Cross-Country Ski Expedition

Laponia World Heritage Site, Swedish Lapland

  • Duration

    April 13-19, 2025
    7 days, 6 nights

  • Location

    Laponia World Heritage Site, Sweden
    Jokkmokk, Sweden (Lulea Airport is the closest)

  • Group Size

    4-10

  • Price

    $ 500 (reservation deposit)
    $ 2050 (second payment)

Swedish Lapland during the late spring is my favorite place for a hut-to-hut ski trek. Winding through the remote valleys and gentle slopes of Laponia World Heritage Site  in early April one is treated to long days and often fine weather while the snow still lays in a thick blanket. There is enough darkness that you have an excellent chance of seeing Aurora Borealis, “pale gossamer curtains of light” as author Barry Lopez calls them in Arctic Dreams, but the extreme cold of winter has subsided. Comfortable wilderness cabins with a woodstove, pure and clean water drawn straight from a hole in the ice, and the delicious foods of Lapland; moose, reindeer, lingonberries, smoked fish, excellent cheeses and sausage, and strong coffee make for an amazing experience.

$2,850.00

In stock

Pay a deposit of $500.00 per item
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Knowledgeable Guides

Professional Local Guides who are passionate about Sweden and Skiing

Experience the culture

Learn to “Fika,” taste the foods of the North, and learn about the culture and history of Laponia

Hut-to-hut

Comfortable wilderness huts with woodstoves means being warm, dry, and not having to carry too much gear

Discover the vast scenery of Laponia World Heritage Site with the great lakes and the high peaks in the horizon. We will use the hut system and travel by ski between the huts, carrying only light packs. Our food and overnight gear will be transported by snowmobile to the huts. In the vast wilderness of Laponia we can escape cell phone service, the hustle and bustle of our normal lives, and relax into the rhythms of nature. In the simplicity of our days, with snow stretching away from us in every direction, we can slow down, find time for reflection, and let ourselves be seduced by the unique beauty of the Arctic.

“The land is like poetry: it is inexplicably coherent, it is transcendent in its meaning, and it has the power to elevate a consideration of human life.” ~ Barry Lopez, author of “Arctic Dreams.”

Laponia World Heritage Site

During the days we explore Padjelanta, Stora Sjöfallet and Sarek National Parks on skis. We mix days when we ski from hut-to-hut with optional day trips from the cabins. In the evening, when the temperature drops, we have dinner together and sleep comfortably in warm mountain huts. Padjelanta is the area where the reindeer calves are born, and in the summer the huts in the Sami settlement are full of life. In the winter though, you can ski for days without meeting anyone. If we are lucky we may see moose, wolverine and ptarmigan that all find a way to survive the winter on the arctic tundra. Padjelanta National Park is the largest national park in Sweden and part of the world heritage of Laponia. The almost 2000 square kilometers is positioned just west of Sarek National Park, and together Sarek and Padjelanta protect an impressive landscape and culture.

This tour is for you if you…

…want to experience the pure winter landscape of Laponia World Heritage Site but still have the comfort of staying in heated huts during the night. You should be a fairly strong skier,  being able to ski on and off trail with a backpack weighing about 20lbs. You should have experience with winter camping and be in good physical shape.

Food and accommodation

We value nutritious food made from real ingredients and put a lot of effort into preparing the menu for this tour. A typical day starts with a Swedish breakfast and in the evening, we cook dinner together in the hut. Our dinners are inspired by local food from the Sami culture as well as more general Swedish food. As long as weather permits we will have a longer break during the day to eat a lighter lunch and re-energize.

During our time in the mountains we stay in cozy cabins with no electricity or running water. We all help with the daily duties such as carrying water or chopping vegetables for dinner. Even if the cabins are simple they provide the essentials of heat, beds, blankets and everything we need for cooking and eating. Outhouses are often situated within 100 meters from the huts. The last night of the tour we will stay in a hostel where you will share a room with other participants of the group. This last day you will have access to both water-toilets and showers.

Guides and support

We work with local guides who know the culture and history in Laponia. They are all certified guides trained in wilderness first aid, route finding, and ski touring. This tour will start and end with a snowmobile transfer that brings us to and from Padjelanta national park. During our time in the mountain we will be on our own but have regular contact with our support team in Lapland to get updated information about weather forecast etc.

