Ultimate Christmas Northern Lights Holiday

Day 1 - 22 December 2019
Arrive in Kiruna, Swedish Lapland. Transfer to Lodge.

Fly to Swedish Lapland where on arrival you will be met and transferred to the exclusive Máttaráhkká Northern Lights Lodge, a fantastic base for your Northern Lights holiday.

This wonderful Lodge situated with far reaching views towards the Abisko Alps, has only 7 rooms with a real ‘home away from home’ feel and also has excellent activities right from the doorstep. Mikko and Sofia who run it are excellent hosts and go out of their way to make you feel comfortable.

One of the team will subsequently run through your itinerary and will kit you out with your complimentary arctic clothing.

Depending on your arrival time lunch will be waiting for you.

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.

This evening at the Lodge enjoy a relaxing dinner. Spend the evening by the fire, enjoy a glass of wine or if you prefer put on some snow shoes and explore the surrounding area. With the Lodge facing towards the Abisko mountains there is always a good chance to see the aurora.

You can book a private session in the aurora roof top hot tub and enjoy this and a traditional Swedish Sauna.

Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2- 23 December 2019
Drive your own Husky Adventure. Sami Northern Lights & Legends.

After breakfast transfer to the kennel located in a picturesque river valley between Kiruna and Nikkaluokta.

Ylva Sievertsson whose kennel backs onto this pristine wilderness runs very personal sled dog trips. As you will discover she has a very special relationship with her dogs and it is a thrill to visit her kennel and spend time with her dogs.

Once you arrive at the kennels get acquainted with the dogs and receive detailed instructions about how to drive them. Help harness them before heading out into a location outside the major tourist areas where we can almost promise that you will enjoy pristine arctic nature alone.

You will be out for around 2 hours taking turns with your partner driving the team before heading back to base for a warming lunch in the traditional ‘Kota’ adjacent to the family home.

This evening spend some time with Ida Maria Svonni who is a descendant from a local Sami Family. The Sami people, indigenous to Lapland, are still reliant on their centuries old reindeer herding.

Visit  the Sámi Museum for your first step into Sámi culture. See the traditional Sámi clothes and listen to the story of a nomadic people’s lifestyle before moving on to Ida Maria’s Tepee where you will hear the fascinating story of Sami Life and how the annual calendar is geared around the 8 seasons dedicated to managing the Reindeer herd.

Before dinner visit the reindeer Corral and feed them with lichen before having a traditional dinner cooked and served in the Tepee using local ingredients and is served with your own baked traditional Sámi flatbread and coffee.

To end the evening walk down to the Mystical Torne River, the source for the Ice that is used to build the ICEHOTEL and gaze up into the north sky for hopefully a Northern Lights display in the Arctic Sky before heading back to your Lodge.

Drop back at the lodge late evening.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3- 24 December 2019
Daytime Snowmobile Adventure. Transfer to Abisko. Lappish Dinner.

After breakfast experience a snowmobile trek through part of Europe’s last untouched wilderness area. Driving out directly from Mattarahkka Lodge, the tour takes you out in the wilderness following the guide’s own snowmobile trails.

You will drive your snowmobile through the forest, over frozen lakes and the chance of seeing reindeers and moose in their natural habitat are always present. The tour passes our Sami guide’s home village and here you will make a short stop where he will tell you about the Sami people’s history and culture.

You continue your excursion up to the mountain Eatnamvárri where fantastic scenery will display in front of you; miles and miles of untouched wilderness on one side of the mountain and on the other side Kiruna city is spread out between the two mountains Loussavaara and Kirunavaara.

Back at the Lodge enjoy a traditional Sami lunch.

This afternoon transfer to Abisko around 1 hour journey. Check into Abisko Mountain Lodge.

This evening enjoy the fantastic cuisine at Mountain Lodge as you partake in their traditional Lappish menu which includes Reindeer, Arctic Char and Cloudberries – 3 of the unique ingredients to the area. The only thing that can interrupt your evening is the Aurora Call. Abisko Mountain Lodge is in a fantastic location for Northern Lights viewing so if they are out you may be tempted to step out the door and gaze skywards!

