Welcome to
explore the north
Eight lodges, hundreds of huskies and one shared way of welcoming people to Swedish and Finnish Lapland.
Where it all began
FROM KANGOS to the TORNEÅ RIVER VALLEY
Two people, a Few huskies
AND A NEW LIFE IN THE NORTH
In 2005, Johan and Sara returned to Johan’s home region in the North with their belongings, their huskies and a strong connection to the place he had grown up. In a quiet patch of forest outside Kangos, without electricity or running water, they built a kennel and a small camp by hand.
Those first guests came for husky tours, but the experience quickly became about more than the ride itself. Time with the dogs, nature and the people behind it became the foundation for what Explore the North would later become.
Our first Lodge
PINETREE LODGE
After six years of building the business around husky tours, PineTree Lodge opened in 2011.
It became the first Explore the North lodge and the starting point for everything that followed. From there, new places joined the story across Lannavaara, Tärendö, Luppio, Överkalix, Övertorneå, Ylitornio and Pello.
With us from the start
THE HUSKIES
The dogs have been part of Explore the North since the very beginning. Today, more than 800 huskies live across several of our locations.
They are part of everyday life here, cared for by people who know their names, personalities and routines. The relationship between our dogs and their handlers remains one of the most important parts of who we are.
Eight different places
ONE WAY OF WELCOMING
No two Explore the North lodges are the same. Some are surrounded by forest, others sit beside rivers, lakes or small northern communities.
What connects them is a warm and personal way of welcoming people, a close relationship with the surroundings and the belief that hospitality should feel genuine rather than formal.
The people behind the places
TEAM EXPLORE
Explore the North is built by the people who work across our lodges — lodge managers, guides, chefs, dog handlers and many others.
They welcome our guests, care for the dogs, prepare the food and share their knowledge of the North. That human connection is still one of the most important parts of how we work.
Growing without losing what matters
ROOTED IN THE NORTH
Explore the North has grown from a small camp in Kangos to eight lodges across Swedish and Finnish Lapland.
What matters has stayed much the same: strong local roots, care for the people around us and a close connection to the places and communities we are part of.