This is a luxurious Northern Lights break staying in two authentic, stylish lodges in beauitiful locations by the coast and in the forest - Pine Bay Lodge and the fabulous Arctic Retreat.
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Luxurious Coast and Forest Aurora Retreats
Credit Graeme Richardson
Credit Graeme Richardson
Combine exploring the frozen seas of the Bay of Bothnia on one of the most dramatic snowmobile adventures that we offer, then a full day out with huskies in the forests around the Arctic Retreat. There is plenty more to add if you would like to from ice scuplting, aurora hideaway dinners, snowshoeing and much more!
Great food and excellent hosts are the icing on the cake for this very special 4-night break. We do many special occasion breaks for clients wishing to get away as a couple or small family group.
Location
Sweden
Duration
4 Nights
Available dates
Jan - Feb
Price per person (excl. flights)
from £2,500
Overview
Highlights
- 2 nights at Pine Bay Lodge set on the edge of the frozen seas of the Lulea Archipelago
- 2 nights at the luxurious Arctic Retreat set in a forest by the river
- Pack Ice Snowmobile Adventure – one of the best in Lapland (From Mid-Februay to March)
- Wilderness husky dog sledding experience in the wilderness around Arctic Retreat
What’s included
- 2 nights full board at Pine Bay Lodge
- 2 nights full board at the Arctic Retreat in luxury log cabin
- Daytime snowmobile tour
- Daytime private dog sledding tour
- Transfers
- Arctic clothing
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
Arrive at Pine Bay Lodge
Fly to Lulea in Swedish Lapland, where you will be met and transferred to Pine Bay Lodge (Furufjärden in Swedish).
Pine Bay Lodge, owned by Goran, is situated on the coastal edge of the Luleå Archipelago, which has a total of 1300 islands and only 100 residents and is a unique wilderness environment where the sea around the island freezes up to a metre thick in winter. The Lodge is a lovely traditional Swedish red cottage with a very homely feel and has a luxurious annexe in the grounds.
This will be your base for the next two nights. You will be kitted out with arctic clothing.
Enjoy a wholesome 3 course dinner prepared using local ingredients served in your private annexe.
Day 2
Snowmobile Adventure
A four-hour nature-focused tour by snowmobile through Luleås snow-covered forests and over its frozen sea and lakes. Your nature guides will meet you by the lodge for a briefing about the days adventure. Safety instructions are given as well as background information regarding what we are about to experience. Our main focus being the regions nature, people and culture and the history of the area.
You will use modern snowmobiles as our transportation. This is the natural way for locals to move around the forest and over the frozen lakes as they go about their daily life. The nature guides will lead you along the established snowmobile trails so that you have an easy experience and we leave a minimal impact on our environment.
Along the narrow trails stops are made for tea and coffee and lunch and the guide will tell you about the surroundings.
This evening relax in a traditional Swedish Sauna overlooking the frozen sea before enjoying a 3 course dinner. Spend the rest of the evening by the fireplace or venture outside in search of the Northern Lights.
Day 3
Arrive at Arctic Retreat
After breakfast transfer to the Arctic Retreat.
The transfer, which takes around an hour, will take you from the open expanse of the Archipelago to the forest lands of the interior. You will head off the beaten track as you wind your way down to the river valley.
Set on a bend in the river among the tall pine trees lies the wonderful Arctic Retreat, this exclusive camp comprises 4 log cabins, each with an individual style but all have luxurious details. They comprise a loft room bedroom with a downstairs living room. These luxurious log cabins have comfy double beds, log burner, Nespresso Machine, Private Hot Tub looking out towards the Northern Lights and ensuite shower and toilet.
The separate restaurant cabin comprises just two tables and overlooks the river bend. Lisa is an accomplished cook who prepares wonderful meals from locally sourced produce. Sitting here with a glass of wine in hand, savouring fine food and enjoying the scenery is what we call ‘Arctic Heaven’!
Day 4
Dog Sledding Adventure
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before setting off for a fabulous dog sledding adventure in the forests near the Arctic Retreat
Return to the lodge for a late lunch and time at leisure. You can relax in your private hot tub overlooking the river, go for a short walk or just soak up the unique atmosphere.
This evening enjoy dinner in the cosy log cabin restaurant.
Day 5
Return Home
After breakfast at leisure prior to transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Alternatively you could extend your stay by a night to include the unique Tree Hotel which is located around 45 minutes away from the Arctic Retreat.
For those of you who would like to take the opportunity of a mini break to Stockholm, Scandinavia’s capital city and one of the most picturesque capital cities in Europe, we have a two night extension staying at the Rival Hotel which is owned by Benny Anderson of ABBA fame.
Where You'll Stay
Arctic Retreat
Arctic Retreat is an intimate, high-quality eco-lodge just 50 kilometers north of Lulea and a short distance south of the Arctic Circle. In the heart of Swedish Lapland, next to a secluded river bend, this hidden gem has just three cabins. Mixing the traditional rustic log cabin look with contemporary Scandi chic, this intimate hideaway seamlessly blends style, comfort, and adventure.
Each cabin boasts a private deck with a fire pit and hot tub for added indulgence. Compact yet well-appointed bathrooms feature locally sourced products like lingonberry shampoo.
At Arctic Retreat, guests dine together in a small dining cabin for shared breakfasts and dinners – although the option to enjoy meals in your cabin is also available. Breakfasts are a delightful mix of simplicity and heartiness, featuring eggs, toast, cereals, local jams, and fruits. Lunch, enjoyed outdoors between activities, showcases the rich variety of local produce, from reindeer stew to campfire-cooked salmon. In the evenings, local husky-sledding expert Richard Karlsson crafts inspired menus influenced by local cultures, creating feasts that can last up to three hours. All meals are included in the room rate, with additional charges for alcoholic drinks.
