Dogs Lovers will love a Sled Dog Excursion!
A sled dog excursion on your Alaska cruise will appeal to dog lovers of all ages. Next to seeing whales, it’s my favorite animal-themed excursion when we cruise!
Puppies, Puppies, and more Puppies
I’m a big dog lover, so on each of our Alaska cruises, I’ve prioritized a sled dog excursion. Some I’ve booked through the cruise line, others via private companies. Either way, the excursions were educational, fun, and filled with puppy snuggles.
Are you picturing a team of blue-eyed Siberian Huskies pulling you across glimmering snow?
Think again.
Here’s why…
Cruise lines visit Alaska during the summer, when there’s no snow in port.
You’ll be pulled on a leafy forest trail, not a field of white. Sure there are those sled dog excursions that fly you to the top of the glacier to mush on the snow/ice in the summer. But they are way out of my budget.
Plus, there’s no way I’m getting on a helicopter – not unless you sucker-punch me unconscious first.
The dogs who run the Iditarod are usually not Siberian huskies — despite what dog is pictured in your cruise brochure.
Instead, the dogs are Alaskan huskies, and that’s who you’ll meet on a sled dog excursion. The dogs are about 40-60 pounds, much smaller than I expected. And they look like mixed-breed dogs because several breeds contributed to the makeup of the Alaskan husky. Even today, they are bred for functionality rather than appearance, so they don’t all have the same coloring within the breed as do others (goldens, beagles, etc.).
It was a fun surprise to see the varied appearance of the Alaskan huskies.
Below are mini reviews of each of the sled dog excursions I’ve done so far:
Sled Dog Excursion in Juneau: Juneau Sled Dog Discovery & Musher’s Camp
We raced through the forest thanks to the speed of Alaskan huskies.
The trip ride through the forest was a lot of fun – much faster than I expected. I’m not one for speed, so I was a little nervous with how close we were to the trees. But it was clearly a route that the dogs and musher knew well. This is the sled dog excursion that gave us the longest ride through the prettiest woods.
The presentation at the musher’s camp gave a good introduction, but talks at other excursions were more authentic. Those were given by actual Iditarod mushers and not just their dog-care staff. If you’re looking for a sled dog excursion that gives a great pulling experience, I’d recommend it. If you’re looking for something more educational and have room in your budget for only one excursion in Juneau, I’d prioritize a whale watch instead.
Sled Dog Excursion near Denali: Husky Homestead Tour
My mother-in-law was a good sport with my endless requests for yet another sled dog excursion.
The Husky Homestead Tour was, by far, the most educational of the sled dog excursions we’ve done. The Husky Homestead is the facility of Iditarod champion Jeff King. It’s in the interior – not far from Denali – so this excursion is only an option if you’re on a cruisetour. Mr. King himself and his fellow mushers share stories about sled dog training, the racing experience, and equipment and survival gear. Plus, there’s plenty of puppy hugging. (We didn’t do a cart ride on this excursion.)
Getting to hear from Iditarod winner Jeff King was a highlight of the excursion.
Sled Dog Excursion in the Yukon: Caribou Crossing Trading Post
We took turns hugging puppies before our cart ride.
The Caribou Crossing Trading Post, in Carcross, is a stop on an excursion that leaves from Skagway and takes you across the border to Yukon, Canada. Here you’ll enjoy lunch and visit the small, on-site museum. But, as we did, you can also pay extra for a sled dog cart ride and some puppy hugging. The cart ride wasn’t as long or as pretty as the one we’d done in Juneau, and the talk wasn’t as educational as Jeff King’s in Denali. But it’s a fun add-on to an otherwise already full day.
A Surprise Sled Dog Excursion: Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Headquarters
This stop wasn’t included in the cruise line’s description of the Seward to Denali bus transportation. What a nice surprise! But I got the feeling the drivers only stop there if they have extra time, so be aware that it’s not a guaranteed stop.
This was a fun surprise stop on our bus ride from our ship in Seward to Denali National Park. Located in Wasilla, the headquarters offers a museum, gift shop, educational videos, dog cart rides, and puppy hugging. The bus didn’t have time to stay long, so we didn’t ride on the dog cart or watch the videos but got in a quick puppy snuggle.
Nothing better on a long bus ride than a restroom break that includes a puppy snuggle.
Sled Dog Excursion in Fairbanks: musher presentations
Our better-than-it-sounds boat ride departing from Fairbanks included two educational musher presentations. So if you don’t have time or funds on your cruisetour for a sled dog excursion, you still may get to learn a little about the Alaskan huskies.
For guests on Princess
Sure, Holland America may bring burly and handsome-ish lumberjacks on board, but sorry guys, that can’t compete with Princess’ offering: Puppies in the Piazza!
I haven’t seen this myself, having not sailed on Princess yet, so if you’ve enjoyed this on-board visit from husky pups, please share below.
Unleashed
No doubt about it – puppy snuggling is fun.
But to me, the most remarkable part of a sled dog excursion is getting to see the Alaskan huskies do what they were bred to do.
They are beyond-excited for every dog cart ride – jumping, barking, grinning – waiting to race down the trail. And as a dog lover, this is excursion money well spent.
Let’s make the most of our vacation days!
Have you been on a sled dog excursion in Alaska?
Please share your recommendations below.
