The main points
- Tromsø: Self-Drive Husky Dog Sledding Adventure, from US$351, rated 4.91 from 4,408 reviews, 4 hours on the snow with a stop at Kvaløya.[1]
- The dog sledding season in Northern Norway typically runs from December to March, depending on snow conditions.[2]
- Self-drive means you stand on the runners and steer the team. Most sleds take two guests, who swap places partway round so both get a turn at driving.
- Husky hikes, puppy sessions and kennel meet and greets cost less, with the shortest from US$105 and running 2 hours.[3]
- The average winter temperature in Tromsø is around −4°C, which makes a warm base layer and a windproof shell worth packing.[4]
- Top choice Self-Drive Husky Adventure from US$351 Duration4 hours[1]Rating4.91 from 4,408 reviews[1]GuideInstructor: English[1]CancellationCancel up to 24 hours[1] Check availability
- Self-Drive with Lunch from US$355 Duration4 hours[5]Rating4.86 from 2,050 reviews[5]GuideLive tour guide: English[5]CancellationCancel up to 24 hours[5] See this tour
- Fun and Easy Sledding from US$305 Duration4.5 hours[6]Rating4.88 from 2,077 reviews[6]GuideLive tour guide: English[6]CancellationCancel up to 24 hours[6] See this tour
For over three decades and through two generations, our family has raised and raced Alaskan Huskies bred for endurance, resilience, and heart.
Self-drive husky sledding is the one to book
Check before booking
Why Tromsø is a strong base for husky sledding
Tromsø sits on an island between fjords and mountains, and the trails sled dogs use begin almost as soon as you leave the city streets behind. The snow here is usually dry and cold rather than wet and heavy, which is what a dog team wants under its paws. The dog sledding season in Northern Norway typically runs from December to March, depending on snow conditions.[2] The average winter temperature in Tromsø is around −4°C.[4] With a warm base layer and a windproof outer shell, that is comfortable weather to be out in, especially while the dogs are pulling and you are moving.
The first thing that hits you at a husky camp is the noise, and then the silence. Before departure the kennel is a wall of howling, with every dog straining against its harness. Once the team is running, the howling stops and all you hear is paws on snow and the runners hissing underneath you. If you are comparing dog sledding Tromsø options, decide what you actually want from the day: to stand on the runners and drive, to sit back and be driven, or simply to spend time with the dogs in the snow.
The self-drive husky tour booked from this site
The Tromsø: Self-Drive Husky Dog Sledding Adventure is the tour this site is built around. It is from US$351, lasts 4 hours, and is run by an instructor who speaks English.[1] It is rated 4.91 from 4,408 reviews.[1] You can reserve now and pay later, and free cancellation applies up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[1] The listed stops are bus or coach to Kvaløya, then bus or coach back.[1]
Kvaløya begins less than 5 km from central Tromsø.[7] The drive out of the city is quick, and then the sledding starts. On a self-drive tour you handle the sled yourself. Teams usually take two guests, one standing on the runners and one sitting in the sled bag, and you swap places partway round. This is the kind of huskytour Tromsø visitors book when they want to hold the reins rather than watch someone else do it. Pay attention to the briefing, keep both hands on the handlebar, and lean into the turns.
A husky team stretching out along a snow trail outside Tromsø
How the husky sledding tours compare
If you want a self-drive sled with a hot meal at the end, the Tromsø: Husky Sled Self-Drive with Traditional Lunch is from US$355 and lasts 4 hours, with a live tour guide in English.[5] It is rated 4.86 from 2,050 reviews.[5] Reserve now and pay later is available, and free cancellation applies up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[5] It is the closest alternative if your dates do not line up with the self-drive adventure.
The From Tromsø: Fun and Easy Dog Sledding Adventure is the gentler option, from US$305 and running 4.5 hours with a live tour guide in English.[6] It is rated 4.88 from 2,077 reviews.[6] The listed stops are bus or coach to Breivikeidet and back again.[6] Reserve now and pay later and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance both apply.[6] If you are travelling with people who would rather not steer a sled themselves, this is the one to look at first.
