Rovaniemi Husky Sledding Tours

Around Rovaniemi, hundreds of sled dogs spend the winter waiting for one word from the musher, and then the whole team leaps forward at once. You can stand on the runners and steer a team yourself through the spruce forest, or sit in the basket while a musher drives. Five tours cover every kind of ride on offer, from ten minutes at Santa Claus Village to a long safari at a wilderness farm. Below, each price sits next to the minutes you really spend behind the dogs and the small print the listings bury.

  • Sled season: December to MarchThe trails usually have enough snow from about early December, and the safaris run until the spring thaw
  • Book early for ChristmasThe small-group farms sell out first, and the weeks around Christmas and New Year fill fastest

In a hurry? Our top pick is Apukka's 6 km self-driven husky adventure: ~$245 a person to drive your own team. Transfers and a full set of winter clothing are included. Book it here.

Book on GetYourGuide Book on Viator Compare all 5

Husky rides at a glance

  • Half a day, mostly not on the sledTours run from half an hour to six hours. The ride itself lasts somewhere between ten and fifty minutes
  • Drive or be drivenOn a self-drive safari two adults share a sled and swap halfway. On a passenger ride a musher stands behind you and does the work
  • The farms sit outside townMost kennels are a 30 to 45 minute drive into the forest, so pickup from the centre or Santa Claus Village is part of the price
  • Cold, but the kit is lentThermal overalls and boots come with every tour here. Bring your own wool underneath, and a hat on some tours

If you only have a minute

Which Rovaniemi husky tour should you book?

If a friend asked us how to go dog sledding in Rovaniemi, this is what we would tell them over a cup of hot berry juice.

The best husky tour in Rovaniemi for most visitors is Apukka's 6 km self-driven adventure, from ~$245. You drive your own team, the dogs belong to a farm with an animal-welfare certificate, and the price covers the shuttle and the winter kit, from the thermal overall down to wool socks and mittens. It is also the self-drive tour with the most reviews on GetYourGuide.

Want a longer ride with fewer people? A Day In Lapland's small-group safari at ~$245 takes eight guests out for 6–10 km and ends with sausages by a fire. Short on time? Safartica's 5 km safari at ~$211 takes 90 minutes, and Bearhill's ride at Santa Claus Village costs ~$70 for ten minutes behind the dogs.

Snow is never promised. Check what each ride costs per minute and which months have the best trails, see how each tour spends its hours, then read what the listings play down before you pay.

Our pick

The husky ride we would book: Apukka, 6 km self-driven

Not the longest ride around Rovaniemi, and not the cheapest. It is the one that puts you on the runners of your own team with the least to worry about, from the shuttle to the mittens.

Two blue-eyed huskies in red harnesses standing side by side on a sunlit snowy trail at Apukka Our pick

Apukka Husky Adventure 6 km, Self-Driven, Apukka Resort

★★★★★ 4.6 from 1,500+ reviews on GetYourGuide · free cancellation up to 24 hours before

Apukka Resort keeps its own husky farm a short walk from the resort buildings, and this is its classic winter ride. A shuttle collects you at a pickup point on the Sodankylä road near Santa Claus Village, or in the city centre, and the drive out takes about 35 minutes. You get dressed in the resort's thermal kit before anyone goes near a sled.

After a briefing, the guides hand each pair of guests a team. One of you drives while the other sits, and you swap halfway round the 6 km (3.7 mile) loop, following a guide on a snowmobile through the forest. The guides don't drive the sleds, so every adult needs the balance to stand on the runners and work the brake. Back at the farm there is time to pet the dogs, and travelers often mention meeting the puppies.

Price
from ~$245 per adult
Duration
About 3.5 hours with transfers
On the sled
6 km, you drive
Group
Up to 20 guests
Pickup
City centre or the Santa Claus Village area
Clothing
Overall, boots, wool socks, mittens
Sleds
Two adults plus up to three children, 250 kg
Cancellation
Free up to 24 hours; reserve now, pay later
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Live availability and prices on GetYourGuide

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How the afternoon runs, step by step

Exact times depend on your slot and on the snow. This is the outline the listing and its reviews give:

Out of town

  • Pickup in the city centre or near Santa Claus Village
  • About 35 minutes by bus to Apukka
  • Thermal overall, boots, socks and mittens handed out at the resort

At the farm

  • Driving briefing, then the 6 km loop behind a guide on a snowmobile, swapping drivers halfway
  • Petting the dogs and a hot drink, often a few minutes with the puppies
  • Back on the bus, about 3.5 hours after pickup

What the price covers

Everything you need on the trail is lent to you. What it leaves out is mostly time.

