Which month is the best fit for you?

This is the time of long cold days and very variable trails. Sledding can still be very physical, and the coldest weeks are often in February, so treat this as full-on arctic mode. You may be lucky and catch the picture-postcard arctic with snow frosted on the trees, though at some point in February the sun and wind usually dislodge it.

Starts need not be quite as early as at the start of the season, but we still time the days to maximise light on the trails. As in early winter, multiday safaris at this time are not recommended for anyone with compromised circulation (diabetes, heart conditions etc) because of the potential for extreme cold.

Winter does not give up its hold on the arctic easily, so conditions are hard to predict. More local people out on the trails help them solidify underfoot, but sporadic snowstorms can still make progress incredibly challenging for both you and the dogs.

With spring around the corner, extreme cold is less likely to be your constant companion and a normal tour starts to feel less demanding. The longer daylight gives you more time to enjoy the dogs in the evenings at the cabins, and even to relax.

This is the time to visit if you want your dog-sledding holiday to be just that, an enjoyable but challenging outdoor holiday rather than a potentially extreme and exhausting expedition.

For a few short weeks in spring the landscape becomes truly accessible: you can walk off-track and explore around the cabins in the long evenings, though it can be a bit icy at times. This is the safest time of year for arctic dog sledding, so it is when older and younger clients, and anyone at higher risk from extreme cold linked to compromised circulation, should visit. We also have more capacity for private or customised tours, making it a great time for families.