Across Padjelanta National Park

We pick you up at Jokkmokk guest house and drive to our place just outside Jokkmokk. We will give you an introduction to the tour and all help checking and packing group equipment for a week in Padjelanta on skis. There will also be time to pack your private bag and to get to know the other group members. When everything is packed and ready we head back to Jokkmokk Guesthouse. You will have some time to check in to your rooms and have a shower before we enjoy dinner in the restaurant. If you arrive Jokkmokk in the morning you can leave your luggage at the guest house and have access to toilets and the common kitchen. If you have time we recommend a visit at Ájtte mountain and Sami museum and a walk around town. 

After the breakfast at the guesthouse we pack the minivan and head west to Padjelanta National Park and Laponia World Heritage Site. We follow a winding road for about three hours deep into the mountain area until it ends in a small village called Ritsem. From here we’ll continue by snowmobile for another hour or two before we get dropped off. The last stretch to Kutjaure cabin you’ll get the chance to test your skiing ability before the adventure starts for real. We’ll have dinner together and stay overnight in the cabin.

Distance on skis: about 6 km, elevation gain/loss: +50m, estimated time out skiing: 2h 

After breakfast we pack our sledges and start heading south. Our route follows the mostly frozen river, named Vuojatädno, passing Sáluhávrre summer settlement. Vuojat means “to swim” and refer to that this is where the reindeer had to swim on their way from winter to summer grassing area. In the evening we arrive the huts in Låddejåkk where we have dinner together and sleep well after a full day in the mountains.

Distance on skis: about 22 km, elevation gain/loss: +50/-50 m, estimated time out skiing: 8-10h

Our route to the next hut leads us up and over a pass almost 900 meters above sea level. If weather allows we build our lunch couch in the south-facing slope overlooking the surrounding landscape. We spend the night in a hut in Arasluokta, a summer settlement for the Sami people.

Distance on skis: about 14 km, elevation gain/loss: +300/-250 m, estimated time out skiing: 6-8h

We continue east climbing the slope toward the highest point off the tour. This wide-open landscape offers great opportunities for panoramic views, but we are also unprotected if hard weather approaches. However, Duottar cabin, almost 900 meters above sea level will give us the perfect protection against strong winds.

Distance on skis: about 19 km, elevation gain/loss: +300/-50 m, estimated time out skiing: 8-10h

We have a planned extra day to give us the flexibility to respond to weather and snow conditions.

We continue east down the mountain to Tarra valley where we start seeing small birch trees again for the first time in a few days. The frozen Tarra river leads us down to Såmmarlappa mountain cabin where we stay for the night.

Distance on skis: about 23 km, elevation gain/loss: +50/-400, estimated time out skiing: 8-10h

We’ll ski down the Tarra Valley and around lunch time the snowmobile picks us up and bring us down to Kvikkjokk. After loading everything on the minivan we continue along the road back to Jokkmokk. We have a shower and sauna followed by dinner in the restaurant.

Distance on skis: about 8 km, elevation gain/loss: -50 m, estimated time out skiing 3h

We have breakfast in the restaurant before it is time to say good-bye and get ready for your journey home from Jokkmokk.

Across Padjelanta National Park is one of our toughest tours and it requires a lot of you as a participant. But you don’t have to be running marathons or be an expert in downhill skiing. Please read through the requirement listed further up and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like to discuss your experience level.

As part of the team you’ll pull your own sledge with your private gear and part of food and common equipment. In the beginning the sled weigh about 30kg but as we go it will weigh less and less. Remember the pulling 30kg is NOT the same as carrying a backpack of 30kg that’s why we use sledges!

During a week in Padjelanta National Park we see all kinds of weather. We can experience sunshine and -10C degrees during the day but also +5C degrees with rain and strong winds. But don’t worry too much about the cold. Pack according to the packing list and listen to good advice from the guide about how to stay warm during the day.

The skiing is not very technical, it is more about endurance and attitude. BUT, we have to be able to cover some distance each day and there are some downhills to ski down. Clear speaking, you can’t be too slow or fall too often.

We don’t automatically say no just because you have a medical condition but it should not be a high risk factor for you or the group. We recommend that you talk to your doctor and make sure you have medication that you know works well for you. AND please let us know when filling out the application form and we can discuss this with you before we enter Padjelanta on skis.

We are used to handle most food preferences and allergies, just let us know when filling out the application form. BUT with limited cooking space we can’t handle too advanced requests or guarantee that it will be totally free from gluten or lactose etc. If you have a severe allergy please contact us to discuss this with us.