Winterdance Dogsled Tours
Winterdance Dogsled Tours
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About
Experience what it's like to drive a dogsled team with Ontario's only Iditarod & Yukon Quest kennel! Our family run business complete with 150 loveable Siberian Huskies has had the honour of welcoming guests from around the world since 1999, with the stunning rugged wilderness of Haliburton/Algonquin Park as our backdrop. Escape today's hectic world & let your spirit soar as our huskies share their passion & this amazing land reveals its magic.
Haliburton, Ontario, Canada
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Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Winterdance Dogsled Tours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
600 reviews
Excellent
559
Very good
25
Average
4
Poor
5
Terrible
7
BMama
10 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
Everything about our experience was fantastic. I called on Thursday to attempt to book us in for Saturday, figuring that it would be impossible with such short notice. Tanya was lovely on the phone and told me that it’s a great idea to just call because they often get cancellations and can fill spots very last minute. She helped me arrange how we would have our three kids (8,6,4) with us and went through a little bit of procedure for the excursion day.
When we arrived on Saturday, we were immediately warmly met by Claire, who ended up being the guide put with the 4 year old and I.
We met Dustin who did the safety procedures and history of Winterdance with us (he is also a member of the owning family!), he was really kind, funny, but also a little firm about the safety and well-being of the dogs. He also explained more about how their dogs are treated and what their lives look like. This was great as I was leery about experiences like this before meeting them.
Chaos ensued (in a good way!) as the dogs were getting hooked up and each employee encouraged you to get to know your dogs, learn your team’s names. They were all so excited to go out on the trails and as each employee (including the owner, Hank) came by, you could see how much the dogs loved them.
Hank is clearly a rock star among the dogs, you could see how much he and everyone there, love them.
Going on the trail was great, the group with us all had English as a second language but were able to understand how to operate the dogs safely. Since I had to sit with my 4 year old, we had our personal guide Claire with us the entire time! She was absolutely amazing. Kind with our children, really knowledgeable about the dogs and the operation, and incredibly encouraging to our team of dogs. She even ran beside the sled for a bit so I could have the experience of driving too!
She also shared just how amazing the dog’s lives are. Every dog that comes to Winterdance remains there for life...they won’t sell their puppies, they don’t get rid of dog’s after they retire....the dogs become part of the pack forever. Hearing this information meant so much to me, and showed me the sort of ethics and integrity that Winterdance has as a business.
The views were beautiful, the dogs were so fun, and we all had a wonderful time.
I highly recommend Winterdance for a very unique experience that your family will not forget!
When we arrived on Saturday, we were immediately warmly met by Claire, who ended up being the guide put with the 4 year old and I.
We met Dustin who did the safety procedures and history of Winterdance with us (he is also a member of the owning family!), he was really kind, funny, but also a little firm about the safety and well-being of the dogs. He also explained more about how their dogs are treated and what their lives look like. This was great as I was leery about experiences like this before meeting them.
Chaos ensued (in a good way!) as the dogs were getting hooked up and each employee encouraged you to get to know your dogs, learn your team’s names. They were all so excited to go out on the trails and as each employee (including the owner, Hank) came by, you could see how much the dogs loved them.
Hank is clearly a rock star among the dogs, you could see how much he and everyone there, love them.
Going on the trail was great, the group with us all had English as a second language but were able to understand how to operate the dogs safely. Since I had to sit with my 4 year old, we had our personal guide Claire with us the entire time! She was absolutely amazing. Kind with our children, really knowledgeable about the dogs and the operation, and incredibly encouraging to our team of dogs. She even ran beside the sled for a bit so I could have the experience of driving too!
She also shared just how amazing the dog’s lives are. Every dog that comes to Winterdance remains there for life...they won’t sell their puppies, they don’t get rid of dog’s after they retire....the dogs become part of the pack forever. Hearing this information meant so much to me, and showed me the sort of ethics and integrity that Winterdance has as a business.
The views were beautiful, the dogs were so fun, and we all had a wonderful time.
I highly recommend Winterdance for a very unique experience that your family will not forget!