Whether you seek adventure or relaxation, Arctic Retreat caters to your preferences. Action-packed options include husky sledding, snowmobiling, and Northern Lights tours, while those desiring a more leisurely pace can enjoy culinary experiences, sauna rituals, and in-room massages. Embark on a moose safari to discover local wildlife, and on a clear night, look out for the northern lights.
Pine Bay Lodge Lulea Archipelago
Pine Bay Lodge (Furufjärden in Swedish), run by Goran Widén, is situated on the edge of the Lulea Archipelago. The Luleå archipelago has a total of 1300 islands and only 100 residents. It is a unique wilderness environment where the sea around the island freezes up to a metre thick in winter. You will access the lodge by snowmobiling on the frozen sea on your first day making it quite unique in terms of experience!
Small, cosy and inviting this is the perfect short break retreat in the arctic.
The lodge is a lovely traditional Swedish red cottage with homely feel. On entering the lodge a lounge area and dining area with warm open fireplace welcomes you. This is home away from home and an area that you will relax in after your day’s adventures.
There are only 7 guest rooms, each with their own ensuite bathroom. Furufjärden’s kitchen will prepare wonderful dinners for you using only the best local ingredients.
Outside is the traditional Swedish Sauna house where you can relax and enjoy one of the local’s favourite pastimes.
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Reviews
See what our clients say
Hotel Ranga was perfect, with amazing food. It is in the middle of nowhere, very quiet and with the weather being bad there wasn’t the possibility of leaving the hotel in the evening so mightn’t suit all for that reason. Super Jeep tour we thoroughly enjoyed with 2 lovely guides.
Hotel Borg was in the perfect location. For us, one night in Reykjavik would be ample.
Blue Lagoon was a wonderful experience only heightened by the appearance of the northern lights on our walk home from dinner. All in all we had the best holiday and we plan to return to Iceland hopefully sooner rather than later.
Lisa McAleer
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
We have never before experienced such friendly and simultaneously professional service! Alex’s communication was super prompt, questions encouraged and welcomed and attended to with great care and detail. Everything was well organised and available on beautifully designed and very useful platforms. Our destination (Mattarahkka Northern Lights Lodge) was fabulous on so many different levels – exquisite views, friendly interactions from everyone on the team, great food, exciting activities, perfectly situated to see the northern lights (seen twice in 4 nights’ stay), a great fire place, and not to mention our fantastic guide Fabio. Their provision of winter kit (hats, down jacket, snow trousers, leather gloves and boots) offered everything we needed to be comfortable outside. All we needed to have packed really were base layers, a few layers of clothing and woollen socks. Defintely somewhere we would highly recommend and return to when possible!
Inge Elliott
I appreciate the fast response to my inquiries regarding my trip. It would take decision making faster on my part, and plan my itinerary and activities being offered by the company accordingly.
Joey Emmanuel Serrina
This vacation has without without doubt, has been the best experience we have ever had. The organisation from the minute we landed in Kiruna until we departed at the close of our trip was second to none. The transition between hotels was always seamless and punctual. Everywhere we stayed was beautifully clean and the meals were top quality. Every driver was polite, entertaining and very knowledgeable, furnishing us with invaluable information about Sweden and the activities in which we were to participate. The snowmobiling was wonderful giving access via our guide, to stunning panoramic views of the mountain whilst viewing reindeer in their natural habitat.
Our guide demonstrated how to use the snowmobile safely he was pleasant and informative. When visiting the reindeer on the Sami reservation; we found the brother and sister team who hosted lovely. Again they were so hospitable and helpful and feeding the reindeer up close was a wonderful experience.
They provided additional activities for us to try and we were treated to a traditional Sami lunch in their hut. They provided us with invaluable information appertaining to their culture and caring for their reindeer. The reindeer were in superb condition and happy in their environment. Similarly, when out with the dog sleds the experience was magical. Two hours of beautiful scenery, and frozen lakes, finishing with a one-on-one experience massaging the dogs. Magic! We were so impressed with the care that was placed upon ensuring the dogs were comfortable, well-nourished and so loved by their owners/handlers.
Now to the photographic experience. A large group of us were treated to a demonstration of how to operate some serious camera equipment with tripod. Each of us was loaned the camera and given assistance setting up the camera on a frozen lake in preparation for the appearance of the Northern Lights. We were taken to this lake on large wooden sleighs pulled by a snowmobile. We cannot speak too highly of the two young men who accompanied us on this experience. They could not do enough for us. They were there to offer assistance with our cameras throughout the two-plus hours we were on this beautiful lake.
They advised where to position the camera and when the Lights appeared, what a performance. We had a two-hour display of this most breathtaking phenomenon. We were so fortunate to be able to experience this once-in-a-lifetime occurrence for which we are so grateful. We will never forget this memorable holiday and cannot thank you and everyone who assisted in making a lifetime dream come true. Karen & Andrew Adamson
Andy Adamson
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
My wife and I had an awesome and memorable trip to Iceland thanks to Alex at Aurora Nights. Alex tailored the itinerary to exactly what we wanted to see and chose excellent hotels to stay at. We totally enjoyed the city of Reykjavik and the many beautiful waterfalls. He went above and beyond to not only recommend sights to see around the Golden Circle and Ring Road, but also mapped it out so we were prepared to drive through the country during unpredictable weather and road conditions. And we were especially pleased to see the Northern Lights on our visit. Alex was very flexible to make changes to our plans and choosing the wonderful Sky Lagoon to replace our tickets for the Blue Lagoon due to the closure from the volcanic activity. We highly recommend Alex and Aurora Nights.
Lisa Kovens-Harris
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