Swedish Lapland in Winter

Seven nights from Stockholm to the far north of Sweden, in the season of snow and the northern lights. Two nights in the capital, then five on the frozen Lule River, with a private day in Jokkmokk among the Sámi, lunch by the fire in a reindeer-herding family's lávvu, and long evenings in the sauna.

Length: Seven nights
Pace: Two stays
Style: Winter, northern lights, sled dogs, spa
Route: Stockholm to The Lule River

StockholmTwo nights
The Lule RiverFive nights

Old buildings along a snowy waterfront, reflected in partly frozen water.

Days 1 to 3 · two nights

Stockholm

A private tour of the city, with the Vasa Museum, the lanes of Gamla Stan and the Royal Palace, where the Treasury, the Hall of State and the royal galleries can be opened after hours for a guided visit. The traditional smörgåsbord at The Veranda, looking across the water to the palace, and time in the hotel's saunas and pools.

Where you stay

Grand Hôtel Stockholm

The Grand Hôtel looks across the water to the Royal Palace and Gamla Stan, and has welcomed guests on this stretch of the Stockholm waterfront since 1874. The Veranda serves the traditional smörgåsbord, the Mathias Dahlgren restaurants and The Cadier Bar are here too, and the spa has saunas and pools.

Green northern lights over a round timber building lit from within on a frozen river. — Photo © Anders Blomqvist, Daniel Holmgren, Malin Sax, Damien Noss and Viggo Lundberg, courtesy of Arctic Bath

Days 3 to 8 · five nights

The Lule River

A flight north to Luleå and the old church town at Gammelstad, then on to the river. A sled dog ride with Alaskan Malamutes, and an evening on horseback under the northern lights with Ewa. A private day in Jokkmokk, the cultural heart of the Sámi in Sweden, for the Ájtte Museum, Sámi craft and design and the reindeer of Silba Siida, or lunch in Anna's lávvu at Silba Siida, with stories of the eight Sámi seasons and jojk. In insulated suits and with expert guides, a float on the frozen water under the winter sky, watching for the aurora when conditions align, then a wood-fired sauna by the shore. One evening in the Råne River valley, weather permitting, a tethered hot air balloon rises for 15 to 25 minutes into the polar sky, with a fireside talk on the northern lights and a hand in launching and packing the balloon. Long sessions in the sauna and cold baths, before the flight to Stockholm for home.

Where you stay

Arctic Bath

Arctic Bath stands on the Lule River at Harads, with just 12 cabins: six floating on the river and reached by a footpath over the water, and six on land. Swedish sauna and cold-bathing culture shapes the spa, and the restaurant cooks with local produce from Norrbotten.

Arranged on request

A day in Jokkmokk

A private day with a Sámi guide: the Ájtte Museum, local Sámi craft, art and design, and a visit to a reindeer-herding family at Silba Siida, on request from December to March.

Anna's lávvu

A three-course meal by the fire in Anna's lávvu at Silba Siida, with stories of the eight Sámi seasons, jojk and part of the family herd, from late November.

Northern lights on horseback

An evening ride with Ewa through the winter forest, looking for the aurora.

Malamutes at Storforsen

Alaskan Malamutes and the rapids of Storforsen in one outing, or a longer sled ride through the wilderness behind the same dogs.

Floating under the aurora

In winter, in insulated suits and with expert guides, a float on the surface of the Arctic water to watch the sky, and the aurora when conditions align, followed by a traditional wood-fired sauna by the lake.

A balloon in the polar night

In winter, in the Råne River valley, a tethered hot air balloon flight of 15 to 25 minutes, with a fireside talk on the northern lights; guests help launch and pack the balloon, and every flight depends on the weather.

Subject to availability.

Ways to make it yours

A night at the Treehotel in Harads.
Two nights at the Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, near Kiruna, with husky sledding.
A morning ice fishing on a private lake with a Sámi fishing guide, and fika by an open fire.

This is a sample. The hotels, the pace and the order are where we start, not where we finish: every journey is designed around the people taking it.

Made around you

Most travel is bought. This is designed.

Before anything is booked, we talk: who is travelling, how you like to spend a morning, and the hotel preferences below the obvious, from the kind of bath you like to the time you wake and how much daylight you need in a room. You see options where options matter and clean recommendations where they don't.

The same person remains your point of contact from the first reply to the trip after next. No handovers. No team.