Included
  • Transfers from the centre or Santa Claus Village
  • Thermal overall and boots
  • Wool socks and mittens
  • A hot drink and time with the dogs
Not included
  • A musher to drive for you
  • Your own warm layers under the overall
  • A long ride: 6 km goes fast
  • A guarantee of fresh snow

Between us, before you go

A word from one cold-fingered amateur to another. The sleds are narrow (55 cm) with one seat behind the other, and the whole load may not top 250 kg. One adult can take a single child only if the child is about nine or ten and can sit still and hold on. Pregnant travelers and anyone with limited mobility should pick another tour.

Wear wool under the overall and a thin glove inside the mittens. Our guide to dressing for the sled covers the rest.

Why it beats the other self-drive rides

Safartica's run is shorter, and the small farms are dearer per kilometre or harder to book. Apukka sits in between: a proper drive of your own, a farm with the Green Activities certificate, whose criteria include animal welfare, and the most reviews of any self-drive ride in town. The common complaint in those reviews is that it ends too soon. How long each ride really lasts puts the kilometres side by side.

Who we would not send on it

Anyone who cannot stand and balance on the runners, who will be happier in the basket on Bearhill's musher-driven ride. Travelers who want an hour on the trail with a handful of people, who should look at A Day In Lapland's small group. And parents travelling alone with one small child, who are outside the sled rules.

Book it if

You want to drive a team yourself without planning anything. The bus finds you and the clothes are waiting. The guides keep the convoy together, and you get time with the dogs at the end. It suits couples and friends as well as families with older children.

Skip it if

Ready to take the handlebar?

The ride is on GetYourGuide and on Viator. GetYourGuide shows far more reviews and lets you cancel for free up to 24 hours before, so you can wait for the weather forecast before you commit.

GetYourGuide Viator

The ride itself

How a Rovaniemi husky safari works

Every tour on this page answers two questions differently. Do you drive the team yourself, or does a musher drive while you ride? And how much of the afternoon goes on the trail, rather than on the bus and the kennel visit?

Style · you drive

Your own team on the runners

Apukka, A Day In Lapland, Safartica

5–10 kmbriefing, a convoy behind a guide, swap drivers halfway

You stand at the back and brake on the downhills, leaning into the bends while the dogs set the pace. Two adults share each sled. It takes some balance and grip, and a tumble into soft snow happens to someone in most groups.

Style · a musher drives

Sit in the basket

Bearhill, Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park

0.5–2.5 kma short loop with an experienced musher behind you

No skill needed and nothing to steer, so it suits small children and older travelers, plus anyone nervous. The catch is length: these loops last minutes, and you never feel the team answer your own hands.

Rovaniemi weather and sled odds, month by month

  • Chance of a husky ride on snow
  1. Jan−9°C high16 °F

    Deep snow, short days, the coldest stretch

  2. Feb−8°C high18 °F

    Firm trails and the light coming back

  3. Mar−3°C high27 °F

    Long bright days, milder air, still snow

  4. Apr3°C high37 °F

    Thaw sets in, the last rides of winter

  5. May10°C high50 °F

    Snow gone, the dogs rest

  6. Jun17°C high63 °F

    Midnight sun, kennel visits only

  7. Jul20°C high68 °F

    The warmest weeks, too hot to run

  8. Aug17°C high63 °F

    First dark nights return

  9. Sep11°C high52 °F

    Autumn colours, some cart rides on wheels

  10. Oct3°C high37 °F

    Cart rides while the farms wait for snow

  11. Nov−3°C high27 °F

    First snow, sleds once the trails allow

  12. Dec−7°C high19 °F

    Season under way, Christmas crowds

Temperatures are rough daytime averages in Rovaniemi; on a moving sled the wind makes it feel several degrees colder. The bars show roughly how likely you are to ride on snow rather than on a wheeled cart, which depends on when the first lasting snow falls each winter. Highlighted months are the ones we would pick. The season in detail.

