KUNGSLEDEN EXPEDITION
Kungsleden, or "The King's Trail," is a renowned long-distance hiking route in northern Sweden. Stretching approximately 440 kilometres from Abisko in the north to Hemavan in the south, it traverses some of Sweden's most stunning and varied landscapes, including alpine terrain, lush valleys, and dense forests.
Our expedition which covers the northern half, from Abisko to Kvikkjokk (220km) is particularly famous for its dramatic scenery, featuring majestic mountains and pristine lakes. Kungsleden offers a unique wilderness experience, perfect for both summer hiking, and for us, 10 days of skiing, winter camping and taking it all in.
Travelling from Abisko to Kvikkjokk on skis is a fantastic journey, and one we are happy to accompany you on. I have spent many years guiding and preparing expedition groups on the Kungsleden, and I am delighted to offer you the chance to participate on this expedition. I skied the whole route In 2017 and we will follow my route as we journey south to Kvikkjokk. The Kungsleden remains my favourite expedition to date. - Scott
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Sunday 23 Feb - 7 March 2025
Scheduled Start 0900hrs
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Our meeting place is conveniently situated at our starting point. STF Abisko Turiststation.
Address:
STF Abisko Turiststation
981 07 Abisko
GPS-coordinates
N68.358392026314°, E18.783634440475°
Contact:
+46 101902400 abisko@stfturist.se
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35.000NOK (Thirty five thousand Norwegian Krone, pp)
Cost does not include your travel, food, accommodation or personal insurance.
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Max. 8 people
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Participants must confirm their participation by 15 December 2024.
This will be a challenging trip but so much more. This expedition offers you the opportunity to experience, learn and appreciate this stunning environment. This truly is one of the most spectacular ski expeditions you can find.
Our aims are simple: ski from Abisko to Kvikkjokk in 10 days (whilst thoroughly enjoying ourselves). The route is approximately 220km, which should equate to 8-12hrs of skiing per day dependent on the conditions and the terrain. This time of year it is relatively quiet on the trail and whilst we may see others, expect that we will be doing a lot of the challenging work breaking trail in sections. We will be transporting all of our supplies and camping equipment with us in our pulks (sleds) and our aim is to be as self-sufficient as possible. That means winter camping, creating a greater connection to the environment and a greater appreciation for the conditions we experience.
For safety the route is supported by a network of cabins provided by the STF, so if the weather does take a turn for the worse (or we suffer some catastrophic failure) we are able to reach points of safety.
The northern half of the Kungsleden is flanked by Sweden’s largest mountains and for us begins at Abisko. The relative comforts of Abisko STF are quite the contrast to the adventures ahead, but the comforts should be enjoyed before we take to the trail. Prior to our departure we shall spend around 2 days outfitting and prepping equipment, it is also useful acclimatisation - as the change in temperature can be quite a shock.
In 2017 I experienced temperatures close to -40c, I had already skied over 200kms that season and this time was very beneficial, so some acclimatisation time is important.
We will maintain a steady expedition pace on the trip in the region of 4-5kmh whilst moving. This may not appear to be fast, but whilst pulling a pulk in the cold, you will feel the work and sometimes you might even welcome a break! Breaks will be every 1-2hrs dependent on how we feel.
Expeditions in the Arctic are susceptible to both human and environmental factors. As a group we need to look after each other and maintain good personal discipline from our personal hygiene to how we interact with each other. From an environmental perspective this area is prone to extreme cold, winter storms (including hurricane strength winds) and the effects of local weather systems. The temperatures can swing wildly from -30c to +3c causing unstable weather which can make onward travel a challenge.
As we are in the Arctic/ sub-Arctic we should be able to witness the northern lights in some pretty spectacular surroundings. So we will have to keep looking toward the sky at night in hope of catching a glimpse.*
*We can’t guarantee Northern Lights of course but it’s a great time to see them and if the skies are clear….
An overview of your expedition.
Expedition Schedule
The total outbound journey time from the UK is approximately 8-9hrs from the scheduled departure of your first flight and arriving in Abisko. Which may require travelling a day in advance of our scheduled start.
Our scheduled meeting time is 0900hrs on Sunday 23 Feb 2025.
You will need to book your accommodation in Abisko and Kvikkjokk in advance. You will need to arrange a minimum 2 nights accommodation in Abisko for 23-25 February and 1 night in Kvikkjokk on 6 March. Ensure you have appropriate accommodation arrangements in place for when you arrive and depart.
