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Hi, I’m Cristina, from the Lights of Vikings team. I’ve lived in Swedish Lapland since 2020, and I love spending time in beautiful Abisko. Here are the top ten best things to do in Abisko, along with my personal recommendations of what not to miss on your trip!
Visiting Swedish Lapland in the wintertime is like a fairytale. From riding in a sled drawn by huskies to drive a snowmobile in the arctic forest, there are so many adventures to experience. Even though Abisko is a very small village, the population is only about 100 people, there are unlimited activities to do here!
In this list, we wrote our 11 favourite things to do in Abisko and Kiruna that you should experience while you are here!
How Many Days Should I Spend In Abisko
We recommend staying in Abisko at least four nights to make sure that you will see the Aurora Borealis and experience the beauty of Abisko. Outside of watching for the Northern Lights, there are many activities you can do in Abisko, especially in winter.
Accommodation in Abisko
Although Abisko has a small population, there are plenty of options for accommodations at any budget and comfort level.
If you want, you can stay in one of the hotel, hostel or chalet options of STF Turiststation in Abisko National Park, or you can choose Abisko Mountain Lodge, Abisko Guesthouse or Abisko Net in the village.
We highly recommend you to book your accommodation in advance.
No list of things to do in Abisko would be complete without mentioning the Northern Lights.
Abisko is the best place in the world to see the norther lights. You can reach our article that we wrote the reasons about.
If you come to Abisko during the period of the northern lights, you have to travel between September and April. It is possible to observe this magnificent natural phenomenon in your travel in any month between this period.
You can book that activity with us!
From Cristina: This is our tour! We are so excited to meet you. We will take you out to chase the Northern Lights, and make sure you get amazing pictures. On top of the most unique experience in Swedish Lapland, the Northern Lights, we will show you the best parts of Swedish culture, with cookies, chocolate and a beautiful snow covered tour through the Abisko area.
The beginning of the year is a special time above the Arctic Circle – the sun is back. Join us on a hiking tour into the beautiful landscape of Abisko to celebrate the Arctic sun.
During the hike, we will enjoy the stunning views of Abisko Village, Lake Tornetrask and Lapporten. Our experienced guides will show you off-trail places that you will not be able to visit on your own. When we arrive at our viewing destination, we will enjoy traditional Swedish cookies and hot chocolates while we admire the sunrise and the pink pastel sky.
One of the most classic winter activities in Abisko is to go snowmobiling. Discover the wild nature of the north by snowmobiling through beautiful Abisko, which has many great routes to drive. Snowmobile tours run between November and May, when there is snow covering the ground, turning Swedish Lapland into a winter wonderland.
Whether you are feeling sporty and want to race across a frozen lake, or if you want to take your time to experience the natural beauty and wildlife around Abisko National Park, snowmobiling is a great way to explore!
Interested in trying a challenging adventure in arctic conditions? Then ice climbing is the thing for you! The experience of climbing a wall of ice is once in a lifetime, and a perfect winter activity to try while you’re in Abisko.
We recommend this tour with Aril. Aril is a certified guide and he will provide you with climbing equipment (alpine boots, crampons, harness, and helmet), and all the knowledge and experience to make your ice climbing experience memorable! No experience is necessary to have a great time on the ice. This tour is approximately 3 hours and transfers from/to your accommodation in Abisko or Björkliden are included.
Most of the things you can do in Abisko are around Abisko National Park. Abisko National Park has something to offer year-round, with stunning mountain views in the summer, frozen lakes and alpine forests in the winter, and some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.
Abisko National Park lies on the banks of Lake Tornetrask. The park is part of the 440-kilometre Kungsleden hiking route. For this reason, Abisko National Park attracts hikers of all levels year-round. The national park is easy to get to by train, bus or car from Kiruna or Narvik. Once there you can visit Naturum visitor centre, next to the highway and railway station.
From Cristina: Head to the STF Tourist Station and get a map with all the hikes available. Each one has a colour–my favourite is the purple one. If you are along the hike, you might spot reindeers, mooses or foxes!
