Crossing the Arctic Circle - Swedish Lapland

2 Oct

The Arctic is a long way from the Central Europe and even from southern parts of Sweden it is a 16h drive to finally cross a latitude of 66.5° north of the equator. It’s well worth it though. Rugged landscapes covered in green shrubs (there are lots of berry shrubs, everything from bilberries to lingonberries, arctic raspberries and cloudberries), countless lakes, cold, fresh air, the midnight sun or snow and northern lights.

We camped near Jokkmokk, a lovely town just above the arctic circle, which is a centre for Sami culture and a great starting point to explore the nearby national parks. Eventhough Jokkmokk is quite small it has a great museum to learn more about Sami culture as well as some local craft shops, where you can get yourself some incredibly beautiful (and warm) hand-knitted mittens and hats.

Chances of rain are very high in this region but we got lucky and had lots of sunshine the next day and decided to explore Stora Sjöfallet National Park. If you’re ever in the area make Naturum Laponia, the visitor center, your first stop! It’s your gateway to learn more about this UNESCO World Heritage Site and to dive deeper into Sami culture. From there you can explore more of the mountains, relax near the lakes or go on some hikes for the best view points.

***Here are some of my recommendations in Jokkmokk and Stora Sjöfallet National Park:***

**The Arctic Circle Sign** - just before you drive into the town of Jokkmokk, you will see the sign on your right; there is also a cute cafe with some souvenirs right next to it.
**Museum in Jokkmokk & local shops** -great place to start to learn more about Sami culture and if you want to get your hands on anything outdoorsy and hiking related. Also getting a pair of hand knitted mittens or a hat make for a great souvenir and will keep you warm on cold/rainy days
**Naturum Laponia** - the visitor centre for the UNESCO classified Laponia region, definitely a must if you’re in the area and free to visit
**Soldalen Trail** - a 7km trail with great views and lots of blueberries along the trail, definitely a highlight of our visit
*trail info & map*
**c/o Gerd** - a Jokkmokk company focused on producing organic skin/body/hair care products with main active ingredients derived from berries and plants in the region

Sarek National Park can only be accessed by foot and is home to some of the most beautiful multi day hikes in the area. We did not have enough time our the right equipment with us to embark on one of these hikes while we were in Jokkmokk but it is certainly worth returning to experience a few days in the remote arctic mountains of northern Sweden.