Dog Sledding
Would you like to discover, explore, and learn a new way to have an exciting adventure?
Do you love dogs, but can't have one? You could meet your new best friend!?
You will find us in a little mountain area called Synnfjellet. About a 40 minutes drive from Spåtind Sportshotell. An hour drive from Lillehammer. Little under 3 hours from Oslo.
Keep in mind. We are not a mass tourist company, we just love meeting new friends and letting them enjoy and experience a new way of an exciting adventure. Therefore can we only offer a maximum group of 2, but we do have a kennel activity for families that involves dog sledding.
Would you like to handle your own dog sledding team? Everyone can do this and you will get instructions about safety and how to handle the dogs before we head out on our journey.
Tips
Are you tough enough to tackle a Norwegian winter? As we say here in Norway, there is no such thing as bad weather; only bad clothing. Here are some tips on winter clothing for the trips:
1. Inner layer: should be something that is breathing, I recommend wool. Do not use cotton!
2. Thicker layer: I recommend wool, but you can use fleece too.
3. Last layer: Windproof jacket and pants, sometimes waterproof too, in mild condition, but remember it needs to be breathable material.
4. Wool socks, maybe even two.
5. Good winter boots that are snug and not too tight!
6. Good warm and windproof hat and mittens. Do not use just gloves! I recommend having thin woolen gloves to use inside the mittens or keep them in your pockets, to use when you are handling the dogs.
7. Woolen tubelike scarf so you could cover your face against the harsh weather
8. Snow goggles, not a must, but I do recommend if it is very windy and snowing at the same time.
Raven's Active day around Synnfjellet - 60km
This is for the tough people who want a taste and experience the feeling of how it is to be
a competing musher.
This tour can be done by a maximum of two adults. You can handle your own sled all the time if you wish.
We stay together all the time. We take breaks along the way. The dogs get snacks, and we get some homemade food, biscuits, and hot drinks. When we return to the start, we take care of the dogs and make sure they get into their kennel homes. Hot drinks and homemade biscuits that were not eaten on the trip will be served if you want a short break before getting into the car. If desired, we can start a fire, grill bread on a stick, and perhaps even make a cinnamon roll version. This is a long and demanding day behind the sled with lots of hills, weather conditions have a lot to say on how long this will take. This can take up to 8-10 hours. It will be a trip around the entire Synnfjellet. So this is for those who know they can handle such a long, active day. If desired, you can spend the night with us for a tiny extra sum, this is not included in the price. What about hammock accommodation in the dog yard? In that case, you must have a winter sleeping bag yourself. And if the dog trusts you and wants to share, you can have a dog in the hammock.
We have hammocks and reindeer skins to lend out.
Duration: plus/minus 10 hours, all depending on weather conditions and how long you want to stay at the kennel.
Price: Adult (15+): 4500 NOK
Brage's musher for a day - 25km
This tour can be done by a maximum of two adults.
You can handle your own sled all the time if you wish. We stay together all the time. We take breaks along the way. The dogs get snacks, and we get some homemade food, biscuits, and hot drinks. When we return to the start, we take care of the dogs and make sure they get into their kennel homes. Hot drinks and homemade biscuits that were not eaten on the trip will be served if you want a short break before getting into the car. If desired, we can start a fire and grill bread on a stick and possibly make a cinnamon roll version?
If desired, you can spend the night with us for a tiny extra sum, this is not included in the price. What about hammock accommodation in the dog yard? In that case, you must have a winter sleeping bag yourself. And if the dog trusts you and wants to share, you can have a dog in the hammock.
We have hammocks and reindeer skins to lend out.
Duration: Around 6 hours, all depends on weather conditions and how long you want to stay at the kennel.
Price: Adult (13+): 2600 NOK
Nanna's half a day adventure - 15 km
This tour can be done by a maximum of three adults and children. You get to handle your own sled all the time if there are only 3 of us. If children are to be included, it is the size that matters if we can be more than 3 on this journey. We stick together all the time. When we return to the start, we take care of the dogs and make sure they get into their kennel homes. If you are up for it, we have some pensioners and puppies at the kennel that deserve attention. Hot chocolate and homemade biscuits are served. If desired, we can start a fire and grill bread on a stick and maybe make a cinnamon roll version?
Duration: Around 4 hours, all depends on weather conditions and how long you want to play at the kennel.
Price: Adult (13+): 1500 NOK
Kids (5-12 years): 1050 NOK
Castello's taste of mushing
This is for those of you who either just want a taste of dog sledding or if you are a larger group/family with many children.
The big experiences are a problem for our small team if there are many of you. But we will make a day of dog sledding at our kennel. Straight from the kennel, we can go on a 1, 2, 4, or 8 km long dog sledding trip. The larger the group, the shorter the trip. If there are more than 4 of you, you must split up and drive your own lap. The rest of the gang who cannot fit in the sled stay by the fire and enjoy themselves by either the fire where you can make bread on a stick. Very popular to cook on a bonfire when I grew up.
Maybe even make a cinnamon roll version? You can also snuggle with the pensioner Luna, maybe she'll come along for a ride and run after the sled. Pensioner Luna deserves attention for her hard work earlier in life. Or you can slide down our small hill at our kennel.
Duration: Around 3 hours, all depends on weather conditions and how long you want to play at the kennel.
Price: Adult (13+): 1050 NOK
Kids (5-12 years): 750 NOK
Younger Kids (0-4 years): 200 NOK
Luna's mixed adventure - Tailor-make your own trip.
Here are some suggestions that might peak your interest instead:
- Maybe Synnfjellet isn't the place for you? Well, we love exploring other mountains, so this is quite possible! But it has to be in a decent driving destination.
- Maybe you would like a sleepover dog sledding trip. This is possible too. With a basecamp option, we can take a group of two. With a single person trip, we can sleep on the trail.
- If you think of a moonshine dog sledding trip, we could also make this happen. It's amazing to go mushing and can turn off the headlights and still see where you're headed.
Either way, I will try and design and organize a trip that might suit you! Just contact us and tell us what you are looking for.
You need a sleep-over place?
Unfortunately, we don't have a place for you to sleep. Unless you want to sleep in a tent or a hammock.
But we have some recommendations that we can give you that is a lot warmer.
We have some Airbnb around that you could rent. Our musher friend rents out Sandbakken. But there are others. I would look at the once between Bakkebygdi and Fossum. They are the closest to us.
We have a mountain hotel that offers more than Airbnb. The Spåtind hotel/lodge has a slope you can go snowboarding or skiing in. Nice cross-country skiing trails for miles, and a pool you can play in later in the day. But it does take a 40-minute drive from the hotel to me and is the furthest option away.
We do have a closer option that also has a slope you can go skiing or snowboarding in. They also have miles with cross-country skiing trails. The mountain lodge has small cabins you can rent and is only 15-minute drive to my place.
