Abisko: Part 3 - Day 3 Morning: Dog sledding

Day 3 Morning
Here is a summary of what is spent on Day 3 Morning.

1/2 Day 3 Morning: 2 hours' dog sledding

Must-Incur Costs

None

Optional Costs
Dog sledding SEK1595 per person

The Story

01022020 Morning: At 9.15am, we waited for a person to pick us up at STF Abisko for our dog sledding activity. I booked with Visit Abisko and the price of SEK1595 is the average price (I checked with other companies). There are not many companies in Abisko that offer dog sledding. Also, the price in Kiruna is cheaper for dog sledding. I wonder why. The price includes fika break and warm clothing for us.

Daniel from Hungary arrived at 9.25am. He drove us to Abisko Mountain Lodge (located in Abisko village which is about 5 minutes' drive) where I could hear dogs barking but I could not see the kennel. Daniel said that we needed thicker clothing and so, he brought us to a little shade where we got overalls and boots. They were hard boots and I did not feel any chill at all in this attire. Now, I know why kids wear overalls. 

12 dogs were waiting for us. Our guide is from Czech Republic. He told us that the dogs were a breed of both Alaskan Husky and German Shepherd. So, they were not entirely white. Some of them have very light blue eyes like an Alaskan Husky. Four of us shared  a sled and our guide stood behind the sled. It was a bit of a squeeze with the four of us but it was a nice ride. The distance is 12km. Our dogs are trained for 40km distance with a temperature of -30 degrees. That morning, the temperature was -4 degrees. It was very warm for the guide too.

We arrived for a break at our private teepee after riding for an hour. The guide warmed up cinnamon buns and boiled coffee. It was so nice with the hot food. We played in the knee-high snow, throwing ourselves in the snow, and took photos with our doggies. They are very tame! 

I have fur around me because I wore my winter jacket inside my overalls. 

We were back at our starting point by 11.20am. It was a fun ride! Next time, if I go to Abisko, I want to try the snowmobile. The price of the snowmobile ride is the same as dog sledding. Everything is so expensive in the north. 

We were driven back to STF Abisko main building. Just in time to cook lunch!