This was one of a kind experience. Everything worked to perfection except that I rolled out of the carousel but hey, nothing happened to me. That's probably part of the experience in some cases. Everyone working here seems to be either family or very close to each other. The owner is hands on working and guiding so you feel good having someone with experience and skin-on-the-game out there with you! This was a blast despite the day was really really cold. Highly recommended. read more

See all

On a crisp, sunny winter afternoon, we went dogsledding for the first time! What a way to embrace winter. The snow was fresh and although it was -24, it was bearable with the extra blankets we brought. We booked a half-day experience; I'd recommend this because it took about an hour for Winterdance to get everything all set up, including carrying the dogs out of the transportation kennels, hooking them to the lines, and introducing them to their human teams. Since the dogs were so excited (imagine 50 dogs barking all at the same time!) it was a little hard to keep them all from bolting into the woods! There were ten teams who left at the same time, to go on the exact same track, so we couldn't really see how fast our dogs could go. Three of the teams were the Winterdance staff, who were interspersed between participants. We had to start and stop constantly because of the other teams, but I suppose it's also probably for our safety that they kept our dogs from going flying. Our team was comprised of male dogs, one of whom (shout-out to Garrett!) has done the epic week-and-a-half long Yukon Quest. This is touted as the "world's toughest race," so as you can imagine, after we finished our easy 2-hour run, he was still barking and pulling to go again. You can really tell that these dogs are doing what they love. Recommended experience but here are two tips: 1) use the washroom beforehand because Winterdance only has a frigid outhouse, and 2) when it was over, our GPS couldn't locate us to help us leave; pay attention to the landmarks on your way in! read more

See all

This was the best 3 hour road trip we took out to northern Ontario! It was easy to find and the owners are extra accommodating in finding spots for us! We were able to get space for half day at 130PM 5 days before the weekend. Weekends are a little more pricy but worth it in my opinion. When you get to the cabin, you are give 15min of safety and HOW MUCH LOVE the huskies get! I love how much they value their 150+ huskies! I absolutely agree with them when they say if the dogs get hurt, we will too because they know the trial super well! Terrified me that if we didn't drive well we could hurt the dogs but the guide made sure to educate us on how to prevent it because it is 100% preventable! Our team consisted of Demon, Neptune, Diablo, Countess and Harry. All super lovable, friendly and loved the scratches and bellyrubs! They are all my favourites! Each with a different personality. I was passenger first so I got a blanket and cushions which was very thoughtful. The dogs are carried from the trucks to be hooked up to the sleds, they look adorable being held like babies by the personnels.. they knew every dogs name and there was 75 dogs okay? My heart was so full when the owner came around to greet the dogs and you see the dogs tails going and how HAPPY they were to see him and he definitely knew all of their names too. The love I see between the people and dogs helped me enjoy the trip even more! During the break we got hot chocolate and apple pie! It was we had a guide between the 3 sleds which made it super personable and our guide Ryan was super patient and personable. Learned the dogs all have forever homes whether puppy or veterans and they stay with them and has a nice kennel with in floor heating for their paws..which also has a tour that we unfortunately didn't have time to go for.. I was feeling so emotional at the end of the experience because we bonded so well with our team. By the end all the dogs were leaping trying to go back into the trunk and go back to their kennels! The minute they got picked up like big babies they calmed down and just looked so at home. From my experience I can see the dogs are well cared for and loved and that truly made our experience so much better! We would love to go back again someday. read more

See all

We drove 3 hours from Toronto to enjoy such a fun day. We were lucky to get 2 cancelled spots with perfect weather conditions. The staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable on the phone when we were booking and also the day of our tour. So worth the experience. Many thanks! read more

Winterdance Dogsled Tours - Perfect weather conditions on February 23, 2019 - Tours Near Me - Haliburton, Ontario