How each tour spends its hours

  • Transfers
  • At the kennel and on the sled
  • Transfers not in the listed time

Hours come from the listings; the split between the bus and the farm is approximate. Time on the sled itself is far shorter than the bars: about 10 minutes at Bearhill, 20–30 at Safartica and 30–50 at A Day In Lapland. Safartica's 90 minutes start once you are at the resort.

  1. Decide who drivesYour own team on the runners, or a musher behind you while you ride. Driving or riding.
  2. Choose your monthJanuary to March gives the most reliable snow; December has the shortest days and the biggest crowds. Month by month.
  3. Count the kilometresA tour of four hours can hold twenty minutes on the sled. Compare the ride, not the total time. Ride lengths.
  4. Dress for the windWool next to the skin under the lent overall. Add a hat, plus a thin glove inside the mittens. What to wear.

How to spot a well-run husky farm explains what good kennels do for their dogs, from balanced teams to rest days. It also covers the signs that should make you think twice.

How to choose

How to pick the right husky tour

The dogs are just as keen on every one of these five. What differs is who drives and how far you go, plus how many sleds share the trail with you.

Who drives

Three tours put you on the runners; on two a musher drives a short loop. Driving or riding.

Group size

A Day In Lapland takes 8 and Apukka up to 20. The Santa Claus Village ride takes up to 24. Small-group safaris.

Ride length

From 500 m on the combo day to 6–10 km at the wilderness farm. Kilometres and minutes.

Who is coming

Only adults drive on most tours, and the sleds have weight and age rules for children. Husky sledding with kids.

Northern lights too?

The daytime rides end in the afternoon, early enough for an evening aurora tour. Planning both.

Price

From ~$70 for a short ride at Santa Claus Village to ~$245 for a self-drive safari. Every price in one table.

Everything else to do in Rovaniemi

The 5 tours

Five ways onto a husky sled, side by side

We read every husky listing for Rovaniemi on both booking sites and kept one of each kind of ride. Each card gives the price and the length along with the tour company. It also names the catch, with a button for each site that sells it.

A musher in a blue jacket on the runners behind a team of huskies on a sunlit pine-forest trail at Apukka Our pick

Apukka Husky Adventure 6 km, Self-Driven, Apukka Resort

The one we would book for a first time on the runners.

A shuttle from the centre or Santa Claus Village, a full set of thermal clothing and a 6 km loop on your own team, swapping with your partner halfway. A farm with an animal-welfare certificate, and time with the dogs at the end.

  • Rating4.6 from 1,500+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • DurationAbout 3.5 hours with transfers
  • Tour companyApukka Resort
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsEasy logistics; overall, boots, socks and mittens lent
  • Ideal forCouples and friends, or families with older children

Good to know: Guides don't drive, so every adult must manage the sled. Firm rules apply when one adult brings children, and each sled carries 250 kg at most. Many reviews call the ride short for the price. Ride lengths compared.

~$245per adult
GetYourGuide Viator
A team of dark huskies pulling a sled toward the camera on a forest trail at A Day In Lapland's farm Top rated

Husky Safari with Transfers & BBQ (Max 8), A Day In Lapland

The longest drive with the fewest people.

A van takes eight guests to a farm in the wilderness for a 6–10 km self-driven safari of about 30 to 50 minutes, with a photo stop on the trail. Afterwards you get time with the huskies and hot drinks around the fire in a kota, plus grilled sausages.

  • Rating4.9 from 220+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • DurationAbout 4 hours
  • Tour companyA Day In Lapland
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsSmall group, the most sled time, then a fire with food
  • Ideal forAdults who want a real safari away from the crowds

Good to know: Only adults 18 and over drive. Overalls and boots are lent; bring your own hat and gloves, plus socks. Fewer reviews than the big names. Small groups.

~$245per adult
GetYourGuide Viator
A line of husky sleds with drivers standing on the runners crossing an open snowy plain at Safartica Short on time

Daytime Husky Safari 5 km, Safartica

A proper drive of your own in 90 minutes.

