Taste of the Arctic

Tour Itinerary

Day 1:  Welcome to your slow travel gourmet retreat

Upon arrival transfer to your cabin where your host welcomes you and shows you to your accommodation. Maybe take a relaxing sauna bath before dinner.

Observe the master at work  while watching your host prepare a gourmet dinner in the tiniest of restaurants with the cosiest ambience. After dinner walk a few steps back to your cabin and keep your eyes peeled on the northern sky for the Aurora Borealis. You can also enjoy the view of the starry sky through the floor to ceiling window in your cabin. Your host is a keen photographer as well and can help you get the best photos of the Northern Lights should they appear.

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Day 2: Mindful husky dog experience

After breakfast your activity guide will pick you up for a transfer to the dog kennel which is located about 40 minutes from Kiruna. Your drive takes you along the beautiful Kalix River, which is one of the largest river systems in Europe that has not been harnessed for hydroelectric purposes. On clear days you can also see the beautiful mountain range that is home to Sweden’s tallest mountain, Kebnekaise. The chances to see moose are high as well as we pass through their winter grazing land.

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Upon arrival at the kennel you are fitted into warm winter outfits. After safety and driving instructions - in which you are also taught how to best interact with our dogs - we head out over the frozen swamps and river and through the mountain forests. Two people in a team take turns in driving and sitting on the sled.  Each driver gets to drive about 45 minutes. During the time on the sled you will work as a team with your dogs and the longer you run the more confident you will get.

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After the sled ride we gather in our special mindfulness tipi and you will learn about the benefits of the 'Trust Technique'.  You will learn the basics of how to build a relationship with your dog with the help of your own presence and calmness. You will also learn how to give your dogs a well-deserved massage after the tour.

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During this experience you will help the dogs relax - both mentally and physically. You will also help the dogs to feel safe around strangers. You will get insights into techniques of mindfulness and massage which might inspire you to use these techniques on your own dogs in the future. By applying techniques of mindfulness with the dogs, you will still your own mind, too. This will make you feel calm and relaxed. You will also learn more about animal welfare and why it is important. 

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After this session we enjoy a warming vegetarian soup around our kitchen table or around the fire in the wooden tipi. Return transfer back to your accommodation. Total duration of the tour 6.5 hours.

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Some time for a warming sauna or spa bath before enjoying another gourmet dinner.

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Day 3: Scenic snowmobile safari with wildlife spotting

After breakfast your guide will pick you up from your accommodation by car and drive you to the starting point of your snowmobile tour. You will receive thermal outfits to keep you warm during the tour.

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Our tour takes us through the mountain forests which are winter grazing lands for Moose, so keep scanning your environment as you just might  spot the King of the Forest between the trees. You might also see Capercaillie, one of Sweden's largest birds - the male can have a wingspan of 125 cm and weigh up to 5 kg. Also know as Wood Grouse it is a member of the grouse family and well known for its mating display.

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Our trail meanders from the forest floor higher up to the mountains. The trees are getting fewer and smaller. When we pass the tree line an amazing view over the mountain tops opens up in front of us. We have now reached the grazing lands of the reindeer. 

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Originally hunters and gatherers, the Sámi turned to herding of domesticated reindeer in the 17th century. Reindeer naturally move across huge tracks of land to graze, and the Sámi historically lived following the herds. In traditional herding, reindeer were used for food, clothing, trade (reindeer as a form of money), and for labor. 

The modern norm is to have a permanent home and a cabin in the mountains for the herding season. And those who remain in the business have long since replaced the skis with snowmobiles, AWD vehicles and helicopters. Some 10% of Swedish Sámi earn a living from the reindeer industry today, and many supplement their income through tourism, fishing, crafts and other trades.

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Sámi country – known as Sápmi – stretches across the northern parts of Sweden, Norway and Finland, and Russia’s Kola Peninsula. The original settlement was even larger, but the Sami were gradually forced to give up land, first to farmers starting in the 1650s and later to industries such as forestry and mining. There is no census for the Sami, but the population is estimated at around 80,000 people, spread over four countries with at least 20,000 in Sweden, 50,000 in Norway, 8,000 in Finland and 2,000 in Russia. The Sámi are one of the world's indigenous people and one of Sweden's official national minorities. The minority status means – in short – that they have special rights and that their culture, traditions and languages are protected by law.

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Our Sámi guide tells us about their history, the daily life of the modern reindeer herder and threats that face these Arctic indigenous peoples. 

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We continue our tour along the Arctic tundra and if we are lucky we might find traces of both Wolverine and Lynx. These  big predators are timid, but the tracks in the snow can tell us about their night time hunting activities. If we are lucky we might also see a glimpse of the Hare in its white overcoat.

After a great day in the wilds, our day ends with a late lunch with some typical Sámi dishes of the season while while we watch the polar twilight slowly descend over the mountains. After lunch your are driven back to your accommodation. Total duration of the tour 5.5 hours.

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Enjoy your last night with a relaxing sauna followed by another 4 course culinary exploration.

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Day 4: Departure

After breakfast departure transfer.

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