Why are we doing this trip?
We want you to experience the real side of Lapland, in small groups with local guides, away from the main touristy areas.
There will be no tourist attractions like icehotels or Santa theme parks. Busloads of tourists end up going there already. Instead you will be part of a small group of likeminded people, who travel, have fun and explore together.
We can’t wait to venture out with hot chocolate onto a frozen lake and watch the Northern Lights dance in the sky above.
- Watch and photograph Northern Lights, of course!
- Watch for Reindeer and Moose
- Go dog sledding across frozen lakes and snowy forests
- Stay three nights at our friends’ guesthouse and stay one night in a tented camp
- Local guides and max 7 persons in a group
Will we see the Aurora Borealis? Very likely. Swedish Lapland offer more stable weather than other popular winter destinations which means we have the best conditions. Imagine yourself standing in deep snow under a green explosion of Northern Lights!
This part of Lapland is home to the largest Moose in Europe. The Moose here are not hunted and therefore less cautious of humans. During winter, Moose gather in the valleys in search for food and during January and February it is not uncommon to see as many as 20-40 Moose in one day. On this trip you have the chance to get close to and photograph some of these majestic animals in the wild.
Known as Lapland, the native name of this area is actually Sápmi. The indigenous Samis inhabit the region of Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola peninsula of Russia. During this tour you will meet with Samis to learn about and get an understanding for their interesting culture and traditions.
Sustainability
We have now worked for more than 10 years to take people from all over the world to see some of Sweden’s most remarkable wild animals such as moose, wolves, beavers and brown bears. Our aim is to offer genuine nature experiences that support wildlife conservation and creates economic opportunities for the local society.
We are proud to know that WildSweden is often referred to as a good example by both authorities and others. We aim to prove that sustainable nature-based tourism with a focus on wild animals can be a substantial income for communities in rural areas.
We have applied a strict policy to reduce, reuse and recycle whenever possible, for example:
- We work actively to reduce our driving distances by staying at local guesthouses close to the points of interest and on most tours we stay several days in the same areas.
- We inform and encourage our guests to choose public transport or our collective transfer services whenever possible.
- Our boats are run on electric engines and the batteries are recharged on clean energy hydro-power.
- We recycle almost all of our waste. We separate all plastic, paper, metal, electronics and batteries and take it to the communal recycling stations.
We work actively to track wolves and report our findings to researchers and county boards as an important contribution in the monitoring of the Scandinavian wolf population.
Our promise to support our community
We are as local as anything can get. We work www.mindanews.com/buy-ventolin/exclusively with local guides and locally owned accommodations and restaurants. This creates jobs in rural areas and also provides you with a much more authentic experience. We ask the restaurants to cook our meals made from locally produced ingredients, for example, smoked wild boar or vegetarian bean burgers along with pickled chantarelles or sweetened lingonberries.
We train local guides to understand the various forms of interaction between humans and wildlife. There are many conflicts that must be solved and it is important to understand the various aspects and to get the bigger picture in order to find new solutions. Our aim is that each one of our guests will return home with a deeper knowledge and understanding about our wild animals and how one can act to preserve nature.
Dog Sledding
The company that Wild Sweden uses for its dog sledding is a certified ecotourism company.
They have received Ecotourism company of the year in Sweden.
How are the dogs treated?
- They know all 50 dogs by name.
- Their fenced enclosures are bigger than required by law with 2-3 dogs in each
- They have a large ”garden” where they can be freer twice a day
- No dogs are in chains
- They use the best food they can get
- All dogs are checked by a veterinarian for regular health check once a year, more often in special cases
- They have all permits required and are regularly checked on by the authorities as well as by the Swedish Kennel Association.
What’s Included
What’s included?
- Tour leader
- All activities
- 4 nights accommodation
- Full board with all meals included
- Round-trip transportation from Luleå airport or train station
What’s Not Included
Add-ons
- Winter clothing can be rented at 1200 SEK for the entire trip
- Single room supplement 995 SEK. If you travel as a single you may have to share tent with another person of the same gender.
- Alcoholic beverages are paid at each restaurant
Trip Itinerary
Program
Day 1 – Arrive in Jokkmokk & Northern Lights excursion
Meet and greet with your guide in Luleå for a welcome lunch with your fellow travelers.
We then have a two hours drive that will take us across the Arctic circle and into the heart of Swedish Lapland. Here we reach Jokkmokk, our favorite town. Jokkmokk is a small northern outpost town which will act as a base for our excursions. It’s surrounding area boasts amazing landscapes, ranging from mountains and frozen lakes to ancient boreal forests and streaming rivers. Jokkmokk is also home to a large Sámi community.
