Our Websites
Facebook is the best place to go to for regular updates about our farm, dogs and guides.
'YouTube' has a channel in which we post both the more professional videos about the farm and fun video
CAPE Lapland website. NB: This site is still under development. Whilst the Hetta Huskies site focuses on our dog-sledding and husky farm related products, the CAPE site will feature our more extreme 'polar' / 'survival' type courses and products.
Our Tour Operator Partners
We cooperate with a number of companies, internationally. These companies spread the reach of our product portfolio by advertising our products in their markets and include, but are not limited to; Campfire Adventures, Timetours, Fintouring, Finstours, Aventure Arctique, Spice UK and Student Adventures.
Useful Area Information
There is a vet in Hetta most days of the week and the Muonio practice is open most Tuesdays. If you have an emergency and can't get in touch with a vet, give us a call since we are likely to know if they are away on holiday and may be able to suggest alternative options.Päivi Nilimaa in Ylimuonio (040 568 8092) is the dog rescue person for that area.
Hetta Hiitomaa: Hetta's Ski Centre website provides information about our ski track network, downhill skiing possibilities and other outdoor activities in the area.Other Activity Providers in Hetta
There are a number of other local companies which offer nature-based services in both summer and winter, (eg Lapin Loistsu).
Minna's Reindeer Farm is a useful link for those interested in reindeer sleigh rides and farm experiences close to Hetta. Minna can speak both English and German and her three-hour standard product includes a sleigh ride and the chance to taste some reindeer meat in a traditional kota on her farm. Esko Kultima also offers reindeer safaris close to Hetta and one other company - Hannun porofarmi - offers longer tours out to the pastures c. 30km west of Hetta.
For those more attracted to speed, both the people who run Hetta's snow castle and the people who run the safari company 'Nakkala' offer snowmobile safairs of various lengths. If you want to simply hire your own snowmobile and venture forth without a guide, 'Joen Safaris' based just down the hill from Hotel Majatalo, are probably one of your best options. Be very very careful if you do this, however, that you do not venture off the designated trails since you will have no idea where the weak ice crossing rivers and lakes lie are underneath the soft cover of snow!
Maps & Enontekiö.Excursion Map and
Finland's Online Mapping software are freely available.
Interesting Footage about Enontekiö, Reindeer Herding etc:
Sled Dogs in Lappish History We often hear that sled dogs are alien to Lapland (but then so, too, are snowmobiles). However, it is interesting to find early films showing that their use and role in our small part of the world is not so limited to just modern touristic times.
Hetta Rises from the Ashes Hetta was pretty much raised to the ground after the 2nd world war as the German's departed. This film is from the period of reconstruction.
Reindeer Racing World Cup I have just included this to give an insight into an annual festival of reindeer racing (and other Sami persuits) which takes place around Easter, each year, on St. Mary's day.
Mountain Biking in Enontekiö An insight into the kind of cross country trails which abound through the wilderness areas.
Reindeer Herding in Enontekiö An old black and white film.
Näkkälä A classic film from this area from a homestay
The World of the Laps: Reindeer Herding in Enontekiö An old black and white film.
Swedish Reindeer Herding Documentary: This award-winning documentary by a friend of mine, Olly Steeds, resulted in him getting his bottom spanked by me for its easy line down the popular ideology route. It is always easier, but not necessarily correct, to follow the 'easy' expose option.
The Sámi people:
Reindeer and reindeer husbandry:
Northern Lights Hunting:
Nightless night (Midnight sun):
Polar night:
Eight seasons:
Finnish Travel Safety Tips:
Winter traveller's guide: This contains useful information about e.g layering to stay warm in arctic winters.
Snowmobile Safety Tips: Driving tips for safe snowmobile driving
Quadbike Safety Tips: Driving tips for safe quadbike driving
Stay Safe in Lapland: Safety Information for Visitors & Residents
Snowmobile Driving Guide: Only available in Finnish but with self-explanatory pictures
Another Snowmobile Driving Guide: Again only available in Finnish
Standards in International Sleddog Care
Mush With Pride: Currently the main standard within the sleddog industry against which kennels can be assessed.
