Right in the heart of Alaska’s unforgiving wilderness, with seemingly neverending winters, you’ll find a sense of adventure and tradition that runs deep through its veins.
One of the first sports that may come to mind when you think of Alaska is dog sledding, which isn’t reserved just for the Iditarod racers. In fact, if you find yourself in the magical world of Fairbanks,
I feel it would be wrong if you didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to partake in a dog sledding tour! With a seasoned musher at the helm, you’ll be able to voyage into the soul of Alaska on one of the top Fairbanks dog sledding tours out there! Let’s get started!
Be sure to try snowmobiling as well, see our reviews of snowmobile tours here.
Best Dog Sledding Tours in Fairbanks
| Fairbanks: Dog Sledding and Mushing Experience | Fairbanks: 1-Hour Alaskan Winter Dog Sledding Adventure | Fairbanks: Moonlight Dog Sled, Dinner & Northern Lights | |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Value Tour | Best Backcountry Tour | Best Nothern Lights Tour | |
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| Location: | 3355 Repp Rd, North Pole, AK | Hotel pickup and drop-off available | Hotel pickup and drop-off available |
| Start: | 10:00 AM | 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 2:30 PM | 9:00 PM |
| Duration: | 30 minutes | 1 hour | 6 hours |
| Includes: | Experienced guide and Alaskan husky dog team, jacket, bibs, boots, gloves, neck gator | Experienced guide and Alaskan husky dog team, transportation, cocoa, coffee, tea | Transportation, dog sled ride, meal and beverage |
Quick Answer: The 5 Best Fairbanks Dog Sledding Tours For 2024
- Fairbanks: Dog Sledding and Mushing Experience
- Fairbanks: 1-Hour Alaskan Winter Dog Sledding Adventure
- Fairbanks: Moonlight Dog Sled, Dinner & Northern Lights
- Dog Sled Adventure in Fairbanks
- Private Guided Chena River Mush Dream Vacation in Fairbanks
Fairbanks Dog Sledding Tour Reviews
1. Fairbanks: Dog Sledding and Mushing Experience
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Departure: 3355 Repp Rd, North Pole, AK
- Departure Time: 10:00 AM
- Includes: Experienced guide and Alaskan husky dog team, jacket, bibs, boots, gloves, neck gator
If you’re looking for an action-packed activity to partake in on your trip to Fairbanks but already have a full schedule, I have just the ticket for you!
The Fairbanks: Dog Sledding and Mushing Experience tour will give you and the rest of your party a taste of this incredible tradition that will fit into any itinerary easily. Plus, who doesn’t like dogs, racing around in the snow, and enjoying the raw beauty of Alaska?!
As this tour does last just 30 minutes, you get to select among many different start times – whatever works best for you and your group! You won’t always get the same musher to guide you around, but I’ve found that they all tend to be very friendly and knowledgeable.
They’ll give you a safety briefing beforehand, but they’re also there to answer any questions you may have.
Upon arrival, you’ll also be provided with all necessary snow gear to make sure you stay comfortable and warm. This is super convenient, as you don’t have to worry about cruising around Fairbanks with all of your snow clothes just for the purpose of the tour.
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It’s now time to hop onboard the tour’s custom-built sled pulled by sweet and well-trained huskies across the impeccable Alaskan landscape!
As you cruise around, your guide will offer an educational, exciting commentary about the dogs and how the tradition came to be. Our guide made regular stops so we could get off and stretch our legs, as well as take some amazing photos and videos!
I have to say that I truly enjoyed getting to spend some time and pet these furry guys (referring to the dogs, not the guides), who were so charismatic and sweet!
Oh, and you even get the option to ride around on snowmobiles if the weather and time allow it!
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Other Experiences You May Enjoy:
2. Fairbanks: 1-Hour Alaskan Winter Dog Sledding Adventure
- Duration: 1 hour
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off available
- Departure Time: 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 2:30 PM
- Includes: Transportation, cocoa, coffee, tea
This next tour draws many similarities to our first, with this being a more compact experience that’s easy to fit into a busy schedule. Lasting just around an hour, it does include roundtrip transportation so you don’t have to worry about booking it on your own.
The Fairbanks: 1-Hour Alaskan Winter Dog Sledding Adventure Tour will take you on an educational, beautiful, exhilarating experience you’re sure to want to repeat next time you’re in the far north!
Your tour will start out with your guide picking you right up from your hotel lobby (or another location in town), so you don’t have to worry about any logistics!
The entire staff is super friendly and well-organized, and knowledgeable so if there’s anything you’d like to know, don’t hesitate to ask them. Oh, and if you need some snow gear or clothing, they’ll almost always have some to make sure you’re warm and stay safe.
Now, it’s time to meet the pups and hop on the sled to set off into the perfectly untouched, snowy Alaskan wilderness.
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Along the way, your guide/musher will share fascinating facts about the history of this tradition which is actually the reason why the state could even be as inhabited as it is today!
Make stops along the way to take photos at some of the most breathtaking spots on your route, which make for excellent souvenirs afterward.
I was also quite grateful that we got to spend some time in the warming hut, where we were able to regain some energy and sip on either hot chocolate, coffee, and/or tea.
