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Skagway Sled Dog and Musher's Camp

4.87
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3 ¼ Hour Duration
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From pick-up to drop-off
Family-Friendly
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No minimum age for this tour
Food Available
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Full-service cafe on-site
Time for Visiting
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Ample time for interacting with huskies and puppies

Description

One of our favorite Skagway tours explores Alaska's state sport, dog mushing! Ride with Alaskan huskies on this highly acclaimed Skagway shore excursion for an authentic taste of Alaskan culture and heritage. This adventure includes a direct, firsthand husky experience by hopping in a custom, wheeled dog cart pulled by a team of 16 Alaskan huskies! Your guide, who is also a year-round musher, tells you all about the dogs, their training, their unbelievable conditioning, and what it takes to race the 1,000 mile races such as the Iditarod and Yukon Quest. After the ride, visit with the husky puppies and talk more with local mushers during a question and answer session. You'll leave with a surprising knowledge of this subculture and a rich experience from meeting some truly Alaskan characters on the Skagway Sled Dog & Musher Camp Tour.

Starting with a shuttle from your cruise ship to the scenic basic camp in Dyea, a pleasant 11-mile ride is marked by great scenery and a surprising amount of information. As you arrive, the tour begins with a ride in the Unimog up to the husky teams. Even this ride is worth the price of admission, as you climb up about 800 feet through temperature rainforest with rushing glacial streams on either side. Arrive as your furry, four-legged guides are ready to get going for a 1-mile ride!

Mushers begin issuing commands and instantly you're being pulled by a team of 14 huskies. As you're seated between the musher and his team, you can feel the bond and the relationship they share which is cemented as the musher may recount stories of their training or racing efforts. It quickly sets in that this just isn't a staged tour, but a way of life for these mushers. The 'kennel talk' after the ride answers any lingering questions before you have time to visit with the husky puppies. You can hold them if you're feeling up for it!


What's Included

Round Trip Transportation
Knowledgable Guides
Guide Gratuities
Food & Drink

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the sled ride? Is it bumpy?
The sled ride is about a mile long. Sometimes, the ride can be a little bumpy, but our guides are usually able to avoid the bumps well enough. The speed, as well as the exact timing, of the ride is dependent upon both the dogs’ performance as well as the weather on the day of your visit. So, there is truly no way for us to say exactly how fast the sled will go on any given run.
Is the sled ride on snow?
In both Skagway and Juneau, our excursion takes place on the ground in the woods, and we use a customized summertime wheeled sled. Our summertime sleds are a great way to experience mushing without the cold temperatures and heavy snow of wintertime Alaska.
Do I get to drive the sled?
No one knows the dogs like their mushers, for this reason, passengers are not allowed to drive the sled. Driving the sled, as well as keeping the dogs in line, takes skills and knowledge that is only acquired through experience.
How many people will fit on the sled?
Six guests plus the musher go together on the sled. We normally run more than one sled at a time, so we can easily accommodate larger groups.

Know Before You Book

Minimum Age: There is no minimum age to join this tour
Each sled holds 6 guests + 1 musher with multiple sleds running at one time.
Guests must be able to walk at least 100 yards and raise legs at least 12 inches.
Guest must have the capability to navigate up and down 12 steps consecutively.
Collapsible wheelchairs are permitted, but guests must be able to meet the above requirements.
Cancel up to 14-days before the tour for a refund. No refund is available if canceled within 14-days of the tour. If for any reason your tour is canceled, or if your cruise ship's schedule changes, you will receive a refund. Refunds do not include any non-refundable fees. Contact us by phone or email to request a cancellation.

Quick Facts

City
Skagway

Duration
3h 15min

Adult Rate
$184

Child Rate
$164

Infant Rate
$0


Itinerary • 3h 15min • 8 activities

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Meet your guides right at the cruise docks or in downtown Skagway if you are staying locally for a narrated transfer to the dogsled camps.

Duration
35 minutes
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Take a minute to use the facilities & stretch out your legs at the basecamp, before loading up for an exciting mountainside ride.

Duration
10 minutes
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Climb up the mountainside roads for stunning views of the Dyea valley as you head up to the musher's camp in a Unimog offroad vehicle.

Duration
15 minutes
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Take some time to meet the dogs and chat with your musher before hopping in the carts to experience the power of the incredible canine athletes on a 1-mile ride through the forest.

Duration
30 minutes
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Load back into the Unimog for the drive down the mountain, with a special stop at a viewing platform for photo opportunities & stunning views of the valley below & Chilkat Range.

Duration
25 minutes
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Learn about the sport of dogsledding from experts, including historical information about the famous Iditarod that many of these dogs compete in each year.

Duration
20 minutes
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Time for the best part! Cuddle up with the puppies being raised by the mushers & take photos with the mushers, pups, and historical gear from the presentation.

Duration
20 minutes
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Climb back in the vans for convenient transfer right back to your cruise docks or downtown Skagway.

Duration
40 minutes

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