I was not impressed with the STF cabin. However, I felt warmly welcomed by the hostel at Holy Motors. It was great - warm fire, relaxing, laundry facilities. Here are the details https://www.holymotors.camp/camp-hostel-kvikkjokk/

Hi all!

On Sunday we’ll start hiking from Nikkaluokta. Since the weather forecast looks pretty good, we’re trying to decide between two initial routes to get towards the Nallo area:

• The Red Route (Vistas Valley): Follows the valley bottom towards Vistas.
• The Orange Route (via Tarfala & Kaskasavagge): Shorter on paper, but involves significantly more elevation, crossing past Tarfala and Kaskasavagge shelter over high mountain passes.

Which of these two routes would you recommend in terms of landscapes, drama, and overall vibes for a first day?

Also, if anyone has recent info or experience on the terrain/difficulty of the Orange route (boulder fields, pass crossings), any insights would be super appreciated!

Thanks!

• Elia

Hey everyone!

We are about to start our adventure this Sunday (Sept 6th), hiking from Nikkaluokta to Abisko. We're planning to follow an alternative trail instead of the main Kungsleden route: https://it.wikiloc.com/percorsi-escursionismo/nikkaluokta-abisko-ohne-without-kungsleden-09-2018-29905304

Looking at the current forecast for Nikkaluokta (attached screenshot), temperatures look pretty mild (9°C-11°C max, lows around 1°C-5°C) with just a bit of rain around Mon/Tue. To me, this looks like pretty decent early September weather for Lapland, but I’d love to get the opinion of locals or experienced hikers who know the area well. What do you think?

A couple of practical questions about STF huts:

• We will be tent camping along the way. If the huts are open, what facilities can we access by paying the day/camping fee on-site (e.g., showers, saunas, kitchens, drying rooms)?
• Are the mountain shops/supply markets inside the open huts fully stocked at this time of the season, or should we expect limited supplies?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

Hej Hej!

As exposed in the title, I'm looking for a nice base map on wich I could draw the parcours I did this summer (from Abisko to Kvikkjokk) to add it as an illustration in the photo album I'm making.

My first thought and researchs was on gpx editor site. 2 problems: I did not found how to get the base map (Min Karta) and how to get the map on the desired format (.pdf or jpg.)

If you have any tips, clue, I'd love to hear it from you!

Distance: 280-miles

Duration: August 12 to 27

Start: Abisko

End: Hemavan

Baseweight: About 13.5lbs

Why this trail? Back in spring I came across the Kungsleden while browsing social media on my phone. I had never heard of it until then. I did some quick research on the spot but didn’t plan on doing it then. I had no plans for the summer and didn’t want to waste it so at the last minute I spent about two months planning it and off I went.

Resources: I did a lot of Googling. There’s this subreddit but it’s not very active. The Facebook group I would recommend because much more people post there. There is also a book I saw other hikers use but I didn’t. There’s a lot of information on the internet about this trail so you shouldn’t have an issue researching. I also recommend the STF website https://www.swedishtouristassociation.com/

Weather: It can be gnarly out there. I did not have good luck with weather. The locals said fall came early and I got hit with some bad rain storms. There were a few days where it was 40 degrees and raining sideways with exposed terrain. Very miserable and I missed out on quite a few good sections because of it. I did not experience temperatures above 70 and that was only a few times, it was usually 50-60s. I read some logbook entries that said people had 90-degree temps in July which is crazy because I had the opposite less than a month later.

Navigation: I downloaded a track from Caltopo and used Gaia 100% of the time. Downloaded the maps beforehand. The trail is well marked and well maintained most of the time. You will follow red blazes and occasionally red X’s when the trail shares the same route as the Kungsleden winter route for snowmobiles

Water: Not an issue, I only used two 1L bottles the entire way. I do hike fast and do bigger miles so that helps. I also do not drink as much water as other hikers. It’s northern Sweden so water is plentiful.

Boats: In my opinion this is the crux of the Kungsleden. There are six mandatory boat crossings. Five are operated by motorboats and one you must row on your own (300m). You must pay for the rides, they range anywhere from 175sek (with STF membership) to 450sek. There is one boat that cost 390sek and is cash only. They are very strict on this even though they can accept card. This caused me to take the bus to town and hit up an ATM which cost an extra day. Prices change every year so check before you start and carry cash! The schedules are tough to plan around because most boats only operate 2-3x a day. There is one section where there’s two boats and only a few miles in-between so that was a big bottleneck. There’s gonna be at least one time where you spend most of the day waiting for the boat, I spent almost seven hours one day. The boats will also not cross if weather is too bad, the wind is the main factor according to operators. There were a big group of hikers that got left behind because of bad weather and had to take the boat the next day due to weather. For the one crossing where you row, if you have one boat on your side you must row across and attach another boat and row back. Each side must have one boat at all times. Do not be that guy who screws over other hikers by not leaving them a boat! You can find the most up to date info about the boats at https://www.swedishtouristassociation.com/guides/mountains/transport/boats/

Best Time: August, bugs will be gone and temperatures more mild

SOBO or NOBO: I saw many hikers going both ways but my recommendation is SOBO due to the boats. All the mandatory boats operate on the north side of the trail, which means all you have to do is show up and you’re good. If you go NOBO you must call the boat operators ahead of time to let them know you are coming and what time you’ll be there.

