Aurora Lodge Escape in Lapland (Sweden)

Equipment included for self-guided winter adventures

A variety of equipment is included for your use during your stay to explore the surrounding area on your own self-guided adventures:

• Snowshoes for self-guided tours in the surrounding area. You will be provided with trail maps and information to help you explore, giving you the flexibility to be as active (or lazy!) as you wish during your stay. There are about 30km of trails immediately accessible from the lodge. Note that there are no prepared tracks, but the snowshoes can be used both on standard trails and in fresh snow.
• Kicksleds (a traditional, easy and fun way for Swedes to get around in the winter!).
• Ice fishing equipment.
• Cross country ski equipment (not included as standard but available to hire as optional extra).

For dogsled tours you can choose to drive your own sled or share with a partner. Photo: LS.

Comfortable accommodation, local cuisine and evening sauna

Sauna at the lodge is included each night, with the sauna building also having a cosy lounge with fireplace - for many guests travelling to the north in wintertime, the experience of a traditional Swedish sauna followed by (optional!) roll in the snow is one of their most enduring memories.

Accommodation is in private en-suite rooms for 2-4 persons, each with a view of the river Kalix. The lodge is also well-known for its cuisine and full board is included for your stay.

Optional activities including dog sledding, snowmobiling and showshoe tours

The following additional day activities are also available to book as optional extras:

• Husky Sledding: Drive your own dogsled (either shared one per two persons or own sled depending on preference) on a husky adventure into the nearby Kaitum Nature Reserve.
  • 2-hour tour: A great way to get a feel for the excitement of dog sledding.
  • Day tour (around 4 hours): Travel further and have lunch out on the trail!
  • Overnight tour (from 10.00 Day 1 to 12.00 Day 2): Sled to a simple but comfortable Wilderness Camp for sauna, dinner and overnight and return by sled the next day.
  • Dogsled Northern Lights evening tour 2 hours: An evening husky tour offering good chances for Northern Lights. As this tour takes place at night, the guide will drive the sled with guests riding as passengers.
• Guided Snowshoeing: Snowshoeing is an ideal way to discover the winter landscape and access areas not easily reachable in other ways. Choose between a 2-3 hour or 4-5 hour tour taking place in the forest surrounding the Lodge. Can also be combined with ice fishing.
  • 2-3 hour tour: Possible during daytime or evening (please specify when booking) starting directly from the Lodge. Evening tours can give good chances to see Northern Lights. Terrain is easy walking and the tour is suitable for participants with general good health, but can be more demanding if snow conditions are heavy.
  • 4-5 hour tour: An extended version of the above.
• Snowmobile Safari: The excitement and adventure of snowmobiling is often high on any visitor's list. Drive your own snowmobile (shared one per two persons or own snowmobile depending on preference) on a 2-hour or 4-hour tour. All tours offer possibility to see reindeer.
  • 2-hour tour: An ideal introduction to snowmobiling.
  • 4-5 hour tour: Choose Snowmobile only or combined Snowmobile + Ice Fishing.
  • Snowmobile Northern Lights evening tour 2 hours: An evening tour offering good chances to see a display of the Northern Lights. Shared snowmobiles one per two persons.
• Nordic Wellness afternoon: Relax and soak up the atmosphere in the wood-heated sauna 30 mins' walk from the lodge at the nearby Wilderness Camp.
• Guided Icefishing: The lakes and rivers surrounding the lodge are rich in fish, and assistance from a local guide will greatly improve your chances of a catch!
• Ice Hotel and/or Sámi outdoor museum visit (entrance charges apply locally): No trip to Lapland is complete without a visit to the world-famous Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi and the chance to see some reindeer and learn about the Sami, the indigenous reindeer-herding people of the area. Provided your arrival or departure arrangements allow suitable time, a visit to the Ice Hotel and/or Sámi Museum in Jukkasjärvi can easily be combined with your stay. Transfer to/from Jukkasjärvi can be offered as an alternative to Kiruna in connection with the start or end of your stay. Travel between Jukkasjärvi and Kiruna is straightforward to arrange independently.

