Kings Trail and Northern Lights Snowshoe Expedition

Flight from UK to Kiruna and transfer to Abisko National Park
UK to Stockholm-Arlanda (ARN) and Stockholm-Arlanda (ARN) to Kiruna (KRN)
1.5 hour transfer to Abisko

Meet the team and trek briefing

On your arrival into Kiruna on the recommended Adventurous Ewe flight time, you will be met with a transfer to take you from Kiruna Airport to Abisko, taking approximately 1.5 hours. Arriving at Abisko Mountain Station, almost Sweden’s most northern point, it’s a great starting place for the northern section of the King’s Trail expedition. The scenery is spectacular with views of the impressive u-shaped mountain formation ‘Lapporten’ and the grand lakes Torneträsk and Sjumilasjön. Here you will meet your Swedish Arctic Guide who will provide you with a full briefing of your adventure that lies ahead. Later in the evening dinner will be served in the restaurant with your chance to sample some Swedish cuisine. Your lodging for this evening is in freshly renovated 4-bedded hostel rooms with shared bathroom. Time permitting, you may have the opportunity for an optional trip to the Abisko Sky station to view the Aurora.

Abisko Snowshoe (6km trek / 3 hours)
Snowshoe fitting, training and warm up trek

After breakfast you will be issued with your snowshoes and the team will head out to explore Abisko National Park directly from the Mountain Station. This is a perfect time to try out your equipment and learn the technique of snowshoeing. Plus you will have the chance to see the striking profile of Lapporten, a ‘gate’ formed by neighbouring hills that serves as the legendary gate to Lapland. Your snowshoeing trek will also take you through a reconstructed Sámi village where you will learn about the Sámi culture. Sweden’s indigenous people, the Sámis, have a deep-rooted tradition of reindeer herding as their way of life and the way they have adapted to living in such extreme conditions is remarkable.

After 2 – 3 hours of snowshoeing you will return to the Mountain Station for lunch before your exciting 35km transfer by snowmobiles to the high mountains and your cabins at Lake Alesjaure. This will take approximately 2 hours. That evening, your lodging will be in mountain huts with either gas or wooden fire heating and there’s the welcomed opportunity to enjoy a sauna in the Swedish highlands. Any kit not needed for the snowshoe hike can be sent to the finish at the trailh

This is the start of your King’s Trail adventure! The first part of today’s leg takes you along the frozen Alesätno River with steep mountain walls rising more than 1000 meters. The valley will narrow as you start the climb up towards the Tjäktja mountain-cabin. You will cover approximately 13km in distance through the awe-inspiring landscape gaining 200 metres in ascent. Lodging will be in mountain huts with either gas or wooden fire heating. On reaching the mountain huts each evening, in small teams you will adopt the expedition style roles of wood chopping for the fire stoves, fetching water from remote ice wells and cooking dinner. Your crew will assist you together with the amazing Swedish folks who volunteer at the mountain huts. This gives you a real sense of remote living and community spirit.

Following breakfast, you will set out on your second day of snowshoeing through this everchanging frozen landscape. This morning your track continues upwards to the awe-inspiring Tjäktjapass at 1140 metres. On reaching this high point the remarkable Tjäktjavagge Valley opens up below you with incredible panoramic views stretching over 40 kilometres across the Arctic terrain below. This is one of the greatest views on the Kings Trail. You will then slowly descend winding your way to your mountain cabins at Sälka. Waiting for you here is another chance to have a sauna in this pristine frozen environment!

The hike between the cabins at Sälka and Singi is among the most beautiful and magnificent that the Swedish mountain realm can offer. Imposing summits, steep slopes and huge glaciers surround you as you walk across the vast frozen landscape. The route takes you through the vast valley of Tjäktjavagge. The magnificent surroundings will keep you mesmerised as you leave snowshoe tracks in the fresh snow. You will be graced with incredible views across the powerful Drakryggen and the northern summit of Kebnekaise, and the peaks just keep on appearing one after the other. This will be your final night of lodging in mountain huts and undertaking the rewarding jobs of wood chopping and fetching water.

Your final day in snowshoes will see you leave the Kungsleden long-distance trail. The hike between the Singi cabins and the STF Kebnekaise mountain station passes through the narrow part of Laddjuvagge with truly spectacular scenery. The route continues eastwards towards the imposing passage between the steep rugged slopes of Singitjåkka and Skárttoaivi. After passing the narrow part of the Laddjuvagge valley, you arrive where the landscape opens. The final few kilometres to the will see you wind your way to the finish at Kebnekaise Mountain station, which is at the base of the highest mountain in Sweden and the heart of Swedish alpinism. It’s the perfect way to complete your arctic adventure. A final chance for another well-deserved sauna and shower before a celebration dinner at the restaurant that evening!