The main points
- You steer the sled yourself, with an instructor travelling with the group, on a trip listed at 4 hours from US$351.[1]
- The stop list reads bus or coach, then Kvaløya, then bus or coach, and Kvaløya starts less than 5 km from central Tromsø.[1][2]
- The dog sledding season in Northern Norway typically runs from December to March, depending on snow conditions.[3]
- Guided sledding, husky hikes and kennel visits are also on offer, with a husky hike and puppy visit listed from US$172.[4]
- The self drive listing offers reserve now and pay later, plus free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[1]
- Top choice Self-Drive Husky Adventure from US$351 Rating4.91 from 4,408 reviews[1]Duration4 hours[1]GuideInstructor: English[1]PaymentReserve now & pay later[1] Check availability
- Self-Drive with Lunch from US$355 Rating4.86 from 2,050 reviews[5]Duration4 hours[5]GuideLive tour guide: English[5]PaymentReserve now & pay later[5] See this tour
- Fun and Easy Dog Sledding from US$305 Rating4.88 from 2,077 reviews[6]Duration4.5 hours[6]GuideLive tour guide: English[6]PaymentReserve now & pay later[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.
Our verdict: take the runners, not the basket
On the day
Self drive or passenger: how the two formats differ
Dog sledding around Tromsø comes in two basic shapes. On a self drive tour you stand on the runners behind the team and steer, brake and lean your way along the trail. On a passenger sled you sit in the basket while a guide or a second traveller drives. Both put you on the same snow with the same kind of dogs, but the day feels very different: one is a hands-on lesson in mushing, the other is a quiet ride with time to watch the landscape slide past.
The hands-on option is the Tromsø husky sledding self-drive adventure. It is listed as a 4 hour trip from US$351 with an English speaking instructor, and it is rated 4.91 from 4,408 reviews.[1] Its stop list reads bus or coach, then Kvaløya, then bus or coach.[1] Kvaløya begins less than 5 km from central Tromsø at the Sandnessund Bridge.[2]
Self drive does not mean you are dropped in the forest alone. You get a briefing, a demonstration and a dog team that knows the trail far better than you do, and an instructor travels with the group. In practice two people usually share each sled and swap places partway through, so everyone gets time on the runners and time to sit back and look around.
What happens on the self drive adventure
Most trips begin with a transfer out of the centre or from a meeting point in town. On this listing the stops are given as bus or coach, then Kvaløya, then bus or coach, and Kvaløya begins less than 5 km from central Tromsø at the Sandnessund Bridge.[1][2] Starting times change with the date, so the listing asks travellers to check availability for the times on their day.[1]
At the kennel you meet the dogs, hear how the team works and get a short lesson in standing, braking and steering. Then you are on the trail, following the sled ahead through birch scrub and open snow. Expect to be busy: your weight shifts on the bends, your brake hand works on the downhills, and the dogs set a brisk pace on flat ground. It is exercise, but it is also enormous fun.
Back at camp there is usually time for photos with the dogs and something warm to drink. The self drive listing gives a duration of 4 hours, and the exact shape of the day depends on weather and snow.[1] The listing also offers reserve now and pay later and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[1]
A husky team running the snow near Tromsø, where the trail is the whole point.
What to wear and how the cold feels
Arctic cold is dry, so layering works better than one heavy coat. Start with a wool or synthetic base layer, add a fleece, then a windproof shell. Snow boots with room for two pairs of socks, mittens rather than gloves, a hat that covers your ears and a neck warmer are the difference between a great day and a short one. Many operators lend thermal suits and boots, so it is worth asking before you pack.
The average winter temperature in Tromsø is around −4°C, which is cold but very workable with the right kit.[7] You also generate heat while driving, so plan for being warm on the move and cooler the moment the sled stops. A thin liner glove under your mittens makes handling harnesses and ropes much easier.
Camera batteries dislike the cold. Carry a spare in an inside pocket and keep your phone in a warm inner layer so it does not shut down halfway round the trail. Goggles or sunglasses help when the wind lifts loose snow, and a buff pulled over your chin keeps the worst of it off your face.
