Anyone familiar with the classic The Call of the Wild by Jack London will recognize the cultural and economic significance of dog sledding, especially within the country's landscape.
For those who love the thrill of adventure and the excitement of husky speed, dogsledding is a must-have experience to fully enjoy the Winter season.
In this article, we will explore some of the best dog sledding tours in different parts of the country to have a memorable experience.
🐕❄️Alberta
If you are located in Alberta, there are many dog sledding tours you can consider joining.
Snowy Owl Sled Dogs Tour
Location: Downtown Canmore.
How to get there: Approximately 60 minutes drive west of Calgary via the Trans-Canada Highway.
Available Packages: They offer four different packages according to different participant sizes and tour durations.
| Types of Winter Tours | Min Age Requirement | Max Group Size | Tour Duration | Trail Length | Tour Times |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Hound Express | Not Applicable | 40 | 2 hours | Approximately 10 kms | 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm (subject to availability) |
| Sunfeather Interlude | 10+ | 16 | 4 hours | Approximately 24kms | 11am (subject to availability) |
| Spirit of the Dog Society | 10+ | 8 | 8 hours | Approximately 60kms | 9am (subject to availability) |
| Ghost of Fortune Mountain | 16+ | 6 (Minimum 2 participants to operate) | 2 Days 1 Night | Approximately 80kms | 9am (subject to availability) |
Pricing:
Power Hound Express
- $300.00 + tax (Regular season)
- $306.00 + tax
(High season)
Sunfeather Interlude
- $640.00 + tax (Regular season)
- $653.00 + tax
(High season)
Spirit of the Dog Society
- $1100.00 + tax
(Regular season) - $1122.00 + tax
(High season)
Ghost of Fortune Mountain
- $4,500 + tax
(for 2 people)
Important note: The above information reflects the point of reference for a one-person sled except for the final tour. It's best to check their official website for any promotions or changes in pricing when you plan to book any of these tours.
Kingmik Dog Sled Tours
Location: Lake Louise, Banff National Park.
How to get there: About a 45-minute drive west of Banff on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Available Packages: Originally, Kingmik offered three different packages.
However, for the upcoming 2024/2025 season, they only offer one package — the Canadian Heritage Tour as Parks Canada will be setting up a wildfire guard to protect the community.
Besides mushing, you can also explore the Lake Louise ski resort here.
A government agency that manages all of the country's national parks, which includes Banff National Park.
Canadian Heritage Tour details and pricing:
- Package duration:
2 hours - Starting times:
9:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., & 2:00 p.m - Covered area:
Participants will travel up a valley in Yoho National Park, under the North Peak of Mt Victoria, Mt Cathedral and the Watchtower.
- Price:
$640 (based on 2 people per sled)
Mad Dogs & Englishman Sled Dog Expeditions
Location: Canmore
How to get there: About 60 minutes drive from the Trans-Canada Highway.
Available packages: They offer three different packages across Kananaskis as shown in the following table.
| Dog Sled Tours | Who Can Participate (Sled Size and arrangement) | Tour Duration | Tour Schedules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Musher Tour | Infant (Below 3 years) Child (Between 3 to 9) Adult (10 years and above) | 2 hour | 10:00 am and 2:00 pm (May vary according to available day) |
| Mount Nestor Viewpoint Tour | Infant (Below 3 years) Child (Between 3 to 9) Adult (10 years and above) | Half Day Tour (3-3.5 hours) | Runs at 10:30 am each day |
| Fortress Mountain Adventure Tour | Only children above 10 are allowed to participate in this tour. | 2.5-3 hours | 10:00 am and 1:30 pm(May vary according to available day) |
Pricing :
The Mountain Musher
- $295.00 to $307.50 per person
Mount Nestor Viewpoint
- $625.00 to $647.50 per person
Fortress Mountain Adventure
- $350 to $375 per person
Howling Dog Tours
Location: Canmore.
How to get there: Shuttles are provided from the Spray Lakes area and Canmore/Banff, which is a 30-minute drive from Canmore to the site.
Available Packages: They offer two packages — Unleash the Musher and Dog Day Afternoon.
| Dog Sled Tours | Age Requirement | Tour Duration | Tour Scehdule | Tour Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unleash the Musher | All ages (2 years and above) | 2 hours | Daily (first pick up is at 9 am) | December through April |
| Dog Day Afternoon | 10 years and older | 4 hours | 12 noon (not available during high season) | Mid-January to March |
Pricing:
Unleash the Musher
- Adult (Above 10): $290, $299 (high season)
Dog Day Afternoon
- Adult (Above 10): $625.00
🐕❄️British Columbia (BC)
Next, we'll move towards the tours in British Columbia.
Cold Fire Creek Dogs Sledding
Location: Valemount, BC.
How to get there: Approximately a 5-hour drive north of Kamloops via Highway 5.
Available Packages: There are three packages available — The 60 Minute Musher, Moonshiners of Whiskey Creek, and Ghost of Cold Fire Creek.
| Dog Sled Tours | Age Recommendation | Tour Duration | Tour Length | Tour Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The 60 Minute Musher | Great for young children and families | 1 hour | 10km | 10:30 am Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Sunday 1:00 pm Saturday & (Sunday if the 10:30 tour is full) |
| Moonshiners of Whiskey Creek | Not recommended for children under 8. | 3 hours | 18kms | 9 am – Monday, Thursday, Saturday |
| Ghost of Cold Fire Creek | Participants must be 13 and above | 4 hours to 4.5 hours | 34kms | Private tour (self drive to location) |
Pricing:
The 60-Minute Musher
- $225/adult (13+)
Moonshiners of Whiskey Creek
- $450/adult (13+)
Ghost of Cold Fire Creek
- $800/adult (13+)
Canadian Wilderness Adventures
Location: Carleton Lodge, Whistler, BC.
