Dog Sledding Sweden: Nature Travels Dogsledding Tours in Sweden

Dog Sledding FAQs

Dog sledding in Sweden is a unique experience, and one of our most popular winter activities. We’ve collected the answers to questions our clients commonly ask about our range of dog sledding holidays in Sweden. Whether you are an experienced musher or a novice yet to discover the thrills and adventure of dog sledding, we hope that you will find the information helpful to give you an idea of what to expect from your mushing holiday.

Please note that the information below applies to the following dog sledding holidays offered by Nature Travels:

How many dogs are there in a dogsled team?

If you are driving your own sled, you will have 4-5 Alaskan or Siberian Huskies in your dogsled team depending on the tour.

Do novice mushers get to actually control the sled dogs?

Yes, they do. Participants drive their own sled on all our dog sledding experiences (with the exception of Family Husky Sledding Adventure, when your sled will be driven by an experienced local guide, and Discover Dog Sledding in Lapland, where you have the option to share a sled if you prefer). Full instruction will be given from an experienced and knowledgeable local guide and help and advice is always on hand. Usually people become quite confident at handling the sled and the dogs within a day and you should be surprised how quickly you relax and gain confidence.

How fast does a dogsled go?

This depends on snow consistency, weather conditions, the weight carried and of course whether the sled is travelling up or downhill, but generally around 10-15km/hour.

What happens on a “typical” day on a hut-to-hut or winter camping dog sledding tour?

Again, this depends on snow conditions, weather and type of terrain. On a normal dog sledding day during an extended tour you will get up, make a fire, heat water for the dogs, go out and feed the dogs and clear the dog toilet waste. Then you have breakfast, pack everything together, clean out the cabin or break camp, load the sleds and start the journey for the day. During the day, you will stop to have lunch outdoors along the way, perhaps preparing lunch over an open fire. It can be a good idea good to bring sleeping/sitting mats to use to sit on in the snow. When you reach your destination for the day, you will put the dogs on a long wire and if necessary dig a wall of snow for the dogs to protect them from the wind. Depending on facilities and your accommodation for the night, you may need to melt water for the dogs to drink. After feeding and seeing to the dogs, it's time to relax and enjoy your evening - reflecting on the day's adventures with your fellow mushers, preparing and cooking dinner together and maybe even taking a sauna to soothe those tired muscles!

What kind of distance would you expect to cover in a day of dog sledding?

Distance covered varies considerably depending on a number of factors, such as terrain, the weight carried in the sleds, weather conditions, snow consistency and your planned route. Available daylight hours also vary of course depending on the time you wish to go (in Sweden, darkest in December getting gradually lighter until the end of the dog sledding season in April). Typical distance covered is around 25-50km per day.

What is the accommodation like on an extended dog sledding tour?

For Northern Lights Dog Sledding in Lapland and Husky Mountain Expedition in Lapland, accommodation during the tours is in mountain cabins along the route. The cabins offer accommodation of simple but comfortable standard. Typically, mountain cabins have shared sleeping rooms with bunk beds with duvets and facilities for cooking. Some are fairly basic and you heat with wood and melt ice to get water (an important part of the wilderness experience), others are more modern and have facilities such as electricity, shower and sauna. Even though some are fairly simple, all Swedish mountain cabins are generally very comfortable and pleasant places to stay.

Mushing in the the Mountains and Dog Sledding Across Jämtland are camping tours. On these tours, accommodation is wild winter camping along the way - a unique and challenging experience! Dog Sledding and Winter Bushcraft features a mix of cabin and tipi accommodation during the tour.

Do I need to be particularly fit or strong to go dog sledding?

