Just back from the USA, I'm spontaneously going to Sweden, more precisely to the high North, namely to Lapland, or rather Swedish Lapland. I've always wanted to go that far north, so I'm finally spending a winter vacation in Lapland.
From Zurich, I'm heading to Kiruna with a short stopover in Stockholm. There doesn't seem to be a direct flight to Kiruna from Switzerland. However, Swiss and SAS will definitely get me to my destination. Packed with my new Kindle Voyage and some great Swedish crime novels, this is supposed to be a true relaxing vacation. And as it turns out, it will be, alternating with the occasional adventure 🙂
Kiruna – Sweden's northernmost city
Arriving in Kiruna, I make my way to my B&B. I opted for a small, charming hotel, a bit outside the center. From here, I'll explore the city and visit, among other things, the iron ore mine (LKAB). The old Sami church in the middle of the city is also beautiful to see. Since we were in Kiruna again in 2015, here is a newer post, namely from our Scandinavia Tour, with more info =)
It's beautifully wintery cold, dark, and white outside. Since we were told in Iceland that you can only see the Northern Lights in absolute darkness, I walk further out of town for the first 3 evenings. After a 40-minute walk, I'm in the countryside, just outside Kiruna. Here I set up my camera and wait.... and wait.... and wait.... and wait.... and wait.... and see nothing. Just a black sky, the moon, and a few snowflakes in between. This won't lead to any Northern Lights watching. As it turns out later, you could have seen the Northern Lights even in the city center with lights on. There was simply no activity in the sky at the time. But more on that later.
Jukkasjärvi and the Ice Hotel
Disappointed that I didn't see the Northern Lights, but totally thrilled with Kiruna and its surroundings, I'm making my way to Björkliden. I've booked a room at a youth hostel here. I'll be staying for the next 8 days. On the way there, I'm taking a small detour and stopping in Jukkasjärvi. The Ice Hotel is located there, and it's rebuilt every year. I'm participating in a guided tour and having everything explained in detail. It's fantastic how the ice is produced and how the hotel is designed and built by numerous different architects and designers from all over the world.
But now we are continuing to Björkliden, which is about 1.5 hours and 120 km away. It's absolutely cool to drive on the snow-covered highway with studs yihhaaaa *g*
Björkliden and Abisko
These two places are the outdoor mecca of northern Sweden. There's nothing you can't do here. But first, I'll look for the youth hostel. It's already 4 PM and, of course, pitch dark in December at this time. According to the GPS, I've already driven past the youth hostel twice. And indeed, a bit set back, I finally find it. After calling the operator, I find out why everything here is locked up and dark. I'm the only guest here and have the whole place to myself. Uhhh... that wasn't the plan. Since there isn't even a reception, I decide to move to the only hotel in Björkliden. At the Hotel Fjället, I get a single room with a lavish breakfast buffet for the next 8 days. This feels much better than the dark and cold youth hostel.
Nevertheless, I find peace here, as there are no more than a handful of guests in the hotel either. I will spend the next few days relaxing, reading, and doing nothing. At least, that's the plan. On the second day, I set off for Norway and visited Narvik, which is located right on the sea. There isn't much to see here, and it's also rather gray and wet here instead of dark and white. Therefore, I drove back and booked a dog sledding tour for the next day.
This was an absolute highlight of my tour. I was picked up at my hotel in the morning and taken to the „dog farm“ 🙂 There, we were first allowed to get the animals excited and then harness them to our sleds. The dogs are quite nervous. You absolutely can't let them off the leash, as they'll run after the other dogs, for example, the ones running the multi-day tours. That would be extremely inconvenient.
Sled dog tour in Lapland
The tour itself was awesome. It gets pretty bumpy through the Abisko National Park. After about an hour, we stopped at a cozy tipi tent and made a fire. We drank tea and ate a snack. While doing so, I told the Indian couple who were with us that we have an Indian Summer in Switzerland. However, they somehow misunderstood and kept talking about it being humid and hot. Anyway, the dogs brought us back to the farm safely, and I was taken back to my hotel. I then spent the afternoon reading by the fire. Very romantic 😉
Northern Lights, Polar Lights, Aurora Borealis
After countless nights spent outside with my camera at -20 degrees Celsius, I finally had the opportunity to see the Northern Lights. In Abisko, there's an Aurora Sky Station called the Abisko Aurora Sky Station 🙂 You can take a chairlift up for a mere 30 EUR and view the Aurora Borealis. Since the activity is predicted to be quite high for the next few days, I paid the money and let them take me up the mountain. Sitting next to me is an Asian man who tells me he's incredibly afraid of the lift. JACKPOT!!
It's freezing cold up here. I was already warned not to shower or go to the sauna beforehand. Also, no water-based moisturizers on my face, as it can cause frostbite. I followed all the instructions, but I'm still freezing my extremities off up here. The problem wasn't the cold itself, but the lashing wind, which then made it feel cold 😉
Thank goodness there's a restaurant up here. There are cookies and tea and coffee again. Yummy. But you're rewarded later too. The sky opens up a little and you have a clear view of the Northern Lights.
A day later, however, the visibility is much better. I hike up the ski slope in Björkliden and spend the evening in a small spot where you really have a good view. And it's fantastic when the sky glows green and purple and even a little red, which is rather rare. I am enjoying my first truly intense Northern Lights (see gallery below). Fortunately, there is also a small cabin up here, which is even heated. No one is here and I can spread out and have a cozy dinner.
Departure and Conclusion
After 10 days, I'm going back to Kiruna, and on the way, I'll visit a small Sami village. For me, time usually passes slowly on my vacations, especially when a lot is planned. But up here in the north, time has really passed very slowly. It was absolutely beautiful, relaxing, but also adventurous. You can have a really wonderful vacation in Lapland, especially if you love nature.
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On my travel blog Wandernotizen I'll take you along on our family trips around the globe. Between wanderlust and everyday chaos, you'll find honest travel reports, tips, and plenty of material to ignite your wanderlust. 🧭 ❤️ 🏝️
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