Safartica's musher collects you at the resort reception and leads the way to its kennel of Alaskan huskies. After a lesson in steering, you drive about 5 km for 20 to 30 minutes, two adults to a team, with children in the sleigh. Hot drinks and biscuits back at the kennel.

  • Rating4.6 from 1,000+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • Duration1.5 hours, plus transfers
  • Tour companySafartica
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsFits into half a free day; clothing and transfers included
  • Ideal forTravelers with one free afternoon who still want to drive

Good to know: Sold on GetYourGuide only. The shortest of the self-drive rides, and if you miss the meeting time the safari goes without you, with no refund. Driving tips.

~$211per adult
GetYourGuide
Close-up of a black and white husky with pale blue eyes in a red harness at Bearhill's kennel Lowest price

Santa Claus Village Husky Ride 2.5 km, Bearhill Husky

Ten minutes behind the dogs, right in Santa Claus Village.

A 30-minute slot inside Santa Claus Village: a musher drives you 2.5 km through the woods, which takes 7 to 12 minutes depending on the team and the snow. Then hot juice with biscuits and a few words about the huskies in a warm hut.

  • Rating4.7 from 1,500+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • Duration30 minutes
  • Tour companyBearhill Husky
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsCheap, no skill needed, listed as wheelchair accessible
  • Ideal forSmall children, older travelers, a day at Santa Claus Village

Good to know: Sold on GetYourGuide only. A taster rather than a safari. You never drive, and the ride is over in minutes. Rides at Santa Claus Village.

~$70per adult
GetYourGuide
A husky sled with a passenger and musher gliding through deep snow among frosted spruce trees Three in one

Husky & Reindeer Experience with Snowmobile Ride, Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park

Huskies and reindeer plus a snowmobile, all in one day.

Transport from the city centre, a snowmobile ride shared by two, then a farm where you meet both huskies and reindeer. A 500 m sleigh ride behind each animal, then hot juice with biscuits. The tour lends winter clothes and a helmet, plus a balaclava.

  • Rating4.6 from 1,200+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • DurationAbout 6 hours
  • Tour companyArctic Circle Snowmobile Park
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsThree Lapland classics without three bookings
  • Ideal forFirst-timers who want a taste of everything

Good to know: The husky part is only 500 m. To drive the snowmobile you need a valid physical driving licence (category B). What the combo costs per minute.

~$221per adult
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Before you go

Eight things about husky safaris that no listing puts in big letters

None of these sits at the top of a booking page, and each one decides whether you come home talking about the dogs or about the waiting.

What you should know

  1. The ride is the short part. A four-hour tour can hold half an hour on the sled. The rest goes on the bus and the briefing. Then you get dressed and visit the kennel. Minutes on the sled.
  2. Two people share one sled. On the self-drive tours one adult drives and the other sits, and you swap halfway. Travelling alone, ask whether you get a sled to yourself.
  3. Driving takes some strength. You stand on two narrow runners and hold the brake back on the downhills. Most people manage, and a fall into soft snow is common. Driving or riding.
  4. Timing is strict. Teams leave together, and some listings say a late arrival means no ride and no refund. Be at the pickup point early.
  5. Snow is not guaranteed. Early in the winter some farms still run carts on wheels, and a warm spell in spring can end the season. Best months.
  6. Children have their own rules. Weight limits per sled and age limits for drivers, plus rules for one adult with children. Read them before you book. With kids.
  7. Not everything is lent. Overalls and boots come with every tour, but one lends no hats or gloves, and no socks either. Pack your own. What to wear.
  8. The dogs love to run. The barking at the start is excitement, not distress. Watch how the guides handle and rest them; good farms are glad to answer questions. Dog welfare.

Everything in one table

Five husky tours, catch included

The five tours side by side. Each row sets the strength of a tour against its catch.

