Get ready for Dogsledding

What is it like Dogsledding? Get prepared for your dogsledding adventure with this informative guide.

Dogsledding is a great way to experience both the magnificent landscape and nature of our region's isolated areas and to get a feel for the traditional Arctic way of life. For travellers experiencing dogsledding for the first time, you will be surprised by the speed at which you will travel - an exhilarating experience!

Dogsledding is available on, well, nearly every trip we have running in Scandinavia & Finland in winter, summer on the glaciers in Iceland & Greenland – from a quick spin to mega eight-day expeditions...

There are generally two different versions of dogsledding on offer in our region. There is the dogsledding tour where you are a passenger on a sled pulled by the huskies with a local guide driving. You are wrapped warmly and it is a fun way to experience the forests and picture perfect landscapes – but remember to wiggle your toes now & then.

Alternatively there is the more active version of dogsledding where you drive the dogs. The speed, effort & distance involved varies depending on the facilities & husky team. Commonly, you share the driving of the huskies with a partner and take in turns either sitting or steering.

You receive instructions on how to drive your husky team before departing and practice a little in a safe area before heading off into the forests, onto the glacier or out to the mountains. These tours generally go for a few hours with a lunch or warm drinks break during the activity. Some of our tours include overnight journeys with a cosy cabin stay in the forests.

When you are doing this active dogsledding excursion, it does require a good level of fitness and in particular, arm and upper body strength. And this is where some prior training and preparation comes into your pre-departure planning. Think through the type of exertion that will be required to hold onto the sled and steer your huskies along a snow path. Increasing your shoulder, back & arm strength will make your dogsledding adventure more enjoyable & get you back out there the following day for your next winter activity.

If you are a gym member, talk to your fitness consultant about what activities might suit your frame & fitness level.

Have a search around on the web for 'get fit for skiing' videos that you can do at home or in the gym to get you fit for your holiday. Have a search for videos about upper body strength, which we think can be transferred easily to dogsledding.

Good luck and we look forward to meeting you on the tracks.