Lapland: A Must-Visit
Travelling to the north of Sweden has been one of the dream destinations for me, especially the Swedish Lapland. When I got a chance, I did not look back, I packed my bags and started the journey towards this beautiful dream place. It is truly a place for wanderers and explorers. (Pic 1)
We went to Lapland in March which was during typical Swedish winter. First starting from Uppsala, we went to Kiruna which is the main city in Swedish Lapland. Over there I have done dog-sledging and snowmobile which was quite exciting for me. Then out of interest I went to the Kiruna mine which is one of the largest iron ore in the world. You need to book tickets well in advance to go there since it is always fully booked. (Pic 2,3,4)
From Kiruna we went to a very famous Ice hotel, which is completely built in ice. The view was stunning, and you can experience drinking in an ice cup over there. From the Ice hotel we visited Sámi people and their reindeers. We got to know about their traditions and culture. (Pic 5,6,7, 8)
Abisko was our next destination where you can visit Sweden’s one of the most beautiful national park. It is said that this park has most amazing view of northern lights in Scandinavia. You can do a lot of things in Abisko such as Ice climbing, skiing, hiking etc,. But for me Abisko will be remembered for its hot sauna and dipping in the frozen lake. (Pic 9,10)
From Abisko, you can take a train to Narvik in Norway, if you are interested. (Pic 11)
Unfortunately, during my trip we couldn’t see northern lights because of the harsh weather but it is very rare to not to see if you go in winter. Check Aurora forecast for the best days to visit for northern lights.
Booking your trip:
Start planning at least a month ahead. You can plan your trip with a travel agency or on your own. Decide on this by keeping in mind how many days you want to stay. If you want to stay more than a week I would suggest going on your own. If you are having loads of work and don’t want to do the hard work before, go with travel agency which has good deals. But in case you plan to go on your own, first start to plan on which places you want to go and then easiest possible transport facility which are off course trains. If you have a budget, then look for hostels or guest houses instead of hotels. Look out for things you can do while over there. Sometimes you need to book them well in advance.
Packing for Lapland:
Before you start to Lapland do your research and pack your bags accordingly. Since I went in the winter, I had to take all my warm gear with me, especially wind/water proof gear. Also don’t forget your power bank because in winter your phone drains out very fast. Carry a bag and food boxes if you plan to stay in hostels.
Note: This is just a gist of things I did in my Lapland trip. There are several other things you can do.