SAREK NATIONAL PARK - THE MOST REMOTE PART OF SWEDISH LAPLAND
Sarek is part of Laponia, a huge mountainous expanse in northern Sweden that became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. With a total of 9400 km², it is the world's largest wilderness area that is still cultured by natives, the reindeer herding Sami people.
The most popular hiking trail in Laponia is the King's Trail. It's fantastic trail, however, it sees an increasing flow of hikers from all over the world. With its cabins one day apart, the King's Trail touches on the outskirts of Sarek, but it does not take you all the way in. This expedition does.
Join this 8-day trip with focus on wildlife and wild nature:
- Explore Sarek National Park, the most remote part of Swedish Lapland and home to the largest moose in Europe.
- Watch for wildlife and find fresh bear tracks along the river
- Be part of a small group of likeminded nature lovers far into the wild
- Peek out from your tent and see the northern lights dance across the sky
Details
CountrySweden
Duration (in days)8
Approved by Rewilding Europe and member of a rewilding businesses network?Yes (Rewilding Europe approved)
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival & introduction
We all meet up at Hotel Akerlund in Jokkmokk in the late afternoon. We share a welcome dinner, followed by a few hours equipment check to make sure we are all ready for our hiking expedition.
Enjoy your bed, our grand adventure starts tomorrow!
Day 2: Helicopter drop - into the wild
After an early breakfast, we pack into the van and off we go! An hour and a half later, we arrive at Stuor Muorkke in Stora Sjöfallet National Park. We're greeted by our friendly helicopter pilot. Sit back on the wooden bench, turn off your phone and have a some coffee while the pilot prepares the helicopter for takeoff.
The short helicopter flight (20 minutes) takes us to the Rapadalen valley at the border of Sarek. It saves us a whole day of hiking and gives us more time to explore the actual park. We're sure you can imagine the views from the sky, yet again, we're quite sure you can't. Nothing prepares you for the spectacular scenery we're about to experience.
Once we are all on the ground we begin our hike to enter the park on foot. You'll be amazed how crisp the air is, the low sunlight so icy blue. On this first day we only walk a few kilometers before we set up camp.
We pitch our tents by Rapaätno river and enjoy our first dinner in the wild surrounded by crooked birch trees and majestic snow-capped mountains.
Day 3: Along the river Rapaätno
After breakfast we pack up our tents and hike along the gushing river in search for wildlife. Hiking here is fairly easy over flat terrain, with an ever-changing view of the surrounding mountains.
We follow animal trails along the river through lush birch and willow forest. We are not in a hurry and we take many breaks to watch for wildlife. This is where moose gather up at this time of the year to mate, or for the "rut". It's pure joy getting to observe the fascinating rutting behaviors of these beautiful massive animals.
We search for tracks and move in silence. Chances are really good for some exciting up-close encounters with the moose. We may also see reindeer, golden eagles, rough-legged buzzard, and for the lucky few even wolverines and brown bears through binoculars.
We enjoy lunch and pause for several coffee and photo breaks. It's an indescribable feeling simply being here, in one of the wildest and most isolated places on the planet.
In the afternoon we choose a scenic spot for our camp, with a wonderful view over the valley. We cook dinner under the stars and share our stories. There is always a chance for Northern Lights if the skies are clear.
Day 4, 5, 6: Each day a little wilder
We spend three more days of hiking, tracking, watching, photographing and having fun. Each morning you will revel in the privilege it is to be here. But moist boots and cold temperatures may also remind you that you are far away from your comforts at home.
There will be plenty of time to just be. And we can always boil som more coffee. If everything goes as planned we may leave the camp behind for one or two days and go for hikes without having to carry our backpacks. And if weather permits, we hike up the famous Nammatj mountain for astonishing views of the Rapa valley and the river delta. From up here we can usually spot moose grazing along the river.
Day 7: Return to civilisation
Who wants to leave? Anyone? Perhaps we're all wet and tired and can't wait for a hot shower. Perhaps we wish we had another week, or two, or three...
We use our last day to enjoy Sarek as much as we can before it's time to go. Suddenly we hear a chakk-chackk-chak-chak fill the air. It sounds strange, the noise of civilisation after so many days of silence. It's the helicopter that's come to bring us back home.