Guided sledding and smaller group options
If you would rather be a passenger, the Tromsø: Guided Husky Sledding with Traditional Lunch is from US$358 and runs 4 hours with a live guide in English.[8] It is rated 4.87 from 749 reviews.[8] You sit in the sled while a guide drives the team, which suits anyone who would rather take photographs than steer. Reserve now and pay later and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance apply here as well.[8]
Smaller groups cost more and feel calmer. The Small scale intimate Wilderness Dogsledding 2h from Tromsø is limited to 7 participants, is from US$475 and runs 4 hours, guided in Norwegian, English and Danish; it is rated 5.00 from 21 reviews.[9] The Tromsø: Dog Sledding Tour is from US$414 and lasts 4.5 hours with a live guide in Norwegian and English, and it is wheelchair accessible with a skip the ticket line option; it is rated 4.74 from 521 reviews.[10] Its listed stops run by car to Kvaløya and back by car.[10]
from US$351
The self-drive husky tour booked from this site lasts 4 hours and is rated 4.91 from 4,408 reviews.[1]
Kennel visits, hikes and puppy time
Not every husky experience involves a sled. The Tromsø: Husky Hike and Puppy Visit with Traditional Lunch is from US$172 and lasts 4.5 hours with a live guide in English; it is rated 4.97 from 194 reviews.[11] The Tromsø: Puppy Training at the Husky Kennel with Lunch is also from US$172, runs 4.5 hours and is rated 4.94 from 402 reviews.[12] Both are built around time with the dogs on foot rather than on runners, which suits anyone who is nervous about the sledding itself.
There is a shorter and cheaper way in as well: the Tromsø: Husky Meet and Greet with Homemade Chocolate Cake is from US$105, lasts 2 hours and is rated 4.76 from 136 reviews, and it is wheelchair accessible.[3] If you want to move, the From Tromsø: Guided Husky Snowshoe Hike and Husky Camp Visit is from US$189, runs 5 hours and is rated 4.91 from 793 reviews.[13] The dogs you meet are working animals. At Holmen Husky Lodge the family has raised and raced Alaskan Huskies bred for endurance, resilience and heart for over three decades and two generations.[14] Racing matters in this part of the world: Finnmarksløpet is the longest dog-sled race in Europe.[15]
Reindeer sledding and Sámi culture
Huskies are not the only animals pulling sleds near Tromsø. The Tromsø: Reindeer Sledding & Feeding with a Sami Guide is from US$200 and runs 4 hours with a live tour guide in English.[16] It is rated 4.75 from 6,854 reviews, with a rating breakdown of Guide 4.8, Transportation 4.8 and Value for money 4.5.[16] Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance applies, and you can reserve now and pay later.[16]
If you want something shorter, the Tromsø: Reindeer Sledding, Feeding & Sami Culture Experience lasts 2.5 to 3.5 hours and is from US$132, rated 4.79 from 2,931 reviews.[17] Reindeer sledding is a different pace from a dog team: slower, quieter and closer to the ground. Near Tromsø, Sámi reindeer herding culture is represented by a Sámi reindeer-herding family that has lived and worked with reindeer for many generations.[18] A reindeer day and a husky day work well as a pair if you have time for both.
When to go, what to wear and how to book
Winter in Tromsø has two very different moods. From 27 November to 15 January each year the city is in its Polar Night season.[19] Later in the year, midnight sun in Tromsø usually lasts from around 20 May to 22 July.[20] The Northern Lights season in Tromsø runs from late August to early April.[21] Sledding fits the coldest stretch: the dog sledding season in Northern Norway typically runs from December to March, depending on snow conditions.[2]
Pack for standing on snow in still air: a thermal base layer, a fleece or down mid layer, windproof trousers, thick mittens, a hat and a buff. The average winter temperature in Tromsø is around −4°C, and wind is usually the part that bites.[4] Bring a spare battery or power bank for your phone and camera, because cold drains them quickly, and keep the spare in an inside pocket next to your body.
On a free afternoon, the Fjellheisen cable car rises to Storsteinen, 421 meters above sea level, for a wide view over the city and the fjord.[22] Book your sledding for early in the trip so you have room to move it if the weather turns, and check the forecast in the days before you fly. If you only have time for one animal experience, make it the sledding.
Husky sledding tour from-prices in Tromsø
From-prices from these GetYourGuide listings:[1],[5],[6],[8].
What a husky day costs per person
From-prices in US dollars for adult places on these GetYourGuide listings:[1],[5],[6],[12].
When to plan your husky sledding trip
Plan your husky day out
Book the sledding first
Fix your sledding date before you plan anything else, because the winter weeks fill up quickly and the rest of your trip can be built around it.
Check the age rules
Children can join the Fun and Easy Dog Sledding tour if they are at least 7 years old and accompanied by adults.[23] Check each listing's own rules.
Dress for standing still
You will be outside for hours and often standing on the runners. Layers you can move in beat one thick coat, and mittens beat gloves every time.
Expect to work the sled
On a self-drive tour you brake and steer. It is not hard, but it is active, so leave heavy bags behind and keep your hands free for the handlebar.
Protect your camera
Cold flattens batteries fast. Carry a spare in an inside pocket, and let your camera warm up slowly indoors so the lens does not fog over.
Drive your own husky team from Tromsø
from US$351Reserve now & pay later
