Classic Northern Lights Short Breaks

Top of our list for a high impact northern lights short break is the delightful 7 bedroom Máttaráhkká Northern Lights Lodge. This lodge based 5 kilometres outside Kiruna, the main tourist destination in Swedish Lapland, sits on a promontory looking north east towards the Abisko alps. Converted around 7 years ago from a Sami culture centre into a small ‘ home away from home’ lodge it is run by our long standing partner Andreas Mikko.

This is the perfect place to base yourself for a high impact northern lights short holiday or weekend break.

We have two action packed breaks here that amalgamate all the typical Arctic experiences you would expect.

Firstly the ever popular northern lights special break is an exhilarating 3 night break. This is designed to offer amazing value but is limited to a Wednesday departure. During your 3 nights experience snowmobiling with Andreas Mikko, Huskies with Ylva Forsen and a range of northern lights focused experiences at the lodge.

Snowmobiling starts at the entrance to the lodge and soon winds its way through pristine tracks leading to one of the main vantage points where you can survey miles and miles of unspoilt wilderness towards Mount Kebnakaise, Sweden’s tallest Mountain. On a longer tour you can head out to one of Mikko’s secret lakes to try your hand at Ice Fishing for Arctic Char, the local river fish and fine delicacy.

We have a long partnership with Ylva Forsen who looks after all our clients in Kiruna on husky tours. From her small kennel deep in the Kalix river valley she runs wonderful drive your own husky experiences in an area famed for moose sightings in winter and with an absence of people!

The Original ICEHOTEL is situated around a 20 minute drive from Máttaráhkká Northern Lights Lodge and your trip will include a visit to marvel at the construction of this unique structure, its famed art suites, Ice Bar and Chapel. For the intrepid your stay can be extended to include a night’s stay.

Once night time comes attention moves away from the snow and gravitates towards the northern horizon. This is aurora time and the team at the lodge are keen for you to see the northern lights if possible. Two nights are dedicated to this – one at the lodge and one out on snowmobiles.

If you are able to extend your break by an extra day consider our 4 night Complete Arctic experience break. This offers more flex on days of the week you can travel and also fits in the 3^rd must do activity on a Northern Lights short break and that’s a meeting with a Sami family and reindeer. Our partner Hakan Enoksson is a local reindeer herder who in the winter months when the reindeer are in corral offers guests a glimpse into his life. The day includes a reindeer sled ride and lunch in a tepee.

Another popular destination for people wanting to get away for a short break in Swedish Lapland but focus totally on trying to see the northern lights is our Aurora Pick n Mix break based in the northern lights capital of Abisko. The Adventure Tour Company opened up Abisko to the international Northern Lights holiday market. Whilst many of our holidays to see the Aurora Borealis touch base in Abisko this 3 night break allows you to totally design your own perfect break to this stunning location. From snowmobile and sled dog safaris to spending time at the famed Aurora sky station in Abisko or out with a professional photographer on a northern lights photo hunt you have all the options for a truly high impact and memorable northern lights break.

There are certain times of the year when getting away for a refreshing short break is a must. New Year and the February half term holidays are popular times to travel to Swedish Lapland in search of the northern lights.

At New Year we have a fabulous Traditional New Year celebration at  Máttaráhkká Northern Lights Lodge. Besides including the standard husky, snowmobile and Ice Hotel tours it offers a New Year dinner themed around traditional ingredients and a visit to a Sami homestead.

February half term is one of the only times that families can get away to experience a northern lights holiday together and we have constructed a break based at one of the cabins at the excellent Camp Ripan in Kiruna.  Fabulous sled dog, reindeer and Snowmobile day time activities are combined with visits to the ICEHOTEL and use of the fantastic Spa at Camp Ripan.

For those interested in a city break type northern lights holiday we offer a great value break based in Lulea situated on the edge of the Bay of Bothnia in the Eastern part of Swedish Lapland and very much the emerging Northern lights holiday destination.

Take a look at our weekend aurora break to the Lulea Archipelago which offers the opportunity of staying in an excellent 4 star hotel with access to the bars and restaurants with day trips out into the surrounding wilderness to do drive your own husky tours or snowmobile adventure.

On this break you also have the option of extending your stay to stay in the Iconic Tree Hotel run by our good friends Kent and Britta Lindvall.

Swedish Lapland has infinite possibilities for a high impact northern lights short break.