A husky ride in Karelia

A husky ride is one of the popular winter activities in Karelia. This is a good chance to escape from the city noise and rush of daily life and return to the distant past when people lived in harmony with nature. Communication with such positive creatures like huskies gives a lot of joy. You can be not only a passenger but a musher and drive a dog sled. So, say “Gop-gop-gop!” and start your husky ride through picturesque winter forest in Karelia.

A warm prelude

When you reach the Husky farm in Matrosy, you will start your day with a cup of tea. Seating near the fire-place, you meet the instructor and other participants, if there are any. Here, you receive some theoretical information and get warm before a few hours of an open-air activity. The instructor explains to you the particularities of huskies and reminds you of a programme. After such a warm prelude, you go outside.

Meet the huskies

Next, you have to meet the huskies, which will take you to the journey. They live in their dog booths, but they love cold, so they often sleep on the snow. Some of them participated in the expeditions and visited the North Pole and the Antarctic. Huskies are very kind and friendly. When you meet a husky for the first time, there is a feeling that it immediately considers you its best friend. Did you know that huskies can embrace you and kiss your nose?

Get your dogs ready

Together with the instructor, you get your dogs ready. He shows you how to command your huskies, how to start, turn and stop, and how to stand firm on the sledge. Huskies are very clever, they know very well how to turn and where to bring you, they just wait for your signal. So, to start your journey, you just need to shout “Gop-gop-gop!”.

Get in touch with winter beauty

Your way goes through the pristine wilderness. Get in touch with this winter beauty and enjoy the snowbanks of white powdery snow, ancient pines, snow-covered bushes. Dogs will take you between the trees, up and down the hills to your destination. At the end of your journey, you reach a raw-hide tent, where you can warm up near the wood fire, feel the fragrance of resin and smoke, eat fish-soup just cooked over the wood fire, drink tea with wood herbs and get a certificate of a musher.

A typical Karelian winter is not very frosty but with a lot of snow. There are several places for the husky ride in Karelia, where you can be easily charged with positive emotions. Snow-covered and silent fairy forest, friendly dogs, active riding and hot food cooked over a wood fire will make your day unforgettable. Huskies also like active life, and they are waiting for your “Gop-gop-gop!”

Husky Farm in Matrosy

Ulitsa Shkol'naya, 22, Matrosy, Respublika Kareliya, Russia, 186131