Norway
Adults from: £2675
Brochure code: 1035
  • Duration: 6 nights
  • Flights from Heathrow to Alta (via Oslo)
  • Return airport transfers
  • 2 nights log cabin . 3 nights wilderness cabins. 1 night Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel
  • 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners
  • 4 day husky safari to Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel
  • Cold weather clothing for the duration of your husky safari
  • Fully qualified wilderness guides and instructors
  • Husky team (4-6 dogs) and sled
  • Expedition grade sleeping bag 
see reviews for this trip back to holiday list
Karasjok, Norway, Sven Engholm, Husky Safari, Husky Expedition Karasjok, Norway, Sven Engholm, Husky Safari, Husky Expedition Karasjok, Norway, Sven Engholm, Husky Safari, Husky Expedition Karasjok, Norway, Sven Engholm, Husky Safari, Husky Expedition Karasjok, Norway, Sven Engholm, Husky Safari, Husky Expedition Karasjok, Norway, Sven Engholm, Husky Safari, Husky Expedition Karasjok, Norway, Sven Engholm, Husky Safari, Husky Expedition Karasjok, Norway, Sven Engholm, Husky Safari, Husky Expedition Karasjok, Norway, Sven Engholm, Husky Safari, Husky Expedition Norway, Karasjok, Sven Engholm, Husky Safari, Husky Expedition Norway, Karasjok, Sven Engholm, Husky Safari, Husky Expedition Karasjok, Norway, Sven Engholm, Husky Safari, Husky Expedition
click here to get a quote!

We know...

Our Norwegian partner's credentials speak for themselves: An 11 time winner of Europe's longest sled dog race and a top ten finisher in North America's epic 1800km "Iditarod". This is dog sledding in the most exalted company.

Nestled in the heart of Norwegian Lapland, Karasjok is a magical village in a picture book winter setting. It is so hard to convey the beauty of the Karasjok wilderness landscape at night... just a sense of tranquility occasionally shattered by the wolf-like howl of a husky before it settles into the snow to sleep.
 
For a truly uplifting and memorable 'life experience' in a genuinely unspoilt wilderness, there are few places to compare.
 
This husky safari takes you into the heart of Finnmark and into wilderness areas which few people ever get to visit. To end the journey at a magnificent Igloo Hotel tops off the adventure beautifully.
Suitable for

Suitable for anybody aged 18 years and over.

Karasjok Log Cabins and Husky Farm

Karasjok Log Cabins and Husky Farm, Karasjok, Norway

Nestled in the woodlands just 6km from Karasjok (the Sámi capital) is the base for some of the best dog sledding safaris in the world. To cap it all, we work with the acknowledged “Master” of Scandinavian mushing.

The site combines some unique log cabins and a husky farm that is home to approximately 50 sled dogs. It’s a very special place and, with only eight cabins, one that only a few people are privileged enough to enjoy. Each log cabin has been individually designed to combine comfort with traditional Sámi decor. It’s difficult to describe them as each one is different. The images here and on our website portray them best.

Here’s a measure of the effort that has gone into each. When out mushing, your host sees a piece of wood that would make a coat hanger, a shelf, a lamp stand, anything really. He uses his GPS to pinpoint its location and then picks it up next time he’s passing and fashions it into something both useful and remarkable. Lampshades made from bird feathers, comfy seats and dining tables hanging by ropes from the ceiling, reindeer skin stool covers and much, much more. Everywhere you look there is something that reflects living here in the Arctic.

Each hand built cabin has sleeping facilities for between 2 and 6 people with some having a lounge area, a kitchenette and most, a log fireplace, shower and toilet. Cabins are allocated on a first come, first served basis so book early if you prefer to not share washing facilities. Your meals are taken in the main building and there is a sauna and an outdoor hot tub with a lovely scenic view.


Day 1: Flights, arrival and introduction

You will fly into Alta where a taxi will be waiting to take you to Karasjok Base Camp for dinner. You will spend the night in one of the beautifully designed and constructed log cabins.

Day 2: Acclimatisation to the Arctic

After breakfast you will be given your winter clothing, what you choose to do for the rest of the day is then entirely up to you.  Any dog lover will simply adore being part of the husky farm here at Base Camp but there’s a lot more to do besides cuddling the puppies. You can try snowshoeing, kick sledging, a visit to the National Sami Museum, the Sápmi Sami Visitor Centre or the Norwegian Sami Parliament.

If you can’t wait to see the wilderness then you could take a snowmobile trip, a reindeer safari or a practice outing with the dogs. All payable activities payable locally. 

