Based in two small ‘home away from home’ lodges, this "Best of Both Aurora Chase" break is an action-packed adventure in scenic Swedish Lapland with Northern Lights experiences included.
Combine the exclusive, intimate Máttaráhkká Northern Lights Lodge with the Abisko Mountain Lodge and get the best of both with this Aurora Chase holiday. Both properties are perfectly placed for Northern Lights sightings and enjoying winter activities in the stunning surroundings.
Location
Sweden
Duration
4 Nights
Available dates
Dec - Mar
Price per person (excl. flights)
from £2,000
Overview
Highlights
- 4 nights in two small lodges offering ‘home away from home’ hospitality
- Evening Northern Lights photo experience in Abisko National park
- Minivan aurora chase in the best viewing spots after a dinner in a teepee
- Snowmobile Northern Lights hunt
- Explore Abisko with a morning hike
What’s included
- 4 nights in cosy lodge accommodation
- Northern Lights Aurora Photography Tour
- Northern Lights snowmobile chase and daytime snowmobiling
- Morning hike in Abisko
- Transfers and guides
- All meals
- Arctic warm weather clothing provided
A note on flights
While flights are not included in the holiday price, our team will happily provide a quote and arrange them for you. Simply ask one of our Travel Experts for details of the available options.
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1
Northern Lights Lodge
Fly to Swedish Lapland where on arrival you will be transferred to the exclusive Máttaráhkká Northern Lights Lodge, run by Andreas Mikko. This wonderful Lodge is situated with far-reaching views towards the Abisko Alps and with only seven rooms it has a ‘home away from home’ feel with excellent activities right from the doorstep.
One of the team will subsequently run through your itinerary and kit you out with your complimentary arctic clothing.
You then have a couple of hours to either relax or try your hand at cross country skiing or snow shoe walking on the picturesque trails behind the Lodge.
Northern Lights Snowmobile Chase
After dinner a guide will take you out on snowmobiles into the dark arctic night to a place where there is zero light pollution. You will be surrounded by mountains that are rising like mysterious shadows towards the night sky and drive the snowmobile through the snow-covered landscape with the stars above you. Make a few stops along the way for a hot drink and wait for the northern lights to show up and dance above you in the night sky. At the top of Mt. Ednavaara you have a 360-degree view over the mountain ranges around you.
Day 2
Snowmobiling Trip and Northern Lights Hot Tub
Enjoy a full day on unique and well-executed snowmobile safaris cruising around Lapland.
By snowmobile, we take us above the tree line up to the top of Lapland viewpoint,. We try out some traditional ice fishing during the time to make some coffee over the crackling fire and have some Swedish Fika. Back at the lodge, we serve a 2-course lunch from the local kitchen.
What would be a great way to enjoy one of nature’s most amazing wonders – the Northern Lights? Well, in a hot tub on a rooftop with a 360° view over the night sky!
Day 3
After Breakfast, transfer to Abisko, around a one hour journey. Check into Abisko Mountain Lodge, owned by Mina and Dick Johansson, and be issued with your Arctic clothing for the rest of your northern lights holiday. You can spend the afternoon exploring the surrounding area before enjoying some fantastic cuisine at the property.
You will then head out on the famous Ultimate Aurora Photography Tour which will not only teach you how to take photos of the northern lights, but also head out on a chase to try and find them for you.
Day 4
After breakfast you can head out on a morning hike getting to really know the area you are based in before then stopping back at the lodge for some lunch. Take the afternoon to relax and perhaps have a sauna before having dinner on your final evening – fingers crossed the aurora will make an appearance too!
Day 5
Your driver will then take you to the airport for your flight home, or alternatively, why not extend your northern lights holiday and see Stockholm, or spend a night at the world famous Icehotel.
Where You'll Stay
Máttaráhkká Northern Lights Lodge
We are proud to offer this small intimate lodge, run by one of our long standing partners, Andreas Mikko.
This 7 room intimate lodge is situated in a super location on a slight elevation with magnificent views across the arctic tundra to the Abisko alps. The emphasis at the lodge is on two elements, Sami culture and ensuring you have the best chance of seeing the northern lights.
This small intimate lodge used to be a Sami handicraft centre until the owners had the idea to turn it into an exclusive retreat. With only 7 bedrooms and an open plan lounge and dining room, the emphasis is on relaxing in a cosy environment. The rooms have a downstairs en-suite room with a staircase leading to a loft sitting room.
If you are a group of 8 or more friends or family traveling together and wish to have the lodge privately please let us know. This is a great way of celebrating a big birthday or wedding anniversary
The lodge has a fabulous sauna and a very unusual northern lights hot tub on the roof where you can star gaze or hunt for the Aurora. (This carries an extra charge).
Other benefits of a stay here mean that you can snowmobile straight from your doorstep into the Arctic wilderness.
Evenings are focused on good food, relaxation and the Northern Lights so if you are looking for a ‘home away from home’ experience then look no further.
Abisko Mountain Lodge
Right in the small hamlet of Abisko, world renowned for the Northern Lights, lies a small welcoming Lodge run by our good friends Mina and Dick Johansson. Dick is one of the most qualified mountain guides in Sweden and looks after all the adventure whilst Mina can be described as a Skier, Creative CEO and ray of sunshine who lights up the Lodge.
Abisko Mountain Lodge offers genuine accommodation in an old-fashioned mountain hotel setting. The service is personal and the cuisine is centred on raw ingredients. It is accredited by the Sapmi Slow Food movement, an award which took 4 years to achieve. Chefs are dedicated slow-food addicts and produce wonderful nightly meals!
