Book online

FAQ

Frequently asked questions and answers

Information about our winter tours

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.

  • Your clothes for the trip should be durable and warm, preferably made of natural materials such as wool or cotton. It is worth noting that garments with Gore-Tex or similar materials are not recommended. These man-made fabrics cannot provide the same protection in extreme cold that natural materials can.
  • Bring a camera, but remember to pack extra batteries as sub-zero temperatures reduce battery life.
  • Sunglasses are recommended for tours in the later winter months (March - May), bright sunlight combined with snow is definitely not good for your eyes.
  • If you want to bring your own sleeping bag, do so, but remember that it should be made to withstand temperatures down to -20°C as we may be forced to sleep in tents due to weather conditions.
  • You should bring two pairs of underwear, long thermal underwear and socks.
  • There are saunas at many of the overnight sites so pack toiletries.
  • A knife, "Leatherman" or a small axe can be useful in case there is something you want to take with you.
  • On some of our tours you don't need money or credit cards, on our mountain tours when we stay in STF's cabins there is the possibility to buy small items with credit cards/cash. This and other valuables can be taken care of in the meantime.
  • Our tours include the loan of winter hats, gloves, boots, snowmobile overalls and sleeping bags.

FAQ

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.

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.

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.
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.

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.

There are a few things you need to have with you.

  1. Proper waterproof boots or rubber boots for hiking.
  2. Gloves you can work in, similar to work gloves, preferably leather.
  3. A warming sweater. Even in summertime it can get pretty cold at night up here.
  4. Rainwear such as rain trousers and a hooded rain jacket. Ponchos are often impractical.
  5. Knitted hat or cap.
  6. Your own sleeping bag. But look at the temperature recommendations and make sure you have one that is suitable for the temperatures we expect.
  7. We have everything you need for the work during the course. Things like axes, saws, knives, matches, etc.

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.

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.

During tours, guests take care of their assigned dogs themselves under the supervision of the accompanying guide.
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.
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.

© 2022 Jukkasjärvi Vildmarksturer