It can be difficult to know what to bring on a winter trip. Below is a list of some advice on things to bring and things to avoid. Any luggage you bring that won't be needed on the tour itself, we will safely store for you until the tour is over. Only the most essential items will be taken on the sledges to avoid as much unnecessary weight as possible.
Not at all, we are starting from scratch. If you are a group with previous experience in the field, we can of course start the course at a higher level.
Generally speaking, there really is no age limit, we welcome all ages.
No, an average physical condition is enough. At most we will walk a distance of a couple of hours, either with a small backpack or none at all.
There are a few things you need to have with you.
Not completely. We will enjoy "regular" meals and stay indoors at our wilderness camp for most of the course. It is only during the last two days that you will find your own food and stay in the woods.
The wilderness camp has a fully functioning kitchen. The main building is heated by a wood-burning stove. The camp has no electricity. We also have a sauna heated by a wood stove and an outdoor pool. Water is supplied from the pristine lake. The wilderness camp is located by Lake Väkkäräjärvi, about 30 km from Kiruna and about 15 km from Jukkasjärvi.
We allow guests to be actively involved with the dogs they use for the tours, as much as possible of course under the supervision of their guide.
Everyone who works here has many years of experience in the job and with dogs. Some have worked with our dogs for almost 20 years and have seen many dogs come and go.
Our employees take care of the dogs when they are not on tour by feeding them, keeping their kennels clean and preparing different teams to go out with the guides every day. The dogs live in packs and are managed accordingly. The dogs are our livelihood and thus they are handled with care and attention.
All dogs are rotated through different types of work each week, each with their own rest days. This depends on how much they run, eat, rest and any injuries, which we follow up in a database daily. The dogs have about 18 hours of rest per day and after longer tours they have their day(s) off.
On a normal winter day, our dogs are fed at seven in the morning and around six in the evening. All dogs are also given snacks in the form of fish at lunchtime. Puppies eat different amounts depending on their age, but generally they eat three times a day or more.
The majority of our dogs have a family home somewhere in Europe. We work together with the German organization Hope For Nordic Paws, who once a year come up to us and pick up older dogs that can no longer run. Even before they arrive, they have found a new family for all the dogs to be picked up.
During longer tours such as weekly tours over a whole week, the dogs run about 25-45 kilometers per day. The distance depends a little on the ability of the guests and the weather.
During tours, guests take care of their assigned dogs themselves under the supervision of the accompanying guide.
Our dogs live in kennels all year round and they also have the opportunity to run free in a larger kennel. In winter, most of the dogs are always out on one of our tours, where the time span can vary from 3 hours to 42 days. When the dogs are "at home" they each have their own hut to sleep in, but most of the time the dogs sleep together in a hut or out in the snow.
The dog food consists of dry food and mixed meat containing all the necessary vitamins as a basic food for the dogs.
We have 140 adult dogs of our own, as well as a few puppies to fill the gap left by the older ones who have finished their working lives.
We normally have two or three litters of puppies per year, depending on how many puppies we get in each litter. The puppies start training when they are around six to eight months old.
Handled, cared for and at best exchanged for another dog when the opportunity arises.
All guests sign a document regarding safety procedures when driving before starting the tour. In other words, they are well aware that the guide is leading them and that they should pay attention to the guide and his instructions.
No, anyone with a driving license or tractor license can drive a snowmobile in the tourism sector. Other requirements are that the group consists of a maximum of ten drivers, the guide leading the trip has a snowmobile license and that the trip follows a route determined in advance by the guide. Source: Swedish Transport Agency.
You can drive a single scooter for a higher fee, otherwise normally two people per scooter.
Of course it is.
The guide notifies the office and we solve the problem on the spot.
All staff undergo annual CPR training, winter/cooling training, practical exercises in knowledge of ice, etc. In addition, everyone undergoes training in their field, both internally and externally.
In terms of training and experience for the staff on these tours. We make sure to have as new scooters, good clothing and high-quality equipment as possible.
Then the guide solves the problem according to his knowledge and experience. No two accidents are the same, so to battle management!
Our highly qualified authorized guides are experienced and trained for all possible situations for this type of environment. And of course, we have the ability to call for assistance and transportation if needed.
In general, you can always expect mosquitoes in Norrland during the summer season, but it varies quite a lot from place to place. There may be a lot in one place and almost none at all in others. Moreover, we are experts in methods to keep them away and which will make your stay relatively untroubled.
Yes it is. In Kiruna, the midnight sun shines from late May to mid-July. And despite the sunset, the nights are very bright well into August.
