Karasjok Winter Wonderland

I think the most memorable time for me was the first night in Karasjok, looking up at the sky to be greeted with the Northern Lights shimmering - it was simply breathtaking and something I will treasure forever. If you find yourself this far north, remember to keep your eyes skyward at night in the winter.

Quick Tips:

Wrap up in very, very warm clothes in the winter, as temperatures can plummet to below 25°F. When I arrived, it was a strange feeling when all the moisture in my nose froze. That is definitely something interesting to experience.

Best Way To Get Around:

You can arrive in Karasjok by bus from Hammerfest and can be dropped off at the Rica Hotel (most people seem to get picked up here for most trips). When we stayed at the Engholm Husky Lodge, the best way to get around was by dogsleds of course!

Engholm's Husky Lodge is situated next to Karasjohka River and is 6km outside of Karasjok. We were met by Jerry, who collected us from the bus stop at the Rica Hotel, which is close to the lodge.

We stayed in the most beautiful wooden lodge, which was built by Sven, the owner of Engholm. He has lovingly built and decorated the log cabins himself with local materials such as slate, wood, feathers, and skins. We sat for a good 20 minutes taking in the lodge (Reanga) that we were staying in, as it was so lovely.

Bodil, one of the trained dogsled and horseback riding leaders, met us in another lodge and provided us with a delicious dinner. There is an interesting library in the main house that has some wonderful books on the Northern Lights and arctic wildlife. Sven is very knowledgable about the local wildlife and has won many dogsled competitions in Alaska.

We booked a dogsled tour and used the lodge as a base. Engholm has around 40 huskies and horses that are used for the tours. If you book one of their many tours, you are encouraged to become involved with the feeding and looking after of the huskies. The huskies are very friendly and lovable. We booked a husky tour and had a wonderful time taking out our own sleds with four dogs, looking at the stunning winter scenery and sledding across frozen lakes, rivers, and marshlands.

The lodge also has a "barta," a special turf-covered log house for guests’ use by arrangement, and also a wonderful "wet" sauna. I can highly recommend using the sauna and then running through the snow afterwards!

The staff were extremely friendly, informative, and helpful. The dinner cooked by Bodil was delicious and filling.
You will fall in love with the dogs and the surroundings and will feel very sad when leaving the lodge. Details on the lodge can be found on the informative hostel website, www.engholm.no.

Prices vary depending on the type of accommodation and the inclusion of tours and food. I would recommend visiting the website for prices, and if you cannot find what you require, email Sven, as he will be able to provide more details if needed.