Wilderness Lodge and Husky Sledding in Swedish Lapland (Sweden)

Choose a 4-day or 8-day stay with Adult and Family tour dates

Depending on the time you wish to spend for your adventure and the type of experience you are looking for, there are two itineraries offered. Whichever you choose, after each day's activities, you return to the cosy atmosphere of your base at the kennels to relax and enjoy dinner together in the evening. The wilderness lodge offers simple but comfortable accommodation, with social/dining area, showers/WC, sauna facilities and limited electricity supply (using generator).

Both Adult (min. age 16) and Family (min. age 12) dates are offered. Adult participants and children 16+ drive own sled as standard, with the option to use tandem sled (with two persons standing/driving) if preferred. There is flexibility to adapt the sled arrangements and level of challenge to offer the best experience.

As well as of course the excitement of husky sledding (and additional activities for the 8-day itinerary) and the stark beauty of the Arctic landscape in winter, mealtimes will be a feature of your stay. There is a focus on local cuisine, such as reindeer or moose from the surrounding area, as well as herbs and berries picked from the forests. Vegetarian and other dietary options can of course also be catered for.

Option 1 (4 days/3 nights):

Offered throughout the winter from late November to the end of April, the 4-day tour begins with arrival and introductory dogsled tour on Day 1, when you will start to gain confidence handling the sled and working with your team of huskies. Day 2 and Day 3 are longer tours, taking you deeper into the wilderness, with departure Day 4.

Option 2 (8 days/7 nights):

Offered from early December to mid-April, the 8-day itinerary features four days of dog sledding, gradually increasing the distance and level of challenge through the week as your confidence and mushing skills develop.

There are also two days for other activities - the chance to try ice fishing and snowshoeing, and a visit to the world-famous Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi and to Kiruna town, the capital of Swedish Lapland.

Wilderness Lodge and Husky Sledding in Swedish Lapland is the ideal option for adults or active families seeking an extended mushing experience with simple comforts to return to each evening in a remote wilderness setting. What a combination!

Getting Involved

As with all our dogsled tours, you will be involved in all aspects of the trip, and this is very much part of the experience. You will assist with caring for your dog team, including harnessing, feeding (and, yes, picking up poo!), as well as tasks around camp such as fetching water, chopping wood, preparing food, washing up, etc.

You'll meet for an introduction and coffee around the open fire. You'll be eager to meet the huskies - and they're eager to meet you! - so you will soon be starting your first dogsled tour. You'll be shown how to harness your team and given some tips on controlling the sled, before heading out into the surrounding wilderness for your first dogsled tour.

Distance today will typically be around 15-20km, as you sled along scenic forest trails and across more open areas. Once back at the camp, it's time to enjoy your first dinner at the cosy lodge. Husky hugs are available!

Day 2: Second Dogsled Tour

After breakfast, you head out for an impressive dogsled tour through a varied landscape of forest, tundra, frozen lakes and rivers. Moose graze in this area in wintertime, and with luck you may spot this "King of the Forest" or see their enormous tracks in the snow, as well as tracks and signs of other animals and birds.

Lunch is taken outdoors and you will typically cover around 30-50km this day.

You return to the lodge in the afternoon for dinner.

Day 3: Third Dogsled Tour

After breakfast for both four-footed and two-footed residents at the basecamp, it's time to take to the trail again for your third day of mushing in the Lapland wilderness. There are a number of trails which can be chosen, and you'll typically cover another 30-50km today.

You return to the kennels in the afternoon to relax in the sauna and enjoy dinner together.

Day 4: Departure

Breakfast and departure - it's time to say farewell to the huskies and your local hosts! Perhaps you're returning home or continuing for more adventures in Swedish Lapland - whatever your plans, your days on the trail will be memories to treasure.

Snowmobile transfer to the road followed by onward transfer to Kiruna airport, train station or accommodation in town if staying extra night(s) in the area after your tour.

NB: If you departing Kiruna today, you should plan departure flight from Kiruna airport or train station no earlier than 12.00.

Day 2: Introductory Dogsled Tour

After breakfast, you meet for an instruction session, where you will be shown how to harness your dogs and handle the sled.

