Taste of the Northwest Territories Itinerary Day 1: Arrive at the lodge by ski plane. After an orientation to the lodge and settling into your room or cabin, enjoy a gourmet dinner with fellow travelers. That evening you may want to try out the hot tub, go snowshoeing, try cross-country skiing or just relax by the fire with a good book. Day 2: After a hearty breakfast, your experienced guide will lead an orientation session reviewing the trip, going over trail maps and answering any questions you might have. Then you’ll head down to the dog yard to meet your furry companions who will be very excited by your arrival. Your guide will spend the rest of the morning introducing you to the dogs, teaching you how to harness these friendly bundles of energy and guiding you through the basics of dog sledding. After a hot lunch at the lodge your guide will lead the way on a three-hour introductory dogsled trip. Before you know it, we’ll be back at the dog yard and feeding and bedding the dogs down for the night. Then it’s our turn to eat and we’ll head up to the lodge for another delicious meal. That evening your guide will review the clothing and other personal gear required making your dogsledding adventure warm and comfortable. Day 3 – 5: After breakfast it’s time to hit the trail. For the next three days and two nights, your guide will lead you on the adventure of a lifetime. Your musher will take you and your team across the frozen expanses of lakes and through silent spruce forests. Each afternoon, you’ll arrive at a different campsite and after dogs are fed and cared for and the fire is going in the wood stove you are welcome to explore or just relax as you wish. One of our campsites is near the shores of Great Slave Lake and we’ll be sure to take the short hike to its shores to see the magnificent jumble ice. You will be treated to a hearty traditional Northern supper each night and after dinner; it’s time to view the Northern Lights (weather permitting). Enjoy a hot drink and good conversation around the cozy wood stove. Your guide has extensive experience running dogs, has a deep love for the North and has lived a rustic wilderness lifestyle for many years. Your musher is happy to share her knowledge and keen to learn about you. You will spend two nights sleeping in a heated tent, warm and comfortable in our Arctic sleeping bags. After breakfast on our third and final day, we’ll make our way back to the lodge. As with every day, there will be photo opportunities and a break to snack the dogs and us too. After we get back to the dog yard, we’ll settle the dogs back at their houses before heading up to the lodge for hot showers and hot tub time. You can re-live your adventures at the Lodge after another gourmet dinner. Day 6: The next day is yours to explore before the plane comes. If you need more dog time, your guide will be happy to take you back to the dog yard for a quick visit. You can also go snowshoeing, skiing, ice fishing or snowmobiling. Maybe it will be time to try out sliding down the hill on sealskins. The choices are endless. Please note: This dog sledding adventure is an exciting hands-on journey and participants will need to be willing to help with the care and feeding of their teams and to lend a hand with camp routines such as collecting wood, getting the fire started or collecting snow for water. A good level of fitness is required. If you are uncertain of your abilities, check with your physician before undertaking any extended expedition.