Hamilton & Chase Tours
Swedish Arctic and Lapland — Private Package 8-day Scandinavia tour: Stockholm, Kiruna, the Icehotel, Abisko Northern Lights, and dog sledding in Swedish Lapland.

8-Day Private Package Journey

Swedish Arctic and Lapland

Stockholm, Kiruna, the Icehotel, Abisko Northern Lights, and dog sledding in Swedish Lapland.

Available as Private Semi-Private Self-Guided
From €3,890 per person 8 days / 7 nights
View Itinerary

Tour Overview

8 days across Scandinavia.

Swedish Lapland above the Arctic Circle is the land of the Sámi people, the Northern Lights, the Midnight Sun, and the most extraordinary hotel in the world. The Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi was built for the first time in 1989 and has been rebuilt every November from the ice and snow of the Torne River ever since — a building that takes four months to construct and melts in April, whose guest rooms are sculpted by artists commissioned from around the world and whose temperature never rises above −5°C. Abisko National Park, on the shore of Lake Torneträsk beneath the Scandinavian Mountains, has the clearest skies of any location in Lapland — the combination of the rain shadow from the Norwegian mountains and the permanent weather station data that monitors the aurora oval makes it the most reliable Northern Lights site in Scandinavia. Kiruna is Sweden's most northerly city and the site of the world's largest underground iron ore mine — a mine so vast that it is slowly swallowing the city, requiring the entire city centre to be relocated three kilometres east, a process that began in 2004 and continues today. This eight-day private journey combines Stockholm, Sweden's capital of design and the Vasa Museum, with Kiruna, Abisko, and the Icehotel in a journey that spans the full range of the Swedish experience from urban south to Arctic north.

Detailed Itinerary

Your journey, day by day.

Every day is designed with breathing room. Sleep in, take a detour, linger at lunch — the itinerary flexes around you, not the other way around.

Day 1 — Arrival in Stockholm
Day 1
1

Day 1

Arrival in Stockholm

The design capital of Scandinavia.

Your private driver meets you at Stockholm Arlanda Airport and transfers you to your hotel in the city centre. Stockholm's Gamla Stan on the island of Stadsholmen, the Royal Palace, and the Nobel Museum on the Stortorget square give the medieval context. Welcome dinner at a Stockholm restaurant whose menu introduces the Swedish kitchen that will accompany the journey north: the elk, the reindeer, the lingonberries, and the smoked fish that the Nordic countries eat differently from everyone else.

  • Private airport transfer to Stockholm
  • Gamla Stan and the medieval island city
  • Royal Palace and the Stortorget
  • Welcome dinner with Swedish produce
4–5★ hotel, Stockholm
Day 2 — Stockholm — Vasa Museum and Djurgården
Day 2
2

Day 2

Stockholm — Vasa Museum and Djurgården

The warship that sank in 1628 and the island of museums.

The Vasa Museum on Djurgården: the only complete 17th-century warship in the world — 98% original, raised from Stockholm harbour in 1961 after 333 years on the seabed. The preservation of the carved oak sculptures, the 24 bronze cannons, and the traces of the paint and gilding that covered the original ship make the Vasa Museum the most visited museum in Scandinavia. The ABBA Museum and Skansen open-air museum on the same island. The Fotografiska photography museum on Södermalm: the world's largest photography museum, whose temporary exhibitions represent the most significant photography being made today. Stockholm's Södermalm neighbourhood for the evening — the southern island whose independent restaurants and bars have been the leading edge of the Stockholm food scene since the early 2000s.

  • Vasa Museum — the only complete 17th-century warship in existence
  • ABBA Museum — Sweden's most successful cultural export
  • Fotografiska — the world's largest photography museum
  • Södermalm neighbourhood — Stockholm's creative district
Meals: Breakfast 4–5★ hotel, Stockholm
Day 3 — Flight to Kiruna and the Icehotel
Day 3
3

Day 3

Flight to Kiruna and the Icehotel

The city being moved and the building that melts every spring.

