Southern Yukon Photography Tour

 

Carcross, YT

I have always wanted to see Canada's North. I went on a photography tour to the Yukon in September. It was a jam-packed, photo-op filled trip! A full five days of fun!

The tour guide was a photographer from Calgary and there were seven women, including me, on the tour. It was a new and fun experience. My first flight and trip since 2019 before the COVID lockdowns.

Carcross is located where Lake Bennett and Nares Lake meet. Originally called Caribou Crossing because this location was where Caribou would cross during their annual migration, this settlement served as an important stop on the Klondike Gold Rush trail.

Bird houses in Carcross, YT

Throughout the village are several unique birdhouses. They are designed as miniatures of actual buildings in the area. These include the Post Office, the Caribou Hotel, St. Saviour's Anglican Church and a few shops.

I had no idea that there was a 'desert' in the Yukon! It is actually a field of sand dunes, but it is called Carcross Desert. This 'desert' was created by a glacial lake that dried up and left sand deposits in the area. Winds from Lake Bennett make it difficult for vegetation to grow and thrive in the area.

It is interesting to see sand that far North!

We checked the skies nightly and our second night we were in luck! We got up at midnight to head out and photograph the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). Our guide stopped at the side of the road and we all got out of the van to watch and experience the show. This was pre-emptive in case the lights were not active by the time we got to our viewing spot.

But, we were in luck again! We stopped at Marsh Lake Campground and set up our cameras. This was my first lesson in photographing the night sky - always check your focus. I found out when I got back to my suite that most of my photos were not in focus! I was very excited to have two photos turn out!

I don't usually get up during the night even if an astrological event is happening. It was worth it, though. Despite the cold, I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to experience the Northern Lights!

The Aurora Borealis

One of the highlights of the trip was taking a flight over the glaciers! It was out of Haines Junction Air Field, in Kluane National Park, in a five seat plane that we took a flight over the ice fields. Wow! It was amazing! We could see all the way to Alaska and the Pacific Ocean. We flew over Mt. Vancouver and Mt. Logan. The glacial ice at the bottom of Mt. Logan is 1 kilometre thick! It was incredible. So pure.

This was by far my favourite experience of the trip!

I almost didn't get any photos, though. I had an extra camera card that I forgot to put into my camera before the flight. I made sure that my camera had a full battery, and that I had the correct settings. I was two minutes up in the plane when I got a message: "Camera card full". What?! Oh my gosh! My camera bag with the extra card was on the ground!

My tour guide, a professional photographer, loaned me his extra card. What a lifesaver! I was prepared to take photos with my iPhone. He was having none of that! So, I have fantastic photos of the ice fields that almost didn't happen.

I was prepared to enjoy the flight, none the less.

That was my second learning experience. Always take your photography equipment with you, even if you know there will be limited space. And change the camera card!

Live and learn.

This tour was in mid-September to allow the experience of Fall colours on full display.

Trees in Autumn colours

This was a fantastic trip! The Yukon is such a special place. It was quiet and there were very few people and vehicles on the highways. The scenery was amazing! I have great memories of fantastic experiences!

~Angie

The Pyramids of Giza

 The Great Pyramid of Giza is one the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one still standing along with three smaller pyramids. Constructed 5000 years ago, the Pyramids of Giza are truly amazing and something to experience. I grew up reading National Geographic magazines and books about the Pyramids. It was truly the trip of a lifetime to be able to travel to Egypt and experience them for myself!

The Pyramids

I traveled to Egypt during low season in July. It was extremely hot - average 45 degrees Celsius! But a plus to those temperatures and low season is that the crowds stay away.

My tour guide always made sure that we did the opposite of what everyone else was doing to avoid the crowds. So, I visited the Pyramids first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds and the heat. There was so much information to take in that I took notes and kept asking questions long after we had left the site.

There are 124 pyramids all over Egypt that were burial tombs for 30 ruling families or dynasties. The Pyramids of Giza are the most famous. These were built for one family - the 4th dynasty so they are from the Old Kingdom. The Great Pyramid was built for Khufu, who was the pharoah. The Second Pyramid was built by his son, Khafre.

It was amazing to be there! Three members of my group decided to go inside the Great Pyramid. Our guide told us that it is very claustrophobic and hot inside that there is nothing much to see. The people who went inside said the same thing.

I decided to stay outside. Most members of my group climbed up to the entrance to look in. The blocks are huge and uneven, so I decided to stay on the ground and just walked up to it and touched a few blocks. It was exciting to be there in person! I touched a piece of history!

I had the opportunity to ride a camel at the Pyramids. I rode from the Great Pyramid to the Second Pyramid. I wasn't securely settled in the seat on my camel so I spent most of the journey trying not to fall off! I did manage to get one photo near the end and the camel guide took a photo of me with the Second Pyramid behind me. It was a very cool experience! I rode a camel at the Pyramids! We went through a quarry, which was interesting.

There is so much history and things to remember about the Pyramids! I took a lot of notes, but it is a lot of information. I highly recommend visiting the Pyramids if you ever get the chance!

~Angie