Perhaps the most enjoyable part (which is hard, considering it was all amazing) was getting to spend time with these energetic, enthusiastic dogs who are so sweet and fun! Learn about each one and how they were trained, along with other interesting facts about the area and tradition!
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
3. Fairbanks: Moonlight Dog Sled, Dinner & Northern Lights
- Duration: 6 hours
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off available
- Departure Time: 9:00 PM
- Includes: Transportation, dog sled ride, meal and beverage
Perhaps the other two tours caught your attention, but you’re looking for a more comprehensive Alaskan tour. If you’d like a longer experience, the Fairbanks: Moonlight Dog Sled, Dinner & Northern Lights tour cannot be beat.
It’s a unique excursion that takes place in the evening, and it the perfect alternative to just going out to dinner at a restaurant or simply going to see the Northern Lights.
You don’t have to worry about navigating to the start point, as your guide will be there to pick you up right from the comfort of your hotel.
After you undergo a safety briefing and are given all necessary safety and snow gear, it’s time to go meet the gorgeous dogs and hop on the sleds! This is a great experience for families, friends, and significant others as you’ll get to share sleds most times.
As you glide through the vast winter wonderland, you’ll learn about the history of dog sledding and how it’s been around for literally thousands of years.
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Upon arrival to your destination, you’ll be greeted with a hearty feast of the best salmon I’ve ever tasted, and plenty of hot beverages to keep warm with.
If you are allergic or simply aren’t a fish fan, the cooking staff is super accommodating and will come up with something else that suits your tastes.
You’ll then have time to cruise around and get to know the pups before the Aurora Borealis makes its appearance. Once it does, you’ll get to either enjoy the northern-facing windows from the yurt or watch without obstructions from outdoors.
Either way, you’ll get a front-row seat to this breathtaking phenomenon that is absolutely worth taking some photos with!
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
4. Dog Sled Adventure in Fairbanks
- Duration: 1.5 hours to 2 hours
- Departure: 3873 Elliott Hwy, Fairbanks, AK
- Departure Time: 1:00 PM
- Includes: Guided tour with dog sled
Are you looking for a fun activity to participate in with your children or the entire family? Perhaps you’d like to have fun and learn more about Alaska’s history, but want to stick to a tighter budget?
Whatever the case may be, I’m willing to bet that the Dog Sled Adventure in Fairbanks tour is perfect for your needs.
This tour does last anywhere from about 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours, where you’ll not only get to experience the dog sledding, but get to see many important landmarks and hidden gems along the way.
After you arrive to the meet up point, your guide will provide you with a safety briefing and any necessary snow gear you may not have brought along with you. After that, it’s time to head outside to meet and learn about the ultra-fluffy dogs who will be your transport for the day.
As you cruise along, enjoy seeing different sights including the North Pole, ice carvings, and you may even get to see the Northern Lights!
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Of course, this isn’t guaranteed as the guides cannot control the Aurora, but it’s exciting knowing that it’s a possibility.
The guide filled us in on how dog sledding started out in Siberia and expanded over the polar north for over hundreds of years, spanning different continents!
This was truly one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve ever seen, not only in Alaska, but in the entire world. The surrounding landscapes seem like something out of a painting, with the guide allowing us time to stop and take photos and videos.
The dogs are clearly very well taken care of, too, and genuinely seemed to enjoy the trip even more than any of us humans!
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
5. Private Guided Chena River Mush Dream Vacation in Fairbanks
- Duration: 1.5 hour
- Departure: 265 Gettinger Rd, Fairbanks, AK
- Departure Time: 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM
- Includes: Guided tour, snow gear
Have you ever been curious about the mushing lifestyle and what is involved in riding around with these gorgeous dogs? If you’d like to learn more firsthand, look no further because the Private Guided Chena River Mush Dream Vacation in Fairbanks tour has you covered!
This is yet another shorter experience, so you don’t have to worry about figuring out how to fit it into your itinerary.
After you arrive at the meet up point, you’ll be provided with a safety briefing and snow gear, including a snow bib, parka, gloves, boots, bibs, and more.
The staff is very friendly and eally makes sure that everyone is comfortable and answers any questions they may have. After everyone is feeling confident and ready to go, you’ll head outside to the husky kennel to see and meet these guys.
What I really loved about this tour is that it’s completely private, so you have the opportunity to learn and see more about what interests you. It’s a great way to avoid groups of tourists and just enjoy the fresh wilderness air and expansive views.
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Your destination for the day is the Chena River, making intermittent stops along the way for plenty of photo ops!
You’ll learn and see so much here, which was honestly a million times more educational than any documentary or book would be. Take some time to meet the 4-legged part of the crew, where the musher tells you how they’re trained and about their daily life.
Hanging out in their authentic Mongolian Yurt complete with a charming wood stove only made the experience that much more special and comfortable.
If you’re going to take any kind of tour in Alaska, I highly recommend it be one of the best Fairbanks dog sledding tours.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
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Value
The Fairbanks Dog Sledding and Mushing Experience is our Editors Choice for the best Fairbanks dog sledding tour
