Akureyri Husky Safari: Sledding, Hikes and Kennel Visits

Why Akureyri suits a husky safari

Akureyri is the largest town in North Iceland and the natural base for the Eyjafjörður countryside, where kennels keep sled dogs on open farmland between the fjord and the hills. The town has an airport, a compact center and roads heading north and south along the fjord, so a kennel visit slots into a short winter stay.

The goHusky kennel sits at Glæsibær; from town you take the north road out of Akureyri, turn right onto road 816, follow it for two kilometers and turn right again at the yellow postboxes. If you would rather not drive, goHusky picks guests up in town as part of the kennel visits.

When the snow season runs and what runs without it

Husky tours split into two families: sledding on snow and everything else, meaning wheeled carts, hikes and kennel time. Sledding needs a snow-covered trail, so it depends on conditions in the hills above the fjord rather than a fixed calendar date. If you are weighing up whether to sled here or elsewhere, our Iceland husky safari guide covers the same snow-versus-wheels decision at other kennels.

When there is no snow underfoot, the dogs still work, pulling wheeled carts or joining guests on a walk through woodland and farmland. That is why a husky day is bookable outside the deepest winter months, and why the format you get in October or April can differ from a February ride.

Dog sledding with Icelandic huskies

The dog sledding adventure is the classic format: a team of Icelandic huskies harnessed to a sled, with guests riding as passengers on a route through the countryside near Akureyri. It is the option to choose if the picture in your head is dogs running on snow rather than a walk on a lead.

Book the sled ride for the middle of your trip rather than the first morning, so a change in snow conditions does not cost you the whole experience. Listed starting prices for this tour begin at about 403 US dollars per person, which is worth comparing against the shorter kennel formats before you commit.

Husky hikes through forest and farmland

The private husky hiking experience turns the safari into a walk: you set out with the pack and the owners along forest and farm tracks, with the dogs pulling gently on harness lines rather than hauling a sled. It suits travelers who want more time with the animals and conversation with the handlers than a fast ride allows.

A shared husky hike follows a similar rhythm in a larger group, walking the dogs through the countryside around Akureyri with views back toward the fjord and mountains. Listed starting prices for the hike format begin at about 151 US dollars.

The private hiking version is priced from about 1,433 US dollars for the booking rather than per head, which makes sense for a couple or a family splitting the cost. Confirm how many guests the rate covers before you compare it with the per-person tours.

Kennel visits and husky petting sessions

The petting visit is the shortest and most intimate option: a private session of up to an hour at the family home, where the huskies come out to meet you, and you get hands-on time with the dogs plus an introduction to how the kennel runs. It is the easiest format for younger children, older relatives and anyone arriving on a cruise ship with only an afternoon ashore.

The visit includes photos and videos of your time with the dogs, tea and coffee, and a look at the kennel's daily operations. Because the session is private, it is just your group, the dogs and their owners rather than a mixed busload.

The petting package is listed from about 927 US dollars for up to eight guests, so it works out reasonably for a group that fills the slots. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time, which gives you room to shift plans if a storm rolls in.

Group size, ages and family suitability

The petting visit is described as suitable for both children and adults, and being private it keeps a family together instead of splitting you across a large group. The hikes and sled rides involve more time outdoors and physical contact with excited dogs, so they reward children who are comfortable around animals.

Minimum ages are set by goHusky for each tour and are not the same across formats, so ask when you book whether a sled ride and a kennel visit share a limit. Guests have described the petting visit as a good fit for a family with three children.

What is included and how the day runs

Pickup in Akureyri is part of the kennel experience, and guests have been collected from hotels and from the cruise port and returned afterward. That removes the need for a rental car on tour day, though driving yourself along road 816 is straightforward if you already have one.

Expect the visit to include time meeting the dogs, an introduction to the kennel and its history, and a walk or ride depending on the format. The petting session adds coffee, tea and included photos, while the sled and hike formats focus on time with the team outdoors.

Animal welfare questions worth asking

Ask how many dogs the kennel keeps, how often they run, and what happens to retired dogs, since a working husky team needs a plan for animals that can no longer pull. A family kennel that lives on site usually answers these questions readily.

It is also fair to ask how the dogs are housed, whether visitors handle puppies, and how goHusky matches dogs to guests. Guests have noted the affection between the owners and their pack, which is the kind of detail that tells you more than a brochure.

Pairing a husky day with aurora nights

A husky tour runs in daylight, which leaves your evening free for aurora hunting around Akureyri, where dark fjord-side roads and viewpoints lie a short drive from the center. Treat the dog day and the northern lights as separate bookings so weather can move one without spoiling the other.

Clear skies matter more than solar activity for most nights, so plan the husky tour for a day when cloud is forecast to break and keep the following evenings flexible. When the aurora does appear, a soak at the Forest Lagoon or a swim at the Akureyri swimming pool makes a good daytime counterpart to a late night.

If you are touring further afield, the geothermal sea baths at GeoSea in Húsavík sit an hour or so north along the coast and pair naturally with a day trip.

How many nights to allow

Give Akureyri at least three nights if the aurora is the goal, with the husky safari booked for one of the daylight slots. That pattern leaves two or three evenings for clear-sky chasing and a spare morning if the sled ride is moved because of snow conditions.

Travelers who only want the dogs can do the petting visit in an afternoon and move on, but a sled ride or hike deserves a full day that is not squeezed against a flight. Book the tour toward the start of your stay so a rescheduled date still fits.

Plan Your Visit

Decide first which husky experience you actually want: a sled ride on snow, a cart run or hike on snow-free trails, or an hour of petting and photos at the family home. Then pick a kennel with a clear answer on welfare, check the listed starting price for the format you chose, and keep an evening or two free for the northern lights.

For the aurora side of the trip, the wider guide to the Arctic Circle region covers dark-sky spots, tours and how to read forecasts around Akureyri.