“The land urges us to come around to an understanding of ourselves.” ~ Barry Lopez

 

Sample Itinerary- subject to change based on weather conditions and local reindeer herders

DAY 1 ARRIVAL JOKKMOKK AND PREPARATIONS (Lunch and Dinner included)

We will pick you up at the bus station in Jokkmokk and drive you to our place just outside Jokkmokk. We give you an introduction to the tour and check the equipment before we head west towards Laponia World Heritage Site. Along the way we stop at Naturum by Stora Sjöfallet, an exhibition about the nature and culture in the World Heritage Site Laponia. We continue along a winding mountain road to Ritsem from where we travel across the lake Akkajaure by snowmobile. We’ll have dinner and stay overnight in the cabin.

If you travel here by bus book your ticket to Jokkmokk Åsgatan, a bus-stop just outside the hostel. Meet at 10.00am on day 1.

Day 2

DAY 2 THE ADVENTURE BEGINS. AKKA – GISURIS (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner included)

We start the day with a generous “mountain breakfast” before we begin our hut-to-hut tour on skis by following the frozen river Vuojatädno. The river leads us up to Kutjaure lake where we ski across the ice to Gisuris mountain cabin on the other side. We have dinner and sleep well in the cabin after a full day in the mountains.

Distance on skis: 15 km, elevation gain/loss: +150/-50, estimated time out skiing: 6-8h

Day 3

DAY 3 SAREK AND STORA SJÖFALLET NATIONAL PARKS (B,L,D)

In Gisuris we have a day to explore the Sarek and Stora Sjöfallet National Parks. Maybe we get the chance to see tracks from foxes and wolverines living in the area. If the weather and the condition of the group allows us to, we can climb one of the easier peaks.

Day 4

DAY 4 PADJELANTA NATIONAL PARK (B,L,D)

We’ll slide down the mountain side to lake Kutjaure connecting all the three National Parks Sarek, Padjelanta and Stora Sjöfallet. We continue through Padjelanta National Park to Kutjaure mountain hut where we stay for two nights.

Distance on skis: 10 km, elevation gain/loss: +100/-100, estimated time out skiing: 4h

Distance on skis: about 13 km, elevation gain/loss: +300/-250 m, estimated time out skiing: 5-6h

Day 5

DAY 5 KUTJAURE MOUNTAIN HUT (B,L,D)

We’ll explore the area around Kutjaure mountain hut on a day trip. The area is still an undiscovered place for most skiers and we often get the mountain for our self.

Day 6

DAY 6 HEADING BACK TO AKKA HUT (B,L,D)

Our last full day traveling hut-to-hut on skis takes us through a sparse mountain birch forest contouring the majestic Ahkka Mountain. We’ll finish the day with a sauna in Ahkka cabin and a final dinner together.

Distance on skis: 17 km, elevation gain/loss: +50/-150 m, estimated time out skiing: 6-8h

Day 7

DAY 7 DEPARTURE AHKKA (B,L)

After finishing the breakfast, we’ll get a snowmobile transport across the lake to Ritsem where we continue in minivans back to Jokkmokk. Enjoy a hot shower and lunch in Jokkmokk before starting your journey home. We’ll finish the tour in Jokkmokk before 16.00 on day 7. 

Distance on skis: about 24 km, elevation gain/loss: -360, estimated time out skiing: 8h

What’s included?

  • Local Swedish and English speaking guides
  • All accommodations (6 nights in cabins)
  • All meals and snacks
  • Roundtrip transportation by private van from Jokkmokk
  • All safety and skiing equipment
  • Snowmobile support for gear and food
  • Storage of travel luggage

What’s NOT included?

  • Airfare (Luleå Kallax Airport is the closest)
  • Airport transfer from Luleå airport to Jokkmokk
  • Travel insurance (highly recommended). Try World Nomads
  • Alcohol
  • Gratuities

FAQ Swedish Ski Expedition

Of all the European countries that don’t have English as their native language I think the Swedes are the best English speakers. Virtually everyone speaks English and many people are fluent. The guides for this trip are Swedish but speak English fluently.

You will need a valid Passport to visit Sweden. Depending on what country you are coming from you will probably not need a visa, but it pays to make sure.

You must be a solid cross-country skier, comfortable with carrying a pack that weighs between 20-30lbs and able to climb and descend moderate pitches. “Skins” for skiing originally were made of sealskin and are applied to the bottom of your skis to provide grip on the snow, especially useful when climbing and pulling a sledge. The skins, now made of Nylon or Mohair, slide easily going forward but grip the snow nicely when going backwards.