We return to Hotel Akerlund in Jokkmokk take off our hiking boots and enjoy a well-deserved shower. Then dinner with wine and beer. Soft beds, oh heaven!
Day 8: Departure day
Breakfast and goodbyes.
Hopefully words can't describe what we've just been through together. We started out as strangers, by now we're all good friends who will share this life-changing experience in our memories forever.
What's Included?
- A highly experienced expedition leader
- 7 unforgettable nights: 2 nights at a comfortable hotel + 5 nights camping deep in the wilderness, with all meals included
- Helicopter transfer to Sarek National Park with return
- Outdoor equipment: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, outdoor kitchen utilities.
- All meals from dinner day 1 to breakfast day 8
How your experience helps rewilding efforts
We want to show our guests that Lapland's nature and culture is worth saving for future generations! The landscapes in Lapland is often perceived as wild and beautiful. Unfortunately these mountains, forest and rivers are under constant threat by exploration of mining, logging and construction of water dams.
While these forces are strong, we belive that small scale tourism is a great reason to preserve nature. It creates jobs for local communities with minimal impact on the environment. Responsible travelers in Lapland has become an important factor when it comes to save this fragile ecosystem. We are proud to say that our tours are often used as a good example by politicians and other authorities to prove that wild and beautiful nature is worth saving. So, by joining this tour you are part of this positive movement.
Wildlife watching is one of the main focuses during this tour. We want you to experience Lapland's wildlife such as Moose and Reindeer in their natural habitat. Yes, it privilige to see these animals in the wild. Yes, the're beautiful creatures. But we also want our guests to get the bigger picture. To understand that these animals are not to be taken for granted. And that they are not here for us. During this tour our guides are eager to explain how you can be part of the solution.
At our core, we believe in making a positive impact. By choosing our tour, you actively support our local community and our struggle to save the fragile land of Swedish Lapland.
Dates & Duration
6 - 13 SEPTEMBER, 2026
Seasonal Availability
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Food & Stay
Camp five nights in Sarek:
We will stay five nights in tents, single or double. It may be sunny and nice, but on some of the nights you may also wake up to snow or rain. To reduce weight you may choose to share tent with other participants of your own gender, but only if you like. We provide top-quality outdoor sleeping equipment like a lightweight expedition tent, sleeping bag (3-season Nordic climate) and sleeping-mat.
Stay the first and the last night at Hotel Åkerlund:
We stay our first and last nights at Hotel Åkerlund in Jokkmokk, in standard single/double/twin room. This gives us a chance to prepare before we head out into the wild and to have showers and a nice meal on the last day before we head back to our everyday lives.
Food:
We aim to combine food that is lightweight and with great flavors. While some of the meals will be freeze dried and just add hot water, we will also cook our own meals with pasta or rice with sauce, meatballs or veggie patties. Breakfast is usually porridge or muesli with milk, sandwich and coffee.
To keep the weight low we will only drink water from the streams and boil coffee and tea.
Languages spoken
English
Difficulty
ACTIVITY LEVEL:
Hard. You need to be an experienced hiker and to be able to carry an 18kg backpack.
- I have never been on a hike before, can I still join?
No, this expedition is not recommended for beginner hikers. You must have at least some previous experience from hiking. This hiking can be quite hard since we have to carry about 18kg in our backpacks and we typically hike a lot off trails in uneven terrain.
- I have never stayed in a tent before, can I still join?
Well, because of the cold temperatures and harsh weather conditions this is not a trip for beginners. We recommend that you have been on at least one camping trip before you choose to join this expedition so that you are prepared for what is coming. But you don’t need to bring your own equipment. We provide top-quality outdoor sleeping equipment like a lightweight expedition tent, sleeping bag (3-season Nordic climate) and sleeping-mat.
- Will it be cold?
Yes, end of September can be quite cold with sub-zero temperatures. So if you become cold easily then this trip may not be for you.
- What wildlife can we expect to see?
We expect to see moose, but we usually also see other wildlife like reindeer, eagles, ravens. Sarek is also home to large carnivores like bears and wolverines.
This experience involves
Hiking
Wildlife tracking
Wildlife photography
Birdwatching
Dark skies & stargazing
Herbivores in this landscape
Arctic reindeer
Eurasian elk
Carnivores in this landscape
Grey wolf
Brown bear
Eurasian lynx
Scavengers and other large birds in this landscape
