Why Abisko?
Lush green forests, grand mountainscapes, and some of the best aurora displays you’ll ever encounter - Abisko National Park is simply exceptional. It is known as the most reliable place to see intense or prolonged northern lights.
The thing about seeing the Northern lights in Scandinavia is that the lights will be roaring overhead very often, but clouds will get in the way. The geomagnetic activity that creates the bands of the aurora are way above the cloud cover, and therefore if there are clouds in the sky on the night you’re trying to see the Northern lights you’re unlikely to have victory.
Abisko, has a microclimate that’s been blessed with clearer weather than other places in the Arctic, thanks to the so-called “Blue Hole” effect that the lake and surrounding mountains have. That’s why Northern lights spotting is one of the top things to do in Abisko in winter.
While I’m sure Abisko is a beautiful place to visit at any time of year, it truly shines in winter. I visited in early-March and found the weather to be perfect: the days were getting longer, but the nights were early and dark. So, I got to see the Northern lights whirling overhead literally every night.
When to go?
The Northern Lights season is between September to early April and we went at the end of February. The daylight in Abisko during this time is very limited. Keep in mind that the Northern lights are a natural phenomenon, so it is never guaranteed that you will get to witness the lights. Make sure you increase your chances by giving yourself more than one night to chase the lights.
How to get there?
By train
From Stockholm, it is possible to take a train to Abisko/Kiruna with Vy. The trip lasts about 15 hours. It might seem long-drawn, but it’s worth it! You can download the SJ app to check the timetables and book your tickets online. There are very limited trains so make sure you book your tickets in advance.
The landscapes are amazing and a great opportunity to play some board games :)
By plane
Flying from Stockholm is sometimes cheaper and always faster of course (1.5 hours). The airport is 15 minutes away from the Kiruna city center. However, you’ll need to take a train for 1 hour to get to Abisko. You can use the SJ app to book the train.
Where to stay?
In Abisko, you'll find everything from private cabins to dorms, budget hostels, and hotels. Be sure to check availability for your specific dates because some of the hostels might be closed during severe winter.
My friend (Katha Desai) suggested Abisko guesthouse and we enjoyed our stay. They offer dog/husky sledding, snow Mobil, Northern lights tour, ice fishing, and lots of other tours and activities, but the best part is the location. If you are lucky enough, you can see the mystical northern lights right from the cafe while you are sipping your coffee :P
Where to eat in Abisko?
Eating in Abisko can be a bit challenging, as there are very few restaurants in town. There is one supermarket right around the corner of the Absiko guest house. The best part of the guest house is that it had a fully equipped kitchen, so we were able to cook our own food.
What to bring?
Abisko is in the Arctic Circle and you are going to experience terribly cold nights. The most significant thing is keeping your feet, hands, and head warm. Bring thick winter boots, or rent from your hostel/hotel (The majority of hotels will provide you clothing free of charge) Here is a list of what to bring:
• Snow Boots
• Long wool socks (2 pairs even better)
• Thermals
• Wool shirts for layering
• Hiking pants
• Ski pants/jacket for outer layers
• Warm hat
• Face mask
• Gloves (best for thin gloves and a 2nd pair of thick gloves over these)
Camera Gear
• Tripod
• DSLR camera
• Extra camera batteries
The Most Magical Things to do in Abisko
1) Go Northern lights spotting
We stayed for two nights and saw them every night of our stay to some degree or another, the most spectacular show was on the first night itself (Lucky us!).
We had already booked our northern lights tour from Abisko Guesthouse with an amazing instructor Daniel. The great thing about doing a Northern lights tour is that your guides will do their best to find cloud-free skies and take you to places where you can get better photos.
Alternately, you can hope for luck with the lights – it worked for us one night out of two, and maybe it’ll work for you too, and it won’t cost you a cent.
Some points to remember while planning your Aurora trip
• The aurora is generally not as vivid and green as you see in the photos. That’s not photoshop, but rather a trick of long exposure, as the camera (iPhone) can take in light for seconds at a time where your eye can only take in light on, well, the speed of light, creating a much different effect. While you’ll notice colors moving across the sky, expect paler colors with your naked eye and much more vividness on camera. Don't be disappointed, that's how it is supposed to look with your naked eye.
• No matter what you do, you’re at the mercy of the weather, and no amount of planning or preparation can guarantee you have seen the lights. So make sure you have 1 or 2 days spare.
2) Go Dog sledding and snuggle some husky pups
While seeing the Northern lights was incredible, it wasn’t my favorite of all the things to do. That credit goes to the incredible dog sledding trip I took with SnowDog.se in Kiruna. Me and my happy team of pups!
Dog-sledding is so much more interesting and more difficult than you’d imagine. I pictured a leisurely ride through the snow, but that was not the case at all. We opted for the drive the dogsled option where you have to steer, brake, and help your dogs up the hills in the snow. It was one hell of a drill and an incredibly thrilling experience. Working as a team with your dogs, looking out on the vast arctic landscape was truly a life-changing experience and the best money I spent on my trip.
The dogs live in great conditions and are given tons of love and rest time, as there’s only one two-hour run per day. Their personalities are known and respected; for example, the staff knows exactly which dogs to pair up based on their personalities, and they also know what order to place the dog sled teams. They get so excited as they’re being tied up that they start howling with joy!
If you can handle it, this is my number one thing to do in Abisko, so I recommend booking it in advance so that you don't miss it.
3) Visit the incredible ICEHOTEL
One of the most famous places in Sweden, a visit to the famous ICEHOTEL is likely one of the top things to do while in Abisko.
Getting there from Abisko can be a little tricky as it’s closer to Kiruna than Abisko. There is no direct public transportation to the ICEHOTEL from Abisko, so you would have to transit via Kiruna. We took a direct bus from Kiruna to the ice hotel
The ICEHOTEL is an incredible effort of engineering, which also includes an art exhibition. The original ICEHOTEL was created in 1989 and the ice structure is completely remade each year. Keep in mind that the winter ICEHOTEL is constructed at the start of winter each year, so if you visit before the middle of December, it’s not likely to be finished. It takes a team of 40 artists each year, several weeks – not to mention months of planning – to create the ICEHOTEL completely from scratch each year, which is truly incredible.
They have also created a whole new hotel: a permanent structure with ice rooms, so if the seasonal ICEHOTEL is not yet open, however, you can check out the ICEHOTEL 365 which is open all year round. This structure has luxury suites you can stay in, and if no one is in the rooms you can peep inside. Even better, it also has an ice bar serving up chilled drinks to visitors and day-trippers, and there’s also an ice gallery you can visit no matter the time of year.
4) Explore the unique town of Kiruna
Kiruna is an easy day trip from Abisko, you can explore the city in a day. There’s quite a lot to see in this charming Arctic city, so let me break down a few of my favorite sights.
First, you can’t miss the wooden church of Kiruna – one of the largest wooden structures in all of Sweden! The church is unique for having a Gothic Revival style with an Art Nouveau interior and is more than 100 years old.
The town center is quite attractive, and there’s lots of great shopping. I loved popping into the local design shop, which had some great textiles, text art, and other unique souvenirs.
Don’t miss lunch at the Stejk street food which offers some delicious reindeer and moose hamburgers.
I hope you enjoyed reading this and Happy Northern Lights hunting!