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →

Tour Ideal for Price Length On the sled Tour company and rating Strength and catch Book
Apukka 6 km self-drive (our pick) A first drive of your own ~$245per adult About 3.5 h 6 km, you drive Apukka Resort
4.6 on GetYourGuide		 Clothing and transfers included, welfare certificate. Ride feels short, strict child rules.
GetYourGuideViator
A Day In Lapland, max 8 A longer, quieter safari ~$245per adult About 4 h 6–10 km, you drive A Day In Lapland
4.9 on GetYourGuide		 Small group, then sausages by a kota fire. Adults only drive; bring hat and gloves.
GetYourGuideViator
Safartica 5 km One free afternoon ~$211per adult 90 min, transfers extra 5 km in 20–30 minutes Safartica
4.6 on GetYourGuide		 Quick; clothing and transfers included. Shortest self-drive; late means no ride.
GetYourGuide
Bearhill at Santa Claus Village Small children, a taster ~$70per adult 30 min 2.5 km, musher drives Bearhill Husky
4.7 on GetYourGuide		 Cheap and easy, in the village. About ten minutes, no driving.
GetYourGuide
Snowmobile, huskies and reindeer A taste of everything ~$221per adult About 6 h 500 m, musher drives Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park
4.6 on GetYourGuide		 Snowmobile plus two sleigh rides. Tiny husky ride; licence to drive.
GetYourGuideViator

About the numbers. Prices are regular "from" rates per adult in US dollars; both sites sometimes show them lower on sale. Dates and exchange rates move them, so check the booking page, which has the final word.

Who went

Reviews from travelers who held the handlebar

Fourteen travelers, some who raced through fresh powder under a blue sky and some who rode a grey, icy trail, on what won them over and what they would do differently.

★★★★★Apukka 6 km self-drive

The shuttle picked us up at Santa Claus Village and half an hour later we were standing in a yard full of dogs screaming to go. The guide showed us the brake, told us to never let go of the handlebar, and then we were off through the pines behind a snowmobile. My partner drove the first half and I took over at the swap. Six kilometres goes faster than you think, so look around while you are moving. Afterwards we got to hold two puppies, which nearly made me miss the bus back.

SMSophie M. · Bristol, UKFresh snow, clear sky
★★★★★Apukka 6 km self-drive

The overall, boots and mittens were all included, so I never felt cold. Clear instructions in English.

KHKenji H. · Yokohama, JapanFresh snow, clear sky
★★★★☆Apukka 6 km self-drive

Well run from pickup to drop-off and the dogs looked happy and fit. My only complaint is the length. The ride itself was over before I had really learned to lean into the bends, and for the price I wanted a little more time on the sled. Still, steering my own team is the thing I talk about most from Lapland.

MDMaria D. · Seville, SpainGrey, icy trail
★★★★★Apukka 6 km self-drive

Drove solo, which I did not think I could do. The guides made it look easy and it was.

JWJordan W. · Austin, USAFresh snow, clear sky
★★★★★Small group + BBQ, max 8

Eight of us in one van, a farm far out in the forest and no other groups anywhere. We drove for close to an hour through snow so deep the trail looked like a trench, stopped once in total silence for photos, then swapped seats. Sausages over the fire in the kota afterwards, and the guide answered every question about every dog. Bring your own hat and gloves, they only lend overalls and boots.

ABAnke B. · Leipzig, GermanyFresh snow, clear sky
★★★★★Small group + BBQ, max 8

Small group, long ride, grilled sausages by the fire. This is the one I would book again.

RLRafael L. · São Paulo, BrazilFresh snow, clear sky
★★★★★Small group + BBQ, max 8

I picked this one because of the group size and it showed. Nobody was rushed at the start, we each got a proper briefing, and when my sled tipped on a bend the guide was there in seconds laughing with me. The trail runs through open bog and spruce, and the light at noon was soft gold. Only adults can drive, so our teenager rode in front and loved it anyway.

ETEmma T. · Perth, AustraliaFresh snow, clear sky
★★★★★Short 5 km self-drive

Short but intense. The dogs pull much harder than you expect, so stand firm on the brake at the start. Hot drinks and biscuits in the kennel afterwards, and the musher told us about each dog in the team.

LPLuca P. · Bologna, ItalyFresh snow, clear sky
★★★★☆Short 5 km self-drive

Good dogs, but be on time. A couple behind us missed the meeting and were not allowed on.

