Winter Week with Huskies

This winter week takes you to Swedish Lapland, right in the heart of an Arctic landscape of snow, forests, and frozen lakes. You’ll spend the week dog sledding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and ice fishing. During the dog sledding excursions, you’ll actively participate, get to know the dogs, help harness them, and clean up after the rides. Conditions are wintry and can be cold and windy, but clear nights offer the chance to see the Northern Lights, and you can warm up in the sauna after a day’s work.

Winter Week with Huskies: The Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at the Husky Farm and Weekly Schedule
Welcome to northern Sweden! You’ll be picked up in Kiruna or Gällivare and drive just over an hour to the husky farm. Once there, you’ll get to know your accommodations and have time to settle in. During dinner together, the upcoming week will be discussed in detail so that all schedules and activities are clear.

Day 2: Introduction to Dog Sledding
Today you will be getting on the dog sleds right away. After getting to know the dogs, there will be a theory session on how to handle a dog sled, followed by a hands-on session where you’ll help harness your husky team. Afterward, you’ll set off on your first tour, approximately 10 km long, through the wintry landscape.

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Day 3: Snowshoeing or Cross-Country Skiing and Tracking
Snowshoes or cross-country skis are the traditional Nordic way to explore the wilderness off the beaten track. Strap on your skis or snowshoes and set off through the snow-covered landscape, following your guide. On your way you’ll keep an eye out for tracks and learn to recognize signs of hares, birds, foxes, reindeer, and moose. Moving through the snow requires stamina and sure footing, especially in cold and windy conditions. Lunch is served around the campfire before heading back to the husky farm.

Day 4: Dog Sled Tour with a Longer Leg
Back on the sled, today’s route is a bit longer. You’ll help with the preparations again and share a sled in pairs during the tour. Along the way, you can take turns driving. On the approximately 17 km route, clear communication, good balance and coordination, as well as attention to the husky team, the group, and the surroundings are essential. Lunch is served together in the teepee before tackling the second half of the stage.

Day 5: A Day on the Dog Sled
On the third day on the dog sled, with an even longer ride, you'll already be familiar with the routines, while the challenge increases with the approximately 25-kilometer trip. You’ll share the sled in pairs again and take turns along the way. You’ll actively work with the dogs: at the start, during breaks, and along the way as you manage their pace and navigate the terrain. Today, too, the teepee is the place for a warm lunch break, after which you continue through the vast expanse of Lapland across frozen lakes and marshes and through snow-covered forests and plains.

Day 6: Ice Fishing on the Frozen Lake
In true Nordic style, the day takes you out onto the frozen lake. With an ice drill, fishing rod, and bait, you’ll set up on the ice and try to catch a fish. The cold and wind can be particularly intense here, so it’s important to dress in layers and keep moving when you're starting to feel cold. Lunch is prepared over a campfire before you spend the afternoon either back on the ice or at the husky farm.

Day 7: Final Dog Sled Tour
To wrap up the week, you’ll head out with the huskies one last time. You’ll share a sled in pairs and take another roughly 25-kilometer-long ride. Enjoy the surrounding nature and the teamwork with the dogs one last time before returning to the farm. Here, you can give the huskies plenty of cuddles and then help put away the sleds and harnesses.

Day 8: Farewell and Departure
The tour ends after breakfast. You will then be taken to the airport or train station in Kiruna or Gällivare to begin your journey home.

Accommodation:
You will stay at the husky farm in a simple, cozy cabin with electricity but no running water. Drinking-quality water is provided in canisters, and you can shower in the sauna. The cabin features a bedroom, a small kitchen, and an outdoor toilet. The cabin serves as the shared starting point for the week’s activities. Meals consist of lunch outdoors or in the teepee; sometimes you’ll heat up prepared meals yourself in the cabin’s kitchen, or you’ll eat together with your hosts. With mouse meat hunted by your hosts, fish caught locally, berries and mushrooms gathered in the forest, and homemade bread, you’ll enjoy simple yet authentic Swedish cuisine.

Note:
The tour itinerary is weather-dependent and may be adjusted in the event of very cold or unusually warm temperatures, or difficult snow conditions. This trip requires good physical fitness, initiative, and a willingness to actively help with daily routines. The cabin offers basic accommodations with an outdoor toilet; winter conditions are part of everyday life. An experienced guide who speaks German, English, and Swedish will accompany you throughout the week.
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