You will then set off for a dogsled tour in the surrounding forest. Sledding distance today will normally be around 15-20km. You return from your tour to have lunch, and can then enjoy the atmosphere of the base camp in the afternoon. Take some snowshoes and go exploring or relax in the sauna! Dinner is served in the evening.

Day 3: Second Day of Dog Sledding

Today you can develop what you learned on Day 2, with a longer tour of around 20-30km. You should find you're becoming more confident with harnessing your dogs and handling the sled now.

Conditions permitting, you will stop for lunch outdoors around open fire, before returning to the camp in the afternoon for dinner.

Day 4: Third Day of Dog Sledding

Onwards and upwards! Today's tour will usually be around 25-35km, as you sled through the twists and turns of the forest tracks and across frozen lakes, stopping for lunch outdoors around the fire.

Day 5: Snowshoeing and Ice Fishing

Today you leave the dogs to rest for a while, as you discover the zen-like activity of ice fishing. After breakfast, you will hike with snowhoes to one of the frozen lakes. Your guide will bring the equipment needed for the day by snowmobile.

Once at the lake, you will be shown how to drill a hole in the ice with the ice drill and how to use the fishing rod, before setting down on your reindeer skin to try your luck with a catch. Nets may also be set as an alternative or in addition to using fishing rods.

Ice fishing is a wonderfully serene activity and a wonderful way to simply "be" in the winter world for a while, letting your thoughts wander as you gaze into the icy depths and admire the surrounding landscape. You will have lunch together around the campfire.

When ready, you can return to the camp for sauna and an evening around the fire. Perhaps the Northern Lights will dance for you in the skies above!

Day 6: Ice Hotel and Kiruna Visit

After breakfast, snowmobile transfer brings you to the road where you continue by vehicle (approx. 1 hour) to Kiruna, the Arctic Capital of Swedish Lapland.

No trip to the far north of Sweden is complete without visiting the world-famous Ice Hotel, in the village of Jukkasjärvi just outside Kiruna. Each winter a team of artists creates the Ice Hotel rooms afresh with magical sculptures and carvings, including an Ice Chapel and of course the Ice Bar.

You'll be taken to the Ice Hotel to enjoy a tour. Entrance charge applies (375 SEK/person, approx. £30), payable locally.

You'll also have the opportunity to explore Kiruna town independently, which is undergoing a remarkable transformation - due to the workings of the Kiruna iron ore mine, a large section of the town is in the process of being re-located and re-constructed. Even Kiruna's famous wooden church will be literally picked up and moved! This process has been ongoing for many years but is now proceeding quickly.

Return to the camp to enjoy dinner in the evening.

Day 7: Fourth Day of Dog Sledding

As your week in the Lapland wilderness draws to a close, what better way to end than with an extended dogsled tour! Today's tour will typically be around 35-45km, sledding for around 4-6 hours including lunch.

When you return to the kennels in the afternoon, you should be justly proud of how far your mushing skills have come through the week! Give your team of huskies a warm hug to thank them for their part in your adventure, before final dinner and relaxation in the evening.

Day 8: Departure

Breakfast and departure. Snowmobile transfer to the road followed by onward transfer to Kiruna airport, train station or accommodation in town if staying extra night(s) in the area after your tour.

NB: If you departing Kiruna today, you should plan departure flight from Kiruna airport or train station no earlier than 12.00.

Included

Accommodation:

• 3 nights (Option 1 tours) or 7 nights (Option 2 tours) in shared 2-4 person rooms at the kennels with shared WC/shower facilities. The lodge has total 5 rooms with 14 beds (2 x 4-bed rooms with bunk beds, 2 x 2-person rooms, 1 x 2-bed room with bunk beds, 2 x shared bathrooms.
• Standard of accommodation is simple but comfortable. The accommodation has limited electricity (using generator) and a large common room with fireplace. Sauna is available with possibility for a dip in the lake.

Meals:

All meals from dinner Day 1 to breakfast on Day 4 (Option 1 tours) or Day 8 (Option 2 tours). Please let us know if you have any special dietary requirements.

