Dog Sledding with a Unique Twist
Dog Sledding at its Best!
Welcome to dog sledding at its best! At least that is what many people who have done dog sledding elsewhere have told us after doing one of our tours. What sets us apart are the friendly dogs, who are not just equipment, but family, which means that our guests can interact closely with them. Also our unique trail systems, the quality of our trails and the fact that each person can drive their own little team of huskies without someone else sitting in their sled and trading off makes our tour special. Of course those who are frail or physically unable to do that can opt to sit in the sled with one of our drivers on any one of our shorter tours. The trails have been purposely designed to be scenic and to include hills, forests, open areas, the river and picturesque little creeks making this the best dog sledding tour you may ever do!
We also offer guided SNOWMOBILE TOURS and provide snowmobiles that are easy for beginners to drive themselves. We can also do the driving for you!
Choose from any of the tours below and we can customize a package for you that will include airport and town shuttles and accommodations in cozy cabins with indoor plumbing, kitchenettes and and some have TV for those who "need" it.
What to expect on your Dog Sled Tour
When you arrive you will be given a standard out-door adventure waiver to read and sign stating that you participate in our dog sledding tours at your own risk. Then you will pay by credit card or cash and get outfitted in one of our high quality northern anoraks. (You still need to bring your warmest clothing and we will layer you up as needed). You will then be briefed on how to safely drive a dog team. Each person will have 4-6 dogs. On our tour you will experience the thrill of commanding your leaders to CHEE and CHA down our trail system! No one sits in your sled so driving is much easier. If someone is not able to physically drive, we will supply a driver and that person can sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery. If you have children under 10 years of age they can go for free in your sled or we can drive them for the fee of one adult's dog team. Children over 10 can drive their own little dog team! When booking your tour please tell us what level of physical activity you would classify yourself as: Non-active, Semi-active, Very active or athletic. We will also need you height and weight.
Dog sledding commands to Learn:
CHEE = Turn right
CHA = Turn left
JUDI'S POPULAR PHOTO PACKAGE may be available as an add-on to any of the following tours starting in February when there is enough sunlight for good action shots. For safety reasons our guest mushers are not allowed to take pictures during the run unless they have a Go-pro attached to their body. There is one place that we stop along the way and guests can take their own pictures. If you would like the photo package, Judi will get some great shots of each person in action. The charge is $20 per person photographed and after the tour the best pictures of the run will be emailed to you or put onto one CD for the group to share. Persons opting not to get photos will not appear in any pictures. The first CD is free. There is a $10 charge for burning the photos onto each additional CD. If you would like your photos put on a USB or card please bring one with you and we will transfer the photos. If you would like photos, please request the photo package when you book your tour.
No one else does it like this!
Dog Sledding in a Winter Wonderland
Tours
The Fabulous Fun Run $160 per person This is a an exiting tour on our multi-track trail system that includes traveling through a variety of scenic landscapes. It is a suitable tour for almost anyone in reasonably good health between the age of 10 and 70! The actual run is about an hour but you should allow about 2.5 hours of time for the entire session including preparation time.
The Scenic Delta Tour $250 per person
Enjoy exploring the Mackenzie Delta by dog team in the traditional traveling style. Compared to the Fun Run this is a longer, quieter and more relaxing tour where you can enjoy some spectacular natural scenery to its fullest. You will be following your guide's team onto the Mackenzie River and down some beautiful creeks, then onto a big lake and return through the Boreal forest. You will see the Mackenzie Delta in its pristine glory. If you have already experienced the Fabulous Fun Run and want to try a different route you will really enjoy this one. Total time is about to 3 hrs long.
Half-day Tour with a Campfire Lunch (very popular) $350 per person
This tour takes you across some lakes and through some scenic forests and creeks. You will experience a delightful time with our beautiful huskies as you travel through the pristine countryside. At Picnic Lake you will enjoy a hot lunch around a campfire and spend an hour or more with the huskies resting. This is a good way to photograph the dogs up close and enjoy petting them. Total tour time is about 4 hours.