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4- 25 December 2019
Explore Abisko National Park. Evening at Aurora Sky Station in Abisko

After breakfast the team at Abisko Mountain Lodge have a walking programme you can enjoy by yourselves in the National Park. Abisko is sandwiched between mountains and lakes and  exploring it on foot  is a good way of admiring these beautiful arctic landscapes. The chairlift to the sky station is open from mid Feb onwards for day visits.

This evening after dinner in the lodge, transfer to Abisko Sky Station, widely regarded as the best place in the world to see the Northern Lights. Take the chairlift up Mount Nuolja to the observatory which offers visitors a panoramic view over Lapporten, the Abisko Alps and Tornetrask.

During the winter nights when it is dark, depending on the correct weather conditions, it is possible to see the Northern Lights dancing in the sky around you from this fantastic vantage point. The Aurora Sky Station has an exhibition about the Aurora Borealis, created by IRF, the Institute of Space Physics in Kiruna. Here you will learn more about the phenomenon before going out on the viewing deck to begin your night sky gazing. Journey down at around mid night and overnight at lodge

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5 - 26 December 2019
Train Trip to Norwegian Fjords & Aurora Photo Evening in the National Park

Enjoy the Lodge breakfast before a day trip to Norway!

Take the train from the station near the Lodge and follow the famous iron ore railroad with beautiful mountain vistas, frozen waterfalls and stunning Arctic valleys. Once you cross into Norway enjoy the magnificent views and try to take photos before continuing up and over Björnfjell – a stunning Norwegian mountain dotted with small grass roofed cottages. Meander down the mountain, where small birch trees give way to large evergreens and dramatic mountains fall steeply down into the Norwegian Fjord.

In Narvik you will have the opportunity to ascend to the observation deck of the Scandic Hotel and take coffee or lunch (not included), do some souvenir shopping or visit the newly built Peace Museum. This state of the art facility offers a glimpse of what life looked like in these majestic fjords during the second World War Nazi occupation.

This evening enjoy the fine menu at Abisko Mountain Lodge prior to joining the “Lights Over Lapland” team for their exclusive Northern Lights Photo Tour designed for Weekend a la Carte. This gives you fantastic opportunities to see and photograph the aurora borealis in the wilderness of Abisko National Park.

Walk right out the Lodge front door and a snowmobile transfer will take you to our exclusive location with commanding views over the mountains and the lake, both of which provide wonderful backdrops for aurora photos! You will have 2 guides, one to instruct you and the other to look after you and make drinks etc. We have a yurt set up with a fire so you can warm up if necessary.

You will be supplied with cameras preset for Aurora photography and spend the evening in Abisko National Park. The photographer is a great story teller and from your base in a Sami Tepee you will venture out in search of the famous lights. Whether you are a Pro or never taken a picture in your life you have a great chance of going home after your Northern Lights holiday with some beautiful aurora photographs and memories that will last a lifetime!

Meals Included: Breakfast, picnic lunch and Dinner

Day 6- 27 December 2019
Visit The Original ICEHOTEL. Airport Transfer & Flight Home.

After breakfast a driver will take you for a visit to the world famous and original ICEHOTEL, celebrating its 27th anniversary in 2017.

This incredible structure is built afresh each year and is a must see for anyone visiting Kiruna. Its Art suites are works of art and additionally there is the Icebar, Chapel and the excellent shop to visit.

You will also see the revolutionary design and function of ICEHOTEL 365, the new permanent edition of the ICEHOTEL.

The driver will then take you onto the airport in time for your flight home at the end of your action packed break to Abisko, Europe’s leading destination for consistent sightings of the Northern Lights.

Why not look at some of the other breaks we offer to Abisko or you an combine Abisko with the Best of Swedish Lapland  including the Original ICEHOTEL or on a Multi Country Northern Lights Holiday.

Meals included: Breakfast