Arrival

You will be transferred from Kiruna airport or train station to the Lodge (transfer time approx. 1 hour).

Departure

Transfer to Kiruna airport or train station for departure.

Prices are based on 2 persons sharing, please see below for single supplement.

Included

Accommodation:

• Full board accommodation in private 2-person rooms (extra adult or two children are possible using sofa bed - the sofa is 120cm wide) with en-suite shower and WC. There are 8 rooms at the lodge in total.
• Sauna available each night.

Typical bedroom, dining room, sauna building and lodge area. Photos: LS.

Meals:

Full board from dinner on arrival day to breakfast on departure day.

Equipment and Activities:

• Use of snowshoes, kicksleds and ice fishing equipment is included during your stay.
• Warm winter clothing (thermal outer suit, hats, gloves and boots)
• Information on Northern Lights/photography tips on arrival and daily activity forecast.

Transfer:

Communal transfer is included to/from Kiruna (or Ice Hotel if visiting/staying there before or after your stay) on arrival/departure (transfer time about one hour). Transfer times can be flexible to a certain extent depending on travel arrangements.

Not Included

• Travel: We do not arrange flights or domestic travel, but are happy to advise on suitable connections and assist you with any aspect of planning your journey. See under "Getting There" for general travel information.
• Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase).
• Additional activities available to book as optional extras.

Required

Health requirements/experience:

General good health. Minimum age 12 years.

What makes this "Easy-Medium"?

As a catered experience with full facilities, there is great flexibility to make your stay as relaxing or active as you wish. Any activities are optional, but most guests will choose at least some optional activities during their stay and level of challenge of these activities will vary.

NB: Perception of difficulty is very subjective. What is hard to one person may be easy for another and vice versa, depending on factors including level of fitness, age and previous experience. Weather conditions/temperatures can also dramatically affect the actual level of challenge encountered.

Equipment/clothes needed:

For information on any equipment and/or clothing included as standard for this experience, please see under "What's Included".

A detailed recommended packing list for personal items to bring will be sent with your booking documentation.

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. Note of course that the most appropriate clothing to use as well as the level of challenge experienced during any outdoor activity may vary significantly depending on factors such as the time of year and the particular weather/temperature conditions during your trip.

Preparing for your trip:

For further reading, we also have a number of general information articles to get you ready for your trip, covering a wide variety of topics from what to do on a city break before/after your tour, advice on packing, eyewear for winter and considerations for female travellers.

Minimum number:

While most commonly chosen by persons travelling with one or more companions, the Aurora Lodge Escape is also suitable for solo travellers. Note in this case that some optional activities may require a minimum total number of participants in order to be possible.

Combine This With

This experience makes a good combination with the following:

• Discover Dog Sledding in Lapland (4 days, one hour by transfer)
• Dog Sledding and Winter Camping on the King's Trail (8 days, one hour by transfer)
• Husky Mountain Expedition in Lapland (8 or 12 days, one hour by transfer)
• Northern Lights Dog Sledding in Lapland (8 days, one hour by transfer)
• One-day and Overnight Husky Tours in Kiruna (1-2 days, one hour by transfer)

Groups

This experience is very suitable for groups. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

Eco Info

This provider has a written environmental policy.

"The best part of my trip was the dog sledding overnight stay in the middle of the forest. Nice guide, lovely friendly dogs. Beautiful accommodation and superb food brought to us by snow mobile. Beautiful sauna and heated accommodation. I wish we could have stay longer in the wild forest dog sledding." Danielle

"We really liked the fact that everything was accessible from our accommodation...picking up outdoor gear in the barn, visiting the dogs each day, walking on trails day and night, chatting to guides in the lodge, a friendly atmosphere that felt personal. Very competent guides and special thanks to Matz who had to help us back onto our snowmobile a few times! Would highly recommend staying there. [The best parts were] the friendly welcome, all of the staff, the excellent food, all day complimentary tea, coffee, juice, the dog sledding, the snowmobile guide Matz and lunch in the wild, walking on trails from our door, seeing the Northern Lights. We were so lucky with the weather, blue skies after recent snowfall...stunning scenery." Vicki