The Arctic Winter attracts holiday makers from all over the world for a northern lights holiday. As Swedish Lapland and Iceland provide such a thrilling array of experiences it is amazing what can be packed into a 3 or 4 night break.
Classic Short Breaks in Sweden
Leave home on a Friday and return on a Monday or Tuesday after a refreshing few days in a totally unique and different environment.
Our select range of classic Northern Lights Short Breaks below have been designed by our experts and bring together the best places to stay with fabulous Arctic Experiences.
Take a look at our Abisko Aurora Breaks, Exclusive Swedish Collection and our Autumn Aurora Breaks for further inspiration.
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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 3rd 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.
See what our clients say
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!
A well organised trip which was tailored to our specific requests. The arrangements all ran perfectly and any queries prior to the holiday were handled very quickly and professionally. The standard of accommodation and organised tours was very high. I would use this company again and recommend them.
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.
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.
We enjoyed both the hotels that were arranged by weekend a la Carte Aurora nights. The Porsmork trip was very enjoyable, both guides were fantastic and informative.
The Northern Light hunt trip out of Reykjavik with Superjeep was an adventure and we got to see the lights, worth braving the cold at -6.
This was a bucket list trip. The company are specialists and I’ve valued their advice. Everything from the when to go for the best opportunity to see the lights and equipment needed and provided.Our activities included, the Ice Hotel, night photo shoot, snowmobiling, guided walk and the sky station meal. All excellent and well run by knowledgeable experts and guides. The Abisko Lodge is warm comfortable and relaxing the food is excellent and the staff welcoming, friendly and very helpful. I would highly recommend if you’re looking for a different and exciting experience.
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.
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
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