Much of Sweden is an extraordinary natural resource from the high alpine peaks of the north to the beaches and shorelines of the south. The most precious of these are protected by national parks, such as the Laponia World Heritage site that is also home to Europe’s last remaining wilderness. Sweden is a country of vast expanses of heath and plain, rugged mountains, glaciers, alpine meadows, forests, lakes and rolling countryside. Mother Nature has also favoured Sweden with a glittering array of islands and skerries making up its east and west coast archipelagos. The Stockholm archipelago alone has some 24,000 islands.
Bear watching by Natures Best
Photo: Håkan Vargas S/ Vargas Vildmarkslodge
It may interest you to know that Sweden was the second country in the world to introduce an eco-tourism charter, after Australia. Sweden also set up ‘Nature’s Best’ (www.naturensbasta.se), Europe’s first eco-label that assures the quality of around 180 holidays and activities run by its 80 eco-certified tour operators around the country.
The good thing about booking a trip with one of Nature’s Best tour operators is that they abide by a strict code of conduct, and you make a positive contribution to the environment you find yourself in. This could be hiking and trekking in Sarek National Park – no trails, no accommodation and strictly for the more experienced hikers. Or why not a guided hiking trip in the adjoining Stora Sjöfallet or Padjelanta National Park.
Sweden is not as far away as you may think.
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It’s a clear blue day, the early morning sunlight reflecting off the water, so bright and clear that were it not for the forested islands breaking up the horizon it would be hard to see where... »
