Advice planning a camping trip through Sweden

9 comments

1. Honestly that part of Norrbotten isn’t very interesting, it’s mostly just flatlands with endless pine forests.

   If you want to save some money you can see the exact same typ of landscape further south in Sweden.

   If you want to go as far north as Kiruna you should turn south west from Kiruna instead to see some mountain terrain.

2. How old is your son?

3. You need a fishing permit to fish anywhere besides the coast and the five largest lakes in Sweden which aren’t near your route.

4. We don’t have that many dangerous animals, in the north we have bears. Otherwise we have one poisonous snake (huggorm). But its not that poisonous, and rarely strikes.

   Moose and wild boar is probably the “most” dangerous animals we have.

   I wouldn’t drink water from no lake. Rivers might work due to them being running streams. but i wouldn’t take that chance on getting diarrhea on the trip. There are easy water filters to be safe.

   Check this page out on finding good hiking trails in sweden: [https://www.ridestore.com/mag/hiking-in-sweden/](https://www.ridestore.com/mag/hiking-in-sweden/)

   i would spontaneously go for high coast trail

   https://www.hogakusten.com/en/highcoasttrail

5. My dad told me that in the north of Sweden, you don’t need to think about packing water as there are so many natural springs, I don’t have the experience myself, and it was a many decades since he last was out there, so with global warming things may have changed…

6. >is August a proper time for this? Is there much rain to be expected? Sub-zero temp during the night?

   It should be fine. There’s no “rainy season” but rain and bad weather is always a risk and you should have clothes and a tent that can handle it. In the lowlands you’re extremely unlikely to get frost nights or snow in late summer.

   >is there any danger like wild animals or anything else to look for?

   Not really. If you see a moose or other large animal just leave them alone and don’t bother them. The risk of something attacking you is practically nil.

   >is fishing allowed in this region? Do I need some sort of permit and is there a way to get it in Kiruna?

   You need a fishing permit and sometimes fishing in certain lakes isn’t allowed for various reasons at specific times of year so check in advance.

   >can you drink water from river/lakes?

   You’d probably be fine, but I wouldn’t risk unpurified/unfiltered water in the lowlands.

   >komoot reports the route as taking place mostly on road. Is there any way to plan it more off-route/in the wild?

   I would definitely look for a proper marked hiking trail. Walking for days along roads sounds terribly boring, especially in that area where you’ll mostly just see a road and dense forest 99% of the time.

   >any tips I might have missed? any other suggestion for the hike? I am still pretty flexible.

   Read up on allemansrätten. If you’re going through a nature reserve or national park check beforehand if and where you’re allowed to set up camp (rules vary).

7. I honestly find your route a bit weird. I would look at Sarek national park, Abisko (probably might be a bit more “crowded” however), Saltoluokta/Kvikkjokk or Nikkaluokta/Kebnekaise. Those are all west of Kiruna however so I’m not sure if they are out of your plan, but the hiking and the nature around those parks are absolutely amazing.

   STF has some more info: https://www.swedishtouristassociation.com/mountain-hiking/

   Hope you guys have a great stay!

8. There will be lots of mosquitoes in August. Maybe get hats with nets for the face, and repellents. Temperatures should be around 10°C at night, at least around the coast, maybe quite a bit lower closer to Kiruna. When I lived in that part of the country, I used to drink from streams in the forest but not from the lakes. It could be fine, I don’t know. Beware of moose and bears. When moose have gotten into towns they’ve been known to attack people, but I’ve never heard of it happening in the forest. They’re usually wary of people, and will run away. I hope you and your son will have a good time!

   Edit: rain will probably not be a big problem but you never know

9. 1) August is perfect. July also works, as do the first weeks of September, but you risk colder temperatures.

   2) No wild animals, but there will be a LOT of mosquitos. Bring mosquito repellent.

   3) Fishing is generally allowed everywhere, with a few exceptions being small lakes in the mountains where only the indigenous population (Sami) are allowed to fish. You will need a valid fishing permit.

   4) Yes.

   5/6) The route you are planning isn’t something I would suggest. If flying to Kiruna you are headed in the wrong direction. You should be going to the mountains instead. Fewer mosquitos, better vistas, great hiking trails.

   Most recommended trip: The best (and most challenging) route would be to take the train to Abisko, and then hike south along the Kungsleden to Singi, and head east to Nikkaluokta. This is a typical one week hike. You can most likely fish along the way (check with STF) at Alesjaure and/or Ladjojaure. From Nikkaluokta you take a bus back to Kiruna.

   Also recommended trip: Bus to Kvikkjokk and hike north along the Kungsleden to Saltoluokta (from there take the bus back to Gällivare). You can of course take the trip in the opposite direction. Great route with plenty of big lakes where you can fish. Potential to do nice side excursions like hiking to the top of [Skierfe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skierfe).

   STF: [https://www.swedishtouristassociation.com/](https://www.swedishtouristassociation.com/)