Welcome to the very North of Europe, where nature is in control and you can experience nothing but wilderness. With impressive national parks, clear lakes and forests wherever you look, the Swedish Lapland is known to be an absolute nature paradise. The Swedish Lapland is also known to be the last wilderness in Europe. It seems like one of the last areas of barely touched nature and where civilization is so little that it might even feel lonely sometimes. It is the combination of wilderness, loneliness and a closeness to nature which makes the experience of travelling the Swedish Lapland such a unique thing to do.
For some, the Swedish Lapland is called the land of the extreme. And it actually is extreme in many ways. During the winter months you have the extreme cold and the ever-lasting darkness. And during the summer months, the sun never sets. Living in the Swedish Lapland really is dealing with the extremes of mother nature. But what if you plan travelling the Swedish Lapland? Here is an honest insight and the truth about the Swedish Lapland for all travellers who plan to visit the area.
It is mainly for the extreme outdoor lovers
Let´s be honest: of course, anyone can be up for traveling the Swedish Lapland and is probably going to have a blast exploring the area. But in the end, this is mainly a destination for the extreme outdoor lovers. This is the place to be for those who love multi-day hikes, who love to hunt or live with the bare minimum. This is a destination for travellers who are prepared to spend multiple days outside and are experienced in hiking and partly climbing.
It can feel lonely sometimes
It is amazing and weird at the same time – being all on your own out in nature. Since there is very little to no civilization in the Swedish Lapland you will probably meet only a few people during your trip. During the summer months, you will encounter quite a few campers and road trip lovers, but most of the time (if you want to) you can be all on your own. On one hand, this is an amazing experience which is rarely these days. And on the other hand, it can actually feel a little lonely sometimes. Especially if you are travelling in really remote areas.
But maybe this is exactly what you are looking for.
It does not convert the typical charm of Sweden
Cute red houses and flowers everywhere? If this is how you picture Sweden, you are right. At least if we are talking about Southern Sweden. But in the Northern part of the country, you will not find these typical images we have in our minds. The Swedish Lapland is more of a rough landscape and sometimes even barren. You will rarely find the red Sweden houses and flowers are a rare sight as well. Most of the area is covered in forest or brown grasslands.
This is good to know, if you want to experience the typical charm of Sweden. Because you will find a completely different atmosphere up in the North. You will not find the cute villages with lovely gardens. And you will not find the picturesque cafés where you can get a cinnamon roll and a coffee. If that is what you´re looking for, rather plan to travel Southern Sweden.
Click here to get more help in choosing between Northern and Southern Sweden.
Most hikes are multi-day hikes
A very important truth about the Swedish Lapland is about the hikes. If you look up pictures of the landscape and the national parks you will get a good impression of how the area looks like. Sadly, most of what you see online and what probably makes you want to visit the Swedish Lapland is NOT accessible easily. Most of the spectacular views are only accessible through multi-day hikes. They do not only require the right equipment but as well some planning and preparing. For example, to enter some hiking routes you need to book a boat transfer over the river. Or you need to bring a tent to sleep in nature and be prepared to spend multiple days out in nowhere.
If this is what you´re into and, most importantly, what you´re already experienced in, you will probably have the time of your life up there. But if that is not what you´re looking for and prefer some shorter day hikes, you will be disappointed. Surely, there are a few options for day hikes but they are rarely and do not lead you to the most impressive spots.
I feel like that is good to know in advance. I found out when I´ve already been in the Swedish Lapland and discovered that I won´t be able to do most of the hikes due to lacking equipment.
It lives mainly of winter tourism
Despite there being quite a lot of hiking routes and campers in the summer, most of Swedish Lapland´s tourism has its peak during the winter months. You will quickly see this when driving through the areas. Signs for husky tours, the Ice Hotel in Kiruna or skiing slopes make it clear that winter is the peak tourist season for travelling the Swedish Lapland.
I personally would recommend visiting the Swedish Lapland during the winter months. It simply gives you more options to get the most out of the place and seeing the whole area covered in snow is simply something completely different. Plus, you can still spend all your time outdoors and with multiple activities, such as skiing or snow mobiling or even hiking.
Conclusion: is it worth it to travel the Swedish Lapland?
To sum it up, one question arises: is it even worth it to travel the Swedish Lapland? This is quite a critical point of view on the destination, for sure. But still, the area is beautiful and a great destination for travellers. As already mentioned, my personal recommendation is to travel the Swedish Lapland during the winter months.
If you still want to get the impression of Northern Europe during the summer months and, for example, witness the midnight sun, why not explore Norway? Norway offers more hiking opportunities which can easily be done in one day and with less experience. Plus, the landscape is a little more diverse and offers even more impressive views.
If you want to get the typical winter experience in Lapland, travelling the Swedish Lapland is a great choice. You can fly into Kiruna airport. From here, start your very own winter paradise dream – from a husky tour to seeing the Northern lights.
And in the end, we should cherish that there still is a place left where nature is superior and humans did not take over everything. Because this is rare and the Swedish Lapland offers us exactly that experience.
