Short break family holiday in Sweden
| country: | Sweden |
| location: | Swedish Lapland, Northern Lights |
| departures: | This trip can depart anytime between 10th Dec 2009 and 15th Apr 2010 |
| price: | From £975 (3 days) per adult and £745 per child, including flights from the UK |
| more info: | Price includes: return flights from London Heathrow to Kiruna, return airport transfers, 2 nights warm accommodation, 1 night snow room or 3 nights warm accommodation, breakfast, activities, cold weather clothing, fully qualified wilderness guides and instructors. Choose from our extensive range of activities (additional cost) |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
If the IceHotel ® isn't enough, the fells around Kiruna create some of Sweden's most spectacular scenery. It's no surprise then that they also provide some of the best snowmobile and dog sledding trails in Northern Europe.
Situated 145km north of the Arctic Circle, Kiruna really is a wilderness town. It originally built up around the mining industry but nowadays increased mechanisation means that tourism has become a far more significant employer. It also has some truly unique aspects that you can't experience anywhere else in Lapland such as Europe's biggest Iron Ore mine which you can literally drive into (with a guide obviously!).
In the restaurant you can sample such delicacies as elk meat and smoked reindeer, delicious Arctic char from the surrounding rivers and Shiitake mushrooms grown in the depths of the mine (it has to be seen to be believed!). Cloudberries are also a must try. We can also highly recommend taking home some Swedish chocolate as a souvenir. There are exquisite chocolates produced in Kiruna in wild berry flavours such as cloudberry, bilberry and lingonberry.
Kiruna - The activity programme:
You could spend a lot of time doing all the activities available from Kiruna. If the sheer volume of available trips is confusing please contact our reservations staff who will be delighted to discuss your best options. As ever, many of our staff have visited Kiruna and done the activities so you will get first hand advice rather than information gleaned from a crib sheet.
Here's a brief description of the many activities:
Snowmobile safaris
A truly exhilarating way to experience the winter wilderness. You must be at least 16 years old and possess a full driving licence to drive a snowmobile in Sweden. All of our snowmobile safaris whether 1 or 24 hours long include a full safety briefing and instruction.
The thrill of driving across vast frozen lakes and rivers and then steering your course along the snowy forest trails is something you just have to experience. The fell landscapes and wilderness that surround Kiruna make this a snowmobiling paradise.
Husky safaris
An absolute must do when visiting Lapland. The dog's excitement for the trail is infectious and as the animals fall silent on the trail you will realise that this is the only way to experience Lapland. All our husky safaris in Kiruna include full instruction and are based on two people sharing a sled unless otherwise stated.
Kiruna offers possibly the most diverse range of husky safaris anywhere in Scandinavia. You can do just about anything including searching for the Northern Lights, overnight safaris staying in a wilderness cabin and a weekend safari on full board.
Sami & reindeer experiences
Sami culture and reindeer herding go hand in hand and are a huge part of Lapland. It takes a hardy soul to herd reindeer in sub-zero Arctic temperatures but Sami have lived this way for centuries driving their herds between their winter and summer camps.
The Sami way of life is changing but they retain a strong sense of tradition which they are more than happy to share with visitors. The opportunity to meet the people and learn about the reindeer should not be missed. You can choose either a lunch or dinner experience, both lasting approximately 3.5hrs.
Snowshoeing
The importance of snowshoes becomes obvious when you try and take a walk through the countryside of Lapland without them and end up digging yourself out of waist deep snow! Trekking with the snowshoes on is immensely enjoyable (and much easier!).
With them, it is the perfect way to experience deeper areas of the forest. Snowshoes also allow you to move amongst the trees very quietly enhancing the possibility of spotting the local wildlife. We would only recommend the longer snowshoe safari if you have a good level of fitness.
Cross country skiing
Children in Scandinavia can ski as soon as they can walk - gliding along the glistening trails is a truly authentic way to explore the snowy landscape.
ICEHOTEL ®, Northern Lights
This is the original and possibly the best ICEHOTEL® in the world. Since 1990 the ICEHOTEL® has been constructed using the pure ice from the Torne River on which it is built. A trip to this part of Swedish Lapland is not complete without, at very least, a tour of this remarkable spectacle.
You will be transferred to the ICEHOTEL®, given a guided introduction and tour of the building and then will have plenty of time to explore on your own. Alternatively, why not arrive in real style by snowmobile?
For a genuinely unique experience, we can also arrange for you to spend a night in an ice room or suite – surprisingly cosy at -5ºC!
The ICEHOTEL® is immensely popular and we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.
Situated 145km north of the Arctic Circle, Kiruna really is a wilderness town. It originally built up around the mining industry but nowadays increased mechanisation means that tourism has become a far more significant employer. It also has some truly unique aspects that you can't experience anywhere else in Lapland such as Europe's biggest Iron Ore mine which you can literally drive into (with a guide obviously!).
In the restaurant you can sample such delicacies as elk meat and smoked reindeer, delicious Arctic char from the surrounding rivers and Shiitake mushrooms grown in the depths of the mine (it has to be seen to be believed!). Cloudberries are also a must try. We can also highly recommend taking home some Swedish chocolate as a souvenir. There are exquisite chocolates produced in Kiruna in wild berry flavours such as cloudberry, bilberry and lingonberry.
activities
Our tailor-made programmes allow you to design your own holiday. Simply decide when you want to travel and for how long then match your stay to the activities available below. Kiruna - The activity programme: You could spend a lot of time doing all the activities available from Kiruna. If the sheer volume of available trips is confusing please contact our reservations staff who will be delighted to discuss your best options. As ever, many of our staff have visited Kiruna and done the activities so you will get first hand advice rather than information gleaned from a crib sheet.
