Aktivitetstype: Hiking & Biking

At Holmen Husky Lodge, the kennel is more than a place—it’s the heart of everything we do. For over three decades and through two generations, our family has raised and raced Alaskan Huskies bred for endurance, resilience, and heart. In this guided visit, you’ll step behind the scenes of one of Norway’s most respected long-distance sled dog kennels.

Walk through the yard with one of our experienced mushers. Along the way, you’ll meet our dogs— from eager young pups to seasoned athletes—and learn how we train, care for, and build lasting bonds with every member of the team. Around the fire, we’ll share the history of the Alaskan Husky breed, our own racing story, and what it takes to develop dogs capable of crossing mountains and frozen ground for days on end.

This is a hands-on, story-rich experience for those who want to understand not just how sled dogs live—but why they run.

If you are a little bit afraid to throw yourself into one of our long trips, and just want a taste, this is the perfect trip for you.

We start by entering the pasture and pick ourselves a horse, bring them back to the farm and start grooming them. When we are all done, we head out into the woods.

You decide the speeds, and we do not have to go fast if you don’t want to, that’s all up to you guys. The horses are as safe as they can be, and you will receive helmets from us. The perfect trip for beginners. We end the trip with a coffee and something to bite on, at the farm porch

Try out this short and easy horse-riding experience. We start with meeting our horses that already have their saddle on. From here we will enter the arena where we show you how to handle the horse.

We Will go through every step with you, from how to mount the horse to how the breaks and start work.
If this is handled good and you feel safe, we will take a short ride in the forest, where you get to put your freshly learned skills at test. We will end up back at the ranch, time to say goodbye top the horses.

After a 5-minute bus drive we stand at the foot of Steiroheia, the popular local mountain of Sortland. The more we climb, the better the view over the mountains of Vesterålen and Lofoten get. There are plenty of photo opportunities. Our nature trail takes us quickly towards the summit. We experience how quickly you can get out of the city and into untouched nature.

Time of the day for this tour : –
Requirements : normal physical condition
Equipment : sturdy shoes
Level of difficulty : easy
Wheelchair accessible : no
Distance to walk : 8 km
Tour length : 4 h (incl transport)
number / intervals of tours : one bus by time, next bus earliest after 1 hour

About the tour
A beautiful hike for nature and photo enthusiasts. Anyone in normal hiking condition can participate. We walk slowly and take our time. It is highly recommended that each guest carries enough to drink and eat.

Included / not included
Bus for a 5 min ride is needed to come to the starting point and to pick up guests after the hike. Transport is not included in our offer.
Not included: Drink and food for the journey but can be organized.

Group size : min. 8 / max. 45 (groups over 18 guests will have 2 guides)

Join us for a walk and experience first-hand the entusiasm and the joy of life of the husky puppies. We start with the breif tour of the dog enclosure and you will also have a chance to meet and greet the adoult dogs. We walk through pleasant pine forest down to the Alta River. We adopt the lengt and tempo to suit the participants. Choosing a route that enables you to bring a pushchair is also an option.

We stop along the way and light a fire and relax with a cup of tea/coffee and a slice of homemade cake. Your guide will explain aout the life that awaits the puppies and stories about what it`s like train, work with and compete with huskies.

Fatbikes – mountain bikes with oversized wheels for driving in the snow – are cool, fat and playful! Join us for a daytime trip along the many scenic dog sledding and snowmobile trails in the Alta Valley. This means the best single tracks you can dream of and an unforgettable nature-based experience with a large portion of exercise included for good measure.

We stop en route at one of the Alta Valley’s many rustic shelters to light a fire and enjoy snacks and tea/coffee brewed on the fire.

Embark on a mesmerizing journey through the enchanting forests of Alta, where the allure of outdoor life in Finnmark awaits. As you set foot on the trail leading to Orvvosfossen, be prepared to be captivated by the natural wonders that surround you. The trail meanders through a rich tapestry of trees, offering a glimpse of the untouched beauty of this forested realm. Following this path for approximately 2 km, you will find yourself standing in Front of the magnificent Orvvosfossen waterfall.

Its powerful cascades create a mesmerizing spectacle, as water flows gracefully over rugged rocks, harmonizing with the surrounding nature. On the way we ascend about 150 meters, so we get an ever-better view over the valley. The trail is clear in the terrain, and it is good to walk on. At the waterfall we have the opportunity to go almost all the way towards it and take a good break to enjoy the waterfall and nature in here.

Please be aware that changes can be made regarding weather and light conditions.

Get a taste of what makes mountain biking so popular without needing to spend a full day on the bike seat. You can xhoose between an elekctric or standard mountain bike, which makes it easy to go on a trip with family and friends without everyone having the same starting poin for the activity.

Alta is a mountain biking Mecca with a network of natural tracks and scenic gravel roads. You will find smooth flow trails, technical descents and demanding up hills, as well as unique plateau cycling. However, what is lacking is signs and updated maps. This is the perfect activity for those wishing to try something together. Perhaps you will get a new hobby in the process.

The hike to the Alta Canyon is popular for good reason. The terrain is wonderful and easy to walk in and you’ll experience magnificent views, especially when you reach the canyon. This is the perfect place to enjoy a nice lunch together, take photos and simply enjoy the view of Northern Europe’s largest river canyon and the Alta River winding out towards the sea.

The Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau rolls gently southwards on both sides of the canyon. Reindeer have grazed in these areas since time immemorial. Other animals to roam here including the brown bear, wolf, lynx and wolverine. At the bottom of the canyon, the mighty Alta River meanders towards the sea. The river is renowned as one of the best for salmon fishing in the world.

The combined distance of this hike is about 13 km. We follow relatively good paths most of the way, with the surface varying between marshland, rock bed and some short stony sections. We recommend good mid-cut mountain boots, since we need to cross some rivers along the way and the water level depends on the season and rainfall.

This adventure starts inside the dog enclosure where you get to meet and greet around 50 happy Alaskan huskies. We choose the dog or dogs that will join us on this trip.

With a little guidance, you can harness the dog and attach the pack. Everything we need for the trip will already be packed. You are involved in deciding where we are hiking to. We can hike up to the nearby mountain, Pæskanasen, and enjoy the view of the valley and river from the top or another option is to stay in the forest and follow the Eibyelva river for a while.

We’re not in any hurry and make several stops along the way to share stories. The dogs can pull you up the steepest parts if you would like a little help. We stop to enjoy a homemade cake and coffee along the way before concluding the trip vack down at the dog enclosure.