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. The tours are not suitable for children under 2 years.  

What’s included

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

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

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 platform 3. The 60 km journey takes approx. 45-60 mins and picks up passengers along the way. There is only a limited service over the Christmas-New Year period and during other public holidays, so please check their timetables before booking. Please search for buses online at matkahuolto.fi departing from Rovaniemi to Tiainen or Luosto, then when you are on the bus, ask the driver to drop you off at Korvala. Timetables can be found here or here.

• Weather conditions

The temperature limit for our products is around -25°C. In colder temperatures, the principal guide will decide if it is safe to start the activity, especially in the case of participating children. Wind chill from velocity needs to be considered: e.g. -25°C with wind chill along the fastest part of the route is equivalent to approx -40°C, where exposed flesh can freeze within two minutes. Therefore, participants must wear suitable winter clothing, including winter hats, scarves/buffs and mittens, with gloves inside the mittens. We offer optional additional winter overalls and boots for participants to use. Our overalls provide an extra layer of protection but are not warm enough by themselves. This activity is not suitable for children under two years of age.

When temperatures drop below -30°C, the cold affects the welfare of the dogs, so this will always be taken into consideration by us if this happens during an activity, and may result in a change or cancellation of the activity.

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.

• Restrictions

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 120kg.

• Terms and Conditions of Service

Please read these terms and conditions carefully before continuing with your order. Your order of our product, activity or service constitutes acceptance of these terms and conditions.

For more information about us, please visit www.korvala.com

Exclusions

This activity does not include transfers. It coincides with the local bus service but it does not include the bus fares.