Five things you may not expect on a dogsledding trip

“NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS DON’T LET GO OF THE SLED”

This is the cardinal rule impressed on you as the dogsled is prepared for departure. Last minute checks are performed, the dogs are beside themselves with excitement, there are howls of impatience and your own heart is beating like a drum. The anticipation is palpable. The instant the breaks are released you accelerate like a sprinter from the blocks, trying desperately to hold on. But then an amazing thing happens. The initial adrenaline subsides and you realise you’re travelling at a sublime and gentle pace. The perfect speed to cover the ground, but not fast enough to lose the connection to the landscape.

And amazingly you’re in almost total silence – the loudest noise is the gentle hiss of the sled in the powder snow. This speed of travel allows the mind to wander, to fully take in the extraordinary arctic landscape. You lapse into a meditative state where the outside world ceases to exist. Phones, emails, social media all evaporate and it’s you, the landscape and the team of magnificent animals who are making it all possible.

“THESE DOGS ARE OF FINE RACING STOCK – SMALL AND TOUGH GREENLAND HUSKIES”

Of course it’s no surprise to hear that the dogs are characters. But there’s a whole different level of affection and respect for a team of animals who are so eagerly transporting you through such a dramatic and wild environment with such generosity and enthusiasm.

These dogs are of fine racing stock – small and tough Greenland huskies. Short of stature (compared to some) but long on stamina. And charisma. You’ll never forget the accusing over-the-shoulder looks thrown by the dogs when you apply the breaks. Of course you get to know the animals well over your stay, helping to harness and unharness them, feed them, drive them. By the end you’ll feel part of the team. Even if the dogs continue to look a little askance at your driving technique.

“TRADITIONAL, SIMPLE SCANDINAVIAN FOOD, DONE BRILLIANTLY.”

After a day driving your own team of dogs, crossing vast frozen lakes and rivers and traversing frosted Scandinavian forests, few things can be as welcome as a plate of hot food. So imagine the surprise when you round a bend on a frozen lake to the flicker of flame up ahead. As you continue you see that the flame is from a brazier, set up on the lake shore to welcome you into camp.

And it gets better. Once your team is parked up, you find a camp fire under the stars with seats covered in reindeer skins at the centre of a little cluster of cabins. First up a mug of mulled wine by the fire is accompanied by delicious cured reindeer meat.

All meats used on the expeditions are sustainably harvested in the area. Zero food miles, zero waste. And then – after a sauna and
a(nother) drink, it’s time for dinner.

And this is when you realise you’re in the hands of real professionals. This is traditional, simple Scandanavian food, done brilliantly. Wonderful flavours and deeply nourishing after a day in the wild.

“TRAVEL FROM CABIN TO CABIN – EACH SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, BUT ALL DEEPLY SPOILING”

As with our mobile safaris in Africa, one of the great joys of a three (or more) day expedition by dogsled is the opportunity to construct a proper journey. To cover the ground and get a sense of the geography of a place. And the principle is about using kit and accommodation wholly appropriate to the environment.

In Arctic Lapland, life evolves around the trees and the reindeer and has done for centuries. Cabins are constructed from pine trees interlocked with intricate joints like elaborate puzzles, while reindeer skins have been used to provide warmth since the dawn of time. Woodburning stoves quickly turn these beautiful cabins into warm and cosy havens. Over a few days you travel from cabin to cabin – each slightly different, but all deeply spoiling.

And these days the luxuries go beyond animal skins – comfortable leather armchairs, warm beds, saunas and hot showers all make this an experience that is very hard to beat.

“YOUR FIRST SIGHTING OF THE AURORA BOREALIS IS SOMETHING YOU’LL NEVER FORGET”

At first you may think your eyes are deceiving you. Is it fog, a cloud? But then the pulsing starts and the colours appear and you are spell-bound by the display.

Standing out under an Arctic sky in the middle of a vast wilderness miles from the nearest settlement makes this experience even more special. And while the best results are in total darkness, amazingly the lights can even be seen under a bright moon.