NGNora G. · Oslo, NorwayGrey, icy trail
★★★★★Short 5 km self-drive

We had one free afternoon in Rovaniemi and this fitted perfectly. The musher walked us from the reception to the kennel, gave a ten-minute driving lesson and then we were on our own team through the trees for about twenty-five minutes. My wife and I swapped halfway so we both drove. The ride on the frozen trail was quick and bumpy in the best way. If you want a long safari, look elsewhere, but as a first taste of mushing it was ideal.

DKDavid K. · Tel Aviv, IsraelFresh snow, clear sky
★★★★★Santa Claus Village ride

My mother is seventy-four and cannot stand on a sled, so this short ride with a musher was right for her. Warm juice in the hut afterwards.

CFChloé F. · Brussels, BelgiumGrey, icy trail
★★★★★Santa Claus Village ride

Ten minutes behind the dogs between Santa and lunch. Fun, fast, cheap.

TOTomás O. · Dublin, IrelandFresh snow, clear sky
★★★★☆Huskies, reindeer, snowmobile

A full day of everything Lapland, and the snowmobile part was the surprise hit for us. You need your physical driving licence to drive it, so do not leave it at the hotel like the man in our group did. The reindeer ride and the husky ride are both short loops, about five hundred metres each, so think of them as a taste rather than a safari. The guides were kind and kept everyone warm with hot juice between stops.

HNHana N. · Seoul, South KoreaFresh snow, clear sky
★★★★★Huskies, reindeer, snowmobile

Huskies, reindeer and a snowmobile in one day, with the warm suit and helmet provided. Good for a first visit.

MBMichael B. · Toronto, CanadaFresh snow, clear sky

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Mittens on

Book Apukka for your husky ride

If you are in Rovaniemi between December and March and want to steer a team of huskies yourself, we would book Apukka's 6 km self-driven adventure. A shuttle to the farm, thermal kit from boots to mittens, guides who keep the convoy together and time with the dogs afterwards.

You can hold a place now and pay nearer the day. Cancelling is free until 24 hours before. Bring wool and a warm hat.

~$245

per adult · about 3.5 hours · pickup included

GetYourGuide Viator
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • ✓ Reserve now, pay later
  • ✓ Thermal overall, boots, socks and mittens lent
  • ✓ Transfers from the centre or Santa Claus Village

Good to know

Why Lapland runs on huskies, and what you are riding behind

Five minutes of reading makes the barking and harness lines far easier to follow, along with the musher's quiet commands.

Most of the dogs pulling tourist sleds near Rovaniemi are Alaskan huskies, a working cross bred for speed and stamina rather than looks. They are leaner than the blue-eyed Siberian huskies on the postcards, though many farms keep a few of those too. Put a team in harness and the noise at the start line tells you how much they want to go.

01A team, not a dog

A tourist sled is usually pulled by a small team in pairs. The leaders at the front follow the trail and the sled ahead, while the strongest dogs run nearest the sled. Good kennels balance each team to the weight it pulls, which is why the guides weigh up who sits in which sled. How good farms treat their dogs.

02What the driver does

Mushing on a tourist trail is simpler than it looks. The dogs choose the pace and follow the sled in front. Your job is to stand on the runners and hold on. Brake on downhills and before bends, and pedal with one foot on an uphill to help the team. Driving or riding.

03The kota at the end

Many tours finish in a kota, the Lappish hut with a fire in the middle and benches round the walls. Expect hot berry juice or coffee with a biscuit or a sausage, plus the guide's stories about the dogs. It is also where cold hands come back to life.

The moment most riders remember is the sudden quiet once the team settles into its stride, with only the hiss of the runners and the panting of the dogs.

04Light on the Arctic Circle

Rovaniemi lies just south of the Arctic Circle, which runs through Santa Claus Village north of the centre. In late December the sun rises for only a couple of hours, and the snow glows blue and pink. By March the days are long and bright. The best months to go.

05Kindness to the dogs

Sled dogs need to run, and on a good farm they look keen and fit, and relaxed around the staff. Pet them when the guides say it is fine, never between runs while they are still in harness unless invited, and keep food to yourself. A team that has worked hard deserves the thanks. What to look for.

