Dogsled safari in Swedish Lapland

Driving the family sled team through Swedish Lapland!

We went on a very different kind of safari in February – a safari by dogsled in Swedish Lapland!

After a couple of nights in Stockholm, where we visited the incredible Vasa Museum, we flew to the town of Kiruna, above the Arctic Circle.

We were met at the airport by Kenth Fjellborg, who then drove us about 20 minutes to his homestead and dog kennel in Poikkijarvi. Kenth ran his dog team to an impressive 20th place finish in the 1994 Iditarod as a rookie and now runs Fjellborg Arctic in his hometown, specializing in dogsled adventures for international guests.

After a hearty meal of moose stew and warm lingonberry juice at Fjellborg’s beautifully equipped kennel, we all geared up with special Fjell Raven brand arctic clothing and had a crash course in hooking up and driving a dog team before heading out into the waning afternoon light for our first experience mushing. These dogs are running, pulling machines! But they are also well-trained, affectionate, and often comical. Oliver and Halina got to know the dogs quite well, and learned a lot about how to take care of dog teams from our guides, Anna and Jakob. We quickly learned how enjoyable driving a sled can be, and dog-powered transportation was a welcome, relaxing change from the diesel engine variety!

We spent two nights out in the wilderness, driving our teams to exclusive lodge-houses owned by Fjellborg. Meals included Arctic char, salmon stew, and reindeer burgers, as well as wine and the very nice local beer, Lapin Kulta. Each house had a separate traditional sauna, which we certainly made the most of each evening. Even little Halina made a few runs out of the sauna and into a snow drift, which would have made her late Finnish great-grandmother very proud!

After two full days of dogs, saunas, and endless peaceful trails through arctic pine forests and over frozen rivers, we spent a final night back at the Fjellborg homestead and kennel. We toured the famous nearby Ice Hotel and had a few crazy colored cocktails at the bar, which is definitely a must-do if you ever find yourselves in this part of the world in the winter. We also learned about the history and culture of the Sami people and their reindeer. We were also lucky to see the northern lights on that last night in the Arctic – watching those mysterious dancing green ribbons of solar particles bouncing off the Earth’s atmosphere was something we will never forget.

This is an incredible trip for anyone interested in exclusive Arctic adventures, and can be customized for families with young children, couples, or groups of friends. As a founding fellow of the new Shackleton & Selous Society, this is also the kind of travel experience I can now suggest to my safari guests. We are building a network of the world’s best professional guides offering unmatched service and travel to the best places on your wish list. Stay tuned for dispatches from our next adventure, and please get in touch if you are ready to plan a safari to East Africa or beyond!

Ready to go with our new friends!

Harnessing the dogs!

We stayed here on our first night.

Hunting, fishing, and trapping are still a big part of life in Lapland.

Breakfasts were definitely worth getting up for.

The view from camp.

We stayed in this house on the second night.

Dog lodgings.

Where’s MY dinner?

Queen Halina and her rabbit make a friend.

It actually wasn’t quite as cold as it looks… but we were very glad to have the gear provided by Fjellborg Arctic.

Love these dogs.

Ollie and Howard enjoyed the lunch break even though the sun was already setting!

Reindeer burgers cooked on a roaring fire – not bad for lunch on the trail.

Reindeer skins to sit on and plenty of chai and warm lingonberry juice.

Halina and the dogs waiting for everybody else to get back on the trail!

Up close and personal with reindeer.

Learning about reindeer and the Sami people.

Halina loved this unicorn made of snow and ice, and the entire hotel was filled with the most incredible ice art.

The bar at the Ice Hotel. Yes, everything is made of ice!

Drinks at the Ice Hotel – vodka cocktails in glasses made of ice, sitting on an ice table!