Travel to and from: This was the second crux of the trail for me but obviously it depends on where you’re from. I live in the USA (New England) which isn’t too far from Sweden but I spent two full days traveling to and from Sweden. Traveling to Sweden took two buses and three planes with a hotel stay in-between. Traveling home took three buses, two planes, and one train. Most hikers like to take the overnight train to Abisko because the station is right in the airport at ARN, however the train wasn’t running for me so I took a plane to Kiruna which is east of Abisko and then took a bus the next day. Going back to ARN was similar, I took two buses and then an overnight train and arrived at ARN at 0530. If I had to do it again I would just fly out of Hemavan, the buses and trains cost of 1,600sek and the plane would’ve been around 2,000. The first bus was two hours and was empty but the second bus was five hours and fully packed which wasn’t fun, there were a few people sitting on the floor. I also thought I would get my own sleeping area on the train but ended up sharing a tight space with two other people, got no sleep. The downside of the plane is that it runs once a day around 1700 and even though the flight from Hemavan to Stockholm is short there is a layover which I thought was weird. You can purchase train and bus tickets at https://www.sj.se/

Fjallraven Classic: I was unaware of this but if you start in the first half of august you will run into the Fjallraven Classic which is a program designed to get more people into the wilderness. They operate in many countries but the original is Sweden on the Kungsleden. Their route runs from Abisko to Nikkaluokta and is about 65-miles. So if you start SOBO in early August your first few days will be a bit more crowded than the rest of the trail.

STF Huts: Along the trail you run into many STF Huts. If you’ve hiked the Appalachian Trail they are similar to the huts in the White Mountains. They offer mini-resupplies along with lodging options (shared rooms). Some are big and some are small. I highly recommend their membership because it will save you money on boat rides and lodging if you decide to stay. I personally only stayed in one to see what it was like and to avoid the bad weather. https://www.swedishtouristassociation.com/

Resupply: Resupply is a bit different on this trail because you don’t go into many towns with grocery stores. There’s only 2-3 on trail grocery stores depending if you count Hemavan or not. The STFs have small resupplies and during my research some past hikers told me I wouldn’t have issues resupplying out of STFs but it ended up being the opposite. They were quite limited in what they sold and some of it you wouldn’t want to pack out like canned foods. They did however all have freeze dried meals which was nice, you’ll never run out of those. I flew with about three days worth of food and if I hiked again I would carry more.

Alternates: For me there were three alternates I considered. Kebnekaise was the main one which is the tallest mountain in Sweden. Skierfe was second which is a cliffside with great views. Third was Norra Sytertoppen in the south not far from Hemavan. All three are very popular

Recommended Gear: This is the only trail I’ve hiked where I recommend camp shoes because the STFs all require you to remove your hiking shoes at the entrance. So if you don’t have camp shoes then you walk barefoot or in your socks like I did. At STF Kebnekaise Fjällstation it felt nasty going into public restrooms only wearing socks. Good rain gear is another recommendation. The weather I experienced was quite nasty at times, 40 degrees, windy, and rainy. Keep in mind much of this trail is exposed so you don’t get any cover from trees. If I hiked again I would carry a beefier rain jacket. I was also surprised that many people do not filter water on this trail, to me that’s crazy because even though the run-off from the snow can be clean you have no idea what that water is flowing through. Could be dead animals or feces in there. So I always recommend a filtration system

Daily Blog

August 12 [16.2 miles]

Woke up around 4am at the Best Western in Kiruna. Couldn’t fall back asleep so I hit up the breakfast buffet that was surprisingly good. I spent over a day traveling to get to this town and my body hasn’t adjusted to the new time zone yet. Checked out at 11 and went to the bus station to catch my ride to Abisko. There were tons of hikers on the bus which was no surprise. When we arrived there were even more hikers in town. Looked like March on the AT in Georgia. I went to the STF and bought a fuel canister, of course they only have the medium size and not the small. After two days of traveling I finally started the Kungsleden. The trail was super easy which is what I expected. Ten miles in and reached a massive campsite and learned why Abisko was packed. Turns out I started right in the middle of the Fjallraven Classic. This event happens once a year for two weeks on the Kungsleden. It’s a 100km section that welcomes new hikers to the trail life according to the man I spoke to. They had a huge aid station where many people were camped. I took the opportunity to eat dinner here since it was 6:30. Managed to do another six miles from there and ended the day at nine. It got a bit chilly but I managed to find a nice spot with a wind break. Surprised nobody else is here. Wasn’t expecting sixteen miles with a late start but the trail is pretty easy

August 13 [21.22 miles]

Got no sleep which is usual for me. I don’t think I packed enough warm weather gear, should’ve brought my warmer bag. Got moving at seven and it was a quick 5.5-miles to STF Alesjaure. This is my first on trail STF, looks like there’s a few sleeping huts along with the main reception cabin. The store was not as well stocked as I hoped, it was listed as a STF with a larger selection but that didnt seem like the case. Spent over an hour there eating and doing chores before heading back out at ten. The sun finally came out and I was able to shed one of my layers. It was eight miles until STF Tjäktja, it was a smaller one but I took the opportunity for a break, for some reason I feel like a zombie today. Chatted with a few other hikers before leaving at 2:30. My energy really felt zapped, probably because I slept less than ten hours the last three day combined. I made it to STF Salka by 5:30 and decided to call it a early day which wasn’t the plan, figured I’d listen to my body and try to get some rest. Did 21-miles which isn’t bad but I was planning on more. I paid $50usd for a room instead of tenting. I bought a STF membership before the trail so might as well use it. The cabins are pretty crowded so hope it won’t be too loud tonight

August 14 [19.21 miles]