Wow - my 100th review! I told myself I would have to make this an extra special one. After some thought, I decided what could be more exciting to review than dog sledding! I'm at that age where every birthday I turn 21 over and over again ;) This year I wanted to celebrate my birthday by having a whole new experience. I love dogs dearly and have two of my own as well. The pictures I saw online on dog sledding seemed like so much fun so I began my research. I wanted to make sure the place I chose did not mistreat their dogs and just use them for labor. This is how I came across Winterdance Dogsled Tours. The company started out as a family who would give their friends and relatives a ride and it soon became a small business due to the amount of interest people had in dog sledding. The website has the names and pictures of each of their dogs (over 100 huskies) and a brief biography. Their huskies are fed premium dog food so you know your money is well spent. They get plenty of rest in the summer and start fall training before dog sledding session begins in the winter. After a long day of running they return to their kennel to get properly rested so not to be overworked. These huskies are treated like athletes. Now that I felt rest assured, I looked into the different type of packages offered. There is an introductory 2-hour package, half day, full day, moonlit run, and multi-day for hardcore dog sledders. There are also private tours for additional cost. My boyfriend and I went with the half day tour since it's the most popular. Our tour group consisted of just us and another couple so we were pretty lucky since we paid the group rate. We were first taught the key commands: Go = Hike, Stop = Whoa, Right = Gee, Left = Haw, and On By = to pass by. We got to meet and greet each of the huskies on our dog sled team. They were all so very beautiful and friendly. If I didn't have two dogs of my own I probably would have had a tremendously hard time saying goodbye to them at the end. I wanted to be the first to drive the sled so my boyfriend sat in the passenger seat. I didn't realize how much work was involved to drive a sled. All the breaking and helping the dogs out by pushing the sled uphill was exhausting. After a good attempt I switched positions with my boyfriend and let him drive the sled. Oh how much more relaxing it is to sit for the ride and just take photos. The scenery on the trail was so beautiful. For a moment I felt like I had escaped to Narnia. It was so peaceful just hearing the sounds of nature, dogs run and sled passing through the snow. We stopped half way through the tour for a break. We took more pictures with the huskies, eat a danish and sipped on some hot cocoa. I felt so calm and worry-free in the woods. It was like time stopped. None of the hustle and bustle of the city and pressures of the corporate world. Lastly, before the tour ended we got to feed our dogs a hot dog treat for a job well done. It really was a once in a lifetime experience and I'm so happy that I had this chance to go dog sledding =) I always imagined this is just stuff you see on TV like on the discovery channel. Now that I'm back home it's almost surreal I was there. I highly highly recommend if you're looking for an out of the ordinary experience. I saw many young kids return with their parents on the 2-hour tour. It's fun for all ages. It's located in an extremely remote area so it's cash and check only. I couldn't believe just how remote it was until I got there. The GPS couldn't even locate the trail address. Fortunately though, yahoo maps was able to find it. read more

See all

I had high expectations for this tour but they fell a bit short. First, I do have to say that Winterdance's customer service is pretty good, the equipment and dogs are fine and the natural beauty is stunning. The problem however is that this is a "nose to tail" type of tour where you're made to stay within 10 feet of the sled in front of you. We were constantly stopping and the guides were waiting for others to catch up. Our Canadian friend who booked the tour for us was on the sled behind us and she felt that this tour wasn't as great as the dog sledding she had done in Montreal because of this. In summary, you may have a really great time or be left wishing you'd done this activity elsewhere. read more

Winterdance Dogsled Tours - Tours Near Me - Haliburton, Ontario

If you're looking for an adventure, enjoy being outdoors and love dogs, dog sledding is it. I had such an amazing time. I signed up for the full day adventure. We had the privilege to have Hank as our guide who competed in the Iditarod, what an honor. All of the huskies were a blast. They loved to pull, seeing them in their element was awe inspiring. Thank you Tanya and Hank for an amazing day. I had fun with Drifter/Digger, Strawberry/Maverick and Knight/Lord. I would recommended Winterdance because they not only will give you a great adventure, but they love their dogs and treat them as family. I look forward to going back again... read more

Had an amazing time here last winter. Dogs are so energetic, some very cute, some majestic even. Staff are very nice no and knowledgeable, the scenery is nothing but breath taking. Looking forward to returning this winter with a big group. read more