The flight from Stockholm Arlanda to Kiruna Airport takes 90 minutes — crossing the Swedish forest interior as the trees thin and the snow deepens. Kiruna: Sweden's most northerly city at 67.9°N, built around the LKAB iron ore mine that began production in 1900 and has been expanding ever since. The mine has produced 500 million tonnes of iron ore and is so large that its underground expansion is causing the city above to subside — since 2004, the entire city centre has been physically relocated three kilometres east, a building-by-building process that will continue until 2035. The Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, 15 kilometres east of Kiruna on the Torne River: the hotel rebuilt every November from the ice and snow of the river, whose artist-designed suites are a collaboration between 50 artists each year. A tour of the building before the evening, followed by dinner at the warm Homeroom restaurant, and the night in a standard or art suite at −5°C in the thermal sleeping bags provided.

  • Flight Stockholm to Kiruna — the Arctic forest from above
  • Kiruna — the city being relocated by the expanding mine
  • Icehotel arrival — the building rebuilt from river ice each November
  • Night in the Icehotel at −5°C in artist-designed suites
Meals: Breakfast Icehotel, Jukkasjärvi
Day 4 — Icehotel and Dog Sledding
Day 4
4

Day 4

Icehotel and Dog Sledding

Morning in the ice and afternoon with the huskies.

The Icehotel morning: the sauna beside the Torne River, the ice bar (serving drinks in ice glasses at −5°C), and the ice chapel where 50–100 couples marry each winter. The ICEHOTEL 365 section — the year-round permanent Icehotel kept at temperature by solar-powered refrigeration — allows visits in any season. Dog sledding in the afternoon: a two-hour guided sled run through the Lapland birch forest with a team of twelve Alaskan and Siberian huskies. The route crosses the frozen Torne River and into the forest landscape north of Jukkasjärvi. The musher rides at the back; guests sit in the sled under a reindeer skin. The enthusiasm of the huskies — the howling at harnessing time, the sudden silence once they begin to run — is the defining Lapland experience.

  • Icehotel morning — the ice sauna, ice bar, and the ice chapel
  • ICEHOTEL 365 — the permanent year-round ice building
  • Dog sledding in the Lapland birch forest — two hours with a husky team
  • Torne River frozen landscape in winter light
Meals: Breakfast 4★ hotel or warm chalet, Jukkasjärvi or Kiruna
Day 5 — Abisko National Park
Day 5
5

Day 5

Abisko National Park

The clearest skies in Swedish Lapland and the Northern Lights station.

Abisko National Park, 90 kilometres west of Kiruna on the shore of Lake Torneträsk, has the clearest skies in Swedish Lapland — the rain shadow cast by the Norwegian mountains creates a microclimate that produces more clear-sky nights than anywhere else in the region. The Aurora Sky Station at Mount Nuolja: the cable car ascends 500 metres to a research and viewing station operated by STF, where the Northern Lights are monitored and the specific sky conditions above the mountain give a higher probability of clear-sky aurora viewing than at ground level. The Abisko valley floor in winter: the frozen lake, the ancient mountain birch forest whose trees grow no taller than three metres in the Arctic wind, and the Kungsleden trail (the King's Trail) whose 440-kilometre route through Swedish Lapland begins here. In summer: the Midnight Sun above Lake Torneträsk from the Aurora Sky Station — the view of the sun at midnight above the Norwegian mountains is the defining image of the Swedish Arctic summer.

  • Aurora Sky Station — cable car to 500m above Abisko for Northern Lights
  • Abisko National Park — the clearest skies in Swedish Lapland
  • Lake Torneträsk — the frozen Arctic lake and the mountain landscape
  • Kungsleden — the start of Sweden's greatest hiking trail
Meals: Breakfast STF Abisko Mountain Station or 4★ lodge
Day 6 — Northern Lights and Sámi Culture
Day 6
6

Day 6

Northern Lights and Sámi Culture

The aurora and the indigenous people of the Arctic.

