The snowy paradise of Switzerland is home to magical adventures all year round. The snow-capped peaks are always alive with skiers and snowboarders riding down pistes of all levels.
There are many ways to enjoy the country’s beautiful landscape in winter, and one truly unique experience is dog sledding. A bunch of healthy and strong huskies do what they do best – glide through the snow and take you along for the ride. It’s definitely an exciting way to view the Swiss Alps from a different angle while fully enjoying the feel of nature atop a wide open sled.
Dog sledding is pretty popular around Switzerland, and there are lots of options no matter what area you find yourself in.
You can take anywhere from a 20-minute ride to a full tour around some pretty spectular routes. Here are some of the best places you can experience dog sledding that are well worth your time and money.
The southern canton of Valais is any traveler’s dream. It is home to iconic Matterhorn mountain, Rhône River Valley vineyards, and a number of upscale Alpine resorts. Its most popular town, Zermatt, is the go-to destination for skiing and hiking. The scenic Glacier Express Train passes through this region as well.
But aside from the usual winter activities in Wallis, you can also go for a Huskie sled ride.
There are quite a few options, including:
Lucerne is ideally placed right at the foot of the alps, so it is no suprise that there is a Husky sled option just over an hour out of town.
In Muotathal, a quaint and quiet mountain town, you can make a booking with the Husky Lodge at Erlebniswelt from as early as December. Just bear in mind, that in Switzerland, snow is not always guaranteed until at least the new year.
Flumserberg is the home ski mountain for anyone living around Zurich, mainly because it is always full of snow and quite close to the city (about an hour and a half by train, and similar or less by car).
Because of the reliable snow fall in this region, it is also a great place to head if you want to try your hand at steering a Husky sled. They offer half day outings or 1-2 day tours if you like.
Possible to do in a day from Zurich, or anywhere in the North East of Switzerland, Alt St Johann is deep in the valley behind the Wallensee close to the Appenzell region.
This website is only in German, however I suspect they would do English at a push. Contact Husky Stuff via their website.
If you are heading to any of the Southern Swiss ski regions in winter, you might find yourself in the Geneva area.
Not too far away, just above Nyon, is a great Husky team run by Team Nature.
Another option, if you want to spoil yourself with a little Glamping while in Switzerland, is to head to the spectular White Pods, not too far from Geveva for a weekend away.
They offer dog sledding rides, but from my experience they are often booked out, so be sure to plan ahead.
If you are somewhere around the North-East area of Switzerland, the lesser explored Appenzell, then this is a great option.
Experienced Husky Sled owners Malamut run an operation with quite a few options. Be aware that the website is in German, but Google translate should get you through.
Roger is a little obsessed with travel. He has been to over 40 countries, broken 3 suitcases and owned over 10 backpacks in 12 months. What he doesn't know about travel, ain't worth knowing!