Women's Dog Skiing & Cabin Retreat
Dog skiing, also known as skijoring, is Nordic skiing together with a husky. On this women's dog skiing retreat we practise skijoring with a pulk: you wear a waist belt that connects you to your husky and your Fjellpulken pulk, fitted with a purpose-built dog attachment, so you ski and share the pull as one team. Over five days you settle in, learn to move together, then glide away from the main trails into the quiet of the wilderness, where a second, more remote cabin becomes your home for two nights.
From €2,650 per person · 5 days
Clear from the start
What's included
Your own husky & Fjellpulken pulk
Partnered with a husky and a Norwegian-made Fjellpulken pulk with dog attachment for the whole retreat. You ski with a waist belt connecting you to your husky and your pulk, moving as one team.
Full skijoring & pulk instruction
Skijoring technique, commands, pacing and load management, taught in stages and building each day.
Two cabin stays
Two nights at a cosy cabin near Äkäslompolo, then two nights at a second, more remote cabin, our warm base for exploring deep in the wild.
All meals
Three vegetarian meals a day: hearty breakfasts, Leader trail meals (a Finnish brand) at lunch and shared dinners at the cabin. Ciara, gluten-free and vegan herself, plans every day's meals so you have energy and feel good.
Transfers & all equipment
Transfers from/to Äkäslompolo or Kittilä Airport on the first and final day, plus all ski, pulk and husky equipment.
Skijoring with a pulk
Your husky, your pulk, one team
Skijoring is Nordic skiing with a dog. On this retreat we take it deep into the wilderness: you wear a waist belt that connects you to your husky and to a Norwegian-made Fjellpulken pulk fitted with a purpose-built dog attachment. Your husky helps pull the load while you ski and push with your poles, so the two of you can settle into a rhythm and glide away from the main trails into the quiet Arctic forest.
What you'll learn
The basics of skijoring
Gliding, balance and pacing, and how to move in rhythm with your husky on the snow.
Reading your husky
Voice commands, body language and the quiet trust that turns the two of you into a team.
Packing and handling a pulk
Loading your gear, balancing the pulk and managing the load on climbs and descents.
Caring for your husky in the cold
Feeding, paw checks and settling the dogs at the cabin, taught by Susi from over two decades as a veterinary technician with huskies.
Staying warm and comfortable
Layering, keeping your energy up and feeling at home in the Arctic winter.
Cabin life
Tending the fire, cooking together and slowing down to the rhythm of the wild.
Picture yourself here
See where you’ll be
Is this dog skiing retreat for you?
Fitness level: medium–higher
Several days of skiing with a loaded pulk into the wilderness, with a remote cabin as your base. A genuine step up from a single day out — a good baseline of fitness and comfort in the cold and on skis helps.
Skill level: building
You arrive with some skiing experience, steady on your legs and able to brake and turn comfortably, and leave with real wilderness skills: skijoring with a husky, managing a pulk and reading the trail together.
Accommodation & food
Accommodation
Two nights at a cosy cabin near Äkäslompolo, then two nights at a second, more remote cabin, your base in the wild.
Food
All meals are included, and every meal is vegetarian: hearty breakfasts, Leader dehydrated trail meals at lunch (from the Finnish outdoor food brand) and shared dinners at the cabin. Ciara is gluten-free and vegan herself and plans each day’s meals around nutrition, so you have the energy to ski and feel good. Vegan and gluten-free options are always available. Bring any personal snacks you like for between our three daily meals.
A day on the trail
Ski, breathe, repeat
Mornings begin with the dogs: feeding and checking your husky before we sit down to breakfast together. Then we load the pulks, harness up and ski out into the quiet.
The pace is set by the snow, the weather and the group. Along the way we pause for hot drinks and snacks, refuel at lunch with Leader trail meals, from the Finnish outdoor food brand, read the animal tracks in the snow and take in the open fells and frozen lakes.
Back at the cabin we care for the dogs first, then share dinner together. On clear nights, step outside and look up for the northern lights dancing above the forest.