A full day in the Abisko area to maximise the Northern Lights opportunities and explore the Sámi culture of the Swedish Arctic. The Sámi people have inhabited Lapland for at least 10,000 years — the reindeer-herding nomadic culture whose migration routes cross the national boundaries of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia and whose relationship with the Swedish state has involved centuries of displacement, forced assimilation, and gradual restoration of rights. A visit to a Sámi reindeer herding family in the Abisko valley: a guided experience of traditional herding, the significance of the reindeer in Sámi diet and spiritual practice, and the yoik — the Sámi traditional song form that names rather than describes. The evening Northern Lights chase from Abisko: the Aurora Sky Station programme includes guide-led viewing from the mountain platform with the full equipment for photography.

  • Northern Lights from the Aurora Sky Station — the optimal Lapland viewing point
  • Sámi reindeer herding family visit
  • Yoik — the traditional Sámi naming song
  • Abisko mountain landscape in Arctic light
Meals: Breakfast STF Abisko Mountain Station or 4★ lodge
Day 7 — Snowmobile Safari and Return to Kiruna
Day 7
7

Day 7

Snowmobile Safari and Return to Kiruna

The Swedish Arctic plateau by snowmobile.

A morning snowmobile safari on the Swedish Arctic plateau above Abisko: the guided route crosses the mountain landscape north of Lake Torneträsk, with views of the Norwegian border mountains to the west and the Lapland wilderness in every other direction. The snowmobiles are modern and easy to operate — a brief training session precedes the two-hour route. Reindeer are common sightings on the plateau in winter, moving between the forest and the high ground. Return to Kiruna in the afternoon: the Kiruna Church (1912, voted the most beautiful building in Sweden by a Swedish architectural society in 2001 and one of the buildings being relocated in the city move), and the LKAB visitor centre whose underground tour takes guests into the mine itself. The evening flight back to Stockholm.

  • Snowmobile safari on the Arctic plateau above Abisko
  • Reindeer on the mountain landscape
  • Kiruna Church — voted Sweden's most beautiful building
  • LKAB mine visitor centre — underground into the world's largest iron ore mine
Meals: Breakfast 4–5★ hotel, Stockholm
Day 8 — Departure from Stockholm
Day 8
8

Day 8

Departure from Stockholm

From the Arctic to the Baltic.

Stockholm in the morning: the Gamla Stan medieval lanes, the Torvehallerne food market equivalent (Östermalms Saluhall — the 1888 covered market in Östermalm whose stalls sell Swedish cured meats, cheeses, and the pickled herring in its twelve varieties), and a final Swedish coffee with a kanelbulle (cinnamon bun) in a Södermalm café. Your private driver transfers you to Stockholm Arlanda Airport at the agreed time.

  • Östermalms Saluhall — the 1888 covered food market
  • Final Gamla Stan morning
  • Private transfer to Stockholm Arlanda Airport
Meals: Breakfast

Where You'll Stay

Hand-picked hotels, every night.

We choose properties for character, location, and the kind of service that makes you feel looked after — not just checked in. Every hotel can be swapped for an alternative if you prefer.

4–5★ hotel, Stockholm

Stockholm

2 nights

4–5★ hotel

City centre

Two nights allows the Vasa Museum day and the welcome evening in the city

Icehotel art or classic suite, Jukkasjärvi Icehotel

Jukkasjärvi Icehotel

1 night

Icehotel art or classic suite

Icehotel

One night in the Icehotel at −5°C is the quintessential experience — the second night in a warm chalet is more comfortable for the rest period

Warm chalet or 4★ hotel, Jukkasjärvi / Kiruna

Jukkasjärvi / Kiruna

1 night

Warm chalet or 4★ hotel

Riverside or Kiruna

The warm chalets at the Icehotel are adjacent to the ice building and give a comfortable second night in the Jukkasjärvi landscape

STF Abisko Mountain Station or 4★ lodge, Abisko

Abisko

2 nights

STF Abisko Mountain Station or 4★ lodge

Lake Torneträsk shore

Two nights at Abisko maximises Northern Lights opportunities — the Aurora Sky Station cable car is accessed from the mountain station

4–5★ hotel, Stockholm

Stockholm

1 night

4–5★ hotel

City centre

Return night in Stockholm before the international departure

Hotels shown are indicative of the standard we book. Upon request, we will provide a detailed itinerary with specific hotel options tailored to your preferences and budget.