Written March 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andy
Kitchener, Canada2 contributions
Jan 2020
Dog Sledding is something that I have always wanted to do - and when trying to figure out what to buy for my dad for his birthday I was searching around for different places in which we could experience this sport and I came across WinterDance and could not be happier that I did.
I was SUPER impressed about how much care and love they give to every single dog, and AMAZED that with 158 huskies they can walk around and call everyone by name as they give those amazing dogs some love.
We arrived and Scott introduced himself as our guide and gave us the run down for our afternoon tour and straight away kept us engaged with humour while explaining how to control the dog sled and our very own team. Throughout the entire time he ensured we had the most amazing experience and from start to finish - of course with the help of the amazing dogs and landscape we were exploring in the coolest way.
I would highly recommend this experience with WinterDance to anyone who even has the tiniest itch to try as they truly care for their animals and love to ensure that their customers, their dogs and themselves all have an amazing time and everyone loves every second.
I wish I could give more than 5 stars because it definitely exceeded any expectations and it is now on my list to return for a full day tour to experience the full 50km of trails they have to offer and meet even more of their happy, stunning, loving pooches! :)
Thank you so much to Scott, and WinterDance for hands down one of my favourite days/experiences I have ever had the pleasure of in my life!
I was SUPER impressed about how much care and love they give to every single dog, and AMAZED that with 158 huskies they can walk around and call everyone by name as they give those amazing dogs some love.
We arrived and Scott introduced himself as our guide and gave us the run down for our afternoon tour and straight away kept us engaged with humour while explaining how to control the dog sled and our very own team. Throughout the entire time he ensured we had the most amazing experience and from start to finish - of course with the help of the amazing dogs and landscape we were exploring in the coolest way.
I would highly recommend this experience with WinterDance to anyone who even has the tiniest itch to try as they truly care for their animals and love to ensure that their customers, their dogs and themselves all have an amazing time and everyone loves every second.
I wish I could give more than 5 stars because it definitely exceeded any expectations and it is now on my list to return for a full day tour to experience the full 50km of trails they have to offer and meet even more of their happy, stunning, loving pooches! :)
Thank you so much to Scott, and WinterDance for hands down one of my favourite days/experiences I have ever had the pleasure of in my life!
Written January 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
countryjumper
Caledonia, Canada9 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
This place is run like a well oiled machine. Booking with Tanya was a breeze and she was so friendly! Walking into the welcoming cabin for our half day tour we were greeted by super friendly guides who quickly whisked our kids away to fill their heads with amazing Iditarod stories. The tour was amazing and we were blessed with a sunny day. I can’t say enough about the dogs, they clearly love to run and certainly showed their excitement to hit the trail. My kids loved cuddling with all of them any chance they could. Our kids tell us we’re doing this every year, so see ya in 2021!
Written February 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heather
1 contribution
Feb 2020
Making a reservation online was easy. I booked 4 weeks in advance and received next day email with information and then confirmation of tour. I appreciate that Winterdance has so much information available on their website. Even stating how much actual “time on the trail” can be expected with each tour choice. I think to have realistic expectations it is incumbent on people wanting to experience dogsledding, to research at least the basics of the sport and to be aware of how sled dogs live and thrive. This was my husband’s and my first time dog sledding and we felt comfortable with the instructions/information led by our guide Ryan and he answered our questions. Once the unloading of the dogs and harnessing begins it is amazing to see and the guides introduce you to your team, one at a time and let you know how to be involved. All of the dogs looked healthy and were friendly - all the way to down right affectionate. They all appeared happy and energized, ready to go... true indications that they are well cared for and loved. Ryan let us know that the start of the trail is often the poop zone. It’s natural and we were prepared for the stop and go of it. My experience driving was a little more rough than my husband’s. I was prepared for the active physical engagement part of it, but I have small hands and I found the sled handle to be thick and my grip did not have much coverage around the handle, so my wrists and arms felt exhausted. I loved it none the less though. Next time I will bring hand protection with extra grip. The property/scenery is quite lovely. The hot chocolate/snack break was nice and I enjoyed that extra time to cuddle with the dogs. Ryan even offered to take photos of everyone on the tour, with their dog team. Hank, Ryan and all of the staff I met were great! The welcome cabin is cozy and we purchased a large jug of the Winterdance Maple Syrup after tasting their samples. I will most definitely book with Winterdance again!