Why women choose this retreat
- Reconnect with the wild – silence, snow and space to breathe
- A real bond with your husky – five days as a team
- An achievable challenge – new skills, built step by step
- Guided by two women who live here – Ciara & Susi, every day
- Memories few people share – a winter journey you made yourself
Your five days on the dog skiing retreat
- 1Wed
Cabin · night 1
Arrive & settle in
We meet you in Äkäslompolo in the evening, or collect you from Kittilä Airport. Settle into a cosy cabin, meet your guides and share a vegetarian dinner.
- 2Thu
Cabin · night 2
Lessons & practice
Meet your husky and learn the basics of skijoring: fitting your waist belt and harness, voice commands and skiing together with the pulk. In the evening we pack the pulks together.
- 3Fri
Remote cabin · night 3
Into the wilderness
With pulks packed, we clip in with the huskies and ski away from the main trails to a second, more remote cabin, your base for two nights.
- 4Sat
Remote cabin · night 4
Explore from the cabin
Skijor out into the surrounding forests, frozen lakes and open fells, returning to the warmth of the cabin each evening. On clear nights, look up for the Northern Lights.
- 5Sun
Finish 11:00–13:00
Return
We ski back together and finish the tour between 11:00 and 13:00, with your transfer to Äkäslompolo or Kittilä Airport included.
What to know
Questions guests ask
Dog skiing, also known as skijoring, is Nordic skiing together with a dog. On this retreat we practise skijoring with a pulk: you wear a waist belt that connects you to your husky and to a Norwegian-made Fjellpulken pulk with a purpose-built dog attachment. Your husky helps pull the pulk with your gear while you ski and push with your poles, so you share the work as one team. On our lesson and practice day we teach you everything, from harnessing up and voice commands to reading your dog, so by the time we head out to the remote cabin you are moving together.
We use Fjellpulken pulks from Norway, fitted with a purpose-built dog attachment, so the pulk tracks steadily over the snow. You wear a comfortable waist belt that connects you to your husky and your pulk, and each husky wears a well-fitted harness. We check harnesses and paws every day, and you get the ski and pulk instruction you need to use it all with confidence.
This retreat is all about skiing together. You ski, connected by a waist belt to your husky and your Fjellpulken pulk, and your husky runs ahead helping to pull. It is a true partnership: you learn to read each other and move as one team through the wilderness.
Your husky helps pull the pulk with your gear, and you ski and pole under your own power, connected by your waist belt. You share the load as a team, and it is taught step by step as a skill you take home with you.
The dogs always come first. They are fed and settled before we sit down ourselves, and their harnesses and paws are checked every day. Susi has spent over two decades as a veterinary technician with huskies, and you learn this care alongside her.
Yes, you need some skiing experience for this retreat. Ideally you are comfortable on your legs and can brake and turn comfortably on skis. If skiing is new to you, we recommend arriving a week earlier and taking a 3–4 day ski course on the Ylläs slopes in town, so you arrive at the retreat confident on your skis. From there, we guide you every step of the way.
Two nights at a cosy cabin near Äkäslompolo, then two nights at a second, more remote cabin that we ski to with the huskies and Fjellpulken pulks. It is our warm base for exploring the wild.
Yes — groups stay small (4 max, women only) and most guests arrive solo, ready to build these skills alongside new people.
Ciara and Susi plan routes and timing around the conditions. The cabin is a warm, safe base, and a supported transfer is always an option.
All meals and all equipment are included: your husky, Fjellpulken pulk, waist belt and harness, skis, boots and poles, plus ski and pulk instruction and transfers from/to Äkäslompolo or Kittilä Airport. Please bring your own outdoor clothing: warm layers (base layer, wool or fleece mid-layer, windproof shell), insulated boots, a warm hat, liner gloves and thick mittens, a flask for hot drinks, and any personal snacks you like for between our three daily meals. Our Northern Finland Travel Guide has a full winter packing list.
The retreat runs from Wednesday evening to Sunday. We meet you in Äkäslompolo on Wednesday evening (or collect you from Kittilä Airport) and settle into the cabin, spend Thursday on lessons and practice, and set off with packed pulks on Friday for two nights at a second, more remote cabin. On Sunday we ski back and finish the tour between 11:00 and 13:00, with your transfer to Äkäslompolo or Kittilä Airport included. If you would like to stay longer, you can book extra nights at the cabin if available, or in Äkäslompolo, and we are happy to help.
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