Dog Sledding in Finland
How it is to go for a husky safari near TampereDog sledding or Husky Safaris can be a bit worrisome for us, animal lovers. That is why I’m presenting you with a great option of dog sledding in Finland. I personally checked the conditions of the doggos. And this is my story with dog sledding in Finland in the city of Tampere.
Responsible dog sledding in Finland a serious business
From the moment I knew I was going back to Finland during winter, I knew I wanted to go dog sledding in Finland. I never did it despite having almost ten trips to this northern giant on my memories.
The excitement of gliding across frozen forests and fields in a dog sled was irresistible. It was raw, wild and I was very excited. And all that was a bit worsened when I knew one of my destinations was Tampere. A city I wanted to visit for so long due to its lively young scene.
Since animal abuse has no place in this blog and in my life, I did my research. I found that Gegwen Getaways – like most of dog sledding companies in Finland – are very responsible. So don’t worry, I would never write nor recommend anything that is not 100% cruelty-free here when it comes to things like that.
Gegwen Getaways is run by a very nice dude that is as in love with his dogs as his dogs are in love with him. And I think when you see the video I did, you’ll understand a bit more of why I’m using love as the verb to describe.
Besides, as a good travel journalist, I conducted an interview with the dogs after one of their runs. I was asking on point questions about their work and who was the good boy among them. The answer you can find at the end of the video.
The dogs on Gegwen Getaways have day offs, and other perks. They get full retirement plans with options to go and run with their friends without carrying humans, just for the fun of it. Also, even in low season, their human takes them for a fun day out doing what they love anyway. And believe me: those dogs L-O-V-E to go for the round.
A Spectacular Dog Sledding in Finland Experience
Leaving the city center of Tampere behind, you must hop on a train for about 10 minutes to get to Lempäälä. From there it is quite easy to reach Gegwen Getaways.
Just this short train ride is a must for winter lovers. As you imagine, Finland is a winter paradise. Usually, people classify summer as the high season for travel but in Finland, winter takes the gold medal. I’ve experience summer, autumn, spring and winter in Finland. More than once. And I give you all my word that the winter in this country is to die for.
Once you reach the gates of Gegwen, the dogs know what’s coming and they jump and bark in anticipation. All of them. Twenty or thirty dogs over excited because they are going for a ride. Barking, jumping, wiggling their tails, making dog lovers like myself melt.
Once the gate was opened, I immediately went to one of the spaces where some dogs were to play with them. There was this husky puppy that stole my heart. But all they did this. And we were in love. I was in love with the dogs and the dogs were in love with me. If you follow me on my personal Instagram, you know how crazy I am with animals. I even have a highlight on my profile for “random animals”. Dog sledding dogs were no different.
I think this photo that Annix from Almost Locals took shows a lot how bonded we were.
The whole dog sledding thing happens with two people and the guide, and the option we did was around 5 to 10 minutes round. There are more extended route options, but since we were a large group, the guide chose an option that would make the dogs do their exercise of the day but not to the point of exhaustion. Another point for Gegwen Getaways.
After everything, we had some sausages, coffee and tea made my a fireplace inside a rustic tent. So good to feel the winter like a Finn. I just love it those unique experiences and moments that only Finland can give. All the activities you have in Finland are very Finnish and I respect this a lot. Finns are very proud of their heritage and history and culture without sounding patriotic. It is the perfect combination of self-love and respect for others.
Sometimes the pride of some can offend others because can sound like “we are better than everybody”. In Finland, the tone is more “we are great the way you all are”. Maybe I’m just tripping here but it is one of the reasons I love this country.
To go to Tampere and have the same you read here, it is very easy. I strongly recommend the hotel I stayed because it is minutes away from the main train station and has a very good breakfast. The name is Lapland Hotels and they are a chain in Finland. By reading our hotel reviews, you’ll see how much I care about good breakfasts.
The decor of the place gives you this Lapland feel with reindeers and more. So it is, in a way, going to Tampere and having a taste of what is Lapland. Actually, if you’re into reindeers, here’s a post about the most asshole reindeer in the whole Finland.
Get in touch with Gegwen Getaways and set up with them the best way for you and your group to go there and have the best time ever. It is great for large groups and for small as well. I also recommend for couples, since the BBQ and the coffee afterward can be quite romantic.
If you have any other question, please talk directly to me in the comments here or on our facebook group. I would love to have you subscribed to our channel if you liked the video above.
I hope you enjoyed this post and I heartily invite you to read the other posts we have about Finland so you can plan your trip right. Finland is our favorite northern country since the very beginning of this blog; it is always a pleasure for us to help others to discover this love.
