Chilkoot Tours Skagway

[tinytinkmom]

After reading some wonderful reviews, we are planning on booking the "Discover the Yukon" bus excursion with Chilkoot Tours out of Skagway this summer... However, we are stuck on whether to book the excursion with the optional dogcart experience, or without. The dogcart experience is an additional $140 for our family of 4, and is only a 15 minute ride. If anyone has done this, was it worth it? It looks like you can see the sled dogs and puppies even if you don't book the dogcart experience... Just wondering if it's a "WOW", once-a-lifetime cool thing, or just so-so...

 

[gotomu212]

I would say skip it. It was 10-15 minutes max when we did it and it was very hot so the dogs were being held back and had to stop twice to drink cool off during it. They told us that due to the heat that month they really couldn't run the dogs much.

Other than that we loved Chilkoot tours! Their drivers were fantastic, the dog camp/BBQ was a little blah, but everything else was amazing

 

[jenf22]

We thought it was a "wow" excursion. We loved the dog cart ride. We went in September so it wasn't hot. We all laughed through the whole ride. It was great.

 

[ahain]

We did the dog cart, and as PPs have said, it is fun, but not really a "WOW." I think DD (18) had more fun with the puppies than on the dog cart ride.

 

[OrcaPotter]

I did this tour with the train on the way up, bus down, with the dog kart ride in 2013. It was worth every penny. We only did 2 excursions on our cruise, both booked direct with the companies, to cut costs. Alaska excursions are very expensive but incredible... We loved the dog kart ride! We even had a baby bear run across the path. Doing a traditional dog sled ride was way too expensive, so this met our needs. I'd say it's worth the extra $140 for sure.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

We are also using Chilkoot in August and doing the bus only Yukon Adventure and did not add the dog sledding for the exact reasons you mentioned (expensive and very limited time). I didn't feel for *us* the payoff was worth the reward in this situation but of course YMMV

Heather

 

[GatorMomInNC]

We did bus up, train back with the dog cart. Dog cart was interesting, the driver told us a lot about the dogs and sledding. Dogs are VERY loud as you are waiting to get on. My son, who is dog-crazy, literally didn't want to leave the puppies and I was afraid we were going to miss the bus. There are also llamas and goats to pet. If I did it again I wouldny do the cart, just so my son could spend all his time with the puppies, but I don't regret doing it because it is an experience I probably won't have again.

The scenery, especially on the train, is amazing.

 

[richkaryn]

WE are doing the bus only in June and added the dog cart.....and not doing the dog cart in Juneau. we figured, yes it's a shorter ride but same type of experience so rather pay a little more on this excursion and save the money we would have spend doing separately in Juneau.
(I REALLY want to do the helicopter/glacier/dogsled in Juneau but DH about had a heart attack when I showed him the cost. )

 

[nycdisneygal]

We are also using Chilkoot in August and doing the bus only Yukon Adventure and did not add the dog sledding for the exact reasons you mentioned (expensive and very limited time). I didn't feel for *us* the payoff was worth the reward in this situation but of course YMMV

Heather

WE are doing the bus only in June and added the dog cart.....and not doing the dog cart in Juneau. we figured, yes it's a shorter ride but same type of experience so rather pay a little more on this excursion and save the money we would have spend doing separately in Juneau.
(I REALLY want to do the helicopter/glacier/dogsled in Juneau but DH about had a heart attack when I showed him the cost. )

How was the bus only? Am considering it over bus and rail...

 

[richkaryn]

How was the bus only? Am considering it over bus and rail...

We enjoyed it.....We have a railroad that runs train trips just over an hour from us, so we've ridden one like that before. We figured you'd be more limited as to what you "see" (trees/mountain) vs more you can see on the road, which runs almost parallel with the railroad. We got to stop for a lot of photo opportunities, saw 2 groups of bears very close range, and on the way back there was only one other family on the bus with us.
We did the one that included lunch at the trading post and added on the "summer" dog cart, which knowing what I know now I wouldn't do again because we almost didn't get to do it. They had so many scheduled and we waited well past our scheduled time and there was no organization to it whatsoever-just people with stickers with a time but they had more people than cart space during those times, no real "line' because they were just pulling out people to fill sleds, and our bus was going to be leaving. We managed to get on a cart for the 6-7 minute lap and make it back to the bus with a minute to spare. He started to leave another family because they weren't on the bus by the time he said but they came running up as he started to pull out. (which is understandable because some people had a train to catch and he had to have them to the station on time.)

 

[nycdisneygal]

We enjoyed it.....We have a railroad that runs train trips just over an hour from us, so we've ridden one like that before. We figured you'd be more limited as to what you "see" (trees/mountain) vs more you can see on the road, which runs almost parallel with the railroad. We got to stop for a lot of photo opportunities, saw 2 groups of bears very close range, and on the way back there was only one other family on the bus with us.
We did the one that included lunch at the trading post and added on the "summer" dog cart, which knowing what I know now I wouldn't do again because we almost didn't get to do it. They had so many scheduled and we waited well past our scheduled time and there was no organization to it whatsoever-just people with stickers with a time but they had more people than cart space during those times, no real "line' because they were just pulling out people to fill sleds, and our bus was going to be leaving. We managed to get on a cart for the 6-7 minute lap and make it back to the bus with a minute to spare. He started to leave another family because they weren't on the bus by the time he said but they came running up as he started to pull out. (which is understandable because some people had a train to catch and he had to have them to the station on time.)

THANKS!!!

 

[jetskigrl]

After reading some wonderful reviews, we are planning on booking the "Discover the Yukon" bus excursion with Chilkoot Tours out of Skagway this summer... However, we are stuck on whether to book the excursion with the optional dogcart experience, or without. The dogcart experience is an additional $140 for our family of 4, and is only a 15 minute ride. If anyone has done this, was it worth it? It looks like you can see the sled dogs and puppies even if you don't book the dogcart experience... Just wondering if it's a "WOW", once-a-lifetime cool thing, or just so-so...

How old are your kids? When we did the trip in 2014 (me, my Mom and my two kids), my Mom and I opted to sit it out but the kids did the dogcart experience. Both loved it and said it was the highlight of the excursion. So if they are old enough, maybe just have the kids do that part.

If you choose not to do it, you can still see the puppies (they are in a separate pen that you can go inside and visit with them).