Arctic wilderness in its purest forms

The national park Sarek is strikingly alpine for Sweden with magnificent mountain ranges and narrow valleys, glaciers and wild rapids. It is a splendid piece of unspoiled wilderness.

Photo: Peter Rosén/Norrlandia

Founded in 1909, Sarek National Park is a vast area of trackless wilderness of a supreme beauty, hard to surpass or even equal anywhere in the world. Together with the adjacent Stora Sjöfallet and Padjelanta parks, Sarek forms Europe´s largest national park, with a total area of over 5,200 square kilometres of unspoiled wilderness. It´s a high mountain area of dramatic alpine massifs and narrow valleys, glaciers, lakes, water courses and wetlands. Sarek´s ”artery” is the famous Rapadalen valley, with the Rapapaäto river carrying a huge flow of bright green water from over 30 glaciers. In Sarek, there is plenty of big game such as bear, lynx, wolverine and the towering Sarek moose. As the vast area has no trails or hiking cabins, and as the weather conditions are harsh and highly unpredictable, hiking in Sarek National Park is only recommended for experienced hikers.  They will find a wilderness paradise of truly unique beauty.

The Abisko National Park, with the deep Abisko Canyon, rises from the Torneträsk lake into high alpine terrain. This is a park of tremendous beauty, overlooking the classic ”Lapp Gateway” mountain formation, and one of the most popular and most easily accesible spots for hikers and skiers from near and far, who use the Abisko mountain station as a base for exploring the vast mountain regions here. Abisko is the start/finish point of the famous King´s Trail, a 440 kilometre marked trail with hiking cabins along the way, passing through some of Sweden´s and Northern Europe´s most magnificent scenery. Abisko is also one of the most popular sites for visitors who come during winter to experience the dramatic Northern Lights.

 

A national park north of the Torneträsk lake with a unique and diverse flora in its meadows, forests and marshlands.

 

One of Sweden´s most exquisite virgin forests, where many of the older pines show scars of wood fires which have affected the landscape. In the park, there are also unique marshlands with an abundance of birds.

 

A park best known for its lush meadow birch forests.

 

A unique Baltic archipelago consisting of two larger islands, Sandskär and Seskarö-Furö, and a large number of smaller islets and skerries. The national park is known for its unique flora and as a resort for over 200 bird species.

 

The Bottenviken National Park in the far north of the Baltic Sea is comprised of groups of islands separated by vast open waters. The islands have an interesting flora and intense bird life, as well as a large seal population.

 

The national park at the centre of the High Coast World Heritage area, with a unique forestscape that is the result of the dramatic land elevation which is still ongoing. Due to its unique terrain, the park has many trees and species rare to these latitudes. The scenery is dramatic, with Sweden´s highest island, Mjältön, rising 236 metres straight out of the sea. The red granite cliffs are another distinguishing feature of the area.