Artists and sleddogs:
Jon Van Zyle: Jon does beautiful book illustrations and standalone portraits from the world of mushing and Alaska, where he is based.
Dog Art: There are some beautiful sled-dog portraits here but there are also a number of artists who make beautiful portraits of sled dogs (Ana Marusich-Zanor, Karen Whitworth, LeRoy Jesfield, Tom Riggs, Robert Smith, Bl Patterson, Karen Peterson, Dotte Dracos, Currier & Ives, LA Shepard, Lee Ann, James Edwin McConnel etc.
Sir Wally Herbert's Art: A British polar explorer, writer and artist described, by Ran Fiennes, as the greatest polar explorer of our time.
Iona Inglesby: Our shop holds many products based on the original drawings of our dogs by Iona who has been our artist-in-residence at Hetta Huskies on a number of occassions.
Huskies:
Good Places to go for Sleddog Supplies
Bjorkis Dog-sledding Supplies Shop is based in Kiruna, Sweden and has been working with us supplying the majority of our sleds and harnesses since our initiation.
Oinakka Dog-sledding Supplies Shop is also based in Kiruna, Sweden and we get other husky products and some of our multi-day safari sleighs from there.
Paw Tips
Non-stop Dog Wear is a Norwegian company which supplies harnesses for our more hound-like Alaskan Huskies.
AXA&Co Online Sleddog Shop has a range of products available.
Nordic Husky Farm: Internet shop for sled dog equipment and health products
Terrificpets: Huge selection of dog crates, dog carriers, and dog kennels.
Other Useful Husky-related Websites
Sled Dog Central: "Your on-line sled dog advertising & information source"
Musher's Checkpoint: "One of the two commercial systems available for centralising data about sleddogs working / racing out of a kennel. NB: We have our own primarily excel-based systems which work more easily for the functions we use regularly."
Seppala Sleddogs: Lot of information about dogs and dog racing.
Ultimate Iditarod: Mushing terms Directory, Anatomy of Dog Team, Whats Carried on the Sled Races.
Working Dog Web: One of the Web's best sites for people with active and working canines.
Its A Husky Thing: A husky-related forum with a cute logo.
Tips for good chew Toys.
Northern Races
The Iditarod: The world's best known sled dog race.
Yukon Quest: The 'challenger' for the supreme race.
Finnmarkslopet: Europe's longest and toughest - which starts in Alta, just down the road from us!
Femundlopet: An early season European race
La Grande Odyssee: The French think that they can race too.
Pasvik Trail: Another one near to our base - up in the far NorthEast of Norway.
Amundsen Race: A European Classic
Gausdal Marathon:
Alpentrail:
Pirena: The Italians think that they can race too.
Norway Trail: Not too far from us.
North Lapland Quest: A new end-of-season race which is more accessible to the dog farms and which traverses Lapland from Ivalo to Jeris via Hetta.
Sleddog Magazines:
Mushing USA: The main international magazine
Hundekjoring Norway: Norway's version
More about Lapland
Lapland - Finland is a general website about Finnish Lapland.Regional Portal of Lapland
The regional Internet service that covers the whole of Lapland was launched at the end of 2009. The portal provides information and services related to living and studying in Lapland, travelling and tourism in Lapland, entrepreneurship in Lapland and general information about the region.
The Internet service is now up and running, and the further development of the service is organised by the development project of the regional portal of Lapland by the Regional Council of Lapland, launched at the end of 2008. The funding for the project is granted from the European Regional Development Fund.
The objective of the service is to make finding information and services in Lapland easy, and for Lapland to be better distinguished as one unified region in the vastly-expanding information flood in the global world. In addition, the Internet service markets Lapland for tourists, promotes Lapland as a great place to live, study, and do business, and supports the development of electronic services in Lapland. Info can be found Here.
Facts about Lapland
Fells:
Animals:
Snow and winter:
Nature:
Water system (lakes and rivers):
Santa Claus:
Gold:
Lapland history:
Lapin matkailun historiaa:
Lappilaisen ruokakulttuurin historiaa:
Dining/Food culture:
Log floating:
Mythology and fictive figures:
Local stories:
Prominent people:
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