Dog Sledding in Lapland

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In January I got to tick an item off my bucket list: dog sledding. It has been something that I have wanted to do for years, but since moving to Finland, that want has been a need. I didn't want to leave Finland until I had at least pet some Huskies! Well, I got to do more than just that!

While on a trip to Rovaniemi, I got to go to Santa Claus Village where there are a wide variety of activities. One of them is husky safaris. At first I was worried because everything was so unbelievably expensive, but then I realized that I didn't need it to be an hour long, just a few minutes would do. So I found a great deal for my budget and spent less than fifty dollars. 

The admission let us go to the kennels and bet the dogs through the gates while waiting. We got to see every dog and they all came out to say hi. But whenever they saw the handlers they would start barking and jumping until the handler picked someone for the sledding. You could tell that each dog was excited and really wanted to work.

We even got to see some puppies and try to pet them. I say try because they were too busy running around and playing with each other to come over and let you pet them. The handler inside talked about how the puppies are trained after they turn one and how the training process goes.

Finally it was our turn to go mushing with the dogs. They don't let you drive the dogs because they limit how fast and how long they can run. They make sure that everything is humane for the dogs and enjoyable. 

The ride was magnificent. In the trees and in the valley was just breathtaking. The combination of the snow and undisturbed nature made for an incredible experience. I was just in it for the dogs, but the nature just made an amazing experience even more incredible. So if you're thinking of dog sledding, do it!