Equipment and Clothing:

• All necessary equipment during dog sledding tour including sleds with own dogsled team. Each adult participant drives their own sled as standard, usually with 4-5 dogs per team. On request or where appropriate, a "tandem" sled arrangement can also be used where both participants are standing and assisting in driving and braking the sled, with a larger team of huskies. This is suitable for adults who do not wish to drive own sled or for children sharing sled with adult.
• Warm winter clothing for all activities: insulated parker and snow trousers, winter boots/overshoes, mitten and balaclava. Please bring own winter hat.

Guide:

• Instruction in harnessing and sled handling.
• Services of local guide(s) during the tour.

Transfers:

• Return transfer between Kiruna airport, train station or accommodation in Kiruna and the kennels in connection with arrival/departure.
• Transfer to/from Jukkasjärvi/Kiruna for Ice Hotel and town visit as per itinerary.

Not Included

• Travel: We do not arrange flights or domestic travel, but are happy to advise on suitable connections and assist you with any aspect of planning your journey. See under "Getting There" for general travel information.
• Alcoholic drinks.

Required

Health requirements/experience:

General good health and level of fitness. No previous dog sledding experience required.

Tour dates designated as Adult dates have min. age 16. Dates designated as Family dates have min. age 12.

Adult guests will drive own sled as standard but may also choose to use tandem sled (with both persons standing behind the sled and assisting in driving) if appropriate. Children aged 12-15 will typically share tandem sled with adult. Children 16+ may drive own sled depending on size/weight and trail conditions and at the discretion of the guide.

Dog sledding and taking care of your husky team can be physically demanding and to drive your own sled you must be able to brake the sled when going downhill and also assist the dogs during uphill sections by stepping off and running behind the sled for short distances (note, however, that this tour runs in a landscape of frozen lakes, rivers and forest so will be less demanding than sledding in mountain terrain).

If weight >95kg, please contact us to discuss suitability.

What makes this "Easy-Medium"?

This experience features simple but comfortable accommodation at the kennels on all nights. You will be active during the day with the chance to relax and enjoy the lodge atmosphere in the evenings, with sauna available.

The area is remote and offers exciting and adventurous sledding, but with the flexibility to adapt the level of challenge and distance covered depending on conditions and the participants.

Both Adult and Family tour dates are offered, where the level of challenge can be adapted appropriately.

NB: Perception of difficulty is very subjective. What is hard to one person may be easy for another and vice versa, depending on factors including level of fitness, age and previous experience. Weather conditions/temperatures can also dramatically affect the actual level of challenge encountered.

Equipment/clothes needed:

For information on any equipment and/or clothing included as standard for this experience, please see under "What's Included".

A detailed recommended packing list for personal items to bring will be sent with your booking documentation.

NB: We advise you not to buy equipment or clothes for your trip or to incur other non-refundable expenses such as flights until you have received confirmation of your booking from us in writing. Note of course that the most appropriate clothing to use as well as the level of challenge experienced during any outdoor activity may vary significantly depending on factors such as the time of year and the particular weather/temperature conditions during your trip.

Preparing for your trip:

For further reading, we also have a number of general information articles to get you ready for your trip, covering a wide variety of topics from what to do on a city break before/after your tour, advice on packing, eyewear for winter and considerations for female travellers.

Minimum number:

A total of minimum two persons is required for scheduled tours to run. You are of course welcome to book as a solo traveller.

Combine This With

This experience makes a good combination with the following:

• Lapland Sámi Retreat at the Reindeer Camp (60 mins by transfer, ideal for extra night(s) locally before and/or after your tour)
• Reindeer Encounter and Sámi Experience in Lapland (afternoon activity for departure day, 60 mins by transfer)

Groups

Up to 14 guests may be at the lodge during your stay. When sledding, groups will be max. 7-8 persons. During periods when there are more than 8 guests, the group will be divided as appropriate to sled separately with own guide(s).

This experience is also available as a private experience for groups. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

Eco Info

This provider has a written environmental policy.

Will I see the Northern Lights?

This experience is located in the far north of Sweden, one of the world's best locations for seeing the Northern Lights, and offers good chances to see a display during your tour. Wonderful displays are regularly seen on the tours. However, it is important to bear in mind that the Aurora is a natural phenomenon and sightings can never be guaranteed in any location - it is not possible to search for a display. The skies may be cloudy, there may be no activity, or you may be fast asleep after a day of adventure on the trail!