Overview:
Your holiday break begins in the beautiful city of Kiruna, Sweden's Northernmost city, located 145 kilometers North of the Arctic Circle. The area surrounding Kiruna is very sparsely populated. The northwest, west and southwest of Kiruna are dominated by the Scandinavian mountains, visible from the city centre.Ten thousand years ago, glaciers carved a riverbed and the Torne River was born. Since then, the crystal-clear, pure water of the Torne River has flowed freely along its 600-kilometer path through Lapland out to the sea in the southeast. The entire ICEHOTEL is on loan from the mighty Torne River and is a place where time stands still. After spending 2 wonderful days and nights your tour continues to Abisko. Abisko is the portal to Swedish Lapland – with mighty mountains tops and great plains.
Holiday price is from £2,335 per person based on availability and two people sharing a standard double/twin room accommodation
Special rates apply for the dates: 24 Dec - 02 Jan / 13 - 15 Feb / 21 Mar - 3 Apr
For additional excursions and prices please contact our team for details
Departure Dates:
| Dates |
Depart |
Return |
| 12 Dec - 13 Apr |
UK |
Kiruna |
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival in Kiruna & Abisko
Today you arrive in Kiruna with your flight from the UK and be transferred by a shuttle bus to Abisko (~ 2 hrs). Abisko is considered to be one of the last true wilderness areas in Sweden but is perhaps more known for its sightings of the magical Northern lights. Accommodation at Abisko Mountain Lodge, which offers the priceless view of Sweden’s most photographed landscape, Lapporten mountain gate. Get off the train at Abisko and make your way up to Abisko Mountain Lodge, inhaling the unspoiled winter scenery on your stroll. A luggage transfer will take care of your luggage so that you can fully enjoy the beautiful fairytale setting, while making your way to your accommodation for the night. Experience a unique area embedded in the mountains of Abisko.
Accommodation at Abisko Mountain Lodge or similar, dinner included (3 nights)
Day 2: Abisko
Breakfast is served, and a day to explore Abisko wilderness. Abisko offers several winter activities, from which you may choose according to your heart’s desires. A sample of the selection includes, ice climbing, snow shoeing, skiing and much more. Winter excursions are offered supplementary and on request.
Day 3: Abisko
After another breakfast with the breathtaking sight of Laponia mountain gate, you can enjoy your day as you wish. Optional activities are available and offered at an additional cost. Tonight, we highly recommend to visit Aurora Sky Station in Abisko. You take the ski-lift up the mountain for a guided tour to hopefully see the Northern Lights and view the exhibition.
Day 4: Abisko - Ice Hotel
After breakfast, you will take the train from Abisko Turiststation to Kiruna and be transferred to the world renowned ICEHOTEL, from the train station. The rest of your day is at your own leisure in this unique and breath-taking area.
Accommodation at the Ice hotel - warm accommodation.
Day 5: Ice Hotel & Winter Landscape
After breakfast the day is yours to continue exploring your immediate area. Tonight you will overnight at the ICEHOTEL in a snow room. The snow rooms are especially comfortable – you will get a good night’s sleep in minus 5 degrees celcius as you will be sleeping in thermal sleeping bags on a special bed built of snow and ice, on reindeer skins.
Accommodation in a snow room.
Day 6: Departure from the Ice Hotel
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight to the UK.
Package Includes:
- Return flights from the London to Kiruna
- 1 piece of check-in luggage per traveler (up to 20-23 kg)
- Return airport shuttle transfers in Kiruna
- 3 nights' accommodation at Abisko Mountain Lodge
- 2-course dinners daily at Abisko Mountain Lodge
- Train from Kiruna to Abisko
- Transfer: Kiruna Train Station - ICEHOTEL
- 2 nights’ accommodation at the ICEHOTEL (1 night in a snow room & 1 night in warm accommodation)
- Breakfast daily
- 24-hour emergency service
- ATOL protection
- All taxes
Enquire now »
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Transportation
Railway mostly serves domestic routes and is used as an easy and quick way to get from the capital to major cities of the country. There are some international routes, like to Moscow and St. Petersburg, but time spent on the way will be quite long.
Buses are one of the most convenient ways to travel between the Baltic States. Eurolines will get you between Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn. One way tickets will cost £ 15 - £ 20 and approximate travel time is 5 hours between the cities. Ticket reservations in advance are recommended.
