Port
Alta, Norway
Activity Level
Moderate
Excursion Type
All
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Starting At
$149.95
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
Duration
Approximately 3 hours
Meals Included
Meals not included
Pæskatun is renowned for its fine slate, which is used for furniture, monuments, signs, giftware, and other products. Board a coach for a short drive south to the quarry, which overlooks the entire Alta Valley. On a tour of the quarry, you will discover how difficult it is for miners to extract slate and turn large slabs into thin slabs. Visit the museum as well. It consists of old slate cabins that tell the history of the slate industry in Alta. One cabin recreates the living quarters of slate workers in the old days, including furniture and tools. In the other cabin you can see how very old tools developed into the equipment the miners use today. Inside the slate hall, you can study the layers in the slate and examine the tools used today, including modern electric scissors and a vacuum crane used to lift large plates of slate. A unique, hands-on demonstration is very compelling.
Dog-sledding is a way of life in northern Norway during the winter, so you will visit a kennel to see sled dogs and huskies. Not only do the locals use a team of dogs to get around, but sled dog races are common.
Meet Trine Lyrek, Eirik Nilsen or another local champion dog-musher with years of training and experience in the sport. I If you've ever wondered what it takes to care for a champion sled-dog -- a bona fide athlete at the top of his game -- here's your chance to find out. You'll also meet the adorable, friendly, excitable animals and learn some of the effort and technique involved in the sport of sledding.
Your host will also share his experience of racing and some of the effort and technique involved in the sport of sledding. Relax with a cup of coffee or tea around an open fire in a log cabin before climbing back aboard the coach for the scenic ride back to the pier.
Notes:
In their excitement to see you, the huskies sometimes forget their manners and jump up; wear clothing that is easily laundered. Wear sturdy non-skid walking shoes. Dress warmly in layers with a wind- and waterproof outer layer.