Winterdance Dogsled Tours.
Family-run Siberian husky dogsled tours on a 2,000-acre private trail network in Haliburton, near Algonquin Park
The brief.
Winterdance Dogsled Tours is a family-run kennel and dogsled operator on 2,000 acres of private wilderness near Hollow Lake in Haliburton County, Ontario, a stone's throw from Algonquin Park. The operation maintains a kennel of 150 purebred Siberian Huskies and runs more than 50 km of groomed private trails on land purchased in 2014. Owner Hank DeBruin has competed in four Yukon Quests and two Iditarods, and the same team trains the kennel's 1,000-mile race dogs. Tours run from mid-December through late March or early April, with 2-hour, half-day, full-day, and moonlit options for ages two and up, plus a year-round kennel tour for visitors who want to meet the huskies without taking the sled.
9. ways in.
- 01
2 Hour Tour
For: Average physical shape; minimum age 2When: Mid-December through late March/early April; 10 AM or 2:30 PM startsA 60-minute trail run with a 5-dog team and two people per sled across the Barnhardt Lake and sugar shack trails. Instruction is included and guests help care for the dogs before and after the run. The shortest format on offer, suited to families with young children or visitors on a tight schedule.
$355/person + HST (weekday & weekend); $390–$425/person + HST holiday Feb 14–16
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Half Day Tour
For: First-timers and returning clients in average physical shape; minimum age 5When: Mid-December through late March/early April; 9:00 AM or 1:30 PM startTwo to two-and-a-half hours on trail across roughly 15 km, with complete instruction up front and a midway stop for a snack and hot chocolate. Photos and time to reward the dogs are built into the schedule, making this the operator's standard introductory product for first-time mushers.
$495/person + HST (weekday & weekend); $490–$525/person + HST holiday Feb 14–16
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Full Day Tour
For: Return clients in excellent physical shape; minimum age 8When: Selected dates Jan 17, 31; Feb 4, 7, 21; Mar 7 (or email for other dates); 10 AM – 4:30 PMRoughly 30 km of wilderness exploration across about six hours, run with a 6-dog team after a 20-minute instruction. Morning and afternoon snacks, a campfire-cooked lunch, and midday rest breaks for the dogs are included. Limited to return guests with prior trail time and the fitness to handle a long day on the runners.
$975/person + HST
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Moonlit Run
For: Adults in average physical shape; minimum four guestsWhen: Jan 20 and Feb 18 (scheduled around full moons); 7:30 PM – 9:30 PMA two-hour evening tour with about an hour on the trail behind a 4–5 dog team, followed by a 20–30 minute fireside break with hot chocolate, pastries, and trailside stories. Led personally by Iditarod and Yukon Quest musher Hank DeBruin, with only two scheduled dates per season.
$495/person + HST
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Maple Sugar Bush Tour
When: Select March daysA late-season dogsled tour through the operator's own sugar shack trails on select March days, timed to the Haliburton maple sugar season.
$320/person + HST
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Kennel Tour
For: All ages; families welcomeWhen: October through March; 1:00 – 3:00 PMA two-hour visit to the 150-dog Siberian Husky kennel, with gear demonstrations for extreme-weather racing, video presentations on the Iditarod and Yukon Quest, puppy interactions, optional dog-harnessing instruction, and a complimentary BBQ with Hank, Tanya, and their children. Reservations required; maximum 30 spots per day by phone or email.
$40/adult + HST; $20/child age 3–12 + HST; free under age 2
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Multi-Day Tour
For: Guests wanting access to the full 60+ km trail network across multiple daysWhen: Winter seasonCustom combinations of half-day, full-day, and moonlit runs, with overnight stays either in an on-property cabin or at local resorts and inns. Booked directly by phone or at reserve@winterdance.com.
Contact for details
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Heli-Dogsledding
For: Private bookings; executives, families, and special-occasion guestsWhen: Winter seasonA full-day private experience reached by helicopter from Toronto (about an hour each way), with complete instruction, a 6-dog team, and a campfire lunch. Listed in Canada Tourism's Signature Experiences Collection.
Contact for details
- 09
Private Tours
For: Groups of four or moreWhen: Winter season; one private booking per dayThe standard tour distances delivered as a private group booking, capped at one private tour per day. Booked by phone or email.
Contact for details
Worth knowing.
- 01150 purebred Siberian Huskies in the kennelSource ↗
- 022,000 acres of private wilderness with in excess of 50 km of groomed private trails (property purchased in 2014)Source ↗
- 03Located near Hollow Lake in Northern Haliburton County, "a stone throw of Algonquin Park"Source ↗
- 04Owner Hank DeBruin has competed in 4 Yukon Quests and 2 Iditarods, plus many shorter racesSource ↗
- 05Heli-Dogsledding is featured in Canada Tourism's Signature Experiences CollectionSource ↗
- 06Family-run with five guides drawn from the DeBruin / McCready-DeBruin family, several of whom have raced (including the 120-mile Junior Iditarod in Alaska)Source ↗
- 07Operating season runs mid-December through end of March / early April; "best conditions" early/mid January through mid-MarchSource ↗
- 08All scheduled tour bookings route through FareHarbor; phone (705-457-5281) and email reservations also acceptedSource ↗
- 09Sled dogs are exclusively purebred Siberian Huskies; the operator does not sell puppies or dogs — every dog has a home and family for lifeSource ↗
- 10Groups up to 60 people accommodated; children 8 and under typically half priceSource ↗
Get in
touch.
- Website
- winterdance.com
- info@winterdance.com
- Email (Multi-Day Tour reservations)
- reserve@winterdance.com
- Phone
- (705) 457-5281
- Address
- 1888 Hodgson Road, Haliburton, Ontario, Canada K0M 1S0