Swedish Winter Adventure: Luleå & Stockholm - 5 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Luleå, Hot Tub & Sauna Experience

Welcome to Luleå! This small coastal city is located just below the Arctic Circle on the Gulf of Bothnia in Sweden's northern Lappland region (or Sápmi to the region's Indigenous Sámi people). A charming university town brimming with history, it's also a perfect base for excursions into the wild north, particularly for dogsledding, snowshoe hiking, and hunting for the northern lights. Upon arrival at the airport, a driver will be waiting to take you to your hotel.

After settling in, get ready to live like the locals as you head to Mörön, located 18 miles (30 km) outside Luleå, where an outdoor hot tub and sauna experience awaits. Experience a warm bath in a wood-burning hot tub, an invigorating dip in an ice tub, and a relaxing sauna session. Surrounded by snow and ice, you'll feel immersed in the Nordic landscape and may even have the chance to see the northern lights dancing in the sky. After your soak and sauna, enjoy snacks and drinks at the bar before returning to your hotel in Luleå for the evening.

Day 2: Nordic Winter Skills, Aurora Hideaway Dinner

Bundle up warm today and don your snowshoes for a three-hour trek into the forests near Luleå. As you you explore the silent, snow-covered wilderness, your guide will teach you the skills needed to traverse this Arctic terrain and share fascinating facts about the forest's wildlife and ecosystem. Stop for a break and learn how to build a fire in the snow, then enjoy a hot drink as you hear stories about life in Swedish Lappland. The trek continues until lunchtime when you'll head to a traditional Sámi lavvú (tent) and help prepare a traditional lunch. Cozy up with reindeer pelts and enjoy a memorable meal around the fire.

After your Nordic winter skills tour, you have some free time to continue with more outdoor adventures—taking a walk on the frozen sea, trying out some cross-country skiing, or meeting and feeding some local reindeer. This evening, a driver will be waiting to whisk you off by snowmobile sled to Aurora Hideaway, where you'll have drinks and dine by a roaring fire. While your guide prepares the main course, you can go outside, take a short snowshoe walk, look for the northern lights, or enjoy the absolute silence and the stars in the sky. 

Day 3: Dogsled Ride, Northern Lights Snowshoe Walk

Get ready for a memorable morning with some adorable four-legged friends as you suit up for a dogsledding trip through the beautiful winter landscapes outside Luleå. After meeting the dogs and a quick safety briefing, you and a partner will learn to take the reins of the husky team and set off along a scenic forest and lake trail. As you make stops to experience the most stunning areas of the course, you'll hear about the life of a husky musher in the frozen north, learn more about the dogs, and gain insight into the fantastic Arctic nature around you.

This evening, you'll head back into the forests of Lappland to learn about the local wildlife and, if you're lucky, spot the northern lights. As you walk in snowshoes through the woods, an experienced guide will tell you about the environment. Learn the science behind the aurora borealis, including its possible colors, frequency, and tips on photographing it. You'll even learn to light a fire in the snow and recognize constellations and wildlife tracks. Enjoy coffee, tea, and local cake by the fire, or opt to have dinner prepared outdoors by your guide as you sit on reindeer furs under the stars. 

Day 4: Fly to Stockholm, Evening Wildlife Safari

Say your goodbyes to the Arctic this morning as you catch a flight south to Stockholm. Spread across an archipelago of 14 islands stretching over Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea, the Swedish capital is often touted as the "Venice of the North." After a transfer to your hotel, you'll have some free time to explore the city on your own. Hop on a ferry to discover various districts, from laid-back Södermalm to the vibrant Norrmalm and the cobbled streets and colorful buildings of Gamla Stan (Old Town). If sightseeing gets too chilly, pop into the Art Nouveau palace of Centralbadet, now a spa center where you can enjoy Roman baths and saunas.

Later in the afternoon, you'll trade the city for the countryside as a guide collects you in a comfortable minivan, and you set off into the wildlife-rich forests and landscapes surrounding Stockholm. On this four-hour sunset tour, you'll keep an eye out for native creatures like elk, deer, wild boar, hares, and colorful bird species. Learn about Sweden's natural habitats and the animals that call them home, then take a 15-minute hike through the forest for up-close views of the wildlife. As the sun sets, the chances of coming upon these creatures increase, as they are most active at the beginning and end of the day. 

Day 5: Museum Visits, Depart Stockholm

Your Swedish winter adventure draws to a close today. Spend the morning at your leisure—perhaps enjoying the cozy ritual of fika (coffee and cakes) or visiting one of the city's world-class museums.

The National Museum has an extensive collection of paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts spanning over 700 years of Swedish history, while the Nobel Museum is dedicated to the Nobel Prize and its founder. For some lighthearted fun, head to the ABBA Museum for an immersive and interactive look at costumes, instruments, and other memorabilia from the band's career—you can even record your own version of ABBA's greatest hits in the recording studio. In the afternoon, a driver will be waiting to take you to the airport to catch your departing flight. Safe travels!