Husky Day Trip to the Cabin $450 per person Drive a team of huskies through some beautiful countryside to our secluded Arctic Loon outpost cabin in the hills above a tranquil lake. At the cabin you can relax by the wood stove and enjoy a hot lunch. On the return trip each person can choose to drive their dog team back or to drive a snowmobile back to the Arctic Chalet. The trip by dog team is about 2 hours each way and the return by snowmobile 45 minutes to 1 hour. Time at the cabin is about 1.5 hours.
Overnight Dog Sledding Package
Dog Sled Trip to the Remote Arctic Loon Cabin
$550 per person for four people; $650 per person for two people.
Take a tour by dog team to our outpost cabin located about 17 kilometers from Inuvik. This guided tour starts around 1 pm from the Arctic Chalet husky kennels. We travel for about 2 hours on a scenic trail that ends at the Outpost Cabin nestled up in some beautiful hills overlooking a tranquil lake. At this wonderfully secluded retreat you can totally unwind and connect with nature. The cabin is spacious and comfortable and has a loft that can sleep 4-5 people and it also has two small bedrooms with a bunk bed in each. In addition there is a large bedroom with a double bed. There is a separate room for the guides. Warm bedding is provided and the two wood stoves keep the cabin cozy. The cabin is equipped with a nice kitchen and an indoor toilet "honey bucket" - No outhouse!
When you arrive at the cabin you can enjoy a hot evening meal and relax with some of our great northern books by the wood stoves where you have a nice view of the lake and surrounding hills. Hopefully during your stay you will see the spectacular Aurora Borealis away from all city lights. After breakfast the next morning your guide will take you snowshoeing through a "winter wonderland". Then it's back to the cabin for lunch and preparing for the return trip with the dogs. On this tour we can accommodate up to 5 people with one dog team each . For larger groups we can combine dog sledding with snowmobiling, or with snowshoeing to the cabin on a shorter route. In this case half of the group would snowmobile or snowshoe one way and the other half would go out by dog team and then switch for the return trip. (For the quiet enjoyment of those driving dogs the two groups would not travel together.) *Please note that the overnight tour price includes snowshoes, 3 meals, overnight lodging with bedding and two half-days of dog sledding.
The Husky Adventure
7-Day Dog Sledding Package
A Relatively Easy Adventure With Our Friendly Sled Dogs
The Husky Dog Sledding Adventure
Cabin to Cabin Dog Mushing March/April
$2650 per person plus GST
This package is designed for healthy, adventurous people who would like to travel in the north through some spectacular countryside with real Arctic huskies from one heated destination to another. Winter camping in comfort! Each person is given a dog team to drive. Two side trips are included in the package. One is to see the Canadian Reindeer Herd and one is to drive the new road to Tuktoyaktuk and see the Arctic Ocean.
ITINERARY
Friday
Airport welcome and shuttle to Arctic Chalet Check into a cabin Do an introductory dog sled tour to get acquainted with your dogs Short town of Inuvik tour
Saturday
Rest day for us and dogs. You will drive yourself to Tuk and back on the new highway in one of our vehicles.
Sunday
Travel up onto the tundra with the dogs to the Jimmy Lake Camp (5 hour run with a 1-hour rest). Overnight in a heated tent.
Monday
Snowmobile to the reindeer herd (dogs stay at camp and rest) or dog sled in the area. Return to the camp and spend some time playing with the dogs before chores. Overnight again in the tents.
Tuesday
Travel with the dogs back to the Chalet. Enjoy a good shower! Stay in a full-service cabin at the Arctic Chalet.
Wednesday
Travel to the Arctic Loon Cabin with the dogs (2.5 hour run). Enjoy some some snowshoeing on very scenic trails with great view points along the way. Spend the night in the heart of nature. Comfort without electricity or running water!
