Dog Sledding in Tromso

Whilst in Tromso we decided to tick an ultimate desire off of the bucket list and go dog sledding with Tours in Lyngenalps. This was a strange one, we had to meet outside of a central Tromso hotel and then were piled into mini buses where we drove for around one hour. We were then dropped at a ferry terminal for a fifteen minutes crossing. It was only when we departed the boat and piled into more minibuses that anything was explained to us! In fairness the journey ran like clock work it's just some kind of interaction would have helped us to understand the situation!

We arrived at the tour centre and were given warm suits, snow boots, hats and mittens to wear before being given a very brief description of the activity. Essentially the theme of the evening was don't let go and always keep a foot on the brake! With the dogs howling and the glacier being pitch black I was terrified and almost pulled out of the 90 mins ride. My husband convinced me it would be OK and so I took the passenger seat for the first half of the journey.

Within a few minutes it was clear this activity was perfectly safe. Driving was easy and whilst the dogs were strong and quick they were not out of control. We flew across the glacier in the dark and under the stars for 45 mins before switching over drivers for another 45 mins. The dogs barked the entire way and the scenery was magical with a head torch. The Northern Lights unfortunately did not make an appearance but the trip was so incredible this did not matter.

After changing out of our snow suits and spending time patting / photographing the dogs we were transferred to a tiny local restaurant for traditional creamy fish soup and plenty of bread. The meal was delicious and the restaurant staff very courteous. Next it was a transfer to the ferry before another minibus ride home. We got back to Tromso 30 mins ahead of schedule.

The trip cost 1,795 NOK per person. It could be improved with better communication and hotel pick up / drop off but if you are staying in central Tromso you are never a long walk back to your accommodation anyway. We were a group of eleven people so had six sleighs and one guide. We did have to stop and start a little as everyone got used to the driving but for the majority of the trip we had a clear run.

If you are interested in dog sledding then the Lyngenalps is a breath taking place to take part in this. I would recommend our tour company but it may be worth researching others on Tripadvisor for slightly better customer service.