Hiking & Trekking - Dreaming of Sweden
Abisko, Bergslagen, Gotland island, the High Coast, Laponia World Heritage site and Sarek are legends among hikers and trekkers around the world. And deservedly so. Their impossibly natural beauty is matched only by their pristine state. Sarek National Park for example, is true wilderness as only nature could intend it and there are no trails here and few amenities. Otherwise, the vast majority of hiking and trekking trails in Sweden are clearly marked and some 350 hostels, mountain stations and huts are well-equipped and a welcome site for tired-legged visitors.
Worthy of special mention is Laponia World Heritage site. This is home to the Sami, the indigenous people of this land. Being a World Heritage Site means that it is very special indeed and when you visit its mountains, forests, glaciers, plains and rivers you’ll find out why.
Hiking and trekking in Sweden are year-round activities that you might want to combine with cross-country skiing and skating in wintertime and canoeing and kayaking the rest of the year. There are around 400 trails staked out, usually through an entire county, for example, the Blekinge, Skåne and Halland trails. There are also trails that run through national parks such as the incomparable Kungsleden (the King's Trail) from Abisko to Hemavan past Sweden's highest mountain Kebnekaise.
Trails with different themes can be found in Dalsland - Pilgrimsleden (the Pilgrim trail), Småland - the John Bauer trail, Dalarna - the Vasaloppsleden (the Vasa ski race trail), Västmanland - Bruksleden (the Mill trail), Småland - and Utvandrarleden (the Emigrant trail).
What is wonderful about hiking and trekking in Sweden is the scope of landscapes on offer; alpine mountains, glaciers, tundra, lakes, valleys, plains, forests and vast archi. The going can also be as easy as you want, for example Roslagsleden just outside Stockholm, is dotted with towns and villages, while civilization has yet to reach wild and wonderful Sarek National Park and Laponia World Heritage site.
Just some of flora and fauna you may see in Sweden includes; golden eagles, elks, beaver, wolverine, lynx, rare orchids and in the far north of the country, the Northern Lights.
The King’s Trail (Kungsleden) is the legendary 425 km-long hiking, trekking and skiing trail that winds its way from Abisko in the north to Hemmavan in the south, taking in the high alpine terrain and Kebnekaise, Sweden’s highest mountain. Abisko is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights.
The beauty of a guided hiking tour in Sweden is that your guide will know the best trails and sights for you to see and can give you practical advice and tips on how to make the best of your stay.
Australia has the Great Barrier Reef, the USA has the Grand Canyon - Sweden has the King’s trail –and it belongs in the company of these and other great natural wonders.
Hiking and trekking in the lowlands of Sweden takes you through the region’s cultural, traditional and agricultural heartland. The major archipelagos, lush forest, innumerable lakes and Sweden’s cultural landscape of yesteryear are all here.
Imagine hiking to the top of Kebnekaise, Sweden’s highest mountain at 2,1111 metres. On a clear day you can see about 40,000 square kilometres of Sweden and Norway. That’s about the size of Holland.
Hiking and trekking in Sarek National Park rewards the visitor with magnificent, unspoiled vistas. It lies in the Laponia World Heritage Site in northern Sweden and is one of Europe’s last remaining wildernesses.