Taxis are the quickest and most convenient way of travelling round the city. You'll find them located close to the main hotels. Usually it's quite easy to catch a taxi on the street, however, it's much better and safer to order one by phone. Taxi costs in all of the Baltic countries and Poland are approximately the same and a ride in the centre of the city will cost you approx £ 5 - £ 7. Taxis in Finland and Russia are considerably more expensive. It is always a good idea to get your hotel to book a taxi for you and ask approximately how much the trip will cost before you get in.
We would not recommend you to take public transportation within the city, as it's usually crowded and it may cause you unnecessary anxiety about where to stop.
Will I see the Northern Lights?
Please scroll down to see the specifics for the country you wish to visit:
Iceland:
The Northern Lights are in the Northern sky from September through April but are only visible when the sky is clear and free of clouds. Like many of natures wonders, it’s ephemeral – they may be visible, they may appear for a bit and then be gone. But it’s worth it to be patient. Because they’re a winter event, you need to be prepared to wait outside, while looking for them. It’s best to dress very warmly, in layers, with good footwear, gloves, hats and whatever else will make you comfortable while you await this truly amazing event. The Northern Lights can be pretty spectacular, and for the best photos we recommend using a tripod. Much of Iceland offers a very a good chance to see the Northern Lights when conditions are right. Remember – the Northern Lights are natural phenomena, not guaranteed, but appreciated all the more for their elusive qualities.
Norway:
Northern Norway is one of the world's best places to experience the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). In Northern Norway, Northern Lights occur in up to 90% of every clear night in the period from late September to late March. Most Northern Lights occur in the time span from 6pm to slightly after midnight, with an absolute peak at around 10-11pm.
In Norway, the area north of the Arctic Circle is prime aurora territory. The various destinations in the High North have a distinct personality, and are well worth exploring. Major places in Northern Norway are Tromsø, Kirkenes, Alta, Bodø, Lofoten and Vesterålen Islands and Svalbard.
Finland:
The best place to see the Northern Lights in Finland is in the Northern Lapland region, which is almost entirely located within the realm of the Arctic Circle. During the dark winter months here, when the sun rarely peaks its head over the horizon, you can expect to see the Finland Northern Lights with regularity, and other peak seasons include February through March and September through October. The most common colours of the Northern Lights are greenish-yellow and red.
The Finnish term for the Northern Lights, Revontulet, meaning fox fire, comes from an old tale where the fox was believed to swish its bushy tail on the snowy fell landscapes, throwing sparks into the air.
As mentioned, Lapland is the best place to see the Finland Aurora Borealis, with the Kilpisjarvi area offering the most abundant opportunities. The best time of the day to see the Finland Northern Lights is between 9 pm and 11:30 pm, though they are certainly not restricted to this time frame.
Sweden:
In Northern Sweden, the Northern Lights usually occur during the winter months through late March or early April, but they can be spotted as early as September in the Northernmost parts. Your best chance of catching a glimpse of the Northern Lights is on cold winter nights when the sky is clear and cloudless. You need to be away from city lights, which dilute the effects of these natural phenomena, so head out into the countryside. On clear nights, the Northern Lights can be visible from most locations in Swedish Lapland, occurring between 6 pm to and 2 am, with the strongest shows happening between 10 pm and 11 pm. For those willing to brave the cold on winter nights, here are some of the best locations in Swedish Lapland for viewing these phenomena:
Abisko National Park
Abisko National Park, a couple of kilometers north of Kiruna, is a prime location for viewing the Northen Lights. The scientifically proven “blue hole” — a patch of sky over the Torneträsk lake that usually remains clear despite overcast weather in surrounding areas — gives Abisko its own micro-climate, which is suitable for catching the lights.
Jukkasjärvi and the Torne Valley
Not only does the village of Jukkasjärvi (population roughly 541) boast the world’s first ice hotel (rebuilt ever year from Torne River ice), it’s also one of the best regions to view the Northern Lights. ICEHOTEL organizes guided tours for guests which takes the to the Esrange Space Center located 30 minutes from Kiruna. You can dine at a wilderness camp and get the chance to scan the Arctic winter sky for aurora borealis.
Other regions in Swedish Lapland
As mentioned earlier, if weather conditions are just right (clear, dark, cold, and cloudless), you might catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights from any location within subarctic and arctic Sweden — even close to larger towns such as Luleå, Jokkmokk, Arvidsjaur, and Gällivare.
Greenland:
The northern lights - or Aurora Borealis as it is officially known - actually occur all year round, but cannot be seen during the summer months in Greenland due to the midnight sun. The phenomenon is often seen around midnight and is best experienced on a dark, clear night in the period from September to the beginning of April. If you are travelling during this period, you can see the Northern Lights from anywhere in the country, whilst in South Greenland the northern lights can be seen from as early as the end of August.