Thursday
Dogsled back to the Chalet. Enjoy a hot shower & spend the night in your full-service cabin.
Friday
Check out, shuttle to the airport and fly out
This package includes the following: Meals at the outpost cabin, tent camp & while traveling with dogs Shared accommodations for 7 nights in a standard cabin or heated tent Bedding and towels in cabins are supplied Transportation to Inuvik & the airport from the Arctic Chalet, Use of dog teams, sleds and equipment, snowmobiles & snowshoes and guiding services
Optional: You can bring a sleeping bag or bag liner to put inside one of our larger, warmer bags. Clients must be reasonably physically fit, active and without serious health issues. We encourage you to get travel insurance in case there are delays in your tour schedule due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. The single supplement is $250 per person. You may add on extra nights of accommodations if you like.
For dog sledding and snowmobiling we will supply a winter parka, fur mitts, snow pants and warm breathable mukluks so you an stay comfortable while playing outside in the snow! If you would like to purchase your own Steger mukluks you can order a pair on-line before the trip at mukluks.com. These are the most comfortable boots you will ever wear in the snow and worth keeping for years to come. There is more detail below.
What's included in our Tour Packages
Dog Sledding and Snowmobile Gear
We provide outer dog sledding gear but please bring your own warm layers to wear underneath. Our parkas are top quality SKOOKUM BRAND anoraks, beautifully designed and made in the north. These anoraks layer well over your down jacket and other layers. We will also put you into a pair of our fabulous STEGER MUKLUKS and some really warm beaver mitts and snow pants. If you are dog sledding here for a week or so you might want to order your own mukluks from mukluks.com and take them home after your adventures in the north. If you want to wear your own snow boots they must be rated to at least -80C or -100C. The number is just an insulation rating, not a temperature rating. The -35C boots are not warm enough for even -20C temperatures. We recommend several packs of hand and toe warmers such as HOT SHOTS or GRABBERS which you can purchase in sport stores and other places. We also have them here for sale for $5 a pair. You will need at least two pairs of warm socks with wool in them - preferably a thin and a thicker pair to wear inside your boots. You can sandwich your toe warmers between your sock layers before the start of your tour. It is difficult to put them in your boots out in the cold. Also they will not warm up unless you put them on inside in a warm place.
Snowmobile Tours
SNOWMOBILE TOURS
Snowmobile Tour to the Arctic Loon Secluded Cabin
$250 per person
Drive a snowmobile, or let us drive you to the cabin and back for about 1 hour travel time each way. By the fireside you can enjoy a light lunch of soup and bread and hot chocolate, hot apple or an herbal tea! Tour time 3.5 hours
Remote Arctic Loon Cabin
This remote cabin is a destination for dog sledding, snowmobiling or snowshoeing tours, either as a day cabin or for overnight lodging with guides, but is not available as a rental on its own. The cabin is large enough to accommodate 6-8 people in 3 bedrooms and a loft. Although this cabin is totally off the grid it is comfortable and cozy. The kitchen has propane appliances and lamps. We also use candles and portable battery-powered lanterns for lighting. There is an inside toilet and the cabin is heated primarily with two wood stoves and a backup oil heater.
Snowmobile Day Trip to See the Reindeer Herd
Several Thousand Reindeer Live in our Area!
Snowmobile Day Trips to see the Reindeer Herd
Come with us on an exciting Arctic adventure to visit the spectacular Canadian Reindeer Herd in their winter grazing area. For this tour you will need to be very warmly dressed! You will travel in a vehicle to the trail head and then drive a snowmobile on this guided tour to the area where these animals spend the winter where we will have a hot lunch around a campfire. This trip could be up to 2 hours long. We will try to make sure you are dressed up in many layers and come well-prepared for an Arctic experience! Check out the information about the snowmobiling gear that is required. Group rate is: $500 per person or $650 for just two people.
This tour is also available as a Helicopter tour for $850- per person.
