Slovakia Dogsledding Weekend

Day 1
Fly to Krakow airport transfer to Donovaly (3.5 hours). After meeting our driver at the airport we will transfer to Donovaly in the Low Tatra Mountains. Here we will meet our tour leader and check in to our accommodation.The Donovaly resort is part of the Low Tatras National Park and is one of the most popular ski resorts in Slovakia, and of course known for hosting international dogsledding events.

Day 2
After breakfast we will meet our musher and begin with a briefing in one of the meadows near the resort. We then start on the basics of how to manipulate the sled, how to turn and most importantly how to slow the dogs and stop. We will also learn the international commands essential to any aspiring musher. This part of the mountains is relatively flat and enjoys good snow coverage, making it perfect for training purposes. We will look to build confidence and ability on a circular circuit of approximately 1km in this area. With the morning session under our belt we then head to a mountain restaurant to refuel, ready for our first experience of a longer tour in the afternoon. Our guides will lead us through the meadows and forest trails on the two-person sleds. The length of today's sledding will depend on the capability of each group. On this day this can be anything from 5 - 20km.

Day 3
Today will be a more challenging full day tour. We will be following trails further afield, moving from the tranquil meadows up the forest trails to higher parts of the mountains, sometimes encountering small settlements with just a few small houses. At around midday we reach a small mountain resort called Sachticka. Here we can relax and have lunch. Our dogs will be safely attached to trees so we can relax next to a fireplace, drinking tea and coffee. After lunch we will head back to Donovaly. Please note: The above route descriptions are subject to change. The routes taken by each group can vary according to conditions and the progress made be each group.

Day 4
Transfer to Krakow airport, fly home.