Winter Adventure in Swedish Lapland

Located on the northern coast of Lapland, approx. 100kms south of the Arctic Circle, Lulea is a small town with a population of approx. 50,000. It is the principal town in the Lulea Archipelago, which consists of 1,312 islands, of which most are uninhabited.

Lulea has a long and storied history. The town was founded in 1621 as a trading outpost, though the region was settled many centuries earlier. Lulea in its present-day form dates back to the 17th century, when the town, originally situated in Gammelstad (9km inland from the current location), was moved to its present-day location because a deeper harbour was required. Old Lulea, now referred to as Gammelstad Church Town, can still be visited. The church in the old town, which dates from this era, is a UNESCO heritage site and many of the wooden houses are beautifully preserved.

The rest of the day is free for you to explore Lulea at your leisure. A room has been reserved for you at the Best Western Plus Hotel Savoy, which is located in the centre of Lulea. This comfortable city hotel offers 76 rooms, a restaurant serving Swedish cuisine, and a café offering a range of light dishes. Other facilities include a spa, steam sauna, traditional sauna and gym. The hotel is within easy walking distance of many of central Lulea’s attractions, including the Norrbottens Museum and Lulea’s 19th century Cathedral, which you might like to explore this afternoon. Depending on the time of your arrival, we would also recommend a visit to Gammelstad, which is accessible by bus (25 minutes) or taxi from central Lulea.

Leaving Lulea, you’ll journey north across the Arctic circle and into Swedish Lapland, soon arriving at the town of Jokkmokk. En route, you’ll make a stop at the dramatic Storforsen Waterfall, on the Pite River. The rapids here are amongst the largest in Europe, stretching over 5km with a drop of 82 metres.

Jokkmokk is a small outpost town that will serve as a base for your excursions in Swedish Lapland. It is surrounded by four national parks, which together constitute the Laponia World Heritage area. Jokkmokk itself is a small town with a population of 3,000. Apart from the huge range of outdoor activities available here, Jokkmokk is well known for its yearly winter market, which opens on the first Thursday of February each year and lasts for three days. This is a wonderful event with folk dances, dog sledding, indigenous food, Sami handicrafts and reindeer races.

You stay at the Jokkmokk Guesthouse, where you are booked for three nights. Jokkmokk Guesthouse is located in the centre of town and offers 15 basic but comfortable rooms with shared bathrooms. There is also a shared sauna.

On arrival at the guesthouse, share a coffee with your fellow guests and guide, with the rest of the afternoon free to relax or to explore Jokkmokk. In the evening, you’ll enjoy a delicious dinner of local specialities, after which, provided the sky is clear, you can head outside with a hot thermos to watch for the northern lights!

This morning’s drive will see you explore a valley near Jokkmokk that is home to substantial herds of reindeer as well as their larger, more solitary sibling, the moose. During the winter months, these two species of deer congregate in the valley to search for food. It is possible to get reasonably close to the moose and reindeer, allowing for excellent photographic opportunities.

Lunch will be enjoyed around a roaring campfire on the shore of a small lake. The rest of the day will be spent in the valley observing the wildlife.

In the evening, you’ll meet with Anna and her family, who are Sami reindeer herders. Enjoy a traditional meal in a lavvu (Sami tent), sitting on skins on the floor while your food is prepared over an open fire. After dinner, there will be time to enjoy the company of Anna, who, as a native to this region, has a great deal of fascinating information to share. Later, head outside to watch for the aurora borealis, before returning to the Jokkmokk Guesthouse for overnight.

Make yourself comfortable and warm on your sledge for your journey across the frozen landscape, enjoying the crisp, clean winter air. After approx. 1 and a half hours, you’ll stop for coffee and light a warming campfire, while the dogs rest and cool down in the snow before the return journey home. Typically, this excursion lasts 2-3 hours.

In the afternoon, there will be time for you to explore Jokkmokk town independently. There are some well stocked handicraft shops here selling Sami work. You might also like to visit the Ajtte museum, where you can learn more about the Sami culture. There are approximately 70,000 Sami living in the Arctic regions of Sweden, Finland, Norway and the Kola peninsula of northern Russia. This land area is known as Sapmi.

In the evening, following dinner at the guesthouse, fill up your thermos and pack some hot snacks before heading outside to enjoy the dramatic Northern Lights (weather permitting).

Following lunch, depart Jokkmokk and journey north to the Unna Tjerusj Sami community, where you spend two nights at a Sami Camp. Say goodbye to wi-fi, electricity and mobile phones for the next two evenings, as you embrace life in the Arctic wilderness! This small-scale sustainable camp is truly unique and has won the Grand Travel Award for Swedish eco-tourism.

There are 5 traditional lavuu tents (which look like tepees), each with comfortable bed and a log burner to keep you warm through the night. The is a separate toilet tent – also heated! – with modern incinerating loos. A separate wooden building houses the comfortable lounge and dining area, where a traditional Sami dinner will be served. After dinner, watch for more spectacular sightings of the aurora borealis.

Later, venture out to explore the forest on skis or snowshoes. Your guide will point out the tracks you see along the way – of moose, reindeer, weasels, fox and grouse. You can expect to see plenty of birdlife, too. If you don’t care to ski, you can walk instead, as this is a leisurely excursion.

Lunch and dinner at the camp.

In the evening, the sauna by the lake is heated up and plentiful hot water is supplied. This is your shower! Daredevils may wish to roll in the snow afterwards!

Overnight in Lulea at the Best Western Plus Hotel Savoy.