Self-guided Hiking Tour in Lapland

Overview

Duration: 6 days/5 nights (additional days optional).

Accommodation: Mountain cabins along the route.

Required: You should have a general good level of fitness enjoy the outdoors. Suitable for adults and active families with older children.

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The Laponia area offers wonderful hiking, with the freedom during the summer months to walk at your own pace and whenever you wish - the sun is always up! Take time to enjoy a real gem of Sweden's hiking network, pausing as you wish to take a breath of the crisp, pure air or refresh yourself with a drink from the clear waters.

With cabins spaced a day's walk apart offering simple but comfortable shared sleeping accommodation and self-catering facilities, Self-guided Hiking Tour in Lapland gives you the opportunity to explore a remote and beautiful area but with the advantage of being able to travel relatively light, making the tour suitable both for adults and for active families with older children who would enjoy an extended walking tour.

Backpack, map/compass, tour description, mealkit and food are all provided, making arrangements for this tour exceptionally straightforward. Along the marked trail, you have good chances to see some of the rich wildlife of the region, including eagles, falcons, the irresistible lemming and of course the semi-wild reindeer managed by the local Sami people, the indigenous people of northern Sweden. If you keep a keen lookout and have luck with you, you might even spot tracks and signs of lynx, wolverine and brown bear, though these animals are extremely shy and will be long gone well before you arrive on the scene!

The trail also passes through two Sami summer camps, giving you the chance to gain an insight into their vibrant culture.

This experience is offered from late June until the beginning of September. The midnight sun shines until around 12th July, and it is light throughout the night until the end of July, when the sun sets only for an hour, with wonderful sunrises and sunsets. The early part of the season offers the feeling of spring and new life in the mountains, with snow still on the peaks the rivers high with meltwater. In July the summer flowers bloom, with milder temperatures tempting to you to take a dip in the refreshing waters, and by late August the mountain flora will normally have exploded into autumn colours. While days are still long at this time, a headtorch will be needed for the evenings.

Self-guided Hiking in Lapland takes you through three of Sweden's national parks - Stora Sjöfallet, Sarek and Padjelanta - in the UNESCO World Heritage area of Laponia, a stunning mountain landscape of vast plains, forest and majestic hills. After your days on the trail, your hiking tour ends in comparative luxury with a sauna and dinner at the award-winning restaurant at Saltoluokta Mountain Station.

This tour follows a similar route to our guided Hiking in the National Parks of Laponia.

Itinerary

For participants with greater experience or who wish to increase the level of challenge, the daily distances can be extended by planning your own peak tours, etc. Pleaes note that extensions will then not be on marked trails and you should be comfortable with navigation and use of compass.

Day 1 - Ritsem to Akka

On arrival at Ritsem you will collect your backpack and provisions from the mountain lodge. A boat trip (approx. one hour, included in the price) takes you across the lake of Akkajaure to Änomjalme, where you can take a coffee at the small harbour cafe before walking 2km to your accommodation for the night at Akka. Take time to settle in and enjoy the atmosphere and discuss the tour ahead or hire fishing equipment and try your hand at fishing on the lake!with the spectaculr view of Mount Akka (2016m) in the background.

Day 2 - Akka to Kisuris

Your first full day on the trail takes you to Kisuris, a relatively easy hike, across the river Vuojatävmo flowing with glacial meltwater and through a beautiful landscape of mountain forest, with Sarek's snow-covered peaks as a backdrop, standing at one point in the three national parks of Stora Sjöfallet, Sarek and Padjelanta before reaching your accommodation for the night at Kisuris cottage.

Distance: 14 km. Height difference: +100m.

Day 3 - Kisuris to Kutjaure

A longer hike today begins with a lovely section of mountain birch forest, passing into the grasslands of Padjelanta and along shores of lake Kutjaure. Hikers in August may be lucky enough to find cloudberries here, a northern delicacy. Your goal for the day is the hut at Kutjaure.

Distance: 18 km. Height difference: +50m.

Day 4 - Kutjaure to Vaisaluokta

You hike through the valley to the cabin at Vaisaluokta by the shores of lake Akkajaure. Vaisaluokta is a Sami summer settlement for the people of the Sirka Sami-village. If the settlement is inhabited when you arrive, local produce such as smoked fish and reindeer can be purchased here.

Distance: 18 km. Height difference: +300m, -350m.

