Husky tour and the magic of Norway
A wonderful adventure driving your own dog sled. An authentic Arctic experience, away from normal tourist areas. Tour will consist of a minimum of four people. Period: January to April. Days : 4 days/3 nights Difficulty: medium ( low temperatures, adaptability, teamwork)
New date : 4-7 march and 18-21 march 2019
We are located in Norway in the mining town of Røros, a corner of unspoilt Paradise where the way of life is still authentic and where tourism is predominantly for local visitors
To be able to drive your own dog sled has been many people’s dream. And in reality it is a dream-like experience
This program will enable you to experience the true local atmosphere. Each individual will find themselves immersed in an atmosphere very much reminiscent of that described in books of adventure and exploration.
Now, with the growing interest in the Great Northern Expanses of the World, many travellers look carefully at this type of holiday and wonder if the animals are truly happy to pull the sled. For the animals this is the main point of their of lives, being able to run across the infinite plateaus – for the dogs, the call of the Forest really exists and is irresistible to them, and every moment spent with them will prove it to you.
We chose this town not because it is one of the famous pearls of Norway, but for the quality of life we experience here, for its tradition and culture and also for the activities linked to the sled dogs that we can enjoy. Every year – in February there is the Femundlopet – it is the longest sled dog race in the world.. Last year the world championships of this popular discipline took place here, with ninety competitors and hundreds dogs. It was a wonderful big celebration which included all the town’s citizens.
The dogs that are used in our excursions are the “Alaskan Husky” breed or a similar breed to the ‘Siberian husky, our local working partners who breed and look after the dogs have passed on their passion for caring for the animals down the generations. For hundreds of years, their own parents and parents parents have used the sleds as a means of transportation across the snow and ice.
Driving a sled requires concentration, adaptability, willingness to work in a team, appreciation and acceptance of the extreme temperatures and of course love for the most important participants, namely the dogs. As a common rule, the welfare of the animals comes first. Each guest will be assigned from 4 to 6 dogs. Each musher or driver will have the full responsibility for their animals, including learning their names and taking care of them during the tour. This means, under the guidance of the instructor, learning how to harness the dogs and how to fit the special shoes to protect their feet from ice crystals which are often very sharp.
Another important thing is clothing. Based on the temperature at the time of the tour, everything that you need to wear for our expedition will be provided to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible. You will be provided with suitable footwear and overalls in case of extreme cold spells. It is obviously obligatory to wear ski masks and a suitable hat, every other essential that is needed will be discussed separately.
DAY 1 – Røros Unesco World Heritage Site
Arrive in the evening in the town of Roros -Immediately you will feel the magic of this land. Copious amounts of fresh snow falling and absolute silence.
A taxi will be waiting to transfer you to the Hotel.
Overnight stay
DAY 2 – Dog sledding in the Arctic tundra
10.00 am After breakfast, a meeting with the Italian guide. Briefing –
11.30 – We experience our first encounter with the magic of the Arctic. We are in a Norwegian territory near the mining town of Røros which is a town with great historical and cultural value. Being outside the normal tourist destinations makes these areas places where you can experience a more genuine contact with nature.
Our adventure begins a few miles from Roros on a farm where we meet our musher who will start explaining the secrets of the magic world of dogsledding. There will be extra clothes supplied and the first lessons on how to manoeuvre a sled. The beginning is always very exciting and extreme happiness radiates from all our guests as they experience the start of a wonderful relationship with the beautiful dogs and the wild environment. Each participant will have their own sled and a team of dogs (4-6) who magically transport you into another dimension: those only previously experienced by hearing or reading the tales of the Far North when men and animals lived in harmony with nature.
We drive for about three hours and stop for a short break and a cup of good hot coffee before resuming our dog sledding . After securing the sled at an appropriate place we will stop to rest and take some pictures.
We will sleep in a “stuga” ( a small shelter in the Arctic). The dogs are given their daily ration of food, and we musn’t forget to thank them for their hard day’s work by caressing them one by one. These animals often labelled by many as being “cold” really, really like to be pampered! Before dinner I highly recommend a good sauna, after hours in the snow it is really good for the body and the mind.
We sleep in a sleeping bag, falling asleep with the sounds of the crackling of the fire and the silence of the Arctic. In some months (February and April) we will be able to sleep in the “Lavvu” or, Sami tents.
DAY 3 – magic of the Arctic
You wake up early in the Arctic and you marvel at the spectacle that awaits us outside – all is still- the landscape has something magical about it which makes it hard to forget. The animals, nature itself, the thrill of driving a sled gives us moments of intense happiness. 
Never the less, staying outside for any period of time in arctic temperatures is not always easy. This requires good preparation for the activities, an ability to be open to suggestions and good at adapting when necessary. Life in the Arctic is often difficult, on our excursions you cannot always wait for nice sunny weather. At certain times of the year the darkness of the night falls quickly and often wind and snow will lash our faces and cover them with ice crystals, like we have seen in the movies or read in adventure stories. But everything is always extremely beautiful and with our guide you will discover a truly unique corner of Norway.
For lunch we will set up a barbecue in the open and if the weather is kind to us we will also make an attempt at fishing. What is important is to always have a spirit of collaboration and to remember that we are a team. You work as a team and you must give your first thought to helping your animals – even in the case of particularly arduous climbs. In this case it is recommended that you get off the sled and help the dogs.
Anyone who has tried to go sledding at least once will not forget the great sense of freedom as you try to follow the paths through the stunning landscape full of fascination and mystery. Yes, mystery. Such as that of the Aurora Borealis. Although there is now a scientific explanation for this natural phenomenon we still like to believe that it is the work of some divine being.
It is not uncommon to experience the Aurora Borealis, although, it is a phenomenon which fortunately does not depend on the interference of ‘man’ and therefore we cannot predict when it will occur. One thing is for certain, when the nights are very dark, as they are in January and February and the skies clear and cloudless all you need to do is to keep your eyes firmly fixed on the sky.
Return to the kennel where we started from
A taxi will take us to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Farewell dinner
DAY 4 – Departure
After breakfast – there is a free morning to allow a tour of the area and then guests are transferred to the station / airport at Roros.