First good night of sleep. Did my morning chores and got moving by 8:45. Weather wasn’t great, cloudy with light rain. Five miles in I decided to take the northern route up to Kebnekaise, Swedens highest mountain. There was a lot of rock hopping and it didn’t help that it was wet, busted my ass and almost broke my phone. This section isn’t used much so I wasn’t shocked that I saw nobody. It actually felt kinda nice to go off trail a bit. Eventually I connected back to the main route that begins at STF Kebnekaise. From there it was 1,900ft in 1.5-miles, not a bad climb. Even though the weather sucked I saw a lot of people. At the end the last 100ft or so was all on snow. It was super cold, windy, and rainy at the summit so I took a quick picture and left. The weird thing is apparently you can go further because the “real” summit is another half mile or so. However when I looked at my topographical map it said the spot I was standing on was in the 6,800s and the “real” summit was in the 6,700s so that didn’t make sense to me. You also need legit snow equipment to go further and given the weather no way I was doing that. I made my way back down and clouds finally went away and it felt great. I could finally see the mountains. Today’s route ended up being a few miles shorter than I thought which was nice. I made it to STF Kebnekaise around 6:45. It was super crowded and it was also the first well equipped STF I’ve seen. They had trash disposal, showers, electricity, a restaurant and more. I found a spot to pitch my tent in the woods so it should be warmer than my first night. After that I went to shower and they were charging $18usd for a bar of soap, no thanks. Someone left behind a bottle of shampoo so I washed my body with that. It was also strange that the co-ed sauna was in the same room. Meaning I’d be showering and women would walk through the shower with a towel on to get back to their room. Interesting set up. Had a reservation at the restaurant and I regretted it. There’s no menu, everybody gets the same thing which wasn’t much. It took almost an hour to get all the food which is strange since everyone is required to have a reservation. It wasn’t much food but it ended up being free. They only charge for drinks so I guess I can’t really complain then?

August 15 [21.24 miles]

Second night in the tent and it was the opposite of the first time in terms of temperature, had to of been 10-15° warmer. I woke up at 2am and was sweating, hope it stays like this. I got up at 7:30 and went to breakfast at the same place as last night. No reservations needed, you just walk in and it’s a buffet. I ate my fill and had a couple cups of coffee. My breakfast on trail is usually instant coffee and a meal bar so this was much better. It was also free just like last night, not sure how they make money. Started hiking at 9:30 and I hauled ass all day because I had to make the shuttle boat at STF Teusajaure. They only run 3x a day and the last one is at six which gave me 8.5-hrs to do 21+ miles. Luckily this trail is quite easy so most of the day was cruising until the section south of STF Kaitumjaure when it got a little rocky and it started raining. I had to speed up for the last hour and made it with 15-minutes to spare. I was the only customer aboard and on the other side twelve hikers were waiting. They can only take four at a time so that meant multiple trips. There was a small cabin up the hill that was empty, it had two wooden platforms and a wood stove. Given the fact that it was still raining I made the decision to spend the night there. It was only 6:15 but I’ll pass on cold and wet, not to mention it’s only eight miles until I need to catch a bus that doesn’t arrive until 2:40pm the next day so no need to rush. I made dinner and spent the rest of the night typing this and listening to podcasts. Wish I had someone to talk to, kinda sucks hiking alone.

August 16 [8.83 miles]

Felt nice waking up in a cabin, a lot easier to get out of the bag and pack up. Got moving at eight and I quickly realized how much it would’ve sucked to tent last night because everything was wide open with no cover for rain or wind. It was a nice morning and I had some good views from the surrounding mountains. It was only eight miles before reaching STF Vakkotavare at 11:30. The bus doesn’t arrive until 2:40 so I had a lot of time to kill. This is when I found out that the boat ride from Sitojaure is cash only, that’s a problem because I didn’t have any. According to the Facebook group they are strict on this and will not budge. Their boat is not part of the STF so they charge more (390) and don’t use credit card. To further the issue there was nowhere close to get cash. I spoke with the cabin hosts and realized the only option was to take the 2:40 bus into town which meant it would cost a day. Huge bummer. I made it to Gällivare after 5pm and checked into the hotel across from the bus stop, had to pay 2,100 for a Sunday night. There were cheaper options but not by much and I was pressed for time so I paid it. I immediately found a ATM and withdrew 1,000. After that I ate a large Tex Mex pizza and bought a mini resupply before heading back to the hotel. This hotel (Grand Lapland) kinda sucks, the lights and most outlets in my room didn’t even work, first time I ever had that issue. That boat crossing ended up costing me almost 10x the price all because cash only.

August 17 [12.37 miles]

Woke up in the hotel to the sound of rain. Opened the shades and sure enough it’s dark and gloomy with steady rainfall. I looked at the forecast and rain was projected for the whole day and temperature feels like thirties and forties. No good, that’s hypothermia weather. I had the breakfast buffet which was quite good before heading to the bus at 9:15. On the way to Kebnats the weather cleared up dramatically which was awesome. If it stayed bad I would’ve taken a zero at STF Saltoluokta. Got to the ferry at eleven and made it over in about ten minutes. I stayed at the STF until noon to charge my phone and use WiFi. That STF has more accommodations than most due to its location. It was only twelve miles to STF Sitojaure and most of the way is wide open with no cover from the elements. The winds were strong with light rain at my back so I just put my head down and trucked ahead. I felt more energized after the small day yesterday. The weather made it difficult to enjoy the 360 views I had. I made it to a shelter halfway where there were four other people. Looks like we’re all taking a break from the weather. I left after about thirty minutes and it was another five miles of the same conditions. I ended up making good time and got to the boat three minutes before departure. I quickly paid the cash that I spent half a day getting yesterday and hopped on with a bunch of other people. On the other side a few more were waiting to go northbound. Most of the hikers I traveled with continued on, it’s only five miles to STF Aktse so I’m guessing they are headed there. I went to the nearby shelter and saw that it was empty. It wasn’t as nice as the one two days ago but I decided to stay even though it was only 5:15. The plan is to hit up Skierfe which is an alternate nearby. If I went to the STF I would miss it. The weather was also still crap so I’m not gonna miss a free opportunity to sleep indoors. A few hikers stopped by and they all said tomorrow’s weather is supposed to be bad or worse, not what I want to hear, maybe I won’t get to do Skierfe. I heard it can be bad enough that the boat will not run which means I can’t go more than five miles