See all

I really enjoyed the tour; all the staff were exceptionally nice and the dogs are very well treated. The booking was easy (I called a few times until I got somebody in person, just to be sure) and the ladies who contacted me to confirm the reservation were so very nice. Here are a few details to help you with your expectations: 1) There is no cell phone reception where the tour starts or within the few KM leading up to the meeting point, in case you are planning on using your phone for directions or information or communicating with friends in another car, like we were. 2) The sleds have cushions and blankets, but they are pretty basic and the bar at the back of the sled did hurt a bit after a while of sitting, luckily you can switch driver and passenger anytime. 3) There is a very large teepee (no door) and a small wooden cabin (used for check-in) that you can use for changing. There is also one wooden outhouse with no lock on the door. 4) There is no water, food or supplies available for purchase. On the half day tour we were offered a mug of hot chocolate and a danish during break time. You are welcome to bring your own water and snacks. At the break location there are no amenities, you just stop in a clearing. 5) There is a lot of dog poop and pee at the beginning of the trail ride, and it can be kicked up in your face, just FYI :) 6) There were 10 sleds on our tour (5 dogs per sled). The din of 50 dogs howling and barking in their eagerness to get going was downright deafening. I love dogs but I have never heard anything like that before. They encourage you to pet the dogs to calm them and get familiar with them, but I could tell some people were a little uncomfortable approaching them when they were so worked up. They calm down once they start running. 7) Bring sunscreen! We were lucky to have a beautiful sunny afternoon, but my lips and cheeks were sunburnt (something I didn't think about :)) 8) Trail is through the forest, which is lovely, but the driver doesn't really get to look around because they're busy making sure they don't run into the sled ahead and also making sure there is enough tension on the line so the dogs don't get tangled up. 9) They don't take pregnant women on the tour. I feel you should opt for the half-day tour because it is just enough to give you a taste of the experience. Like with many trail tours you are behind the guide in a single file line of sleds and it can be stop and go if there are a lot of issues (dogs fighting, pooping, the sled ahead of you simply going at a slower pace because the dogs are slower or their load is heavier etc.) so it isn't an adrenaline rush experience. The dogs are steady runners, so think marathon not sprinting, which was totally fine by me as I wouldn't want to be taking the turns or hills at break-neck speeds. The scenery wasn't what I would call spectacular, I mean it was very lovely, but maybe my expectations were just too high. Overall while I appreciate their operating costs are probably pretty high (and compared to Deerhurst which is $80/5km loop/45 minutes around their golf course, it is a better deal) the price ($450+gratuities per couple for about 3 hours on the trail) may make me think twice about going back again. read more

Wow! What an experience! Everyone should give this a try at least once. A few of my friends drove from Toronto to Haliburton in December for this unique activity. There were about 10 people total and we were assigned 2 people to a sled. The guide went through the rules and safety, and how to communicate well with your team of dogs. We stood by our sleds while the dogs were set up one by one...How cute! Each one has their own personality and they all love the attention. When we were almost ready to go, the guide started to whistle a bit and all the dogs started to howl and get very excited. Very dramatic and almost spooky! Once we got going, it was so much fun. The dogs are so well-behaved and if you treat them well, they'll listen to you too. The scenery was so peaceful and beautiful during the day. It just under 0 degrees that day, which is considered a hot day for the dogs so the snow was a little sticky and hard for them to run on, but they still did a great job. The ride out is about an hour and we stopped in the middle to make sure all groups were caught up and doing well, as well to switch drivers with your partner if you wanted. It was a little annoying to stop and start all the time, especially since the dogs were so eager to run as fast as they could. We got to the end, which is a large clearing with a roundabout trail to head back. There, we relaxed a bit with the dogs and had plenty of time to take memorable photos. Humans were served hot chocolate an a danish, and canines were rewarded with a hot dog treat. The ride back was just as beautiful. The staff told us about moonlight ride available...I'd love to give that a try sometime. I bet that would be super beautiful. The staff were also really great. They were very knowledgeable, chill, and extremely friendly and kind. They take their job seriously and really care for those dogs. My only criticism is that the price tag is a little steep at about $200 per person, but I'd definitely come back! Highly recommended to anyone who loves the outdoors and loves animals looking for a unique wintertime experience! read more

Winterdance Dogsled Tours - Prince and Granite, a couple of noisy boys, best friends since birth! - Tours Near Me - Haliburton, Ontario

Loved the tour. It was so much fun! You get to drive and ride your own team of 5 dogs. It was a little bit annoying having to stop and start all the time to wait for the rest of the tour group, but overall the trip was super worth it. The dogs are all super excited to run and super sweet. Hank (the owner) was our tour guide and his stories about dog sledding through Alaska are just surreal. Tanya (Hank's wife) was such a sweetheart in helping with the reservations and planning the trip up to Haliburton. They have discount rates at the hotels up there in case you need to stay overnight. read more