Your own sled or a shared one in Alta?
Most snowmobile tours from Alta put two people on one sled and let the driver and passenger swap during the trip. Alta Adventure also sells a single-driver option at a higher price. Which one suits you depends on who you travel with, how much you want to drive and, more than people expect, how much you weigh.
Two ways to sit on a snowmobile
A shared sled carries two people. One drives at the front while the other sits behind and holds on. At a stop you can change places.
A single driver has the machine alone, with nobody behind. You drive the whole route, which is more time at the handlebars but also more cost, since no second person splits the sled.
Alta Adventure's two prices
Alta Adventure's Finnmarksvidda safari is the only tour here that sells both options side by side. The shared sled costs from ~$337 per person, and the single driver costs more.
The listing sets a firm rule for the shared option. You may book it only with a family member or friend, so that one person drives while the other rides before you swap.
If you travel alone, book the single driver, not the shared seat. The listing says so plainly, and arriving alone on a shared booking leaves the guide with a problem on the day.
Pick your seat on the plateau
Alta Adventure's five-hour safari lets you choose between a sled of your own and a shared one, with a group of 12 at most and frozen lakes along the way.
Both options give you the same day out. Our price comparison puts the safari beside the other tours.
Æventyr rides in pairs
Æventyr's tours describe riders in pairs, one driver plus one passenger per sled, with the chance to swap. This covers the northern lights ride at ~$284 and the daytime ride at ~$288.
The listings do not show a single-driver price. If you are travelling alone, ask Æventyr before you book how they seat a solo guest.
Only one person in each pair needs a driving license. The other can ride the whole way as a passenger, and our license guide covers who may take the handlebars.
The front seat
The driver concentrates on the track ahead. You watch the sled in front and keep your distance while steering through bends. That keeps you busy, and a little warmer too.
The downside is that you see less. On a bumpy stretch your eyes stay on the snow a few meters ahead, and the wide views of the plateau wait for the stops.
The back seat
The passenger has free eyes and, between bumps, a free hand. That is the seat for photos and for looking around at the birch woods and the open plains.
It is also the colder seat. You sit still while the wind of the ride hits you, and wool layers matter more here, as our what to wear guide explains.
The back seat bumps more as well, because the passenger cannot brace against the handlebars. Anyone with a sore back should think twice, and every listing rules out back problems anyway.
Weight limits by tour
Weight decides more seating choices than people expect. The limits differ by tour, and the strictest one applies to the passenger on Alta Adventure's safari.
| Tour | Limit per rider | Passenger limit |
|---|---|---|
| Alta Adventure, Finnmarksvidda safari | 100 kg (220 lb) | 75 kg (165 lb) |
| Æventyr, northern lights by night | 130 kg (287 lb) | Not stated separately |
| Æventyr, ice fishing | 140 kg (309 lb) | Not stated separately |
| Æventyr, daytime ride | Not stated | Not stated separately |
The 75 kg passenger limit at Alta Adventure rules out many adults from the back seat. Two heavier friends may be better off with two single drivers there, or with one of Æventyr's shared rides.
Swapping seats in practice
On a shared sled the swap happens at a stop, when the guide halts the convoy. You climb off and change places, and the new driver gets a moment to settle before the group moves on.
Agree a plan before you leave town. One common split is one of you driving out and the other driving back, which gives each a similar share of the track.
If one of you does not hold a license, there is no swap at all. The license holder drives the whole way, and the passenger keeps the back seat for the full ride.
Some pairs prefer not to swap even when both can drive. A nervous first-timer may enjoy the passenger seat more, and nobody on the tour will mind.
Two single drivers or one shared sled
For two friends on Alta Adventure's safari, the choice comes down to cost against driving time. Two single drivers each pay the higher price, while a shared sled keeps both of you on the lower one.
With two singles, each of you drives for the whole day and nobody sits in the cold back seat. Share one sled and you split the driving and save money, while the passenger takes the photos.
Weight can settle it for you. If the person who would ride behind weighs more than 75 kg (165 lb), the shared option is out, and two singles are the only way to ride together on that tour.
Which seat suits whom
Couples and friends who both hold a license get the most from a shared sled, since each drives half the way and the price stays lower. Solo travelers on Alta Adventure book single, as the listing asks.
Parents with teenagers usually drive while the child rides behind. Our family guide lists the age limits, and the northern lights guide covers the night ride, where the passenger seat is the one for looking up.