7–10 kmThe self-drive tour, about 1 hour on the sled
1 driverPer sled on the self-drive tour, with up to two passengers
1 kmOn the sled during the farm visit
500 mHusky part of each husky and reindeer day
The self-drive tour over 7–10 km
This is the tour for driving a team yourself. The listing states 7–10 km and about an hour on the sled within 2 hours in total, so around half of the outing is spent riding. That is a high share compared with the half-day safaris. Each sled has one driver and up to two passengers: in a group of three, agree beforehand who takes the runners and when.
Groups are limited to ten participants, and hot drinks are included. Be at the meeting point 5 minutes before the pickup, because the drivers wait no longer than 5 minutes. Winter clothing is not stated for this tour, so check the product page before you pack.
The farm visit with 1 km on the sled
The short format: 1 km on the sled with local mushers, followed by time with the huskies in the kennel, and with the puppies when there are any. You check in at one of the operator’s offices, the Safari House in Santa Claus Village (Joulumaantie 5) or the city office at Koskikatu 8, and a van takes you to the kennel. Including the transfer the visit takes 2 hours, and overalls, boots and gloves are provided.
Who drives the sled is not stated on the listing, and neither is the number of people per sled. If you did not choose your office when booking, tell the operator at least 48 hours ahead where you will start. Missing the meeting time means no refund, and the tour is not suitable for people with limited mobility.
Husky and reindeer days
All of these days include 500 metres behind Alaskan huskies and a 500 metre reindeer ride on which you steer the sledge yourself. What comes around the two rides is what sets them apart:
- The Santa Claus Village day takes 6 hours: salmon soup or a vegetarian soup at the farm while reindeer herders talk about their work, a reindeer driving licence, then free time in the village with the chance to cross the Arctic Circle. Children under 150 cm get 10 minutes on a mini snowmobile.
- The shorter farm day at Reindeer Manor, about 20 minutes from the centre, takes three and a half hours with the transfer. Juice and biscuits are included, and the husky sled is shared.
- The snowmobile day also takes 6 hours and starts with about an hour on a snowmobile through the forest, two adults to a machine. The driver needs a valid category B licence; a provisional licence or a photo is not accepted. Children and guests without a licence sit in a sled pulled by the guide’s snowmobile. Hot juice and biscuits are included, lunch is not.
Winter clothing is included on the Santa Claus Village day and the Reindeer Manor day. Transport runs from the city centre or Santa Claus Village, and hotel pickup is not included on any of these days. Who drives the husky sled is not stated, so plan on riding as a passenger. The other combination tours around Rovaniemi are compared on our husky and reindeer page.
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The difference lies in the metres behind the dogs.
The self-drive tour is the only one of this operator’s husky tours on which the listing states that you drive the team, over 7–10 km. The farm visit and the combination days are about the animals and the setting, with 1 km or 500 metres on the husky sled. Where 500 metres sits on the full scale of Rovaniemi husky rides is shown on our short ride vs. safari page.
Who these husky tours suit
Good fit if…
- You want to drive a team for about an hour without giving up half a day
- You want huskies and reindeer in one booking, possibly with Santa Claus Village or a snowmobile
- You travel with children and a short ride on each sled is enough
Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park beyond the huskies
As the name suggests, the operator also runs snowmobile safaris, and reindeer rides without huskies. Those are compared on our sister sites: rovaniemisnowmobiles.com for the snowmobile tours and rovaniemi-reindeer.com for the reindeer rides.