Day 5 - Vaisaluokta to Saltluokta

You catch a boat across the lake for bus to Kebnats, where another boat takes you across the lake to Saltoluokta Mountain Station. Here the luxury of a shower and sauna awaits before dinner in the award-winning station restaurant, a relaxing and invigorating end to your hiking tour in the Lapland mountains!

Day 6 - Departure

Breakfast and departure. If returning by night train to Stockholm, you will catch the afternoon bus to Gällivare, which allows time to further enjoy the atmosphere of the mountain station during the morning.

Dates & Prices

Dates

Start days by arrangement 25.06-01.09.12 (tour must be completed latest 01.09.12).

The Price

Prices are in British Pounds. If you wish, you are also welcome to make your payment by bank transfer in Euros or Swedish Kronor. If this would be of interest, please let us know and we will be happy to provide prices.

NB: Members of YHA/Hostelling International receive a discount of £36/adult and £3/child on the prices below. Please let us know at time of booking if you are a member.

• Adult: £427/person
• One child (under 16) per adult: £189/child
• Additional children (under 16): £238/child

Note that prices for this experience include all meals and also some equipment - please see "What the price includes" below.

What The Price Includes

Accommodation

• Four nights in mountain huts along the route and one night at Saltoluokta Mountain Station. Sleeping accommodation is shared.
• Huts are heated with wood-burning stoves and have gas stoves for cooking and utensils for self-catering. The beds at the huts have mattresses, light duvets and pillows (a sleeping sheet is provided as part of standard equipment). The huts do not have electricity or running water. Toilet facilities are dry outside wilderness toilets. Note that beds cannot be reserved in advance - everyone is welcome at the huts and extra mattresses are provided in the unlikely event that all standard sleeping accommodation is occupied.
• Saltoluokta Mountain Station is fully equipped with restaurant, shop selling provisions and equipment and sauna.

Meals

The following meals are provided. At the start of the tour, you will collect your rucksack packed with provisions for your trip. Food supplied for the tour is lightweight and intended to be easy to carry and prepare and is based on dried goods. Please let us know in advance if you have any special dietary requirements.

• 4 x breakfast
• 4 x lunch
• 4 x dinner
• Biscuits and snacks
• Tea and coffee
• Full board for night at Saltoluokta Mountain Station (lunch, dinner and breakfast) at the end of the tour.

Equipment & Other

• Backpack (this should be the only pack you need to carry during the tour). Backpacks are provided one per adult or older child. Children aged 10 years and under will receive a large daypack. NB: Please advise gender, height, age and build for each particpant in advance so that suitable rucksack sizes can be arranged. When you repack your equipment before the tour in Ritsem, items not needed during the tour can be sent with the bus to Saltoluokta Mountain Station, where the tour ends, for a small fee.
• Map (this map is yours to keep) and route information
• Compass
• Camping mealkit (plastic cup, cutlery and plate)
• Thermos
• Sleeping sheet for use during overnight stays
• Boat tickets for all boat transfers required during the tour
• Use of sauna at Saltoluokta Mountain Station (large towels are available to hire locally if required)

What The Price Does Not Include

• End cleaning: Everyone assists with duties in the huts including cleaning, fetching water, chopping wood, etc.

Practical Info

Health requirements/experience

You should be comfortable hiking with a backpack around 10-12kg with an easy tempo over distances of up to 18km and be in good physical condition. The trails are well-marked and terrain is in general undulating. This tour is suitable for both adults and active families, provided children are comfortable hiking for distances of up to 18km/day.

Equipment/clothes needed

A detailed recommended equipment list will be sent with your booking confirmation.

NB: We advise you not to buy equipment or clothes for your trip or to incur other non-refundable expenses such as flights until you have received confirmation of your booking from us in writing.

Groups

Minimum 2 persons required for safety reasons. This experience is ideal for groups. Please contact us to discuss your requirements. Max. 10 persons permitted to start on each day.

Additional Notes

This provider has received a prestigious Swedish Ecotourism award for its commitment to high standards to cultural and environmental sensitivity.

Location

Detailed information on travel options will be sent with your booking documentation. We are happy to advise on suitable connections and assist you with any aspect of planning your journey.

By Air

Fly to Stockholm. Night train to Gällivare and bus to Ritsem on arrival, bus from Kebnats to Gällivare for night train on departure.

Without Flying

Ferry from Harwich to Esbjerg (Denmark) for onward train connections to Gällivare.

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