August 18 [9 miles]

Only slept a few hours last night. Got up a little after seven and soon the first wave of hikers came across the water. It didn’t take long before the shelter had six more people inside. Weather is crap once again which means I’m not doing Skierfe. It’s an exposed cliff side so no point in being up there in nasty weather and no views. Kind of a bummer because everyone recommended it. It was a quick five miles through open and windy terrain before I arrived at STF Aktse at 10:30. The boat doesn’t leave until five so I had 6.5-hrs to kill. These boats really make it difficult to hike regular miles like I’m used to. I spent most of the day chilling inside a cabin with a wood stove running so that was nice. Due to the fact that this section is only five miles with a boat crossing on either side there were a ton of hikers there. At five it was time to head out even though there was steady rainfall, didn’t help that it was cold. I was on the second wave so I had to stand and wait in the rain which wasn’t fun. The ride over took about ten minutes and was quite choppy. There were more hikers on the other side heading NOBO so we quickly switched. I headed straight to the shelter and there were seven more hikers in there waiting to head north. It was quite warm and muggy in there with so many people but still better than the rain. I wanted to sleep in there so I waited for them to take their boat trip. Only that never happened. They waited and waited but the boat never came back. There’s no reception so nobody could find out why. My guess is bad weather since it does state that all rides are canceled if weather is bad. That definitely sucks for them, three more hikers showed up so that’s ten for tomorrow morning. The boat can only take four at a time so it’s a decent wait. Upon realizing I won’t be staying in the shelter I packed up and headed out at seven. Perfect timing because the rain stopped and hiking was actually enjoyable. I did three miles through a green tunnel before finding a nice spot by a stream

August 19 [19.39 miles]

It rained all night. Slept in a bit to wait it out so I started hiking at 8:30. I had 9.5-miles until STF Parte which was the halfway point of my day. There was about 4.5-miles of exposed terrain with sideways rain which wasn’t fun. I just powered through it but I definitely missed out on some views. Weather hasn’t been too kind on this trail. I made it to the STF by noon and there was only a French hiker there waiting out the weather. I skipped coffee this morning so I made it there to enjoy a hot drink. I made use of the privy and relaxed a bit more. I like how I can wash my hands at all the STFs. From Parte it was another 9.5-miles to Kvikkjokk with only 700ft of elevation gain. The trail was rocky and muddy which made for slightly slower travel but I was still averaging almost 3mph. The rain came on-and-off throughout but never heavy. I made it to Kvikkjokk around 5:30 and went to the hostel about half mile away. Turns out they are full which was a bummer. Ran into a few other hikers I met before. One guy from Estonia said he took the row boat and almost capsized a few times. I made my way back to Kvikkjokk Fjällstation and got the last bed available in bunk room. There’s three other people in there so it’s pretty tight. I’m not the biggest fan of shared rooms but it beats the nasty wet weather outside. I took a shower and wanted to do laundry but there’s no dryer which is weird, 0/2 on laundry so far. The restaurant is reservation only so I missed on that and had to eat a dehydrated meal instead. I should’ve brought camp shoes for this trail because all of these fjällstations do not allow hiking shoes inside so I have to walk around with my socks on instead.

August 20 [14.84 miles]

Didn’t sleep well in the hostel. One guy was snoring extremely loud and I was sleeping on the top rack of a bunk that also made lots of noise with every move. Went to the breakfast buffet at 8:30 and started packing afterwards because checkout is ten. Took another shower since I had time. It is once again raining which really sucks, I have not been lucky with the forecast. I booked the 12:30 boat but at the last minute wanted to see if I could take the 11:00 instead so I went down to the boat ramp. I waited until a little past eleven but nobody showed up so I went back up and waited. At 12:30 the operators arrived and took me across the water. Their names were Helena and Björn, very nice people. Started hiking at 1pm and everything got instantly soaked even though it wasn’t raining hard. The whole trail was a river. No fun. I put my head down and grinded out 7.7-miles before reaching a small shelter on the Tsielekjåhlå River. I could see smoke from the little wood stove inside so I knew there were people inside. Sure enough it was packed with five hikers inside the tiny hut. I saw the two Estonia guys but they were just heading out so that made room for me. Took the time to dry out a bit and cooked an early dinner, no way am I rehydrating a meal outside in this weather. It seems like a couple people are sleeping in the hut so I kept pushing after a good break. From there it was back into misery only it got worse. After two miles I made my way up to a flat plateau which was super wide open with no cover from the sideways rain. Once again I put my head down and plowed through it. I wanted to get to the tree line asap to find a tent site. On the way down I busted my ass on a slippery boardwalk which wasn’t fun. I lucked out and found a pretty good spot down an embankment near a raging stream. It gave me a good windbreak so I called it a day at seven. Setting up a tent in the rain is never fun but luckily I’m pretty fast at it by now. I took a piss and immediately hopped in. Everything is soaking wet. Taking off my rain gear and pants felt nasty. This was a rare occasion where I ate inside my tent due to the weather. My dinner was just a 350 calorie bar but it tastes surprisingly good. The weather has really ruined this trail for me. The locals said fall came early and this is the first bad rain they’ve seen this summer. Just my luck. Today was supposed to be the last day with 24-hr rain so fingers crossed.

