Frequently Asked Questions

Do your dogs enjoy pulling a sled?

Sled dogs love to run! It’s an instinctive breed-specific behaviour. Huskies are bred and born to run, just like hunting dogs will always try to hunt. They get very excited, tails wagging back and forth, at the prospect of having a good run with their mates. This is why we love it so much, too. We embrace what the dogs are meant to be and our lives revolve around fulfilling their natural drive to run and pull a sled as a team. We always have our dogs’ health and happiness at heart, who are part of our family.

Do I need prior experience of dog sledding?

No previous mushing experience is needed. On every trip our guides spend time teaching those new to the sport. You will receive full instructions on how to mush your team and control your sled to make sure you feel comfortable and well equipped for your time on the trail. Most of our guests have never stepped foot on a dog sled before. You are accompanied at all times by a guide who oversees the whole experience, allowing you to relax and enjoy the thrill of mushing a dog team. Dog sledding is ideal for those who love wild and unspoilt places and adventure.

When is the best time to go dog sledding?

The simple answer is: anytime! Each part of the winter has its own special atmosphere.

Up North, the season for dog sledding lasts from November to late April or even early May. To experience the deep midwinter period, the best time to visit is December to January, and February to April to enjoy the spring winter with daylight hours and milder temperatures. From late November to late January, the sun does not come above the horizon. Contrary to what many people expect, it is by no means completely dark. The snow, the moon and the stars can lighten the landscape considerably, and during the daytime there is a dusky light which often has a magical blue quality.

The Northern Lights are visible until April, later than this and the nights are becoming too light to see them.

What is the difference between the dog sled day and night trip?

The main contrast between those two trips is the scenery of the landscape. On our day trips, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the surrounding area whereas in the night you will enjoy the deep stillness of the Arctic winter with the possibility of sledding under the northern lights.

Where is the pick up location for your trips? Can I come on my own transport?

We pick up our participants at Radisson Blu Hotel Tromsø. The address is: Sjøgata 7, 9259 Tromsø. Please, be at the location 10 minutes before departure.

If you wish to drive to our camp with your car, please contact us directly so we can give you directons and delete your name from our collection list.

Can I bring children on the dog sled trip?

Our dog sled trips are popular for being the longest, most technical and most advanced dog sled trips in the Tromsø area and especially attractive to fit adventurers. As the activity might be demanding and strenuous for infants, it is not suitable for young children. Kids under the age of five are less likely to enjoy a full day of dogsledding.

However, our huskies are friendly and affectionate and children love interacting with them. Older children may enjoy participating in a longer trip. All children will be riding on the same sled as their parents.

Bare in mind that we do not provide children’s clothing, so please make sure your children are dressed for cold temperatures. Pack a warm winter dress, a hat covering ears, mittens, warm boots and woollen socks. Warm and dry kids are happy kids.

If you decide that you would like to book with us, please contact us by e-mail and we will create your invoice. Children aged 17 and under pay half price.

Are there any weight restrictions for riding the sled?

Generally, there is no weight limit for mushing the dog sled. However, the activity requires a good fitness. Every potential participant needs to consider their own physical condition and mobility.

Can I join the dog sled trip in my pregnancy?

Commonly, there are no high risks in joining the dog sled trip whilst pregnant. Nevertheless, the activity has inherent risks for anyone who participates. Please, contact us before placing your booking to consider your participation in advance.

Do you provide clothes for the dog sled trips?

We provide Arctic proof boots as well as suitable clothing (trousers, jacket, neckwarmer, mittens, hat) for all our winter activities but we recommend every participant to wear a good quality base layer as well as a woollen jumper or fleece. Be aware that our sportswear is meant for cold and Arctic weather conditions and therefore not waterproof. On mild temperatures, we ask you to bring your own rainwear.

Do you serve a warm meal?

A meal is not included in our dog sled day and evening trips. We serve hot drinks and biscuits and recommend guests to bring their own lunch. For our overnight dog sled trips and multiple day trips we provide all meals (vegetarian on request).

What happens, if there is no snow?

Bare in mind that nature is unpredictable and exactly when the snows arrive will vary a little from year to year. Snow conditions are critically important, and so if there is not enough snow or if the snow has melted and turned to ice, dog sledding tours can not safely run. However, this doesn’t mean your booking with us is automatically cancelled. We will continue to run tours and train dogs on 4-wheeled carts at our husky training area on the mainland, approximately 30 minutes drive from Tromsø centre. Active Tromsø AS reserves the right to cancel activities at any point for safety issues.

Do I need to book my trip in advance or can I wait until I come to Tromsø?

As our trips are so popular, they book up weeks in advance. If you decide that you would like to book with us, please do so as early as possible to avoid disapointment.

Can I join the tour and just be a passenger in the sled?

Our activities are strenuous and require a good fitness and mobility. If you do not wish to or are not able to mush the sled yourself, you can join the activity by being a passenger in the sled.

You recommend a good level of fitness is required for your trips. What do you consider to be a good level of fitness?

You should be in generally good health and enjoy the outdoors. While the dogs are doing the heavy pulling, the sled driver must assist them by jogging up hills alongside the sled, leaning to help steer the sled around turns in the trail, and maintaining balance on the sled runners throughout the trip. You don’t have to be a professional athlete to drive a dogsled, but you do have to be reasonably fit. We recommend that if you can walk up three flights of stairs without getting out of breath or go for an hours walk easily, this should be adequate. If you are uncertain, please contact us directly.

Do you offer a lower price level for groups over a certain size?

We love groups, which is why if you are in a group of 6 or more people we’ll do the right thing and offer you 10% off the price.

When is the best time to see the Northern Lights?

You can see the Aurora only near the poles, so either the Antarctic Circle in the South or the Arctic Circle in the North. This is due to the earth’s magnetic field interaction in these places. A clear night sky is must to see the Northern Lights. If the sun is still up or there is cloud coverage then they won’t be visible.

The best time to see Northern Lights in Norway is between the months of September and March when it’s dark all night long. Northern lights can be seen in Norway as early as September and as late as April. There’s a good chance to see northern lights in the sky at night from October, November and December. 

Do you adopt out any dogs?

No. Our dogs are our family, they happily retire and live out the rest of their days with us.