Written February 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David S
1 contribution
Feb 2020 • Solo
First time doing a dog sleigh, so wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I had a great time. It’s a well run outing and they clearly take great care of their dogs (and their clients). Morning started with a quick intro and lesson on driving the sleigh (which I recommend doing as much as you can). Then you meet your dog sleigh team (five dogs) and off you go. Five sleighs in our group, with our guide Murray leading the way. I was on my own so rode with Murray. He constantly made sure our sleighs were on track and that everyone was doing ok. Some fresh snow made for great conditions. Got to drive quite a bit (don’t underestimate the work involved - lots of hills to help the dogs out). Managed to keep us upright and, for the most part, on the trail. Our group was a mix of families and couples - everybody had smiles on their faces. We finished the morning by helping with the dogs at the end of the ride. Highly recommend Winterdance - well run, great guides and lots of fun.
Written February 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael B
7 contributions
Mar 2020
Myself and my girlfriend visited Canada for 10 days and wanted to fill in as much activities as possible.
The main activity being dog sledding in the true wilderness of Canada. We stumbled across winterdance whilst looking at the reviews from trip advisor and decided to book a full day... little did we know at the time our friends who live in Toronto did the same experience and recommended it also.
We spent a full day from 10am to 5pm with Hank who lives and breaths dog sledding and also participates in races all over Canada. Our experience could not of been anymore thrilling or knowledgable with the amount of experience Hank has. We covered many miles whilst stopping in between to give the dogs plenty of rest.
For lunch we had food round a self made campfire.
The Huskies are well looked after and you can see how much love and passion the team have for there line of work.
With this being a family business Hanks wife Tanya works in the office and the service from start to finish has been outstanding. Its very rare sadly these days that you get people going the extra mile but I can truly say Tanya is exceptionally good at making life easy!
From making the booking to arriving Tanya certainly took care of everything and we cant thank her enough for the whole experience.
As I said this is a family business so I would also like to thank Logan for making sure the trails are nice and smooth/safe before we even go out on the trails with the dogs.
If you want a true Canadian dog sledding experience then I hugely recommend winterdance dog sled tours as its a life experience we will never forget!
Huge thank you again to Hank, Tanya, and Logan
All the best
Mike and Olivia
The main activity being dog sledding in the true wilderness of Canada. We stumbled across winterdance whilst looking at the reviews from trip advisor and decided to book a full day... little did we know at the time our friends who live in Toronto did the same experience and recommended it also.
We spent a full day from 10am to 5pm with Hank who lives and breaths dog sledding and also participates in races all over Canada. Our experience could not of been anymore thrilling or knowledgable with the amount of experience Hank has. We covered many miles whilst stopping in between to give the dogs plenty of rest.
For lunch we had food round a self made campfire.
The Huskies are well looked after and you can see how much love and passion the team have for there line of work.
With this being a family business Hanks wife Tanya works in the office and the service from start to finish has been outstanding. Its very rare sadly these days that you get people going the extra mile but I can truly say Tanya is exceptionally good at making life easy!
From making the booking to arriving Tanya certainly took care of everything and we cant thank her enough for the whole experience.
As I said this is a family business so I would also like to thank Logan for making sure the trails are nice and smooth/safe before we even go out on the trails with the dogs.
If you want a true Canadian dog sledding experience then I hugely recommend winterdance dog sled tours as its a life experience we will never forget!
Huge thank you again to Hank, Tanya, and Logan
All the best
Mike and Olivia
Written March 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kylie E
4 contributions
Mar 2021 • Couples
Booked our trip as a Christmas gift for my husband and I as we have had a couple of really busy years including the build of our house. Booking was easy and we knew we were waiting to hear about lockdown but were happy to just get in. We were happy when we got the green light. I can’t imagine how hard the pandemic had been on businesses like this! We also booked the cottage stay for 2 nights to make a getaway out of it. Prices were very reasonable.
