8 km jaunt for joy, January-April

We are family-owned business established in 1889 and run by the third generation, the oldest tourism business in the Rovaniemi region. Here you can get away from the crowds and see how much fun dog sledding can be in genuine Lapland! During this personalized experience you can learn how to drive your own team of dogs in small groups of max six participants.

We start by getting winter overalls and boots for anybody needing them. Then it's time for your driving lesson. We'll teach the necessary driving skills and then set off with our beautiful Siberian huskies for an exciting drive through the forest, following the guide's team, without snowmobiles spoiling the magic. Participants travel in pairs, each taking turns to drive and ride on the sled. After the run, you can cuddle and pet the dogs and take photos, then we'll go for a kennel tour where we explain how we care for the dogs and ensure their well-being. We finish off with a warm drink and cookies in our old, traditional house. 

The route is approximately 8 km long and suitable for beginners. It still requires good balance and quick reactions, as well as strength and a good level of fitness, as you will need to run up small hills. It is somewhat demanding because the route has some tight turns, uneven terrain and steep hills.The dogs are usually very excited at the start and quiet once they are running. The time spent sledding depends on the speed the dogs run. This will vary according to the snow and weather conditions. Our dogs usually run at speeds that range between 10km/h and 20km/h, however, in the right conditions they can sprint along some parts of the route at around 30km/h. On average, the driving time is approx. 40-45 minutes.

Children under 15 years ride in the sled driven by a parent/responsible adult or member of staff. Children aged from 15 years may be able to drive a sled by themselves, at the discretion of the guide. The tours are not suitable for children under 2 years.  

The tour coincides with the local bus service from Rovaniemi, which leaves there at 11:45. The return buses from here are at 15:45 and 16:25.

What’s included

8 km sledding with a guide, driving lesson, kennel tour, winter overall and boots, and a warm drink 

Requirements

You should dress in warm winter clothing, including thick woolen socks, gloves, mittens, hats and scarves, and we'll supply boots and a winter overall which can be pulled over all of your own clothes.  

Attention

The weight limit for our sleds is 200kg – this means the combined weight of the driver and the passenger(s), where no one individual weighs more than 125kg.

You can reach us best by car but it is possible to use the local bus service from and back to Rovaniemi to get here. Please take the bus from Rovaniemi bus station platform 3. The journey takes approx. 45-60 mins and picks up passengers along the way. There are no connecting buses on public holidays and only a limited service over the Christmas-New Year period, so please check their timetables before booking. Please search for buses from Rovaniemi to Tiainen or Luosto, then when you are on the bus, ask the driver to drop you off at Korvala. The 11:45 bus from Rovaniemi will get you here in time for the 12:45 tour. Timetables can be found here or here. 

The temperature limit for our programmes is usually around -25°C. In colder temperatures, the principal guide will decide if it is safe to start the programme, especially in the case of participating children. Wind chill from velocity needs to be considered: e.g. -25°C with wind chill is equivalent to approx -40°C, where exposed flesh can freeze within two minutes, so proper clothing is paramount (eg. winter boots, hats, scarves and mittens, with gloves inside the mittens). This activity is not suitable for children under two years. When temperatures drop below -30°C, the cold also affects the welfare of the dogs, so this will always be taken into consideration. 

However, it can also be too warm sometimes, so when temperatures go too far above 0°C, there is an increased risk of injury due to soft trails. In this case, we will try to reschedule the departure time so that we can take advantage of cooler temperatures.

A booked activity may be cancelled or changed at the discretion of the guide, and routes and distances may be altered along the way for safety reasons. In cases of cancellation due to force majeure, attempts will be made to provide an alternative activity.  

For more information, please visit www.korvala.com 

Exclusions

The tour coincides with the local bus times, but excludes the bus fare. The northbound buses leave Rovaniemi bus station from platform 3. The timetables can be found here.  Please search for buses to Tiainen or Luosto, then when you are on the bus, ask the driver to drop you off at Korvala.