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Overview

Introduction

Northern Sweden is widely considered one of the last remaining wilderness' on earth, and the further north you travel the more isolated the towns become.

At a glance:

  • Swedish Lapland is not a one-trick pony. The winter months bring a snow-covered wilderness and the period of the Polar Night. In the summer this is the land of the midnight sun, when the sun does not set below the horizon
  • For the Sami people of Lapland, nature dictates the rhythm of their lives and in recognition of the ever-changing natural they have adopted eight seasons rather than the usual four. Read our guest blog here.
  • We love autumn in Lapland, when the endless forests transform from the fresh greens of summer to the yellows and golds of the fall. Over recent years the variety of autumn activities and excursions on offer have increased. Try kayaking in the Lulea archipelago, foraging for berries, fat biking, hiking and more
  • A scenic, 3 1/2 hour train journey connects Luleå and Kiruna, and onwards to Abisko and the Norwegian town of Narvik, crossing the Arctic Circle en route. Check out our Treehotel and ICEHOTEL twin-centre holiday - one example of how we can incorporate the rail transfer into your handcrafted holiday
  • What better way to take in the stunning scenery than by gliding over the rolling terrain, through forests and across frozen lakes behind a team of huskies? Truly magical

This is a region where nature dominates and reindeer and elk thrive – vast open spaces, dense coniferous forests, swiftly flowing rivers and lakes, and the mountain peaks of Kebenekaise. It is the land of the Lapps or Sámi, Scandinavia’s oldest indigenous people.

The Bothnian Coast, stretching to the border with Finland in the north is dominated by historic towns and villages. The town of Luleå is one such town and through history has been the centre for development and commerce in the region.

Surrounding Luleå an archipelago of 800 islands waits to be discovered. Renowned for its picturesque fishing communities, forest covered islets and wealth of birds, wildlife and flora the archipelago is a delight for any nature lover and, it waters play host to a wealth of excursions all year round – boat, canoe, hovercraft and snowmobile tours.

The 15th century church village of Gammelstad, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located on the outskirts of Luleå. At the heart of the village is a beautiful stone church, the largest medieval church in Northern Sweden, surrounded by 424 traditional wooden cottages. Centuries old traditions are very much alive here, and residents of Luleå still travel to the village to celebrate church festivals and markets.

During the winter months, the wilderness environs and archipelago of Luleå transform into a snow-covered landscape and the Bay of Bothnia freezes. For many this is the most exciting time to visit, offering the chance to participate in a range of winter activities, drive on the miles of ice roads and witness the towering pack ice. Near Pitea, to the south of Lulea, and Haparanda - on the Finnish border, pack ice boat excursions are on offer as well as a choice of excellent gastronomic and spa experiences. 

Following the Lule River and Rane River inland, you reach the district of Boden home to the TreehotelArctic Bath, Loggers Lodge and the Arctic Retreat. The scene is of dense forests, fast flowing rivers and rapids and small, welcoming villages. In our opinion, this is THE region in Swedish Lapland that offers the most authentic guests experience. It is a region where locally-owned, small entrepreneurs thrive and which has invested in a high-quality, low volume, tourism product. A stay here will always leave you wanting more.

The imaginery line of the Arctic Circle runs around the earth at a latitude of 66°33'39". Almost on the line itself is the community of Jokkmokk, renowned as the Gateway to the Sarek National Park and as the heart of Sami Culture. 

At 200km north of the Arctic Circle, sits the town of Kiruna. As the northernmost town in Sweden, Kiruna is the place to experience the natural phenomenon of the Midnight Sun from the end of May to mid July, while winter visitors may find the location ideal for viewing the Aurora Borealis as well as for experiencing snowmobile, dog-sled and reindeer tours.

The ICEHOTEL is located 17km from Kiruna in Jukkasjärvi and a visit to this world-famous site should not be missed. Established in 1990, the Jukkasjärvi ICEHOTEL was the first hotel entirely constructed of ice, and continues to be erected each year. It is a artistic installation that cannot fail but to impress and mesmerise visitors and guests. Today, you can experience a night on ice no matter the time of year at the ICEHOTEL 365. There is no other place in the world where you can experience the Midnight Sun and winter on the same holiday.

Within a short drive of Kiruna is the Abisko National Park, famed for its natural beauty and Nordic wildlife; moose, mountain fox, polar hare, wolverine and lynx reside here. With virtually no light pollution and frequently cloudless skies, this mountain wilderness is considered one of the best places in the world to observe the Aurora Borealis. Visit in the autumn and enjoy the golden hues of the season, quiet hiking trails and the northern lights (visible from September). 