This has been an activity on my bucket list and I was really looking forward to seeing this area of Ontario as well. I knew my husband would love it as well.
It didn’t disappoint. We had a perfect day for it..... big snowflakes falling but mild. Arrived and had some down time. Loved watching the process of prepping and getting to know our pups. It was amazing seeing the teams put together and watching the anticipation build as the dogs got closer to take off time. Our lead dogs were 2 older dogs who had run the Iditarod and I just fell in love with them! The scenery was beautiful! We had such a great time and it just seemed surreal.
Guides were excellent! I probably asked them a hundred questions and while I’m sure they were busy coordinating, they answered each and everyone. Very knowledgeable and much like a supportive family!!
Cottage was clean and spacious. We really loved the peaceful tranquility of the whole trip. We took a walk around the lake and sat outside on the deck. We even watched one of the dog sledding movies. Kitchen was great for making our own meals. Tanya and Hank were very quick and helpful to respond to any questions we had, etc.
The whole trip and experience was exactly what we needed! I hadn’t felt that relaxed in a long time. I bought Hank’s first book, some maple syrup and a hoodie for Tim. Haven’t been able to put the book down and the hoodie has become a favourite and staple of his wardrobe.
I just love what Hank and Tanya are doing! I love their passion, commitment and love for their dogs. I love how their kids play a role in this endeavour. And I love that we got to experience it! You won’t regret it. Go in with no expectations and just enjoy the surroundings and getting back to nature. Turn the phone off, take a book, a bottle of wine and just chill!! Can’t say enough good things. Next time we hope to take our 2 kiddos!
This has been an activity on my bucket list and I was really looking forward to seeing this area of Ontario as well. I knew my husband would love it as well.
It didn’t disappoint. We had a perfect day for it..... big snowflakes falling but mild. Arrived and had some down time. Loved watching the process of prepping and getting to know our pups. It was amazing seeing the teams put together and watching the anticipation build as the dogs got closer to take off time. Our lead dogs were 2 older dogs who had run the Iditarod and I just fell in love with them! The scenery was beautiful! We had such a great time and it just seemed surreal.
Guides were excellent! I probably asked them a hundred questions and while I’m sure they were busy coordinating, they answered each and everyone. Very knowledgeable and much like a supportive family!!
Cottage was clean and spacious. We really loved the peaceful tranquility of the whole trip. We took a walk around the lake and sat outside on the deck. We even watched one of the dog sledding movies. Kitchen was great for making our own meals. Tanya and Hank were very quick and helpful to respond to any questions we had, etc.
The whole trip and experience was exactly what we needed! I hadn’t felt that relaxed in a long time. I bought Hank’s first book, some maple syrup and a hoodie for Tim. Haven’t been able to put the book down and the hoodie has become a favourite and staple of his wardrobe.
I just love what Hank and Tanya are doing! I love their passion, commitment and love for their dogs. I love how their kids play a role in this endeavour. And I love that we got to experience it! You won’t regret it. Go in with no expectations and just enjoy the surroundings and getting back to nature. Turn the phone off, take a book, a bottle of wine and just chill!! Can’t say enough good things. Next time we hope to take our 2 kiddos!
Written March 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jen
1 contribution
Jan 2020 • Couples
We did the full day tour and it was incredible! From the very beginning Tanya made booking a breeze. She was so accommodating to special dietary restrictions and even offered recommendations for hotels/restaurants who could meet my needs in the area to ensure a wonderful trip. Everything was so organized and efficient from the booking to the trails to the handling of the dogs. We learned quickly that what sets Winterdance apart is their genuine love for the dogs and passion for the sport. It is palpable! Selecting the full day tour allowed us to explore over 20 miles of trails, never seeing another sled. It gave us the pleasure of getting to know the owner, Hank, and learning all about the adventures that lead him to where he is today. And finally, it gave us the unique opportunity to bond with the dogs, learn how much THEY love pulling the sled, and experience the world of dog sledding first hand. We cannot say enough about the experience as a whole and can't wait to visit again!
