Husky sledding and Sámi culture near Narvik

6 min read Updated October 2026 Compare all tours

If you want to drive a dog team near Narvik, you go to Isogaisa. Husky Isogaisa keeps its dogs in the forests of Gratangen, about half an hour's drive north of the town, and both husky tours on this page start there. The season runs from 1 December to 30 April, as long as there is enough snow. Bookings close online at 16:00 on the day before.

The kennel does not collect you. Neither of its tours includes a transfer from Narvik, and one reviewer measured the distance at 38 kilometres north of the harbour. Guests without a car describe getting there by taxi as the hardest and most expensive part of the day, and some split the fare with another couple on the same tour. If you have a hire car, the drive is simple, but on snowy or icy roads the car needs winter tyres or chains, and from 16 October to 30 April at least 3 mm of tread. Road conditions are available by phone on 175 from a Norwegian number.

Driving the sled at Isogaisa

The standard tour runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 09:00 and 14:00. It starts with a briefing in English, then you help harness the dogs and spend some time with them. Two guests share each sled, pulled by four to six dogs: one steers from the runners, the other sits, and you swap halfway. The tour page asks that you are able to run in the snow.

Afterwards lunch is served in a heated lavvu, the Sámi tent, with coffee or tea. Vegetarian and gluten-free food can be arranged in advance. Groups have between two and 15 guests and may be split for the sled run, so some guests wait while others are out.

Reviewers praise the hosts and the way they treat the dogs, the clear safety talk and the patience with children; several families came with children aged around six. The criticism repeats as well. The tour page gives 30 to 60 minutes on the sled, yet several guests timed their ride at under half an hour. One reviewer waited about 90 minutes before the guide arrived, and others found the lunch, often a salmon wrap, simple for the money. Children under four, pregnant women and people with animal allergies cannot join.

A sled ride and a Sámi evening

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 14:00 the same kennel runs a longer afternoon. You start with a dog sled run of half an hour to an hour, partly driving yourself, then move into the lavvu. There the hosts tell stories about Sámi life, perform joik, the traditional Sámi song, and hold what they call a Sámi northern lights ceremony with chaga tea. You are served bidos, a traditional Sámi dish, followed by coffee and cake.

Groups are smaller, from two to 12 guests. Winter clothing and transport are not included here either. If the tour is called off because of the weather or a lack of snow, you get a full refund. The guides speak Norwegian and English, and one French guest could not follow all of the Sámi part.

Plan for the light. On 21 December twilight ends at 14:21, so in midwinter the afternoon sled run on both tours happens in the last of the dusk or in darkness. By February the sun sets just before 15:00, and in March the 14:00 run is in daylight. If you want to see the forest, take the 09:00 tour on a Tuesday or Thursday.

Choosing between the two Isogaisa tours comes down to the day of the week and how much time you have. The standard tour has a morning slot and suits families who mainly want the dogs. The Sámi afternoon is longer, takes fewer guests and adds the stories, the joik and a meal of bidos, so it makes more sense if you have no other plans for the evening. On both tours the sled ride is only part of the visit.

Reindeer and Sámi stories

For reindeer you have two options, and both include transport. The first is a three-hour visit to a reindeer farm. Pickup is at 09:30 from Basecamp Narvik or 09:45 from the Quality Hotel Grand Royal, and the drive takes about 15 minutes each way. You feed the reindeer, eat lunch and traditional Sámi snacks, and listen to stories by the fire, with coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Riding the animals is not allowed. The effort is low and the tour suits families, though not people with animal allergies.

The second is part of a longer drive. The fjord day tour collects you from your hotel in Narvik or Harstad, drives the coast with photo stops and spends time at a Sámi reindeer farm, with the entry ticket included. Reviews of the farm stop vary. Some guests sat by a log fire while a Sámi host explained the reindeer herders' way of life, while others found only one or two reindeer in an enclosure and no herder present. Take some cash if you want to buy something at the farm. The rest of the tour is described on our page about fjords and road trips.

Planning the day

A morning on the sled leaves the evening free for a northern lights tour, as long as you have transport back from Isogaisa in time. The reindeer farm visit is over by early afternoon. For clothing, the kennel asks for warm winter clothes, boots, a hat and mittens; reviewers mention that extra coats are available on site, but bring your own layers. Our page on what to wear in Narvik lists what works when you sit still in a sled at minus temperatures.

Both husky tours can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before the start. In December and early January check the snow situation on the tour page, because the start of the season depends on the snow.