06Manners on the trail

Keep a sled length or more from the team ahead and never let go of the handlebar, even after a fall: an empty sled with a running team is hard to stop. Phones stay in a zipped pocket while you drive. Photos come at the stops. Husky sledding with kids has more on keeping small passengers safe and warm.

10–50 minTypical time on the sled

8 kmRovaniemi centre to the Arctic Circle, about

Dec to MarThe main sled season

2Adults per sled on a self-drive safari

Can you fit the northern lights into the same trip? Our guide Huskies by day, northern lights by night shows how the timings work.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about husky sledding in Rovaniemi

Fourteen questions we hear again and again, with the full answer.

How much does husky sledding in Rovaniemi cost?

The five tours on this page start at ~$70 per adult for Bearhill's short ride at Santa Claus Village and ~$211 for Safartica's 5 km safari, then ~$221 for the snowmobile and reindeer combo and ~$245 for Apukka. A Day In Lapland's small group costs ~$245. Sale prices are sometimes lower. Every price and extra is in our cost guide.

Which husky tour in Rovaniemi is the best?

For most visitors, Apukka's 6 km self-driven ride, because you drive your own team and everything from the shuttle to the mittens is arranged. For a longer, quieter ride, A Day In Lapland; for a short taster without driving, Bearhill at Santa Claus Village.

When is husky season in Rovaniemi?

Sled rides on snow usually run from about early December to March, sometimes into April. Before the snow, some farms use wheeled carts. January to March has the most reliable trails. The season in detail.

How long is a husky ride?

From about ten minutes on Bearhill's 2.5 km loop to 30 to 50 minutes behind the dogs at A Day In Lapland (6–10 km). The whole tour lasts up to four hours because transfers and dressing take time, as does the visit with the dogs. Kilometres and minutes.

Can I drive the sled myself?

Yes. On Apukka you drive, and the same goes for A Day In Lapland and Safartica. You get a short lesson, then two adults share a sled and swap halfway. On Bearhill's ride and the combo day a musher drives. Driving or riding.

Is driving a husky sled difficult?

Not very. The dogs know the trail and follow the sled ahead. You stand on the runners and hold on, using the brake on downhills and bends. It takes some balance and grip, and falls into soft snow happen, so let go of nothing but your nerves.

Can children go husky sledding?

Yes, as passengers. Only adults drive on most tours, and Apukka has strict rules for one adult with children and a 250 kg limit per sled. The short ride at Santa Claus Village is the easiest start. Husky sledding with kids.

What should I wear for husky sledding?

Every tour here lends an overall and boots. Wear wool or synthetic layers underneath, never cotton. Bring a warm hat and thin gloves for inside the mittens. A scarf or neck gaiter helps too. A Day In Lapland lends no hats or gloves, and no socks. What to wear.

Is husky sledding ethical?

It can be. Sled dogs are bred to run and need the work. Good farms rest them and balance the loads, and the guides know every dog. Apukka holds the Green Activities certificate, which has animal-welfare criteria. How to spot a well-run farm.

Is there husky sledding at Santa Claus Village?

Yes. Bearhill runs 2.5 km rides from inside the village in 30-minute slots, with a musher driving. Apukka's shuttle also picks up near the village. Rides at Santa Claus Village.

Do the tours include hotel pickup?

Every tour here except Bearhill's ride includes transfers from set points in the city centre or near Santa Claus Village. Bearhill's ride starts in the village itself, so you make your own way there.

Can I combine huskies with the northern lights?

Yes. The daytime rides end in the afternoon, which leaves the evening free for an aurora tour. The lights are never promised and need a clear, dark sky. Planning both.

Can I go husky sledding if I travel alone?

Yes. On the self-drive tours solo travelers usually share a sled with another guest or get one of their own, depending on numbers; some reviews mention driving solo at Apukka. Ask when you book if it matters to you.

Can I cancel a husky tour for free?

Yes. The tours here can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before on GetYourGuide, and you can reserve now and pay later. If the operator cancels, for example for lack of snow, you get your money back.

Read before you travel

Guides to huskies in the Lapland winter

Ten questions that keep coming up, each with the long answer instead of the short one.