This is a luxurious northern lights break staying in two authentic and stylish lodges in magnificent locations - Pine Bay Lodge and the fabulous Arctic Retreat make for a memorable trip.
Back to Exclusive aurora holidays in Sweden
Luxurious Coast and Forest Aurora Retreats
Credit Graeme Richardson
Credit Graeme Richardson
Combine exploring the frozen seas of the gulf of Bothnia on one of the most dramatic snowmobile adventures that we offer, then a full day out with huskies in the forest areas 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 sled dog 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 husky 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
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
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 dancing lights.
Day 3
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. Details not normally associated with wilderness cabins are 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
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before setting off for a fabulous husky 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
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
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
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
Dear Abigail, We have safely returned from Iceland and we wanted to say a huge and sincere thank you for all the plans that you put into place to make this one of the most memorable holidays we have ever had. It was simply beautiful each and every day. The cabin was idyllic and so cosy and warm. The tour guides were so knowledgeable and friendly and the scenery was breathtaking. All the arrangements worked so well and we will remember the trip for a long time to come.
Thank you once again.
Gillian Griffiths
We had five fantastic days in beautiful Iceland, as we had never been before Aurora Nights helped with everything and made the holiday so easy and stress free. We stayed at Hotel Ranga which was amazing, we very much enjoyed the tours and the guides were brilliant, very knowledgable and friendly. We will certainly be returning to Iceland and wouldn’t hesitate to book through Aurora Nights again, special thanks to Abigail as her experience and reccommendations made the trip even better.
Lauren Mitten
What a fantastic trip! I booked this for myself and my husband to celebrate my 40th birthday and it didn’t disappoint! Booking was simple and we were kept up to date with all the details from the office team in the UK.
From the moment we arrived at Kiruna airport all the staff we encountered were so friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. We opted for the upgraded room at the Abisko Mountain Lodge which I would highly recommend. The cold weather clothing which was supplied was fantastic and kept us really warm in the sub-zero temperatures. The dog sledging, snowmobiling and the Northern Lights photography were all superb and the staff leading the trips were really friendly and so knowledgeable. Even though we weren’t able to do the sky station trip because of the weather, there was a lovely alternative evening organised for us which included a traditional dinner and a walk to the lake where we were able to see the lights. The food at the lodge was also exceptional and showcased some lovely traditional dishes using Moose and Reindeer which were wonderful to try.
I would like to send a massive thank you to all the staff at The Abisko Mountain Lodge as well as the guides we used for our guided walks, dog sledging and snowmobiling. I’d highly recommend the trip, it was our first visit to Sweden and we would definitely return. Thanks again to everyone (including the huskies) who made it so memorable!
Carly Webster
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
Thank you for arranging a fabulous holiday, we had a really enjoyable time and would love to return in the future. Hotel Ranga is a lovely place to stay and the owner greeted guests in the restaurant, which was an unexpected welcoming touch. We didn’t see the Northern Lights due to the weather and the trip to the Eyjafjallajokull glacier and volcano was substituted by an excursion to Thorsmork, also due to the weather, which we thoroughly enjoyed; the brochure description doesn’t do it justice. We found Iceland and the people there really charismatic. Although the wind and snow cut short the amount of travelling we could do, we still covered a reasonable amount of what we wanted to see and our appetites are whetted for a return, perhaps in Spring or Summer. We found a couple of great places to eat near the Hotel in Reykjavik. Messin does tasty fish dishes and the Icelandic Street Food restaurant was excellent, offering simple but hearty soups with refills included in the price – great value.
Nigel Goadsby
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