DogSled Kiruna

Minimum participants; 3. If the group are 4 persons or more, they can choose their own departure dates.

	DOG SLEDGE TOUR NORTH LAPPLAND - SWEDEN	HUND-KIRUNA.99E
	4. Days tour driving your own dogteam.
DAY 1	Arrival to Kiruna Airport 12.05 (Dep. SAS Stockholm 10.25).	Your own
FRIDAY	12.15 Guided bus transfer to the historical village of Jukkasjärvi situated by the frozen Torne river.	*
	This ancient village has been a meeting place for the native people, the Sami, throughout centuries. Ever since the first homesteaders arrived in the very beginning of the 17^th century, Jukkasjärvi, has been an important marketplace for trading goods between the Sami and the Swedish people. Lappland’s oldest wooden church was erected here in 1608 and it is still found at "the end of the village", surrounded on two sides by the Torne river. Today, Jukkasjärvi is a small village where the ancient culture of the Sami meets the lift of the modern Swedish society. A bus ride takes you across the icy Torne river along the winter road to the Husky Dog Base Camp at the foot of the small Altavaara mountain. 12.30 Lunch is prepared over open fire and served in a traditional Lapplander’s tent. Winter equipment complete with overall, boots, socks, hat and gloves is handed out to all participants. After lunch starts the instruction in how to handle your own dog team. You will get acquainted with all the necessary equipment such as sledges, and also learn to harness the dogs to the sledge. The husky dogs are very eager to get on their way and you will find them remarkably strong despite their frail appearance. After sufficient training with your professional guide and instructor, you set off along the ice of the Torne river and soon reach the dense virgin forest on the south side of the stream. After 15 km you reach the first campsite at the wilderness camp of lake Väkkäräjärvi. Together with your guide you prepare tha camp for a night’s rest in the wooden cabins. Very soon the wood stoves have heated the cabins to a comfortable temperature. The dogs are put to rest for the night outside the cabins. They are given water and a special menu rich in fat to enable them to endure the severe outside temperature and the hard work of pulling the sledges. Dinner is prepared on open fire of local ingredients such as fish, reindeer meat etc. Overnight in bunk beds. Sleeping-bags are provided by us. Keep your eyes open for the magnificent Aurora Borealis that light up the dark midwinter skies. The Kiruna region is world famous for its high frequency of Northern Lights and has been home to the most extensive research in the field since the early 1960s
DAY 2
Saturday	Breakfast is served in the cabins. Today the expedition continues with an extensive trip into some of the most exciting wilderness of Lappland. You head north crossing the Torne river along the Alajärvi National Forest Preserve. This magic virgin forest has never been touched by the foresters. The oldest pine trees in Kiruna are close to 700 hundred years old. The reproduction rate is extremely slow and the trees produce cones normally only every 50 years. You pass through a varied landscape of low forest-covered hills, frozen marshes and drive over countless lakes. While travelling on the Taiga Lapplanders´ grazing grounds there is a fair chance to see reindeer and the mighty elk feeding in the virgin forest. A stop to prepare lunch on open fire is made at your convenience. Continued dog sledging along the beautiful Vuolusjärvi lake system up to the small lake of Påkketanjare, bordering on the National Forest Preserve. Tonight the camp is prepared in the traditional way and you sleep in a portable Lapplander’s tent. Reindeer hides and sleeping-bags are provided by us. Soon a nice comforting fire is burning in the centre of the hut. Dinner is prepared over the open fire. Completely surrounded by the wilderness you look for the Northern Lights and enjoy the silence
DAY 3
Sunday	Breakfast is served in the hut after which you get the dogs and the equipment ready for another day in the wilderness.	*
	Heading south along small creeks, across rivers and over lakes you soon reach the abandoned village of Sevvujärvi. This use to be the home of some of the earliest homesteaders in the region. Life here was living on the edge of the impossible and the young generation moved to neighbouring Jukkasjärvi or Kiruna. Lunch is prepared over open fire. In the afternoon you reach the small lake of Väkkäräjärvi and the simple but comfortable cabins. No roads connect this lake with the civilisation, so you can still enjoy the silence of the wilderness.
	Overnight in bunk beds. Dinner is prepared on open fire in the cabins.	*
	Possibility to try ice-fishing on lake Väkkäräjärvi, if conditions are satisfactory.
DAY 4
Monday	Breakfast is served in the cabins. You head back through the forest to the Husky Dog Camp at Poikijärvi by the Altavaara mountain where a bus waits for the transfer of some 500 meters across the Torne river to Jukkasjärvi. A guided tour introduces you to the world’s largest igloo, 2000 sq., constructed of more than 3000 tons of snow and ice. Visit the Aurora Borealis slide show, the chapel or the world-famous ABSOLUT ICE BAR. After the tour of the igloo is followed by a guided visit to LAPPLAND’S oldest church. A sauna bath and a hot shower await you before you take your leave of Jukkasjärvi.
	More days in Jukkasjärvi or/and KIRUNA	Optional
DAY 4-6	11.30 Transfer to KIRUNA AIRPORT	*

4 days Price per person NACH ANFRAGE(3 NIGHTS, 4 DAYS DOG SLEDGE TOUR INCL FULL BOARD

6 days Price per person NACH ANFRAGE (3 NIGHTS, 4 DAYS DOG SLEDGE TOUR INCL FULL BOARD + 1 NIGHT ICE HOTEL + 1 NIGHT IN HOTEL COTTAGE WITH 2 Persons OR in Double room), included Breakfast.

6 days Price per person NACH ANFRAGE (3 NIGHTS, 4 DAYS DOG SLEDGE TOUR INCL FULL BOARD + 1 NIGHT ICE HOTEL + 1 NIGHT IN HOTEL COTTAGE WITH 4 Persons, included Breakfast.

Included: Transfer from/to airport, full board beginning with Lunch day 1 ending with breakfast day 4, all activities as described in programme, winter equipment. All meals based on local specialities. One night in ICE HOTEL incl Breakfast, Sauna and morning soup + One night in HOTEL COTTAGE (2 persons) or in doubleroom hotel, incl Breakfast and transfer Airport.

Lunches: Main course, bread, softdrinks /water and coffee during the dogsledge tour

Dinners: Main course, dessert, bread, softdrinks/water and coffee during the dogsledge tour

Categories	Countries	Cities
Nature and Activities	Sweden,	Kiruna, Jukkasjärvi