How to get there: About a 2-hour drive north of Vancouver via the Sea-to-Sky Highway (Highway 99).
Available Packages: They offer the Trapper's Run Tour where you will run through the forested trail of Callaghan Valley.
Thinking of other Winter or summer ventures? You can also opt for a guided snowshoe tour here.
Trapper's Run Tour details and pricing:
- Tour duration:
3 hours round trip (including shuttle) - Departure times:
8:00 am, 11:00 am, 2:30 pm - Age requirements:
The child must be 4 – 12 years old to ride with 2 adults.
- Price:
$589 (1 person)
$689 (2 people + 1 small child in sled)
🐕❄️Yukon
We certainly cannot miss out on the tours in Yukon, which served as a background of the Call of the Wild.
Beyond Expeditions
Location: Haines Junction, Yukon
How to get there: About an hour's drive from the Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport.
Available Expeditions: Beyond Expeditions specializes in expeditions instead of short packages, which means longer duration and higher costs — which include guiding services, accommodation and meals.
Please refer to their official website for the latest and complete itinerary as you book your preferred package slot.
| Dog Sled Expeditions | Level of Activity (Intensity) | Tour Duration | Distance Covered | Tour Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experience Mushing | 3/8 | 3 Days | 75 km | From December to April |
| Discover Dog Sledding Travels | 4/8 | 4 Days | 105 km | From December to April |
| Alpine Summits Dog Sledding Expedition | 6/8 | 8 Days | 200km | From December to April |
| The Seven Valleys Dog Sledding Expedition | 6/8 | 11 Days | 250km | From December to April |
| Hidden Secrets Dog Sledding Expedition | 8/8 | 14 Days | 350km | From February to April |
Pricing:
Boreal Kennels Dog Sledding Adventures
Location: Carcross, Yukon
How to get there: Approximately 3 minutes drive from the Carcross Airport.
Available Packages: Boreal Kennels organizes its tours through longer packages and expeditions. Please refer to their official website for the latest and complete itinerary as you arrange your preferred package slot.
Pricing:
🐕❄️Ontario
Finally, let's take a look at the east-central side of the country.
Snow Forest Adventures
Location: Algonquin Park, Ontario.
How to get there: Approximately 60 minutes drive from Huntsville and about 3 hours from Toronto.
Available Trips: Snow Forest Adventures focuses on expedition trips (with packages from 3 days to 9 days). Remember to check the official website to confirm the latest itinerary and maximum number of participants for different packages before you arrange your preferred package slot.
Currently, they run the following trips:
| Dog Sled Expeditions | Duration of Expedition | Season Dates (2024/2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Algonquin Park Dog Sledding | 3-4 days | Ongoing from end of December to end of March |
| Algonquin Explorer Dog Sledding Expedition | 5 days 4 nights | To Be Decided |
| Temagami Wild Dog Sledding Expedition | 7 days 6 nights | To Be Decided |
| Cree Cultural Dog Sledding Expedition | 9 days 8 nights | Call for reservation/customization |
Pricing:
4 Days - 3 Nights - $1495 per person + tax
Winterdance Dogsled Tours
Location: Haliburton, Ontario
How to get there: Approximately a 3-hour drive north of Toronto via Highway 400 and Highway 11.
Available Packages: Winterdance currently provides the following packages. Reservations are needed.
| Dogsled Tours | Tour Starting Times | Special Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Hour Tour | 10 am or 2:30 pm | 2 people per sled, young children are welcomed to join. |
| Half Day Tour | 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. | Trail takes approxomately 2 – 2.5 hours. |
| Full Day Tour | 9:00 a.m. | Consists of a team of 6 beautiful sled dogs, exploring around 30 km of trails. |
| Moonlit Run | Start around 7:30 p.m and ends around 9.30pm | Best enjoyed by adults with average physical shape. The dates are usually schedulled during full moon. |
| Multi-day tour | Subject to customization. | Include any combination of 1/2, full day and moonlite runs with overnight accommodation. Covers approximately 60km |
| Heli-dogsledding | Boarding time is around 9am | Participants will be dropped off by a helicopter to enjoy a dogsledding tour wihle enjoying the beautiful view of Haliburton Highlands. Must be in a group of 3. |
Pricing:
Prepare For Your First Dog Sledding Escapade
If you are an absolute newbie to this activity, you can still have an enthralling and fulfilling moment.
As you review the various packages listed above, you can also prepare in advance with some helpful tips. Besides layering up for the cold weather, you should also get to know the husky dogs by greeting and petting them.
That being said, it's also important to learn the basics of mushing before the dog sled team begins like how to give commands.
Feel free to engage with the local guides to learn about the significance of the huskies in this activity for ages in Northern America, the unique breed of the dogs, mushing or sledding techniques as well as the information on the trails that you are about to attempt.
Remember to always follow the guide's instructions to handle the sleds as your safety matters the most.
Finally, soak in the moment as you interact with the lovely huskies and have fun enjoying the beautiful snowy view and terrains.
The next time around, you can slowly gear up for a longer time package or even challenge yourself to an expedition!
Make The Most Of Snowy Fun With Superprof
Speaking of Winter, there are also other activities that you can acquire or practice with an experienced tutor, such as ice skating, for example.
At Superprof, you can find a reliable ice skating tutor from different parts of the country.
All you need to do is indicate the subject of study your current location and your personal budget. From there, the system will direct you to a selection of tutors who match your preferences. Once you have reviewed their basic information, you can proceed to contact them to schedule your first lesson.
Through private tuition, you can master various skating techniques, improving your posture and balance as you progress - who knows, this could come in handy when you join another dog sledding tour one day too!
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