Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
setting out) or sitting atop the sled and watching the world pass by as someone else urges
the dogs onwards.
Inadditiontothepossibleexpeditionslistedhere,therearelong-distanceendurancedog-
sled races where you can see how the professionals do it. They are the
Fem-undlopet
(
www.femundlopet.no
)
, which starts and ends in Røros in early February, and the
1000km-long
Finnmarkslopet (
www.finnmarkslopet.no
)
, which starts and ends in Alta
in March and traverses the length of the far north in between.
Dog-Sledding Destinations
Although most of the dog-sledding possibilities are to be found in Norway's high Arctic,
Røros, in central Norway, is another option.
»
Karasjok
(
Clickhere
)WonderfulshortandlongexpeditionsrunbySvenEngholm(who
has won the Finnmarkslopet a record 11 times) and his team.
»
Svalbard
(
Click here
)Themost spectacular landscapes barnonethat canbereached by
husky.
»
Alta
(
Click here
) Three-hour excursions to five-day expeditions not far from Alta.
»
Røros
(
Click here
) From a few hours to a few days in one of Norway's coldest corners.
»
Tromsø
(
Click here
) Up to four-day treks from Kvaløya island, south of town, with
reindeer-sledding also possible.
»
Kirkenes
(
Click here
) Mostly short-haul excursions but longer options are possible.
Skiing
'Ski' is a Norwegian word and thanks to aeons-old rock carvings depicting hunters travel-
lingonskis,Norwegiansmakeacredibleclaimtohavinginventedthesport.Interesthasn't
waned over the years and these days it's the national pastime.
Cross-Country Skiing
Most skiing is of the cross-country (Nordic) variety, and Norway has thousands of kilo-
metres of maintained cross-country ski trails. However, visitors should only set off after
closely studying the trails/routes (wilderness trails are identified by colour codes on maps
and signposts) and ensuring that they have appropriate clothing, sufficient food and water,
and emergency supplies, such as matches and a source of warmth. You can either bring
your own equipment or rent on site.
Mosttownsandvillagesprovidesomeilluminatedskitrails,butelsewhereit'sstillworth
carrying a good torch, as winter days are very short and in the north there's no daylight at
all in December and January. The ski season generally lasts from early December to April.
Snow conditions vary greatly from year to year and region to region, but February and
March, as well as the Easter holiday period, tend to be the best (and busiest) times.
Downhill Skiing
