The Challenge
Day 1 London - Oslo - Alta
Participants will fly from the UK to Alta in the far north of Norway, via Oslo. In Alta they will be met by Across the Divide staff and taken to the head office of our local operator. Here participants will be given any additional equipment and clothing necessary to allow them to participate fully in the event over the next six days in what will be extreme conditions. Our guides will then brief the participants on safety issues associated with dog sledding and cabin life. Dinner will be taken at the Gargia Mountain Lodge and we then expect participants to take advantage of an early night.
Day 2 Gargia - Souluvombi
After breakfast, the guides will show us how a dog sleds works, how to use the ice brake and a snow anchor. Briefings over, we will then put the theory into practice and some time will be spent getting used to the basics of sledding, albeit without dogs initially. This will be followed by a session where we are introduced to the dogs, shown how to harness the dogs and attach them to the centre trace line that is, in turn, attached to the sleds.
It will then be time to pack and have lunch. After lunch and when everyone has packed, we will leave for our next location, Souluvombi. Travelling through forest to reach higher ground before descending through forest again to arrive at the lodge. We will need to un-harness our dogs and put them onto their stakeout lines for the night. We will be shown how to feed and care for the dogs, as we will be expected to feed, harness and look after our own dogs for the entire trip. Tonight we will stay at the Souluvombi Cabin, and over the course of the day we will have travelled some 30 km.
Day 3 Souluvombi - Maze
Will begin with an early wake-up call as we need to feed the dogs early enough for them to digest their food before working. With everything ready and packed, the dogs will be harnessed and the group will sled towards Maze where cabins awaits us. Having settled the dogs for the night, we will have dinner in the cabin. There is a sauna at Maze cabin, so everybody who wants to do "the Viking test" can go for a roll in the snow! Distance travelled 25 km.
Day 4 Maze - Soussjavri
After an early breakfast, we will feed the dogs and pack ready to sled to an area called Soussjavri. Today is an easy day driving, mainly down hill or over flat ground. Distance travelled 45km.
Day 5 Soluvombi - Jotka
Today we follow the Jiesjokka River all the way to Jiesavri Lake and Jotka. Jiesjavri is the biggest lake in the Finnmark area. Being in the middle of this big frozen lake really gives you the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere. Tonight, instead of staying in cabins, we will put up a tented camp in the forest not far from Jotka. Distance travelled 60 km.
Day 6 Jotka - Gargia
From Jotka it is down hill all the way back to Gargia where a hot tub and a sauna are waiting. Before the gala dinner we have the chance to head off to the Ice Hotel (which is a smaller copy of the famous Ice hotel in Sweden) for a drink or two followed by transport back to our lodge in Gargia- this is an optional activity. Distance travelled 45km.*
Day 7 Alta - Oslo - London
After breakfast we will be transferred to Alta airport for our flights back to the UK.