We recommend metal-edged cross country skis with a fishscale pattern and NNNCBC Bindings or 3 pin bindings. We have excellent skis, boots, and skins available for rent for very reasonable prices. Please let us know if you would like to rent you ski equipment.

The cabins are comfortable and heated by wood or gas stoves. There is no running water, electricity, or Wifi. Water is drawn straight from a nearby lake, river or spring and can be drank without boiling or purifying! Outhouses are usually within 100 yards of the cabin. They cabins are well insulated, well laid out, and sleep from 4-6 people. in single beds. The beds are bunk-beds and the cabins are mixed gender. Candles and the woodfire make for a pleasing light during the night.

The max group size is 10 and there will be two professional guides who are certified in ski touring, wilderness first aid, and wilderness guiding.

No. While the latitude of Padjalenta National Park is around  67 degrees north (Ankorage, Alaska is 61.2) it benefits from a warm gulf stream that makes for a much less harsh environment. We will be inland so there are no seals or icebergs. There are no polar bears and even the Swedish brown bears are extremely secretive and rarely seen. While occasionally one sees igloos during the winter they are usually as part of tourist activity. The native people, called the Sami, traditionally lived in an earthen and birch building called a Kåta. This area of Sweden has trees (birch, spruce, pine, fir, juniper, etc) and is quite lush in the summer. Temps can soar to the 80s in the summer but do occasionally hit -40F (or C) in the dead of winter. Much of the landscape looks like parts of Minnesota, with lots of small clear lakes and lush evergreen forests. In the Swedish mountains there are less trees and the hillsides are a beautiful palette of colors during the summer, and covered with a thick blanket of snow during the winter. Reindeer, moose, foxes, wolverine, weasels, ptarmigan, and lynx can all be seen.

This time of year there is an excellent chance of seeing Aurora Borealis. If you have not seen them before it is an amazing experience, with various shades of green, yellow, red, pink and even blue and violet shimmering across the sky. The frequency and intensity of Aurora Borealis varies from year to year and the sky must be clear in order to see them. To observe these magical lights in such a remote and beautiful area is truly a special experience.

If you have your own metal-edged cross country skis NNNBC or 3 pin bindings that you like I always find it enjoyable to use my own equipment as I know exactly how it works. If you don’t particularly like your gear or don’t want to have to travel with it then leave it at home and rent skis (including boots, bindings, poles, and skins) from us that are high quality and perfectly suited to the tour. Renting skis for the trip will cost about $100. We can also provide sleeping bags, backpacks,

You will need to be in good shape for this trip. The itinerary is active and we will be in a very remote area where travel by ski is our only means of transportation. You should be able to ski for several hours on rolling terrain while carrying a 20-30lb backpack and/or pulling a sledge. You must be able to keep yourself warm in a cold climate (layering). Recommended age 18-65 years old. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding your physical ability or experience level. This trip is for active people who enjoy being outdoors.

Gratuities for guides are not included in the price of you trip and are much appreciated. Tipping is at your discretion. Normally average tips for excellent service are around 10%-20% of the trip cost. Tips are pooled together and shared equally among the guides.

Our team

Aaron Schorsch

Owner- Saveur the Journey

Aaron Schorsch is the owner of Saveur the Journey where he combines his passions of food, travel, outdoor adventures, and culture. He grew up in rural New Hampshire and has lived and traveled extensively in the US and abroad. Aaron is a student of food who has worked throughout the food system from growing seed and farming of vegetables, fruits, and livestock to cooking in high end restaurants and managing farmer’s markets. He loves to talk about, think about, dream about and especially, cook and eat food. He is a member of Slow Food international and has been a US delegate at Terra Madre in Turin, Italy.

Christian Heimroth

Tour Leader

Christian is a certified Swedish mountain guide who lives in Jokkmokk with his wife and two daughters. He has been guiding trips in the Swedish Mountains for over 15 years and loves hiking, skiing, rafting, and canoeing.

Mirja Andersson

Tour Leader

Mirja is certified Swedish mountain guide who has a background working as a hiking and paddling instructor for the American based National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). Mirja is originally from Sweden but has lead trips all over the world.

More questions?

Contact us