Here's a brief description of the many activities:
Snowmobile safaris
A truly exhilarating way to experience the winter wilderness. You must be at least 16 years old and possess a full driving licence to drive a snowmobile in Sweden. All of our snowmobile safaris whether 1 or 24 hours long include a full safety briefing and instruction.
The thrill of driving across vast frozen lakes and rivers and then steering your course along the snowy forest trails is something you just have to experience. The fell landscapes and wilderness that surround Kiruna make this a snowmobiling paradise.
Husky safaris
An absolute must do when visiting Lapland. The dog's excitement for the trail is infectious and as the animals fall silent on the trail you will realise that this is the only way to experience Lapland. All our husky safaris in Kiruna include full instruction and are based on two people sharing a sled unless otherwise stated.
Kiruna offers possibly the most diverse range of husky safaris anywhere in Scandinavia. You can do just about anything including searching for the Northern Lights, overnight safaris staying in a wilderness cabin and a weekend safari on full board.
Sami & reindeer experiences
Sami culture and reindeer herding go hand in hand and are a huge part of Lapland. It takes a hardy soul to herd reindeer in sub-zero Arctic temperatures but Sami have lived this way for centuries driving their herds between their winter and summer camps.
The Sami way of life is changing but they retain a strong sense of tradition which they are more than happy to share with visitors. The opportunity to meet the people and learn about the reindeer should not be missed. You can choose either a lunch or dinner experience, both lasting approximately 3.5hrs.
Snowshoeing
The importance of snowshoes becomes obvious when you try and take a walk through the countryside of Lapland without them and end up digging yourself out of waist deep snow! Trekking with the snowshoes on is immensely enjoyable (and much easier!).
With them, it is the perfect way to experience deeper areas of the forest. Snowshoes also allow you to move amongst the trees very quietly enhancing the possibility of spotting the local wildlife. We would only recommend the longer snowshoe safari if you have a good level of fitness.
Cross country skiing
Children in Scandinavia can ski as soon as they can walk - gliding along the glistening trails is a truly authentic way to explore the snowy landscape.
ICEHOTEL ®, Northern Lights
This is the original and possibly the best ICEHOTEL® in the world. Since 1990 the ICEHOTEL® has been constructed using the pure ice from the Torne River on which it is built. A trip to this part of Swedish Lapland is not complete without, at very least, a tour of this remarkable spectacle.
You will be transferred to the ICEHOTEL®, given a guided introduction and tour of the building and then will have plenty of time to explore on your own. Alternatively, why not arrive in real style by snowmobile?
For a genuinely unique experience, we can also arrange for you to spend a night in an ice room or suite – surprisingly cosy at -5ºC!
The ICEHOTEL® is immensely popular and we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Community
Tourism in Swedish Lapland has become the main source of employment and income, replacing traditional industries such as forestry and mining. Working within this growth industry in rural and remote areas means that we must take a great deal of responsibility; socially, environmentally and economically. We fully appreciate the impact of tourist visits on local communities and their residents and strive to ensure that we are having a positive effect. We always encourage our clients to respect and embrace the lives and cultures of local inhabitants by learning a few important words: hello, goodbye, please, thank you etc. We also include activities with a cultural base, such as visiting traditional Sami reindeer herders and learning about the realities of their lives. In addition, we always encourage our clients to get involved in local events and activities which help to sustain traditional values and customs. In all of our destinations we ensure that we use locally owned accommodation, transport and activity providers, enabling locally owned businesses and the economies in which they work to benefit directly. Through the tourism multiplier effect, this all helps to generate incomes and employment where the drift might otherwise be towards larger employment areas. With the loss of jobs from the increasingly mechanized Iron Ore mine that formed the basis for Kiruna’s previous growth, diversifying into tourism has been a lifeline to the local inhabitants and economy. In a small and remote town such as Kiruna further drops in employment would be devastating. The use of locally owned businesses means that the tourism income, generated by our presence stays where it should, in the local economy and firmly believe in paying a fair price for all the services provided by our suppliers regardless of where they are in the world. Our accommodation is based at a Scandic hotel and whilst Scandic are a larger chain of hotels they provide vital employment throughout Lapland and have one of the most comprehensive environmental, social and economic responsibility policies of any hotel chain in the world. Environment Our holidays rely on visiting beautiful and un-spoilt areas. Naturally we wish to maintain the natural settings in which we work, not just for the future of our company, but also for future generations. We always insist that our local providers are equally conscious of this need. We do appreciate that some may feel that snowmobiles should not be included in such itineraries however in areas such as Kiruna they are a way of life. They are the only means of keeping in contact with remote communities as the road infrastructure is not extensive. The alternatives to snowmobiles would in most cases be large, gas-guzzling off road vehicles. All snowmobiles are regularly serviced and kept as fuel efficient as possible and our activity providers are using more efficient 4-stroke engines and all snowmobile trails are well managed. The snowmobile service industry is also another vital source of employment in these remote areas. We always ensure that all litter is removed from any of our activity sites, we strongly encourage group transfers to reduce traffic volumes and we make our clients aware of their obligation to the environment. We always offset our air travel emissions and would encourage you to do the same. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |