Husky rides with kids in Rovaniemi

The family formats

• The short ride in Santa Claus Village: 2.5 km with a musher driving, about 7–12 minutes on the sled, around 30 minutes in total and no transfer. Outer winter clothing is included. The easiest start for small children. More on the village ride.
• Passenger rides of 2–5 km are longer than the village ride, still with a musher driving. On the Wonderlapland ride four to five passengers share a sled, which suits a family of that size.
• A farm visit with a short ride: 500–800 metres on the sled and time with the dogs; one reviewer describes giving the huskies snacks.
• Self-drive with children in the sled: on the Safartica daytime safari two adults share a team and children ride in the sled; at the Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park one driver takes up to two passengers.
• In autumn, the Beyond Arctic cart ride, 3 km as a passenger, is described as suitable for families. Autumn cart tours.

Cold, time and transfers

Children feel the cold first, and a passenger sits still for the whole ride. Dress them in more layers than you think, with hands and feet covered first. The what-to-wear page has the list. Also look at the total duration: the half-day safaris take place at kennels outside town, and one reviewer describes a drive of about 45 minutes to an hour out to the farm. For young children, a short format close to town is often the better day.

Time with the dogs

For many children, meeting the dogs matters as much as the ride. Reviewers of family-friendly tours describe welcoming hosts, and one a guide who was great with the kids. On busy passenger camps, though, one reviewer notes that the teams run one group after the next, leaving little time to interact with or photograph the dogs. If cuddling the huskies is the highlight, a tour with a farm or kennel visit built in fits better.

Want both huskies and reindeer on the same day? The combination days with short rides on each sled are covered on our husky & reindeer page.