NORWAY - SLEDDING WITH DOGS AND
REINDEER TIMELINE:
Days 1 - 2
Bardufoss, Norway / Rundhaug
Arrive at Bardufoss and transfer to Rundhaug, where you join
your guide for an expedition meeting. Get to know your canine
team, review expedition equipment, and practice packing and
maneuvering your sled. Your guide also instructs you how to care
for your dogs while in the wilderness.
Day 3
Oevre Dividal National Park by Dogsled
Transfer to the park, hitch up your team, and embark on the
first leg of your dog-sledding expedition. The dogs hit their
stride and you glide for a day's run into the mountains through
birch, then alpine forest, and finally above the tree line.
Overnight in a group cabin, where your cook prepares a hot meal
on the wood-burning stove.
Days 4 - 5
Lake Ravdo, Sweden / Järäme
Today's run is your longest, crossing the high Arctic
mountains (lynx and wolverine country) into Sweden. Spend
tonight at a reindeer herder cabin, or, if conditions prove
challenging, in a tent along the trail. The next morning, sled
downhill to the tundra, populated with reindeer, to the Saami
village of Järäme.
Day 6
From the Arctic Tundra through the Spruce Forest to Övre Soppero
Sled across the frozen Lainioälven River and pristine mountain
lakes to the Saami village of övre Soppero. Spend the next two
nights with a Saami family in their traditional birch-log house,
enjoying their hospitality, as well as an invigorating sauna and
beautiful views of the river.
Day 7
Reindeer Sledding through Saami Lands
After a briefing and instruction, take the reins for a brisk
ride in a one-reindeer sled. Stop at a lavvu (teepee) for a
traditional Saami lunch.
Days 8 - 9
Kiruna
Toast your experience with a cocktail in the bar at the ICEHOTEL®,
which is built annually from ice-blocks. Depart for home the
next day.
EXPEDITION GUIDE
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Odd Knut Thoresen - Sledding with Dogs and
Reindeer
Odd Knut Thoresen has bred and trained polar sled dogs
since 1977. After 13 years of making weekly sledding
excursions to Skjaerhaug, he became a professional
guide. With no official count in place, Thoreson
estimates having led about a hundred dog-sledding
expeditions throughout Lapland, including the Saami
Lands, over the last 20 years. |
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EXPEDITION LOG: DAY 5
Loping wolf-like for five, 10, then 30 miles, the dogs willingly
pull our wooden sleds with unflagging stamina. We stand, one
foot on each runner, sliding over the snow-covered terrain and
atop ice-hard rivers, leaning left, then right, shouting
commands in Norwegian. It's one man and four huskies per sled.
The dogs surprise us with their eagerness; in the mornings, they
jump and strain to reach the sled, barking excitedly as we strap
on the harnesses, ready to burst into action.
Bundled warmly, our knees bent, we move to the rhythms of this
isolated landscape, ducking under birch limbs and negotiating
bumps in the glistening, trackless snow. On a hilltop, we come
upon a cluster of huts, painted red, seemingly too tiny for
anyone to live in; more like dwellings from a fairy tale. We fly
quietly by, and then there's only the whirling wind and the wide
whiteness. Silent but for the sounds of paws on powder, we
"sail" out from the scrubs and over a crest, bounding down into
the valley. The sunset surrounds us in sweeping, dramatic swirls
of pink and blue. We've seen no one else for days.
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ENVIRONMENT & CONDITIONS |
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DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 4 Severe -
These programs take place in the most inhospitable places on
earth and entail prolonged strenuous activity. Superior
physical and mental condition is required to participate.
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TEMPERATURES of 22 - 32º F, with high
winds
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Altitudes above 1,800 feet
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Dog and reindeer sledding, winter camping
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Excellent physical condition required
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Latitude 67º 49' N
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Longitude 20º 20' E
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DATES & RATES |
2009 Departure Dates
February 19, 2009 - February 26, 2009
March 19, 2009 - March 26, 2009
April 02, 2009 - April 09, 2009
April 16, 2009 - April 23, 2009
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Price per person |
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2008: TBA |
2009: US $15,205 |
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Single Supplement |
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2008: TBA |
2009: US $705 |
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Regional Air |
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2008: TBA |
2009: TBA |
Alternate Departure Dates can be arranged. Prices are subject
to change.
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TOUR MAP |
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