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Winter Holidays 2023-2024 Norway Lapland Sámi Culture Norway
Sami Culture in Norway: Beyond the Beaten Tracks
Experience true Sami Culture in the beautiful frozen landscapes of mysterious and tranquil Norway
Husky dogsledding, Sami stories and amazing landscapes: Limited time doesn’t have to mean short on adventure with this 4 days / 3 nights husky tour in breathtaking Norway!
Tour ID: 183042 in Lappland, Norway ●●●●● 111 Reviews
4 days / 3 nights
Round Trips
Comfortable lodging
Dog sled training
Snowmobile excursion
Visit traditional Sami reindeer herder
Sami village
Chance to see the Northern Lights
Optional activities incl. snowshoeing & cross-country skiing
Group size ~ 8 Persons
Sami Culture in Norway: Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival
Upon your arrival, you will enjoy a delicious hot meal, after which your guide will tell you what you can expect on this short but incredibly sweet adventure in magical Norway. You will also get the chance to meet any others in your tour group and introduce yourselves. The tour services start with dinner on the first day and end with breakfast on the last day.
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Day 2: Beyond the Beaten Track with huskies
After a hearty breakfast, you get your cold-weather gear, including arctic snowsuits and boots. Then, you will meet your team of excited huskies! You will also learn how to best care for your dogs and be given an introduction to driving the sleds. On this day trip, you will venture through varied Norwegian landscapes off the beaten tracks before stopping for lunch around a crackling open fire. There is also a good chance to see moose. Experience the beautiful nature of Norway, crossing over frozen lakes and weaving through snow-covered forests. Your experienced guide will be happy to share his knowledge and experience of outdoor life in this beautiful area. A reasonable level of fitness, concentration, and a sense of balance are the key attributes needed. You will have your “own” sled and are responsible for 4–6 dogs. For participants who have experience with dog sledding, it is common to drive a single dog team. With participants without previous experience of dog sledding, we normally start out the first day by driving in a tandem team with 2 sleds and 8 - 10 dogs. You share a dog team with a partner or the guide. The guide and participants decide together whether it is best to drive as a double or single team. On this day trip, you will cover approximately 25 to 47 km.
Day 3: A Day with the Sami
This day is all about experiencing the Sami culture and brings you the unique and unforgettable experience of a day in the life of a Sami reindeer herder. We travel beyond the beaten tracks by snowmobile to a winter settlement for Sami reindeer herders, who pursue their livelihood here on the winter pasture. You will be picked up at 10 a.m. at Engholm Husky Lodge by the herder with his snowmobile and transported in the sled to the herd. We then spend the day together with them and join their daily life with their reindeer, and get insight into their way of living and herding. This adventure is a unique privilege made available to a few by a Sami family from Karasjok. The indigenous people in the north of Scandinavia still cultivate centuries-old traditions, telling magical stories about nature and its healing powers. There is a cozy wood-heated sauna and outdoor hot tub ready on request for those who are tempted. Maybe you will even see the Northern Lights tonight.
Day 4: Return Journey or extend your polar adventure
After a final delicious breakfast, your time in the north will sadly come to an end. However, if you wish to extend your tour by a few days, then this is something that we can happily arrange for you! This would allow you to visit the husky farm - a lively environment with adorable puppies and excited dogs that love to interact with visitors. You can also visit the “Dogmusher Library”, to learn more about the history of dog sledding. Other possible activities include show-shoeing, cross-country skiing, tours with kick sleds, or a relaxing walking tour. Local handicrafts and shops can be found at the local Sami village. The National Sami Museum, a guided tour at the Norwegian Sami Parliament, the Sami art gallery, the Sápmi theme park, and the local knifesmith are also worth visiting. You can also choose to book an extra dog sled tour if you wish. If you choose not to extend, you will still leave with plenty of amazing memories of your time here!
Requirements for this tour:
Even if you've never been on a dog sled, on this trip you can learn all the skills you need by first practicing driving a tandem dog team. This will be with two connected sleds, with the possibility to disconnect and drive them separately once you gain enough confidence. The only prerequisites for this tour are a good level of fitness, a sense of balance, the ability to concentrate, and being comfortable around dogs. If you gain some experience, you can disconnect the two sleds and drive a single husky team as well. This decision will be made in the group with the guide.