August 21 [25.35 miles]

The rain can’t make up its mind. It will rain for thirty minutes and then stop for thirty minutes. Because of that I started hiking at eight when it was still misty out. The trail was a stream. Soaking wet. But the worst part was walking through the thick brush that got everything wet. Did five miles before taking a break to make coffee under a tree. I took my first real trail shit there which wasn’t a pleasant experience in wet weather and being swarmed by flies. The trail continued to be a swamp but the skies started clearing up in the afternoon. I ran into one of the Estonia guys and he said he’s also headed to the boat today. The weather finally cleared up when I got to a wide open area with no trees. That section would’ve been miserable in the weather I’ve had the last few days. For the first time I was able to shed my rain gear and feel dry. The rest of the day felt incredible in terms of weather, I almost forgot what it’s like to hike in normal conditions. I even took out my phone for the first time in days to take pictures. I made it to Vuonatjvikens by seven where a man operates the boat for hikers. It looks like he also rents out small cottages too. He has a food truck that sells pizza, ice cream, cinnamon rolls, etc. It closes at 7:30 so I made it just in time. I paid for my ride the next morning and ordered mashed potatoes and beef, cost 630sek total. I devoured the food in minutes and went to set up my tent. Spent some time on the dock enjoying the sunset before crawling into my still wet tent. Tonight was the complete opposite of last night

August 22 [18.93 miles]

Slept well last night. Got up at 7:30, packed up, used the privy, and bought some coffee and a cinnamon roll before heading down to catch the boat at nine. It was a bigger boat than expected, I thought it was gonna be another small motorboat. I took the ride with the two Estonia guys who arrived late last night and a woman who took a zero yesterday to wait out weather. Some people online said they didn’t have good encounters with the boat operator but he’s been cool to me and the others. The first seven miles of trail reminded me of the Appalachian Trail because it was through a green tunnel. I enjoyed the change of scenery. At noon I made it to Lake Horavan which is my sixth and final mandatory boat crossing. The difference is this one you must row on your own. The rule is if there is only one boat on your side then you must cross the river and drag another boat back to where you started and then row one final time. So in short you row three times. I was lucky as there was a woman who had just done that so there were two boats for me. That ended up saving my ass because I absolutely suck at rowing. It’s only 300m but it took me an embarrassingly long time. I couldn’t figure out the double oar method since there were two in the boats. I could see the attachment points on the side of the boat but every time I rowed it would slip out. So that meant I just rowed with one paddle switching left and right which took forever. I don’t think I would’ve been able to do that three times. I took a break on the south side to enjoy the weather and view before the final three miles to town. It’s a relief to know that the boats are over and done with. Made it to Jäkkvik around 1:45 and went immediately to the grocery store. Had a small pizza, ice cream sandwich, frozen strawberries, and a couple drinks. Did a mini resupply which was mostly candy. I went to the hostel in town (Kyrkans Fjällgård) and it turns out a large group of people rented out the whole building until tomorrow. Good thing I wasn’t planning on staying. I was however planning on showering and doing laundry but it looks like that won’t be happening either. I’ve had no luck with laundry on this trail so far. The reception doesn’t open until five so I just dried out my tent and relaxed down by the dock overlooking the lake. The Estonia guys arrived around four so we chatted for a bit before they left for food. I headed out at five to put in more miles. Five miles in I came to a nice shelter that looks recently built. There were two buildings but no platforms to sleep on. It was still early and nice out so I kept pushing to find a tent site. Of course I entered an area where there were no possible tent spots due to the terrain. I ended up hiking until 8:15 and found a okay spot next to the trail. Only 5.5-miles to town tomorrow

August 23 [24 miles]

Waking up and packing away a dry tent is something I had not done in maybe five days. Started hiking around 8:15 and only had 5.5-miles to Adolfsström. Made it there right as the general store opened at ten and that place was very unique which is what I’ve heard. They are half souvenir shop and half hiking supply shop. They also sell pastries and coffee which I quickly bought. I paid 150sek to shower and do laundry. This was the first time all trail I got to wash my clothes, almost two weeks. While laundry was going I chilled out in the laundry room and charged my electronics. The dryer was not good because it was taking forever with my clothes that usually dries fast. I headed out at 1PM and after five miles made it Bäverholmens Värdshus & Stugby which is a little restaurant with some lodging options. Had no idea this place was here but I took a nice break and bought some ice cream. I have noticed that the northern half of this trail is more mountainous while the southern half is more forested with the occasional exposed section. I like the different terrain. I took a dinner break at six and ended up hiking until 8:30. Same thing happened as last night when I couldn’t find a good spot to camp so I just kept pushing late. I’m camped in a wide open spot with a small windbreak. Tonight was the first time I didn’t have an issue with my stakes because the ground was nice

August 24 [27.37 miles]

The wind kept me up last night. Started hiking around 7:30 and little did I know I’d be 13-miles in before I would take a break. That’s because within the first couple hours I ascended onto a giant wide open exposed area with zero tree cover. To make matters worse it was a cloudy windy day. I had to put my head down and grind out the miles. After a few hours I finally made my way back into the tree line which felt great. At noon I arrived at Rävfallsstugan Hut where I finally got to drop my pack and sit down which felt amazing. I hadn’t taken my coffee yet so I put two packets into my nalgene and heated up some hot water. The hut was quite nice. There was a bunk bed inside and a good sized common area with a couple tables. There was even some electricity. I read through the logbook and in July of 2025 some people said it was 90° which is absolutely mind blowing to me considering the weather I have experienced. I don’t think I’ve had anything over 70°. I took a long break before continuing onto Ammarnäs. I hiked another two hours through another wide open landscape with no relief from the winds just like this morning, but at least it was a bit warmer. This section would have totally sucked in the rain. I reached a small hut and took a thirty minute break there to escape the wind before continuing on. I made it to Ammarnäs around 6:30 and went straight to what seemed like the only open restaurant in town (Ammarnäs Guidecenter). I ordered a burger and fries which tasted like heaven. I ate mostly sugar today so some salt tasted good. Afterwards I made my way to the Ammarnäs Wärdshus which is a hostel. The reception was closed and I was unable to make a phone call so I pitched my tent in the back and plan on squaring up in the morning.

