Sarek Ski Expedition

We’ll pick you up at Jokkmokk guest house and drive you to our base just outside Jokkmokk where we’ll give you an introduction to the expedition. In the afternoon we all help to check and pack all equipment and food for a week in Sarek National Park. There will also be time to pack your private bag and to get to know the other expedition members. When everything is packed and ready we head back to Jokkmokk Guesthouse where you will have some time to check in to your rooms and have a shower and sauna before we enjoy dinner in the restaurant.

After breakfast we pack the mini-van and head west towards Sarek National Park and the World Heritage Site of Laponia. 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. We’ll ski four an hour or two to find a nice place to build our camp for the night, have dinner and sleep well after our first day in the mountains.

Distance on skis: about 4 km, elevation gain/loss: +50m, estimated time out skiing: 2h

We wake up to the sound of the mountain and have breakfast together in the restaurant tent. Leaving the sparse birch forest behind us we aim for the high peaks in the east entering Sarek through the northwestern entrance. After about 12 km of steady but gently uphill we find a nice spot to call home and set camp for the night. We’ll have lunch on the way brought in thermoses and then cook a hearty dinner at camp in the evening.

Distance on skis: about 12 km, elevation gain/loss: +200m/-50m, estimated time out skiing: 8h

We’ll continue in Sarek on skis through the valley Ruohtesvágge passing the highest point of the expedition. The snow and weather conditions will decide our exact route and distance for the day. Before we enter the deep valleys of Sarek we discuss safety considerations for traveling in avalanche terrain and introduce you to your safety equipment.

Distance on skis: about 12 km, elevation gain/loss: +200m, estimated time out skiing: 8h

We have now climbed most of the elevations of the tour and the sledges starts to feel a bit lighter. If we are lucky with the weather we can now see the Sarek peaks high up on the mountain side and the valley opening up in front of us.

Distance on skis: about 16 km, elevation gain/loss: -100m, estimated time out skiing: 8h

We wake up in the middle of Sarek National Park, surrounded by high peaks and miles away from civilization. We are now in Skarja, where the Rapa River is born and stop for a day tour in the area.

Distance on skis: about 0-15 km

We’ll turn north skiing across a chain of small mountain lakes and into Stora Sjöfallet National Park. Around us we have high peaks in all directions, Ähpar to our right and the Sarek mountains west of us.

Distance on skis: about 16 km, elevation gain/loss: +50/-50, estimated time out skiing: 8h

We ski out of Stora Sjöfallet to a lake where we will be picked up by a snowmobile that will take us the last stretch to Saltoluokta mountain lodge. We’ll finish the expedition with a well-deserved sauna followed by dinner in the restaurant.

Distance on skis: about 12 km, elevation gain/loss: +100/-200 m, estimated time out skiing 4h

We have breakfast in the restaurant before it is time to say good-bye and get ready for your journey home. Saltoluokta mountain lodge organizes snow-mobile transfers to Kebnats bus stop on the other side of lake Langas. Travel home on your own or join us in the minibus back to Jokkmokk.

As part of the team you’ll pull your own sledge through Sarek on skis with your private gear and part of food and common equipment. In the beginning the sled will weigh about 40kg but as we go it will weigh less and less. Remember the pulling 40kg is NOT the same as carrying a backpack of 40kg that’s why we use sledges!

The Sarek ski expedition is our toughest tour and it requires a lot from the members of the team. But you don’t have to be running marathons or be an expert in downhill skiing. Please read through the requirement listed further up to go to Sarek on skis and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like to discuss your experience level.

During a week in Sarek National Park we see all kinds of weather. We can experience sunshine and -15C degrees during the day but also +5C degrees with rain and strong winds. Night temperatures can drop down to -30C, but normally stays around -10C to -20C. But don’t worry too much about the cold. Pack according to the packing list and listen to good advice from the guide team about how to stay warm.

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. 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 Sarek on skis.

We are used to handling 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.