What's in the Price

Included

  • 7 nights including Icehotel suite, Abisko lodge, and Stockholm hotel
  • Daily breakfast at each property
  • Private airport transfer at Stockholm
  • Private vehicle and driver in Stockholm
  • Internal flight Stockholm to Kiruna
  • Stockholm guided visits — Vasa Museum, Gamla Stan, Djurgården
  • Icehotel guided tour and morning programme
  • Dog sledding — two-hour guided run in the Lapland forest
  • Aurora Sky Station cable car — Northern Lights viewing programme
  • Sámi reindeer herding visit
  • Snowmobile safari on the Arctic plateau
  • Kiruna city and church guided visit
  • LKAB mine visitor centre
  • Internal flight Kiruna to Stockholm
  • Full Arctic clothing for all outdoor activities
  • All entrance fees for guided visits
  • 24/7 travel specialist support
  • Hamilton & Chase digital travel booklet

Not Included

  • International flights to/from Stockholm
  • Travel insurance (required — we can arrange on request)
  • Meals not listed
  • Personal expenses
  • Gratuities for guides and drivers
  • City tax (collected by hotels)

Good to Know

  • The Icehotel is built November–December and operates until late April, when it melts. ICEHOTEL 365 (the permanent refrigerated section) is open year-round.
  • Northern Lights are not guaranteed. The Abisko Aurora Sky Station has the highest clear-sky probability in Swedish Lapland, but solar activity and cloud cover must both cooperate. Over two nights at Abisko, the probability of at least one sighting is high.
  • The Icehotel night is at −5°C. The thermal sleeping bags provided are rated to −30°C and are comfortable for guests who follow the instructions — guests who move too much or leave the bag lose heat quickly. This is genuinely cold but genuinely manageable.
  • Summer visitors (June–July) experience the Midnight Sun — Northern Lights do not occur in continuous daylight. The summer programme replaces Northern Lights with Midnight Sun hiking, kayaking, and the 24-hour Arctic day.

Make It Yours

Optional add-ons & upgrades.

Every trip is different. These extras can be woven into your itinerary — just let your travel specialist know what catches your eye.

Second night in the Icehotel

An additional night in a different Icehotel suite — each room is unique and the experience is different in the artist-designed suites versus the classic suites. The second night allows comparison.

From €195 pp

Ice sculpting class

A two-hour guided ice sculpting session at the Icehotel — using the same tools and techniques as the artists who build the suites each November. Suitable for all skill levels.

From €95 pp

Reindeer sled ride

A traditional reindeer sled ride with a Sámi herder — slower and quieter than dog sledding, with a spiritual dimension that the dog sled experience lacks.

From €85 pp

Midnight Sun experience upgrade

For summer visitors: a dedicated Midnight Sun photography walk from the Aurora Sky Station at midnight, guided by a photographer who specialises in the flat golden Arctic light.

From €125 pp

"Sleeping in the Icehotel was the most extraordinary night of my life. The sleeping bag was warm, the room was −5°C, and at 3am I opened the heavy snow door and the Northern Lights were filling the sky above the frozen Torne River. I had not expected to cry. Hamilton & Chase had put this together with the Abisko Station for the next two nights and we saw the lights three times. This is what travel is for."

Jennifer & Scott A.

Denver, USA · Swedish Arctic and Lapland, January 2025

Common Questions

Questions about this trip.

Is the Icehotel safe for people who feel claustrophobic?

The Icehotel suites have 3-metre ceilings of carved snow and ice — they feel open rather than enclosed. The corridors are wide. The heaviest thing about the experience is the door, which is a solid block of snow. Most guests find the building extraordinary rather than claustrophobic; a very small number prefer to stay in the warm chalets instead.

What is the minimum age for the Icehotel night?

The Icehotel accepts children aged 6 and over in the classic suites (family suites available). The artist suites are for adults only. Younger children can visit the Icehotel and experience the ice bar during the day but sleep in the warm chalets.

Private Package Journey

Swedish Arctic and Lapland

8 days / 7 nights

From €3,890

per person

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