Wilderness Tour (Saturdaytour)

The Äkäskero Wilderness Tour is our classic for all dog enthusiastic guests who always wanted to stay a week in the almost untouched winter landscape of Lapland and at the same time experience the fun of sled dog driving.

In a group of maximum seven guests you will experience an exciting, informative but at the same time relaxed week with our dogs.

With Saturday tours the Sunday is the introduction day where the groups will return to the camp. Nevertheless are the sleds already loaded to learn the real driving better. 

You will stay in simple wilderness cabins the three nights during the tour. There is only an outhouse as a toilet and a sauna as an alternative for a shower, no electrical power available. The work at the cabins like care for the dogs, making wood, making fire, cooking, cleaning, etc. is carried out collectively by the group. Team spirit is required.

After the return into the dog camp you will appreciate the warm shower or sauna and jacuzzi before you will have dinner with your guide. It gives the opportunity to ask last questions or just be happy about memories and anecdotes.

The last day is a free day. It’s your choice if you like to relax in the log cabin, do a snow shoe walk, a snow mobile tour or something else.

The nights in the log cabins you will spend in (half) double rooms. These consist of 3 sleeping rooms with two single beds each, a big living room with kitchenette and two showers/toilets. The log cabins are directly located at the dog camp and of course you can go to the puppies, oldies, ….

To realize a good tour with a lot of positive experiences for our guests and dogs we kindly ask you to note the following conditions:

- physical fitness:   is necessary

For the Wilderness Tour physical fitness is necessary. Every guest must be able to help his dog team - also on longer passages - when there are difficult snow conditions or uphill, that means to walk next to the sled and push it. You don’t need to run marathons but a certain amount of regular sports is recommended. You always have to keep in mind that there can be extreme temperatures of less than -40°. You need to keep your body warm through intensive moving and the most effective way is to run through the deep snow.

- age limits:  16-70 years

The minimum age for the Wilderness Tour is 16 years. The participation of minors in the tours is only possible if they are accompanied by an adult taking responsibility for him and on special request. Due to safety reasons the decision if the minor can drive his own dog team is made by the guide after arrival and can be changed during tour.

Due to our experience, we have learned that the physical requirements of this tour often cannot be made by guests older than 70 years. That is why we can accept bookings from guests older than 70 years only on special request.

- weight: 50-100kg

The weight of the guest is important on tours too. For guests who are too light it can be difficult to control a dog team in difficult situations. With too much weight the burden for the dogs can be too high. That is why we ask you for your understanding that bookings of guests who do not match the weight limits can only be accepted on special request and that we reserve the right to weigh guests at our place if they did not inform us about their weight in advance.

- equipment: clothes sizes S-XXL, shoe sizes 37-49

To be equipped for the tour and ready also for cold temperatures we provide you with special equipment for the sled dog tour. That includes jacket, over-trousers, hat, over-gloves and winter boots. Under those clothes you should wear woolen under clothes and woolen socks, fleece pullover, ski or outdoor trousers and fleece gloves. We kindly ask you for your understanding that the manufacturers of this special equipment do not provide all sizes and so our equipment is limited to the sizes stated above. If you don’t match these sizes please contact us in advance of a booking so that we can give you tips for the equipment needed. 

Saturday:       Arrival Day: individual arrival. Your accommodation is ready at 4:00 p.m. You will receive your equipment and some information about the next days. Afterwards you can enjoy dinner.

Sunday:         Introduction Day where you will do a day tour with the huskies and return to camp in the afternoon.

Monday to Thursday:

The tour takes you through the vastness of „Tunturilapland“ (mountainous Lapland). Here the landscape changes from large swamps and marshes, lakes and rivers to vast forests and the mountains of Western Lapland. These mountains rise to about 1000 Meters above sea level. Much of the area has now been declared a national park so that it can be preserved for future generations. The nights will be spent in „Cabins“: log cabins with gas stove and wood ovens. Water has to be fetched from a nearby lake or river, maybe you have to melt snow. Collectively the group will prepare meals, feed and take care of the dogs, chop wood and heat the sauna. But there will still be plenty of time to enjoy the peace and silence of the wilderness.

The daily stages are up to 60 kilometers long (3 to 6 hours mushing); including time for harnessing and unharnessing, you will spend up to 8 hours with the dogs. If weather conditions are difficult the distances covered may be shorter, but traveling time could be the same or even longer. Also longer stages cannot be excluded.

On the last tour day you will reach the dog camp during the afternoon. Here you will say goodbye to the dogs and will be looking forward to a first shower and then dinner with the guide.

Friday:           Day for free use. On-site you can book a snow mobile tour or snow shoes. Also you can take a walk with our “oldies” or just spend the day in the camp.

Return of special equipment at 17:00

Saturday:       Departure Day. vacation of rooms by 10.00 a.m., individual departure.

The sequence of our activities may be changed, if necessary, depending on weather conditions.

No additional nights can be booked with us

5-day sled dog tour - 1 dog team with 4  dogs per participant; 

4 overnight stays in the log cabin according to description; 

3 overnight stays in wilderness cabins; 

sauna; 

meals (breakfast, snack/lunch, main meal in the evening) starting with dinner on the day of arrival and ending with breakfast on day of departure. Breakfast is self service. 

Meals during tour; 

clothing for extreme cold (jacket, over-trousers, shoes, over-gloves, hat); 

German and/or English speaking guide. 

Transfer from/to Äkäslompolo Äkäshotel.

Not included: 

drinks, optional activities on your free day, airport transfers (airport bus Kittilä to Äkäslompolo Äkäshotel about 20,-- Euro per way, payable directly in the bus or online www.rundgrenky.fi – price as of 03/2022), tips.

All cabins are equipped with warm bed clothing. However this cannot be changed after each overnight stay. Please bring your own thin summer-sleeping bag (inner sleeping bag) and towels. Towel sets can be rented for 6,--€/set consisting of 1 shower towel and 1 hand towel.

Group size: max. 7 guests + guide