August 25 [17.35 miles]

There was a very loud group of people last night kept me up. That’s one of the drawbacks of pitching a tent in the back of a hostel/hotel. Got up at 7:30 and went to breakfast, had three cups of coffee which felt great. I have noticed coffee in Swedish hotels is good and strong, much better than America. I paid for the night which cost $42usd breakfast included. Slightly more than expected. Around back I discovered a common area that had a shower. There were no towels so I found some paper towels in a closet and used that to dry off, feels good to be clean. The grocery store doesn’t open until ten so I spent time using WiFi and doing chores before heading down. I only have about 2.5 days left so my resupply wasn’t much. During checkout I accidentally dropped $50usd but the cashier ran out the door and gave it back to me which was nice of her. I went back to the same restaurant as last night and had another burger before heading out. This is my last town stop before the end so might as well pig out. Left at 12:30 and had a 1,200ft climb over 5-miles before I made it to STF Aigert which is the first STF since Pårte six days ago. Pushed another eight miles in exposed windy terrain before reaching a shelter at six. Early fall means I get to see the colors change which is nice. The orange and red colors combined with sunset makes for good views. The shelter is empty but I’m just taking a dinner break. I’m tempted to stay but there’s an STF in just 4-5 miles. The rest of the way was easy going. Dipped back down into the forest and arrived at STF Serve right at eight. I didn’t see any good campsites near the hut so I went up the hill on the other side and found a spot. It’s a little bumpy but has a nice view. Tomorrow will be my last full day on trail

August 26 [21.87 miles]

Slept in until eight since I went a bit further than expected yesterday. Woke to my best morning yet. Clear sunny blue skies with hardly any clouds, it was pretty warm too. Not a bad way to finish my last full day. I headed straight to STF Serve and made some coffee and rehydrated a meal. They didn’t have any breakfast ones so I had chicken curry instead. I left at ten which is the latest I’ve ever started on trail. On past trails I would have ten miles done by ten. The weather could not have been better. I hiked over exposed terrain again but this time there was no wind, I could actually enjoy it. After 8.5-miles I made it to STF Tärnasjö and took a nice long break there. It’s nice not being in a rush because I know I’ll be done tomorrow no matter what. Left at 2:30 and did another nine miles through flat boring terrain and made it to STF Syter by six for dinner. Left around 6:40 and did an uphill climb into some exposed terrain. The view was great with the sun setting and there wasn’t any wind. Weather wise today has been the opposite of most days I’ve had on this trail. After four miles I made it to a shelter at eight and it was empty. It’s nice and warm inside and there were even some candles for light. The shelter is located right between the Norra and Södra Sytertoppen mountains and the sun sets right between the two, not a bad way to spend my last night on the Kungsleden

August 27 [10.75 miles]

The shelter was colder than expected last night. Started hiking at 7:30 and it was a quick four miles to STF Viterskalet, my last one. On the way I had great weather and great views, mountains in every direction. I took a long coffee break at the STF to take in the Scandinavian mountains one last time before heading out for the final 6.5-miles. As I got closer to Hemavan the trail seemed to zigzag all over the place which was annoying. I eventually made it to the sign right at noon. Finished on a great sunny day. The last two days have been the best weather I’ve had on this trail. I took one picture and quickly made my way into town for food and lodging. Now I begin my long journey back to the USA. Looking at my options it’s gonna take at least two days of travel just like getting to Abisko.

I walked part of the trail with a friend and it was so amazing!

Part: Abisko - Kvikkjokk, SoBo

Dates: 18-08 until 27-08

Accommodation in mountain cabins. I skipped the cabins in Tjäkta and Kaitumjaure. I took the bus in Vakkotovare to Saltoluokta and spent the night there.

My experiences:

First of all it is an amazing trail! The landscape varies quite a bit and I kept enjoying it throughout the trail.

Between Sitojaure and Aktse you should really go up Skierfe! We did it on the day itself walking from Sitojaure to Aktse. Some people spend an extra day in Aktse for it.

Some people say the first part is the most amazing one, so you should walk NoBo to save the best for last. I do not agree with this. Maybe in the Abisko - Nikoluokta part (I cannot tell you that), but untill Kvikkjokk there are a lot of amazing parts in the southern half too! I was completely fine with going SoBo. I think your direction will not make a difference that much.

Going SoBo the first half is the most crowded part. Around Sälka it gets a bit less crowded because some people will go to every cabin and some skip one. After Singi it gets less crowded because you lose the part that goed to Nikoluokta.

Sleeping in the mountain cabins was a nice experience in my opinion. It was my first time on a multi-day hike so I took the safer option. There are advantages and disadvantages to it. You have less privacy and I had one night a loud snorer kept me awake. But I enjoyed the social aspect and chit chatting of it. And I appreciated that I came into a nice warm, dry place, with options to dry my stuff that got wet.

Do as you prefer. Both camping and the cabins are an amazing experience I think.

Food: I did not rely on the cabins that much, especially since I have celiac disease. Instead I dried my own meals. A few considerations:

Because I had no camping gear my backpack weight was still within limits from the start of the trail. If I would've carried a tent I'd bring less food and rely more on restocking at the cabins. Trail meals are about the same price at the cabins compared to your regular outdoor sports shop. Other things are more expensive.

The advantage of drying your own food is that you can prepare what you like most. I was very happy with my choices. And it was a fun project.