Written February 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex G
7 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We had a wonderful experience on a half-day tour with Winterdance. Their instructions made the place easy to find and after a quick demonstration we were on our way with Chill, Vandal, Gus, Nicolia, and Yelana leading us along the trails.
While it may seem expensive once you meet the dogs and staff and hear their story and how much they love and care for their 150 dogs you know the money is going to a good place.
I should add that our guide Ryan was also very good. Maybe not as friendly Gus and you definitely won't get as many kisses as you will from Gus but he knows the dogs and will ensure you have a safe and enjoyable experience.
While it may seem expensive once you meet the dogs and staff and hear their story and how much they love and care for their 150 dogs you know the money is going to a good place.
I should add that our guide Ryan was also very good. Maybe not as friendly Gus and you definitely won't get as many kisses as you will from Gus but he knows the dogs and will ensure you have a safe and enjoyable experience.
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shawna G
34 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We had an amazing time dog sledding on the weekend! My boyfriend and I did the half day tour as we received it as a gift. Dog sledding is something I’d never thought of doing but it was an experience we’ll never forget. Scott and Ryan were our leaders and were very helpful training us and helping us along the route whenever we had any minor issues. The group of dogs we had were so adorable and you really got to know them throughout the ride (especially Queenie - she’s so vocal!) You got to pet and cuddle the dogs way more than I thought we would. We had a nice surprise of stopping for hot chocolate hal way through and switching drivers. My boyfriend had been driving the whole time and I was slightly apprehensive but I’m so glad I did! It was so fun! I would recommend this to anyone (you have to be relatively in shape) and recommend it as a gift as well.
Written February 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi,
have the "potholes " in the trail been repaired? This issue was referenced in several of the reviews . thanks
Written December 28, 2019
Potholes?? I'm sorry I haven't seen any mention of that in our reviews, unless it is an old review from numerous years ago? The road getting to us sometimes has potholes but not if you follow the directions we give you. Hope to welcome you!
Written March 10, 2020
have they repaired the "potholes" in the trail the several reviewers referenced?
Written December 28, 2019
Is the December holiday week, a good time to visit?
Written October 15, 2018
Hi and thank you for your question. Christmas holidays are normally a good time of year to visit us weather wise and is always very busy with folks travelling, so tours do tend to sell out 1-2 months in advance. It is also being our busiest week our peak price period so if you have some flexibility to join us another weekend or even midweek it would save you some on the cost of the tour. Please don't hesitate with any other questions and we look forward to hopefully sharing the amazing world of sleddogs with you this winter!
Written October 16, 2018
Hi Linda, we have different tours the 2 hour is $130/$140/person + HST, the 1/2 day is $190/$210/person + HST. Lower price being midweek, higher being weekend & holiday.
Kindest Regards,
Tanya
Written January 4, 2017
Medic_7228
Kabul, Afghanistan
Is this company still in operation? I have been trying to get in contact with them via email however, I'm not having much luck.
Written August 21, 2015
Yes they are but they do not have dog sledding in the summer, no snow --keep trying a bit later in the year.
Written August 21, 2015
ladsz
Mississauga, Canada
For those who have been on the 1/2 Day tours, does the 1:30 PM tour wrap-up closer towards dusk/when it gets darker?
Also, how easy is the drive to Winterdance in the Haliburton area during winter? Thanks in advance!
Written January 13, 2015
Hi ladsz, I am one of the owners of Winterdance (not sure why it won't let me answer your question as Winterdance....) Thank you for your question. The afternoon 1/2 day tour is usually out between 4:30-5 pm which this time of year is before dusk (it is dark here by 5:30 pm now).
Except when the weather is bad, all the roads up to the last 10 km of our trailhead are well maintained and normally bare & dry or bare & wet. The last few km are municipal roads and will be snow packed but are plowed and sanded. Most of our guests come to us in cars with no problem. Hope this helps and we look forward to hopefully welcoming you to try dogsledding!
Written January 13, 2015
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.