Day 3 – Safari to Gardin Mountain Cabin

This morning you will learn how to manage and care for your team and your guide will ensure you are equipped with all the essential sledding skills you will need.

Once the sleds are packed you’ll head away from Base Camp following a steep incline onto the neighbouring plateau. It’s wild, windswept yet wonderful in these wintery uplands and you can’t fail to be impressed by the sense of remote isolation as the willing dogs race towards your wilderness cabin accommodation.

Day 4 - Safari to Mollisjok Mountain Cabin

Your journey continues across the endless winter landscapes high up on the plateau. There are very few, if any landmarks and it must be so easy to get lost in this unforgiving terrain. Be grateful that you are in the excellent hands of your guides and his trusty GPS (although we suspect these guys could do the trip blindfolded). Your overnight base is another wilderness cabin which can only be described as being “in the middle of absolutely nowhere”.

Day 5 – Safari across Lake Jiesjavrre

Today’s trail takes you across Finnmark’s largest Lake Jiesjavrre offering endless views in every direction. Again, it’s that sense of being in a vast, untamed space that is so inspiring. By now, you and your team should be a finely tuned unit and you’ll be getting to know each dog’s own special character. You’ll spend the night in the Jotka mountain cabin.

Day 6: Journey’s end and the Alta Igloo Hotel

Heading North West you’ll get your first views of the Arctic Ocean and the fjords. You deserve a pat on the back because most people only get this view from cruise ships. You’ve taken a far more remarkable and fascinating route across some wild terrain. Finally, this evening you’ll arrive outside the amazing Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel where you’ll spend the last night of your holiday.

Day 7: Departure, transfer and flights

After breakfast a taxi will arrive to take you back to Alta Airport for your flights home. What a journey!

Available  Limited places  On request 
 
Price per person based on 2 adults
Depart Adult Availability
17/02/2012 £2675
12/03/2012 £2675
Supplements :
Name Adult
Single Supplement per person £290
N.B. Prices in brackets denote a price deduction.

Pricing Notes

Single supplement

This is principally a transfer supplement.  The supplement does include a single room at Base Camp and at the Igloo Hotel.  Accommodation during the safari is in dormitory style accommodation and single rooms are not available).

Tourism in Norwegian Lapland has become a main source of employment and income, replacing traditional industries such as forestry. Working within this growth industry in rural and remote areas means that we must take a great deal of responsibility; socially, environmentally and economically. We fully appreciate the impact of tourist visits on local communities and their residents and strive to ensure that we are having a positive effect.

Karasjok is the centre of Sámi culture in Norway. A great deal of time and money has been invested in this area to educate both visitors and young Sámi people in the traditions and skills that have been passed down for generations. We have included a great deal of interaction with the Sámi culture and include a visit to the Sapmi Cultural Centre.

In addition we encourage our clients to get involved in local events and activities whilst staying in Karasjok which help to sustain traditional values and customs. We always encourage our clients to respect and embrace the lives and culture of local inhabitants by learning a few important words: hello, goodbye, please, thank you etc.

In all of our destinations we ensure that we use local suppliers, enabling locally owned businesses and the economies in which they work to benefit directly. The hotel Rica, although part of a larger chain of hotels, is Scandinavian owned and provides a vital source of employment throughout Norway in areas where employment opportunities can be scarce. Their restaurant serves a traditional menu with many local dishes available and the décor throughout the building takes inspiration from the Sámi culture.

Through the tourism multiplier effect, this all helps to generate incomes and employment where the drift might otherwise be towards larger employment areas such as towns and cities. Our use of small businesses means that the tourism income, generated by our presence, stays where it should, in the local economy. We firmly believe in paying a fair price for all the services provided by our suppliers regardless of where they are in the world.

Our holidays rely on visiting beautiful and un-spoilt areas. Naturally we wish to maintain the natural settings in which we work, not just for the future of our company, but also for future generations. We always insist that our local providers are equally conscious of this need.

We do appreciate that some may feel that snowmobiles should not be included in such itineraries however in areas such as Karasjok they are a way of life. The alternatives to snowmobiles would in most cases be large, gas-guzzling off road vehicles. All snowmobiles are regularly serviced and kept as fuel efficient as possible. The snowmobile service industry is also another vital source of employment in this remote area.

Amy Griffiths - Activities Abroad
Our Opinion

“In Scandinavian mushing circles, one man stands out from the crowd, Sven Engholm. Quiet, unassuming, modest and a dog sledding legend. He’ll hate us for saying so!” Amy Griffiths