See the travel section at the bottom of the page on how to get to Abisko and arranging your accommodation.
A note on guiding…
As part of a restriction on the definition of a guide, we are not allowed to involve ourselves directly with the booking of any pre-arranged travel or accommodation. As far as we are concerned this is part of the experience, and will also afford you the opportunity to experience the travel component as you see fit. If you wish you can extend your time in Sweden or visit the neighbouring countries beyond our time together.
You are also responsible for arranging your own food and any insurances, which we can discuss in greater detail at an appropriate time.
Arrival
Meet up in Abisko at agreed the agreed time. We’ll have a coffee and have a group chat, get to know each other. Hopefully, everyone will already be checked in and their accommodation sorted. We will then distribute group equipment and do some outfitting.
Weather permitting we shall ski on the lake and test out some of our equipment, make adjustments etc. There will also be a demonstration with the tents, so you are familiar with the model we use.
Check over the route, our schedule and ensure we all have accurate route information from GPX files to traditional maps.
Demo on pulk packing and how to safely transport your equipment.
Day 1
A large proportion of this day will be used to prepare for our adventure, ensuring we have all of the equipment we need, that it is in good order and that we have enough supplies. It is important that we are packed and ready to go for our scheduled start time the following day.
We will break the day up with outside time to help acclimatise you to the cold, as this is important. We are closely situated to the Kungsleden and Torneträsk, Scandinavia’s largest mountain lake, so we have easily accessible areas to test all of our equipment.
Any other equipment demonstrations or additional testing can be done today.
Day 2
Day 3-12 (25 Feb - 6 March)
Expedition starts at 0800.
Our intention is to cover approximately 25km per day which represents somewhere between 10-12hrs of skiing with the pulks, including short breaks every 1-2hrs.
Our pace is designed to avoid injuries and we can make steady progress along the trail.
Some days we may wish to continue skiing a little longer if we experience excellent conditions. This allows us to bank some additional distance in anticipation of more challenging conditions.
We shall aim to be in Kvikkjokk on the afternoon of 6 March and complete our journey back to Kiruna on 7 March.
It is important to remember that we start above the Arctic Circle in a mountainous environment in winter, so it goes without saying that our progress and position may be affected by the weather!
Expedition Equipment
What do I need to bring?
What is required and what is loaned. Remember that we state the minimum quantity of what you should bring, bring more if you wish.
What equipment is provided as part of the experience?
To save you the hassle of carrying all of these items, we will loan you most of the large or specialised equipment you need for the duration of your experience.
Tent & Sleeping Equipment
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Tent (shared either in groups of 2 or 3), shovel, snow pegs
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Sleeping Bag (sufficiently rated, expedition quality)
1 x Sleeping Mat (Per Person)
Ski Equipment & Pulk
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Skis, skins and ski poles. Boots are also provided and due to the anticipated cold will be provided 2 EU sizes above your regular shoe size.
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Your pulk (sled) will be appropriately sized to store all of the necessary equipment for the expedition safely.
Also supplied is your harness and the trace.
Stoves & Fuel
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If a stove is required the supplied equipment will either be a winter gas or liquid fuel stove, dependent on your ability and competence
The stove is supplied with a stove board, pot and correct fuel.
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The fuel supplied will either be winter gas or a petroleum based liquid fuel such as 4-stroke.
Travelling to Abisko/ The Journey Home
Travelling to this area of Northern Sweden is relatively easy. An example of your journey will be something like:
Fly from your origin country to Kiruna (KRN) via Stockholm Arlanda (ARN)
Take a short taxi to Kiruna Train Station or arrange an Arrival Transfer to any of the hotels in Abisko with Visit Abisko (easiest)
There is a train station directly opposite Abisko STF.
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The train takes approximately 1h34m from Kiruna Station to Abisko Turiststation. You can check scheduling information for local trains and buses on vy.se.
If you wish to book an Arrival Transfer direct to Abisko STF please check visitabisko.com.
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The recommended accommodation for the start of the expedition is STF Abisko Turiststation and can be booked directly.
Our final accommodation is STF Kvikkjokk Mountain Station, this can also be booked directly.
Advice on which dates to book will be provided.
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For ease we shall fly in/ out of Kiruna Airport. The return journey from Kvikkjokk to Kiruna takes approximately 5hrs by car. The price per person is approximately 1000 SEK.