How to choose the best husky safari in Lapland for your group

The question that we get asked more than anything in winter is simple: “Which husky tour should I book?”

Or, even more often: “Which tour is best for me (and my family)?”

And honestly, it’s a fair question. A husky safari in Lapland can mean a lot of different things. Some guests want the full “I want to be a musher” experience. Others want to sit back, relax, and just enjoy the ride. Some families have toddlers, others have teenagers who are ready for a bigger adventure.

So, in this article, we’ll walk you through each of our winter husky tours and explain who each tour is best suited for, so that you can book the one that actually matches your travel style, your expectations and your wishes.

Start here: Do you want to drive the sled, or would you rather sit as a passenger?

Before you pick a specific tour, it helps to answer one question first:

Do you want a self-driven tour or a musher-driven tour?

Self-driven tour means that you drive your own sled, of course with instruction and support from our team.
Musher-driven tour means that you sit in the sled as a passenger while one of our professional mushers drives the sled for you.

If you’re not sure what the practical difference is and what it feels like on the trail, we recommend starting with our article about the difference between self-driven and musher-driven tours, and then coming back here to choose the right option.

Self-driven husky tours

Self-driven tours are for people who want to do more than “just ride.” You’ll get a real taste of what it’s like to be a musher: standing on the runners, working with your team, and feeling that moment when the dogs lean into the harness and take off.

Here’s how to choose the right self-driven tour.

Happy Trail Tour

Best for: families, first-timers, and anyone who wants a shorter self-drive experience.

This is our most family-friendly self-driven tour and also the shortest self-drive option we offer. It’s perfect if you want a genuine dog sledding experience without committing to a long time out on the trail. For the 2026/2027 winter season, this tour is planned from 30.11.2026-04.04.2027.

Choose the Happy Trail tour if:

You’re visiting as a family, including small children.
You want “a taste” of being a musher, but not a long drive.
You’re an adult who wants the adventure, just in a shorter format.

Call of the Wild Tour

Best for: Adult couples & adventurous families, especially with teenagers (13+).

If Happy Trail is the introduction, Call of the Wild is where it starts to feel like a bigger journey. It’s a longer self-driven tour, and it’s a great match for couples and families that want a bit more challenge and excitement. For the 2026/2027 winter season, this tour is planned from 30.11.2026-04.04.2027.

Choose the Call of the Wild Tour if:

You are an adult couple or group of adults travelling together
Your teenagers are old enough to join (this tour is suitable for ages 13 and up).
You want a more adventurous self-drive experience than our shortest tour.

Musher-driven husky tours

Musher-driven tours are ideal if you want the magic of dog sledding without having to drive the sled yourself. You can focus on the scenery, the dogs, the atmosphere … and let the musher handle the technical side.

Here’s how to choose the right musher-driven option.

Running with the Pack

Best for: families (including small children) and anyone who wants a medium-length ride plus a kennel visit. For the 2026/2027 winter season, this tour is available from 16.11.2026 – 04.04.2027 with the end of the spring being weather dependent as long as the snow lasts.

This tour is a great choice if:

You want a medium-length husky ride but don’t want to drive.
You want a more “behind the scenes” experience, including a look at how our kennel operates and more of our facilities.
You’re travelling as a family, even with younger kids.

Campfire Tour (Still unavailable)

Best for: couples, friends, and families with kids aged 7+ who want a longer ride without self-driving.

The Campfire Tour is for guests who want something longer than the shortest rides, but still prefer to sit in the sled rather than drive.

A couple of important practical points:

The youngest age allowed is 7 years old.
You should be comfortable sharing the sled with other people, and it’s possible your group may need to split up.

Santa’s Husky Rides

Best for: quick visits, tight budgets, and guests who want just a short taste of dog sledding directly in the Santa Claus Village. For the 2026/2027 winter season, this tour is planned from 30.11.2026 – 04.04.2027.

This is our shortest and most budget-friendly husky ride, designed for people who:

Don’t have much time in Rovaniemi
Want a quick “taster” experience of what dog sledding feels like
Are travelling on a budget

Quick cheat sheet

If you want the simplest possible decision guide, here it is:

Travelling with small children and want to self-drive: Happy Trail
Travelling with adults or teenagers and want more adventure: Call of the Wild
You want to ride, not drive, and guided kennel tour: Running with the Pack
You want a longer ride without driving, age 7+: Campfire Tour
You’re short on time at Santa Claus Village: Santa’s Husky Rides

Still unsure? Ask us!

We hope this guide helped you narrow it down. And if you’re still not sure which husky tour is best suited for you, just reach out. Our sales team is always happy to help. You can email us at booking@bearhillhusky.com.

See you on the trail!

— The Bearhill Husky Team