While we love our technology and have built Macs Adventure around it, we are always seeking to moderate our use of it, to make sure that we connect to nature and reality as much as the online life we all lead.  For this reason, we love to seek out tours that send you to the heart of nowhere, places where you can switch off (literally) and enjoy the beauty surrounding you.  Even a short digital detox is worthwhile, and we have found somewhere perfect for it — a place where you can do nothing but appreciate winter in all its glory.  We present Swedish Lapland - Northern Lights Short Break.

Your idyllic chalet

In a Nutshell:

Where: This is a single centre trip located in a very unique and wonderful place.  Abisko will be your home for the four nights on this short break, a tiny village with only 85 permanent residents, but home to otherworldly beauty and the deepest appreciation of the winter months we could find.  The town of Abisko and it's National Park, sit around 250 miles into the Arctic Circle at the very north of Sweden. Abisko is the starting point for the famous Kungsleden walking route, but at this time of year, the only walking you will be doing is on snowshoes!

Distance: So as you might have guessed, there are no real distances involved in this trip.  Differing from our usual trips, this one sees you spend time in Abisko Mountian Station and choosing what activities you want to take part in.  There are marked snowshoe and cross-country ski trails around the station, where you can either learn these walking artforms or if you have experience, head out on your own to explore.

Grade: We have graded this trip Easy, primarily because if you want to just cosy-up in your lovely little chalet and chill (not literally), then that is entirely up to you.  You can exert yourselves as much as you desire on this trip, but we have made sure that the post-exertion comforts are in abundance.

Head out snowshoeing to explore the area

Why Walk Here?

This is only a short break, but the highlights are still very impressive.  Firstly, why should you go? Well, the title says it all.  You are smack-bang in the middle of Northern Lights season and if you are planning on trying to see them, going somewhere as remote and dark as Abisko is definitely the best bet.  With minimal light pollution, the show that these otherworldly lights put on is simply breathtaking and something that you can stare at continually, getting further drawn into their mesmeric beauty.  This is one of natures greatest phenomenon and worth dedicating a few evenings to. So, one of the highlights that join with this is your first night's activity.  You will visit the Aurora Sky Station on Mount Nuolja where at 900m above sea level you will take a gourmet candlelit dinner, hopefully, while the Aurora Borealis flickers and pulsates throughout your meal.  Experts on the station will explain all about this phenomenon and allow you to explore the station before you take the ski lift back down to your accommodation — a truly magical evening.

Aurora Sky Station where you will have dinner and Aurora-gaze

Activity time! The art of snowshoe walking is unique and relatively easy to learn (like walking in clown shoes!) and once you get over the beginners phase of having to look down and concentrate on what you are doing, you will look up and find yourself in a fairytale forest, clad in snow, with only the muted sounds of nature surrounding you.  If you want to push it to be a bit more taxing, you can go for the alpine skiing option.  The learning curve is a little steeper, but once you have a basic understanding of it, you will soon realise why this is the most popular winter sport in Scandinavia.

The other option (and you can do them all) is to let the dogs do the work, and fly through the forests on a dogsled. Learn how to drive the dogs from your experienced guide and ecperience the thrill of whizzing through the countryside inches from the snow. There are also some more energetic pursuits or more relaxing ones for you to choose from.  Ice climbing is a bit thing here and if you are a beginner, you can take to the walls of ice to learn the craft.  If you are experienced, then you are in for a treat, with some of the greatest routes in Sweden.  However, if this all sounds a bit much, or you want to recover from your day on the cliffs we would recommend using the saunas on the property.  This wood-fired sauna sits on the banks of Lake Torneträsk just beside the station.

Immerse yourself in the Swedish way of life with some relaxing sauna time and if you are brave, you can dip in the frozen, but cleansing, waters of the lake afterwards. The cabins you stay in are another highlight.  These tranquil spaces are set out with two bedrooms, a living area and a fully equipped kitchen. They are part of the larger complex which includes a stunning restaurant where they provide locally-sourced meals of a very high standard. There are also 3 delightful areas to relax, have a drink and meet your fellow adventurers.

Speed around on your dog sled

Planning and Preparation

To get to the Swedish Lapland Northern Lights Short Break, you will have to travel through Sweden's Capital, Stockholm.  From here you can take a flight to Kiruna, which takes around 1hr30 and then you have the option of train, bus or private transfer to get you out to Abisko.  Well worth the journey! If you have any questions about the route, don't hesitate to contact one of our Destination Specialists, who will be more than happy to help.