Abisko National Park lies on the shores of Torneträsk, the sixth largest lake in Sweden. Träsk is the local word for lake, and Torneträsk or Lake Torne is known for its majestic views and abundant wildlife. The lake is frozen by the end of December, and once it freezes visitors can walk out to the islands in the lake not far from Abisko, or cross country ski across the entire lake!
From Cristina: It might seem impressive to be able to walk on a frozen lake, but on Torneträsk the ice is up to 3 metres thick. You can even drive a car onto the ice and make a camp fire on the lake.
When visiting Abisko in the winter, Abisko National Park turns into a magical winter wonderland. Flowing into Torneträsk are beautiful waterfalls that freeze in the winter and turn into massive ice sculptures, frozen in motion as they tumbled from the mountains.
Just a short walk from the STF Tourist Station, you will feel like you’ve taken a trip to another world when you arrive to see the waterfalls. The staff at the Tourist Station can direct you on the map when you arrive, and it is about 15 minutes of walking from the STF.
From Cristina: If you’re up for a little more of a walk, the Silver Fjallet (Silver Waterfall) is an incredible, secluded hike. Silver Fjallet is close to Bjorkliden, and the trip will take you through the most magical natural beauty in Abisko.
There is no fjord in Swedish Lapland but Norway, our neighbour the north, has fjords just 1 hour away. The fjords are incredible natural landscapes created by glaciers moving over time and then melting into the ocean.
You can book a daily guided tour from Abisko to discover the magnificent fjords of Norway or you can rent a car. We are sure that you will have very beautiful photos in this fascinating geography.
Part of Sweden’s famous 440-kilometer Kungsleden route is located in the Abisko National Park. You can take a walk in Kungsleden at any time of the year and discover many points from rolling hills, to tall mountains to magnificent lakes. If you love long hikes, or if you just want to stop by a short part of the trail, this is the best opportunity to get up close and explore the natural beauty of Abisko National Park.
Follow the trails by yourself or book a guided hiking tour with an experienced guide who will explain you everything about the region. Read more about Kungsleden Trail
The ski center in Björkliden, which is only a few kilometres from Abisko, welcomes skiers from all over the world during the winter months. There is also an other ski center in the region, Riksgränsen, 35km far from Abisko.
Skiing is a part of life and a popular hobby in Sweden and Norway. You can easily rent a car and visit both ski resorts. If you don’t have your gear with you, you can rent it there and ski!
From Cristina: I am not an avid skier, but I love to go with my friends when they ski. You’ll find me in Bjordliden Cafeteria enjoying an aprés-ski hot chocolate with cream on top of the mountain. It’s the best view of Lapporten and the surrounding area! If you’re like me and not looking to ski, take a trip up to the top for the views and a warm drink at the cafeteria.
You can fish in the lakes of Swedish Lapland or in the fjords of Norway at any time of the year. You might think that when the lakes freeze over, you won’t be able to fish, but the locals have been fishing on frozen lakes for centuries. A guide can show you how to drill holes in the ice and fish through the holes!
For the true Swedish Lapland experience, head out to a frozen lake and go ice fishing! If you want, you can fish under the midnight sun in the summer or you can have a real arctic experience on the frozen lake in winter.
Taking the train is one of the most convenient ways to get around Abisko, and it is also one of the most beautiful. The Arctic Train will take you from Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, to Abisko in about 15 hours of travel. After getting off at Abisko Train Station, you can reach our Lights of Vikings centre with a 2-minute walk.
What makes this long trip special is that you will enter the Arctic Circle on your journey and you will cross from an amazing landscape. You can also take the train to Narvik, to visit the Norwegian Fjords. The natural scenery in Abisko is so beautiful, it’s worth taking the train to see the area and sit back, relax and enjoy the views.
From Cristina: Don’t miss the train from Abisko to Narvik! The scenery along the way is amazing. Once you get to Narvik, visit Fiske Hallen for the best seafood in the area. Their specialties are salmon, halibut, cod and crab, and they are all delicious.
Thank you for reading our guide on the best things to do in Abisko! We hope you enjoy your stay, and that you try some of these activities while you are here. We look forward to seeing you on a Lights of Vikings Tour soon!
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