How to get there:
Despite the remote location of the tour, there are several ways to get there, depending on your preferred departure and arrival airport. Details are listed below.
Via Lakselv Airport, Norway
Upon arrival at Lakselv Airport, you can catch a bus that will take you to Karasjok in about an hour. If you prefer a private transfer, you can opt for a taxi for the journey between the airport and Karasjok.
Via Alta Airport, Norway
Upon arrival at Alta Airport, you can also take a bus, and after about 4 hours of driving, you will reach the Kennel in Karasjok. If you would like a private transfer, you can take a taxi for the journey between the airport and Karasjok. This will take about 2.5 hours.
Via Ivalo Airport, Finland (preferred travel option from German-speaking countries)
Upon arrival at Ivalo airport, you can take a taxi to the Ivalo bus station. There is a daily bus that takes about 2.5 hours to reach the kennel in Karasjok. The drive from Ivalo airport to the bus station is about 7 km long. If you would prefer a private transfer, you can take a taxi for the journey between the airport and Karasjok. This takes about 2 hours.
Wherever your adventure begins, we help you get the most comfortable and cost-effective journey possible.
Different cancellation conditions: For this destination, 100% cancellation fees apply after a confirmed booking. For this reason, we recommend that clients take out insurance in this case. If the participant does not wish to (or cannot) take part in what is booked - no refund is granted. Additionally, further costs may arise if cancellation occurs before the final payment is made.
Additional Information:
The order of tours and activities within this itinerary may vary due to weather conditions and other contributing factors that must be taken into account by the guides when planning your tour. You will receive the exact order of activities once you arrive on site. The far north can have fluctuating and unpredictable weather with very strong temperature differences. The safety of guests and animals comes first, and for this reason, we reserve the right to change the itinerary and intensity of activities if and when needed. This involves both adjustments due to insufficient snow (meaning we cannot drive the sleds) or too much snow (snowstorms and extreme cold can cause accidents and various other problems). The required adjustments and fallback options in rare cases are based on the day-to-day conditions and can be compensated by shorter or longer daily stages, alternative accommodations, or even single day trips. In extremely rare cases we may organise alternative transport (ie. cars, quad bikes, etc). Feel free to contact us if you would like a more detailed assessment of this tour and travel period.The service providers and tour providers always perform their services in compliance with and in accordance with the official requirements and requirements applicable at the time of stay. For this reason, corona-related reasonable usage rules or restrictions may arise when using said services. Please note these official requirements (Google Translate).
These videos contain snapshots of our local partners to provide a brilliant first impression. Please note that selected tour may not correspond precisely to these recordings.
These pictures provide a general impression of our local partner and the surrounding area. Please note that selected tour may differ from these pictures.
All Reviews of Engholm Husky Lodge
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Required and included in the travel price, can be borrowed on site or must be brought along.
Clothing and equipment will be provided on the day of arrival and can be used outside of scheduled activities throughout the entire journey.
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Equipment Information:
- Hairdryer (not in wilderness cabins) included
- Sleeping Mat included Example (Amazon)
- Sun Cream (starting mid-February) to bring Example (Amazon)
- Sunglasses (starting mid-February) to bring Example (Amazon)
- Towels to bring Example (Amazon) Clothes Information:
- Arctic boots rentable Example (Amazon)
- Arctic Mittens rentable Example (Amazon)
- Arctic Pants rentable Example (Amazon)
- Arctic Windproof cap rentable Example (Amazon)
- Arctic Jacket to bring Example (Amazon)
- Cap (Wool or Fleece) to bring Example (icebreaker)
- Fingered Gloves (lined) to bring Example (Amazon)
- Fingered Gloves (thin) to bring Example (icebreaker)
- Shirts or Sweatshirts to bring Example (Amazon)
- Socks (Wool or Fleece) to bring Example (icebreaker)
- Thick Sweaters (Wool or Fleece) to bring Example (icebreaker)
- Winter trousers to bring Example (Amazon)
- Undershirts (Wool or Fleece) to bring Example (icebreaker)
- Underwear long (Wool or Fleece) to bring Example (icebreaker)
- Underwear short to bring
Good booking opportunities. Recently more than 4 free places reported. Display may vary.
Limited spaces, less than 4 places reported! Availability may vary.
Optional date. Minimum group size required. Exact travel date may vary.
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