Imagine yourself immersed in a landscape so wild, and a silence so serene..that you'll never want to leave.. Whether you're cresting the rise of a mountain ridge - following centuries old trails worn by the hooves of caribou. Or paddling through crystal clear waters, over river stones of rainbow colours. A Sila sojourn is about connecting - to place and to self.

    SILA is an Inuit word for nature and free spiritedness, and signifies the life essence of all things. It is also a Sanskrit word, referring to moral conduct, and is the cornerstone upon which the Buddhist Eight-Fold Path is built, a path that can lead us to nirvana. It is a word which reflects the philosophy of Sila Sojourns. Through travelling in the wilderness in a respectful and reverent way, we are able to connect to this life essence, both within ourselves and within the world around us.

    Sila Sojourns specializes in providing quality wilderness experiences in the Yukon Territory as well as northern British Columbia, with a focus on natural and cultural history interpretation, creative expression and spiritual insight. Whether we are travelling on foot or by boat, on land or water, we can accomodate interests in wilderness exploration, wildlife observation, and wilderness skills development. Our trips are designed to combine this opportunity to explore wild and spectacular northern landscapes, with time for personal reflection and inspiration. Even though all of our journeys are activity-oriented, some incorporate practices that help deepen our connection to the natural world. These may include creative writing, nature photography, painting, meditation, yoga, music, shaman journeying, healing practices and focused discussions. As well we offer occasional wilderness retreats that focus primarily on a creative or spiritually-oriented theme.

    Sila Sojourns also specializes in custom-designed trips, with ready -made groups of friends or family. We can put together itineraries that involve running pristine rivers , paddling glacier-fed lakes, hiking rugged mountains, and skiing Yukon's exquisite winter landscape. We have twenty years experience paddling some of the Territory's wildest rivers and lakes ( including the Firth, Alsek, Tatshenshini, Wind, Snake and Bonnet Plume Rivers, and Atlin and Kusawa Lakes), and hiking and back-country skiing in remote mountain ranges throughout the Territory (including Ivvavik and Kluane National Parks and Tombstone Territorial Park).

    Sila Sojourns was founded in 1992 by Jill Pangman and Joyce Majiski. They were each guiding for Ecosummer Yukon Expeditions at the time, a well established adventure tour company. Both wildlife biologists and avid outdoors-women, they found that Ecosummer's focus on natural history interpretation suited them, as did the pristine nature of the locations they were guiding in. They also found, however, that they wanted to lead trips that had a slower pace and a somewhat different style, one more conducive to self-reflection and creative expression. They felt that these sojourns could nurture a more profound connection to the natural world, as well as have the potential to be truly transformative for people. And they understood, through their own experience, how it is only through intimate contact with nature that we come to appreciate just how precious our world is, and the deep kinship we have with all life.

    Jill says: "My passion for wilderness and wildlife, as well as for people, has been the strongest influence in my life. I have traveled around the world exploring different ecosystems and cultures, yet I have chosen the Yukon to be my home. Increasingly I find that everything I seek is literally on my doorstep. Guiding in the Yukon allows me to share my knowledge and feelings about a landscape and a way of life that I genuinely love."
Click here to see Jill Pangman's biography.

    Joyce adds: "I have made my life a balance between being a wilderness guide, an artist, and a biologist. One of the joys of my life is being active outdoors and especially in the Yukon wilderness. Experiencing remote landscapes and seeing wildlife is integral to my sense of well-being as well as my creativity. Much of my artwork has been inspired by this, and reflects the deep connection I feel to this land"
Click here to see Joyce Majiski's biography.