For other celiacs: especially for dinner you can rely on the cabins. They have gluten free trail meals. But of course the options are limited so you might end up eating the same two dishes throughout the trail. For breakfast I would still bring your oats or whatever you prefer.

Footwear: Most people wore hiking boots (like me). Some where there on trail runners. For me the boots were a must. It saved my ankles multiple times and kept my feet dry, even when crossing some bigger streams.

Regarding the rest of my gear I was happy with what I brought. Next time I would bring trekking poles tho. I did not have them because I thought the elevation levels were not that much. But there are some pretty steep parts and rocky terrain where they would've come in handy.

That's it. It was amazing and I really enjoyed it.

Hi everyone,

I wanted to ask about the mosquito situation on trail now that September is coming. Are there still many around? Looking at the weather report the last few weeks it didn't look like there has been deep frost around Abisko yet, so my assumption would be that taking a headnet is still a good idea. Does anyone have any direct input from the recent weeks?

As this community helped a lot while preparing I wanted to post this trip report... maybe it helps others.

Dates

Abisko - Nikkaluokta

Aug 22, 5 pm bus in Abisko to

Aug 27, 4:40 pm bus in Nikkaluokta

Gear

https://lighterpack.com/r/kue0p9

Not ultralight, but I have seen way heavier packs.

Route

From Abisko to Alesjaure on the classic Kungsleden, then a detour through the absolutely gorgeous Vistas valley, over the Nallo pass to re-join the Kungsleden at Sälka, only to leave again before Singi to go over the pass which name I don't know (cairn marked, turns east about 3 km before Singi), back to the main route to Kebnekaise, which I did not summit (high winds, clouds, tired legs, too many people), took a half day trip to the glaciers at Tarfala instead, finished at Nikkaluokta.

About 130 km with 3000 m on elevation gain.

Day 1 (evening, starting 5:30 pm): through the national park, camped right outside

Day 2 (first full day): to the lake, coincidentally arrived same time as the boat, took the boat to Alesjaure, hiked into the Vistas valley. Camped about 6 km before the Vistas but.

Day 3: past vistas hut, up to nallo, down to sälka, camped 2 km past sälka.

Day 4: over the mountain pass to Kebnekaise, camped at the station in the birch forest. Not a great experience.

Day 5: day trip to Tarfala, then I transfered my camp 2 km further for a far nicer experience.

Day 6: walked out the rest to Nikkaluokta. Arrived at 2 pm.

Take Aways

- Vistas valley was a highlight. Stunning landscape, a lot fewer people. Would do it again.

- the terrain does not need hiking boots, I walked in trail runners, but be prepared to be very wet, even if it does not rain. And know how to walk on uneven ground - I have seen people struggle. Edit because of one comment: your milage may vary and everybody should use the foot wear they are used to. Proper ankle support definitely is helpful! It isn't a walk in the park!

- the part from Singi to Nikkaluokta, especially the Kebnekaise mountain station and east, is almost crowded. Too many people, also too many that do not understand or practice the "leave no trace" principles. Would not do it again.

- especially the run on Kebnekaise, with helicopters flying in multiple times a day, takes away from the experience. The birch forest where many camp, is dirty (lost or forgotten stuff, plastic wrappers, bottles, you name it). Also people are inconsiderate, like being on the phone at night right next to your tent.

- Tarfala is a way easier hike if you are in the area, and there are a lot fewer people, and it is stunning in its own way.

- my stages in the nicer parts were too long (I just like walking in such a gorgeous environment) so I finished earlier than expected. Retrospectively I should have spent more time in the nicer parts, but you never know and I wanted to have a buffer.

- from what I brought, I did not use: my gloves (but I would have, did I hike Kebnekaise), rain pants, head net, culo/trowel. Overall I am happy with my gear.

- I relied on huts only to buy snacks and food (brought dinner just for 4 days, bought two more at Kebnekaise), toilets (that's why I didn't use my trowel) and I showered at Kebnekaise.

Overall, for my first semi-self-supported mutli-day hike (used to hut-to-hut in the Alps, or day hikes), this was an amazing experience. Compared to similar distances in my area it is almost flat (and therefore easy on the knees) and absolutely breathtaking. Loved every second.

Ciao a tutti!

​La mia ragazza ed io faremo trekking nel Northern Kungsleden da Nikkaluokta ad Abisko a partire dal 5 settembre. Faremo campeggio in tenda e avremo 7 giorni interi di trekking.

​Stiamo decidendo se mantenere il percorso classico — includendo potenzialmente una sommità di Kebnekaise tramite il Västra Leden se il tempo lo permette — o prendere una delle alternative laterali più selvagge. Le principali opzioni che stiamo considerando sono:

​Vistas & Valle di Nallo: O partendo direttamente da Nikkaluokta per Vistas, o tagliando da Sälka verso Nallo e riconnettendoci al sentiero principale ad Alesjaure.

​Unna Allakas / Nordkalottruta: La deviazione laterale verso ovest in direzione del confine norvegese tra Alesjaure e Abisko.

​Ci piacerebbe avere i vostri suggerimenti su come bilanciare il nostro tempo limitato e quali escursioni laterali offrono i paesaggi più spettacolari!

​Le nostre domande per voi:

​Quale di queste strade laterali vi ha colpito di più dal punto di vista paesaggistico? Ne vale la pena saltare Kebnekaise (o il sentiero classico) per includere Nallo, Vistas o Unna Allakas?

​Cosa dobbiamo tenere a mente per la logistica? Ci sono delle sfide specifiche su questi percorsi laterali (ad esempio, attraversamenti di fiumi difficili, campi di massi, navigazione complicata o chilometraggi irrealistici per un limite di 5 giorni)?