You should be in generally good health and enjoy the outdoors. Some strength is required, particularly when braking the sled when travelling downhill. This is important, as a poorly-controlled sled can overtake and injure the dogs. Apart from Family Husky Sledding Adventure and Discover Dog Sledding in Lapland, in general dog sledding is not suitable for younger children, though for private tours it is often possible to accommodate younger children than on scheduled tours. Please see the "Full Details" PDF file for your chosen experience under "Health requirements/experience" for information on the particular age limits and other requirements for your chosen tour. There is no fixed upper age limit - a number of clients in their 50s and 60s have participated very successfully in challenging extended tours, and the most important thing is a willingness to get involved and work with the sled and dogs. It is of course important that you are comfortable with the physical demands of your chosen tour - if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to ask and we will be very happy to discuss the most suitable option for you.

How many people will be in the group during my dog sledding tour?

For our scheduled tours, there is a maximum of 4 or 6 participants depending on the tour. Northern Lights Dog Sledding in Lapland and Husky Mountain Expedition in Lapland are also ideal for larger groups of up to 10 persons, for example for Armed Forces adventurous training expeditions.

What clothing will I need to go dog sledding?

For many of our dog sledding holidays in Sweden, specialist winter clothing you will need for your tour is included. Please see the "Full Details" PDF file for your chosen tour under "The price", "What the price includes" and "Optional extras" for more information.

If you are arranging your own equipment, the following guidance may be helpful:

Winter boots- it is important that you have a pair of proper boots on, which means longer legs and warm padding. Soles on boots should not be too rigid, as this will make it slippery when standing on the sled runners.
Jacket/trousers – it is important that your clothes are warm, preferably windproof - winter clothing, thick jacket and thermal trousers. It is good to have a hood on the jacket.
Hat and gloves - bring a hat and it is good to have a hood on your jacket. Mittens are warmer than gloves where the fingers are separated. Also bring a pair of gloves with fingers, as these are useful for such activities as harnessing the dogs.
Protection against wind - bring ski glasses and preferably a scarf to tie in front of your face.

For your clothing, we recommend you use the layer principle:

Closest to your body an inner layer that transports humidity away from the body.
Then a second layer that keeps in the warmth your body generates and absorbs the humidity from the inner layer.
The outer layer should protect you from weather and wind and be wind- and waterproof.

Do not use cotton on the inner layers closest to your body, as cotton collects the humidity your body generates. The clothing gets heavy and chills you. Better materials to use are synthetics, wool etc.

Where is the best place to go dog sledding?

Sweden, of course! Our dog sledding experiences take place both in the mountains of Jämtland in north-western Sweden, near the Norwegian border, and in the far north of Sweden in Lapland, well inside the Arctic Circle. Both regions offer wonderful opportunities for dog sledding. Jämtland offers stunning mountains and forests and travel times to the area may be shorter than if journeying further north, while the vast wilderness of Lapland has its own special charm and of course the added attraction of the possibility to see the Northern Lights. Whichever region you choose, you will find dog sledding is an unforgettable experience.

Access to either area is straightforward. If travelling to Jämtland, the most convenient option is usually train from Stockholm. Transfer from your destination station is included. If travelling to Lapland, you can choose between regular domestic flights between Stockholm and Kiruna or, if time allows, why not take the night train north for a real travel adventure?

Will I see the Northern Lights during my dogsled tour?

The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, is a natural phenomenon, and so of course displays can never be guaranteed - but we hope you will! In general, the best chances for displays of the Northern Lights are, as the name suggests, in the far north of Sweden, inside the Arctic Circle in Lapland, though displays do also occasionally occur in Jämtland. For more information on the Northern Lights, please see our blog article on Northern Lights in Lapland.

What is the best time of year to go dog sledding in Sweden?

This depends very much on personal taste and what you are looking for from your dog sledding holiday. Certain tours (such as Husky Mountain Expedition in Lapland) are only available later in the season when weather conditions are likely to be most suitable. December and January are deep winter, when daylight is shortest and temperatures tend to be lowest, but this time of year has a magical atmosphere. Later in the season towards March and April, the days are lengthening and the mountains have the "best of both worlds", with good snow cover but also the warming rays of the spring sunshine.

Browse our full range of dog sledding holidays in Sweden.