was the same one I had a few years ago in Juneau). It felt like they were annoyed to have us there, we did not feel welcome. In fact we were really rushed through the experience like cattle. The dogs in Juneau seemed much better taken care of than these dogs in Skagway. The drive up to this experience, while beautiful, was way too long (more than an hour each way). It ate up more than half of the experience.
Long story short… Highly suggest checking out the summer camp dog sled experience in Juneau vs booking this one.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hello! Thank you for your review! We will make sure this information gets to dog camp, so they can work on improving their customer service and other aspects of camp. We apologize that this tour was not up your alley.
We had Chris as our tour guide. He was wonderful. This is a really fun well run tour. We felt like the dogs were really well taken care of and you actually got a lot of time with the puppies which is so fun.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your review! Chris will be so happy to know you had a great time!
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per personWas $185.00(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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