As we arrive at our hotel we sit down for a proper introduction over a coffee in the restaurant.
Take some time to arrive at your own pace. In the afternoon you will have the chance to visit the Ájtte museum, to give you a good introduction to the Sámi culture as well as to the Arctic nature. Or explore Jokkmokk and some of the local handicraft shops on your own.
Dinner at the hotel, and then, if the skies are clear we will definitively fill our thermoses with hot drinks and venture to watch for Northern Lights.
Night at Jokkmokk guesthouse.
Day 2 – Dog sledding & reindeer meeting
On this day we are going dog sledding with our good friends Matti and Stina. They live in a small cabin by a lake with more than 50 huskies in their snowy garden. We greet with the dogs and all help out to prepare a bit before we are ready to take off.
Seated on wooden sledges we travel across the frozen landscape hearing only the breathing of the huskies. We stop somewhere for lunch and light a warming camp fire while the dogs get some well deserved rest and cool down in the snow. This sled trip takes about three hours including the lunch.
In the afternoon we will meet up with our good friend Anna just outside Jokkmokk. Anna and her family are Sámi and reindeer herders. She has invited us for an evening meal in her lávvu (traditional tent). With a native perspective Anna has a lot to tell us. In this way we get the chance to learn more about the Sami culture and the life as a reindeer herder at first hand. We sit on skins on the floor and try some traditional Sami dishes that are prepared over the camp fire.
Northern Lights watching in the late evening if the skies are clear.
Night at Jokkmokk guesthouse.
Day 3 – Moose & reindeer watching in the wild
On this day we are planning to drive through a nearby valley which is known to host some of Europe´s largest moose, but also big amounts of reindeer. This provides a great opportunity to view and photograph these majestic animals with the snowy landscape as a backdrop.
We stop for an outdoor lunch somewhere along the shore of lake Saggat.
If the weather is fine we spend the whole afternoon out in the snowy valley before we return to Jokkmokk for a well deserved dinner and hot drinks.
This will be a long day, but there is always a chance to go out and watch for Northern lights. Fill up your thermos and bring some snacks to stay warm and happy.
Night at Jokkmokk guesthouse.
Day 4 – Glamping under the Northern Lights
We leave Jokkmokk behind and travel further North to visit our good friend Lennart. Lennart is Sami and we are very happy that he lets us stay at his place!
Imagine yourself standing in deep snow under the Northen Lights and then go to bed in a tent. I am aware that this may increase the expectations but I just have to mention that his camp was recently featured by National Geographic’s list 21 places to stay if you care about the planet. You will see why for yourself.
We enjoy a traditional dinner by the fire place in a small wooden cabin. We take turns to go outside and watch for the Northern lights that will hopefully be dancing in the sky above the camp. In either case, the illuminated tents will provide an ideal foreground for night sky photography.
You will then sleep comfortably in one of the tents. The tents have proper beds and a heater, so it will be almost like staying at a hotel. You will be surprised how comfortable a tent can be. Toilet? Don’t worry, Lennart has set up some heated toilet booths near the tents. All in all we will have five tents to share so there will be plenty of room for all of us.
Day 5 – Skiing or hiking in Laponia Unesco World Heritage
Wake up in your tent and enjoy a late breakfast in the warm cabin.
On this day you will have the chance to explore the surrounding forests and the frozen lake on wooden cross country skis or snowshoes, as you prefer. Find animal tracks and experience different types of snow. You will also have the chance to try ice fishing. You just drill a hole in the ice.
These activities are optional. You can also walk on foot, or just hang out at the camp. You don’t have to go anywhere, but if you choose to go for an excursion there will be a lot to see and amazing landscapes to photograph.
The camp is located in Laponia, a Unesco World Heritage. For visitors, this area is often perceived as a huge wilderness landscape. But to the Sámis this is a cultural landscape where their ancestors have herded reindeer and formed life throughout the centuries. You will see that this is Sápmi – the land of the Sámi people.
Lunch and dinner at the camp.
Day 6 – Wake up in the wild, then departure
We enjoy another slow breakfast in the cabin before we say our good bye’s to Lennart and begin our journey back to modern civilization.
Time has come to leave Sápmi and Lapland for this time. We will take you to Luleå for your afternoon train or flight.
Wanna stay some extra days? You can always book a few extra nights in Luleå. We can recommend a good place. Or we can drop you at the famous Tree Hotel in Harads which is along the way to Luleå.
Program And Price
6 days 23,500 SEK