Read more

Getting There

Getting to Swedish Lapland

  • A new direct flight service connects London Heathrow to Luleå twice weekly (Mondays and Fridays).
  • Daily flights connect the UK with Kiruna and Luleå, via Stockholm Arlanda. Transfer times locally, depending on accommodation, range from 15 minutes to 2 hours
  • Many Sunvil guests choose to combine a stay in Swedish Lapland with a visit to Northern Norway and/or a stay in Stockholm

Our Destinations

Our Destinations

Our handcrafted holidays to Swedish Lapland feature the destinations of:

Excursions

Excursions

No matter your interests there is an experience or tour on offer in Swedish Lapland. Using our first-hand knowledge we will carefully-craft your holiday to the region; active or as relaxed as you desire. Learn a new skill or challenge your physical self: foraging, cooking, dog-sledding, snowmobiling, photo tours, rafting, ice-sculpting and more. Below are a selection of our most popular excursions.

Dog sled tour - available from Kiruna and the ICEHOTEL: Led by a local musher and guide, this is a small group, hands-on experience where you will get to drive your own team of dogs across the arctic wilderness. A firm favourite of the Sunvil team and our guests. 

Northern lights tour by snowmobile - available from the ICEHOTEL: This 4 hour excursion takes you on a journey through the Arctic wilderness and includes a three course evening meal. Away from the artificial lights of the village, you heighten your chance of seeing the Lady Aurora’s colourful waves in the skies above. 

Aurora photo tour - available from Abisko and Bjorkliden: A local guide will lead you into the heart of the Abisko Valley on board a snowmobile driven sled. Your journey will take you through Arctic forests, across frozen lakes and will take-in incredible mountain vistas and wilderness panoramas. At the excursion’s basecamp there will be time to relax and to practice your photographic skills, under the watchful eye of the professional photographer. If conditions permit, your dark-sky location will provide the opportunity to observe the Aurora Borealis and the skies above.

Hovercraft pack ice tour - available from Brandon Lodge: A 2½ hour tour you will across Luleå’s frozen archipelago on board a hovercraft – a unique experience is not available anywhere else in Swedish Lapland! This is a journey which will allow you to witness the natural ice canvas and to visit the pack ice fields of the outer archipelago.

Dog sled tour Hovercraft excursionSkyArkAurora photo tour

Useful information

Talk to one of our experts

020 8568 4499

We open today at 9:15 AM

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Yasmin Zaidi
Yasmin Zaidi
Best time to go
  • JAN
  • FEB
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  • MAY
  • JUN
  • JUL
  • AUG
  • SEP
  • OCT
  • NOV
  • DEC
Time Difference

GMT + 1 hour

Currency

Swedish Krona

Language

Swedish

Average flight times

5 hours (via Stockholm Arlanda)

  • Average temperature

    Average rainfall

Note: Map is for guidance purposes only.

Talk to our Sweden expert

Yasmin Zaidi
Yasmin Zaidi

Since joining Sunvil in 2007, Yasmin has travelled extensively across Portugal, the Azores, Spain, Italy, Sicily and Scandinavia. Her depth of knowledge of these countries is remarkable and she uses this to personalise the tailor made itineraries for our clients - attention to detail is something that is second nature, put her to the test. Though fluent in Spanish, she ranks Portugal as her number one destination... with our new programme to Sao Tome and Principe a close second.

Call one of our experts to discuss your next holiday with Sunvil on

020 8758 4722

We open today at 9:15 AM

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Please use this form to request further information about a Sunvil holiday or destination.

We promise that a member of our specialist reservation teams will reply personally to your holiday enquiry before 5.30pm if received before 12.00pm (Monday to Friday). Enquiries received after 12.00pm will be replied to within 24-hours (excluding Sundays).

If your enquiry is of an urgent nature, please telephone our dedicated reservation teams on the numbers listed below.

Our lines are open from 9.00am to 5.30pm Monday-Friday and from 9.30am to 4.30pm Saturday.

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Abisko National Park, Northern Sweden

Swedish Lapland

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We promise that a member of our specialist reservation teams will reply personally to your holiday enquiry before 5.30pm if received before 12.00pm (Monday to Friday). Enquiries received after 12.00pm will be replied to within 24-hours (excluding Sundays).

If your enquiry is of an urgent nature, please telephone our dedicated reservation teams on the numbers listed below.

Our lines are open from 9.00am to 5.30pm Monday-Friday and from 9.30am to 4.30pm Saturday.

  • Greece: 020 8758 4758
  • Cyprus: 020 8758 4759
  • Portugal, the Azores, Spain, Italy, Sicily and Scandinavia: 020 8758 4722
  • Latin America: 020 8758 4774
  • Marketing: 020 8758 4731

Required Information

* Mandatory Information
Title *
First name *
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Alternative telephone number
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Confirm email address
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Thank you for your enquiry. A member of our specialist reservation teams will be in touch shortly.

If your enquiry is of an urgent nature, please telephone our dedicated reservation teams on the numbers listed below.

Our lines are open from 9.00am to 5.30pm Monday-Friday and from 9.30am to 4.30pm Saturday.

  • Greece: 020 8758 4758
  • Cyprus: 020 8758 4759
  • Portugal, the Azores, Italy, Sicily and Scandinavia: 020 8758 4722
  • Latin America: 020 8758 4774

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