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VIDEO: Husky Safari in Lapland
I always grew up dreaming about going on a safari, I mean what kid doesn’t? But who would have thought I we would have ended up trying our hand at a husky safari in Finland as our first attempt at the animal adventure activity? Lapland is a huge area of land in the north of Scandinavia, and the Finnish Lapland area is some of the most pristine and magical we have ever seen. We found the tiny town of Salla to be one of the most charming little towns we have ever visited which made finding the Salla Reindeer Park a piece of cake, as it is right on the main road into Salla.
Once at the park, there are tons of activities to choose from including a husky safari, reindeer safari, reindeer racing, snowshoeing, wilderness camping and ice fishing. While we wanted to try everything, we first chose to hang out with the huskies for a morning and take beautiful ride deep into the snowy wilderness. The first thing we were told by our guide was that we were simply not dressed warmly enough, which we thought might be the case. While we had brought snow pants, gloves, hats, etc, it can get so cold in Salla, that the reindeer park has prepared themselves for under dressed tourists and offers complete snowsuits, gloves and snow boots so no one will spend the day being cold.
Sufficiently suited up we marched outside and met our team of dogs, the most friendly pack of dogs we have ever come across. These dogs, siberian huskies, absolutely live to be outside and to run. The dogs sleep in the snow and are quite happy at temperatures of -40 celsius. Eager to get going, we took the reigns, jump on our sled and prepared to venture into the woods. The snow was coming down softly and the morning light was streaming through the trees, it was one of the most memorable mornings we had experienced in years. Marina jumped in the sled and I took the lead standing in the back, foot ready to step on the break if the dogs got a little too excited.
“Out away from the buildings, we raced along snow covered paths, the crisp morning air hitting our giggling faces…”
Out away from the buildings, we raced along snow covered paths, the crisp morning air hitting our giggling faces. The falling snow muted the normal sounds and we were left with the panting of the dogs, our laughs and not much else, it was truly magical. After about 30 minutes we made our way to a clearing in the woods where we took a small break, built a fire and ate sausages, Finnish pastries and fresh coffee and hot chocolate.
The dogs, eight in total, rested in the snow, taking bites out of the powder when thirsty (a method I used quite frequently myself). The lead dogs, were the eldest of the bunch, and a pair of the pups were the offspring of one of the older dogs who lead us, a true family affair!
After our wintery meal, we packed up and headed out again, this time Marina taking the lead and myself sitting in the sled. Out through open fields, up into the mountains, through tunnels, over streams and finally back to the camp, the trip took a total of around two hours but felt like a lifetime, in the best way possible. Be the time we finished our husky safari it was not even lunch time although we had already had one of the more memorable and fun experiences of our whole trip.
The dogs were amazingly friendly, the guides knowledgable and passionate about not only the dogs but also Finland, the food delicious and the experience nothing but magical. We would go on a husky safari again in an instant, which we can as we were presented with a signed and stamped husky safari drivers license when we arrived back at the camp.
Husky safari trips at Salla Reindeer Park are either one or two hours long and start at 73 euro. The longer safaris include food and drinks.