Other ways to meet huskies around Tromsø
If you would rather not steer, the choices are wider than they look. The Fun and Easy Dog Sledding Adventure is listed at 4.5 hours from US$305, rated 4.88 from 2,077 reviews.[6] The half-day self drive tour with a traditional lunch runs 4 hours from US$355 and is rated 4.86 from 2,050 reviews.[5]
Guided sledding with a traditional lunch lasts 4 hours from US$358, rated 4.87 from 749 reviews.[9] If walking with dogs appeals more than riding, a husky snowshoe hike and camp visit takes 5 hours from US$189 and is rated 4.91 from 793 reviews.[10] A husky hike with a puppy visit, 4.5 hours from US$172, is rated 4.97 from 194 reviews.[4]
For a shorter and gentler introduction there is a husky meet and greet with homemade chocolate cake, 2 hours from US$105, rated 4.76 from 136 reviews.[11] One dog sledding tour, from US$414, lists wheelchair access and dietary options.[12] Longer days exist too: dog sledding in Tamokdalen runs 7 hours from US$356, and an overnight husky lodge stay of 27 hours is listed from US$440.[13][14]
from US$351
The self drive husky sledding adventure in Tromsø is listed from US$351 and is rated 4.91 from 4,408 reviews.[1]
When to go: season, light and temperature
The dog sledding season in Northern Norway typically runs from December to March, depending on snow conditions.[3] Snow, not the calendar, decides whether a trail is usable, so it pays to stay flexible and to leave a spare day in your itinerary. Booking the sledding early in your stay gives you room to reschedule if the weather turns.
Light is an attraction in itself. The Polar Night season in Tromsø begins on November 27th and lasts until January 15th, when the middle of the day looks like a long blue dusk.[8] The Northern Lights season in Tromsø runs from late August to early April, so a sledding day in the darker months can be paired with an aurora hunt.[15]
At the other end of the year the midnight sun in Tromsø usually lasts from around 20 May to 22 July.[16] Winter visitors get snow, sled dogs and dark skies, while summer visitors get bright nights and hiking on the fells. If sledding is the priority, aim for the colder months and watch the snow reports in the weeks before you fly.
The dogs behind the sled
Sled dogs are athletes, not pets out for a stroll. 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.[17] Lean, tough and desperate to run, they are happiest when the harness comes out and the line goes tight.
The racing side of the sport runs deep in the north. Finnmarksløpet is the longest dog-sled race in Europe, and the culture around it shapes how kennels train and look after their teams.[18] Visitors feel the edge of that world in small things: the noise before a run, the way the dogs lean into the harness, and the sudden calm once the team is moving.
On the trail a team works as a unit. Lead dogs read the track, the dogs behind them hold the line through the turns, and the pair nearest the sled takes the weight on steeper ground. Ask your instructor about the dogs by name and you will get stories that make the ride more than a ride.
Booking, timing and the rest of your Tromsø trip
Try to sled early in your stay so that a snow cancellation leaves time to rebook. The self drive listing offers reserve now and pay later and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[1] Starting times vary by date, so check availability for your own dates before you plan the rest of that day.[1]
The rest of Tromsø fills the gaps easily. The Fjellheisen cable car brings you up to Storsteinen, 421 meters above sea level, for a wide view over the islands.[19] The Tromsø Ice Domes are 95 km from Tromsø, in the Tamok Valley.[20] Reindeer experiences come from a Sámi reindeer-herding family in Tromsø that has lived and worked with reindeer for many generations.[21]
Families should know that on the Fun and Easy Dog Sledding tour children can join if they are at least 7 years old and accompanied by adults.[22] If a snowmobile day tempts you instead, note that in Norway a Category S driving licence entitles you to drive an open snowmobile, and in some cases you can drive without one.[23]
From-prices for dog sledding tours in Tromsø
One quantity only: the from-price in US dollars listed for each tour:[1][5][6][9][13]
Compare from-prices for husky days in Tromsø
From-prices are US dollar tour listing prices:[1][5][6][9][10]
Tromsø seasons at a glance
How to plan your husky day
Choose drive or ride
Decide whether you want your hands on the handlebar or a seat on the sled, then pick the listing that fits.
Book with flexibility
Look for free cancellation and pay later options, so a change in weather or flights is easier to handle.
Pack for deep cold
Thermal layers, a windproof outer layer, warm boots, mittens and a hat matter more than any gadget.
Help with the dogs
You will meet the team before you set off and may help harness the dogs, which is part of the fun.
Keep the evening free
A half day on the snow leaves time for a sauna, dinner in town or an aurora drive later on.
Take the reins on a Tromsø husky sledding day
from US$351Reserve now & pay later