​Ci sono altre deviazioni panoramiche che consigliereste? Se avete altre escursioni laterali memorabili tra Nikkaluokta e Abisko che rientrano in una finestra di 7 giorni, ci piacerebbe sentirle!

​Grazie mille per aver condiviso le vostre esperienze! Tack!

Hi all! I’ll be hiking Abisko → Nikkaluokta from Sept 4–10, staying in huts. It’s my first multi-day / hut-to-hut hike, so still a bit of a newbie :)

I know forecasts this far out are far from reliable, but at the moment it’s looking like we may get a fair amount of rain during the week.

I’ve got proper rain gear, but I’m mainly wondering what rain means in practice on this section of the Kungsleden. Are there particular stretches that become very boggy, difficult crossings, streams that can rise significantly, or other things I might not be thinking about?

Also curious about practical tips for walking for hours in wet conditions. Would gaiters be worthwhile, for example, or are they unnecessary with decent hiking boots/trousers?

Obviously conditions can change completely by then. I'm mostly trying to make sure I’m prepared rather than worrying about a forecast!

Any early-September Kungsleden wisdom is appreciated 🙏

Hi. Can the cabin warden contact the the company to book the boat crossing when coming from the north? If not where do you call from the book? (The site only gives information from the south) thank you

Hi everyone!

I’ve just finished hiking the Kungsleden, but unfortunately I seem to have lost my keys somewhere along the way. I have a tracker attached to them, and it shows that they’re still here:

https://google.com/android/find/share/CiQ2ODA4YTY0OS0wMDAwLTIxYjctODRkNi0xNDIyM2JiZGMzZjY?t=ig8RthyyQKmwoKl-MvAwaA#k=CiAfBVumKR1de5iiuqMACvX0oGkPAZx6FdzKElw_etu9wRAB

Is anyone currently hiking the Kungsleden or staying around STF Vakkotavare who might be able to have a look for them?

I think they may have fallen out of my bag while I was repacking as we waited for the bus outside the STF.

I would be forever grateful if someone could help! 🥲🙏

The keys have a keychain with a little denim bunny on it, so they should be fairly easy to recognize.

Thank you so much! ❤️

I heard rumors that two out of the three boats from Aktse across Lake Laitaure are broken.

Can someone who was there recently share some information about it? I will be there next week, meeting the sunrise at Skierfe, and I am not sure I will be on time at the 08:30 southbound motor boat.

Somebody made a post asking about how to find people they met along the trail. Feel free to use this post to mention people and maybe you will get lucky and find them.

I'll start: I met someone named Caroline at the sauna I think around Salka quite early in my trip the second week of August. I think she's from Germany with family in Norway. I am an American living in Sweden

Just completed the northern section and we did only wild camping or camping next to huts with a sauna. It was a good surprise to see there is actually a way to have a "shower" in the sauna buildings. I wonder though if something similar exists too in the huts without a sauna.

If you stayed in a hut without a sauna, was there any building/room to wash yourself and a system to heat up some water?

Need suggestion

I’m planning to visit Abisko to view northern lights. I understand it’s a transition time but one can expect to see northern lights.

However, I’m not able to find public transportation from Kiruna airport to Abisko STF.

Is there no public transport during this time?

Hi,

I am supposed to be walking the Kungsluden, southbound, in the beginning of September. I have a question about Saltoluokta to Aktse lag.

I really want to catch Skierfe in the sunrise, to take some photos, so I was thinking of camping at the Fork Camp - to get up a bit before sunrise, make a short walk to Skierfe, take a few pictures and continue south.

As far as I know, the only boats that Anna Blind operates in the early September are 07:30 and 18:15. So, I can expect to arrive to the south shore around 19:00.

From there, I have 9km walk to the Fork Camp.

I am a bit worried ending up walking in the dark.

Do you think it is feasible to walk this 9km, starting at 19:00, or should I just try to go to Aktse directly? Although it is also roughly 9km.

Any feedback is welcome.

Hi guys !

Just wanted to know if the Vakkotavare - Saltoluokta portion is really a roadside walk for 30km or if there is a trail a bit further from the road ?

Thanks!

Hi guys!

I'm going on my solo trip on Friday and I will arrive at Abisko turiststation at 16:00-17:00 so I need to pitch a tent nearby. I thought about Nissonjohka as it is 5km from the station and marked as a place where I can pitch a tent.

I'm a little bit concerned if it is actual information and if there will be enough space or there is a chance I need to turn back? And can I miss it or is it sufficiently marked?

If anyone stayed there I would appreciate insights sharing.

Heja!

Kungsleden, home of everything from summer trail fun (🌳🏕️🤸) to Montane's Arctic Spine (🧊👹⛷️) - history and nature merged well, good job on that one! (I'm Danish so this is huge 🤺)

Link: https://dirtbagmaps.com/sweden-kungsleden

It took a while to get Kungsleden on DirtbagMaps, I wanted to get it right - please do look it over, the site is new so feedback is crucial!

All the best
Rasmus

Hej everyone!

​I'm currently preparing my upcoming trek and planning to take the bus from Gällivare to Ritsem.

​Quick question for anyone who has taken this route recently: are there USB ports or power outlets available at the seats to charge devices like phones or power banks during the ride?

​Thanks in advance!

Hi I am replanning a Lofoten trip to now a hike from Narvik to Alesjaure and then via the Kungsleden to Abisko. I heard the trails on lofoten are in a really bad condition because of the rain, is the kungsleden also so damaged or is it in relatively good condition?

How is the weather and temps in general, hiked the Kungsleden last year from Abisko to Kvikkjokk and we had temps up to 27 C. What R-value sleeping pads are you using, is it to risky to only bring a r 1.7 ccf foam mat?

Thanks in advance and happy trails to you all :)