The 16 standard rooms in the low red ‘Swedish style house’ are all en-suite. Although basic they are warm and cosy. There are no televisions in the rooms as time is spent meeting guests around the bar or in the wonderful lounge area.
Additionally there are 4 new superior rooms added in early 2015. These four rooms are in a separate annexe and are used exclusively by Aurora nights.
Order a coffee or a glass of wine at the bar, read a magazine or spin a yarn about your arctic adventures and the magnificent aurora displays you have seen.
For those wanting to soothe the muscles there is a sauna.
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Reviews
See what our clients say
A fantastic short break which fulfilled all expectations. Well organised with a polished delivery, we could not have asked for more. The accommodation was perfect for us and the guides knowledgeable and helpful. Every day was packed with adventure, each lasting longer than scheduled but we were never rushed; the guides took pride in showing and explaining their beautiful country. We would certainly use Weekend a la carte again and recommend them to others.
Carol Mumford
Cannot thank this company enough. Our break to Iceland was the second time we’ve let them organise everything for us and once again they didn’t disappoint. Everything ran seamlessly and the organised tours were wonderful. This company knows what they are doing. If you want to experience the geysers, the volcano, the northern lights and all the other exciting things that Iceland has to offer then this is the company to use.
Carol Wrack
Brilliant short break. Hotel Ranga was lovely, excellent food. Managed to see the Northern Lights as well! Iceland on the whole was quite expensive but a lovely place to visit, the people were very friendly.
Linda Palmer
Fantastic trip with great hosts & made even more special by seeing the Northern Lights twice!!
Wendy Naphine
An amazing trip and excellent service provided by all involved. Great value for money too. Food was excellent. Accommodation was wonderful and the trips booked were outstanding. An amazing trip
David Watson-Cammock
We had a fantastic 4 nights that included glaciers, waterfalls, geysers, the aurora borealis and more! Lovely hotels, especially Hotel Ranga. We filled every moment and felt thoroughly invigorated on our return.
Frances Harrington
We had a wonderful time! The food at the lodge was amazing and there were some great vegetarian dishes. I had the best beetroot I’ve ever had (beetroot tartare).
Everyone was really friendly and all the guides were good fun and very knowledgeable.
A special thanks to William and Petri who were really friendly and really added a personal touch to our trip. The activities were really well planned and we especially enjoyed the trip with the huskies. The area we were in is stunning and the lodge was very nice. We would definitely recommend this to friends and family.
Fiona Green
We did the aurora nights break and had a great time overall. Everything related to flights, hire car, and hotels ran smoothly. There were a few issues largely relating to the weather and driving conditions (we travelled in mid March), but what we did manage to do was amazing.
The blue lagoon was easy to access from the airport and was a brilliant experience. We booked the standard package and it came with a free drink and face mask. Facilities were clean and organised with free toiletries in the shower rooms, which helps if you’ve gone there straight from the airport.
The drive to Hotel Ranga afterwards was long but fine (check out the road on google streetview to know what to expect). The hotel and staff were great. We were limited to one option as vegetarians on the bar and a la carte menus, but the food was lovely and if you are a meat eater you will see options of unusual dishes like puffin and reindeer.
Our northern lights super jeep trip was cancelled on both nights due to a poor forecast, but we were lucky enough to get an aurora wake up call from Hotel Ranga the first night. We couldn’t use the hottubs as there are only a few and they were always taken in the limited time we spent at the hotel, so don’t go expecting to get lots of time in one and you won’t be disappointed. View them as an add on if you can time it right. We were travelling with an 11 year old, so we didn’t stay up really late. If you are a couple you probably have a better chance of getting one later on.
The glacier/volcano super jeep trip was outstanding. Our driver, Íbí was excellent. She went above and beyond and gave us such an awesome experience. We were also super lucky with the weather the first two days and had great views across Iceland.
The ice cave tour was also incredible and the guides running it were excellent. The group size was much bigger than expected (especially after the more exclusive volcano super jeep tour), but it was broken down into smaller groups that were managed well, with plenty of time factored in for photographs. There were several unexplained delays getting to the cave during the tour that meant we weren’t able to ‘mini tour’ the rest of the South Coast afterwards, so if you plan to do the ice cave don’t overplan for the afternoon as you may not have much time. Not a huge disappointment for us as we got to experience the cave, but I imagine someone who planned a full itinerary afterwards might be frustrated by the estamiated timings not always being right and subject to change with the weather (which was wicked that day).
Driving around Reykjavik was a horrible experience as we arrived around rush hour and weren’t prepared for all the traffic, having only experienced quiet roads along the south coast. It was difficult finding a parking space, so be prepared to drive around a little when you arrive. If you haven’t driven on the right before and are not a confident driver this could leave you feeling stressed. Again, check out the roads into Reykjavik on Google maps to get a sense of what awaits if you aren’t used to self-driving.
We didn’t get to tour the golden circle because of road conditions/ice/road closures, so we spent the day in Reykjavik instead. This turned out okay for us as we did some of the attractions (Lava Centre and Fly Over Iceland – both hughly recommended), but it ended up being an extra expense and we missed out on the golden attractions. Again, not a big issue if you are aware this could happen. The weather is so changeable that having a plan B is a good approach.
Weekend a la Carte sent us a text warning us about the bad weather conditions, which we’d already seen on the Safe Iceland app, but we were grateful for anyway. It was good to know they were looking out for us!
All in all, a remarkable trip, with some unique experiences. If you book this in the knowledge that nature will have her own way, and you may not see everything you want (especially in winter), you will have a great time. Ranga is definitely the best place to maximise your chances of seeing the lights.
Sarah Brooks