14 Unforgettable Things to Do and See in Abisko, Sweden
Abisko is a village in the Sampi region of Sweden. The region is known as the native land of the Sami people. The place is known for Abisko winter activities, natural landscapes and Sami cultural experience. The village sits on the outskirts of its eponymous national park. The majority of the best things to do in Abisko, Sweden are within this national park. The village serves as the entry point for the national park. It is also the starting point for many activities including the Abisko northern lights tour.
There are several ways to experience aurora borealis in the region. You can get to the Aurora Sky Station to catch a glimpse of this natural wonder. This station sits atop a mountain and is one of the best Abisko attractions to see the northern lights. You can also go for an overnight camping tour to enjoy the aurora borealis as well as the wonderful star-lit night sky. If you take a hiking trail for this tour, you will come across beautiful things to see in Abisko. The morning hike trails in the region are especially popular for nature photography.
Some of the best places to visit in Abisko, Sweden include hills, mountains, lakes, streams, and birch forests. This landscape opens the scope for several other activities such as skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing, ice-fishing, and more. You can also enjoy ice skating on a frozen lake. The best time to visit Abisko for these activities is between February and April.
If you want to explore the Abisko sightseeing of snowy wilderness with a little comfort you can go for a snowmobile tour, dog-sledging and even reindeer sledge rides. You can also explore different aspects of the Sami culture during Abisko travel.
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Table of Contents
The Best 14 Tourist Attractions to Visit in Abisko
1. Abisko Northern Lights Tour
Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights is a wonderful natural phenomenon. The colourful light patterns flow through the sky like the wind. Many people visit Abisko only to see this natural wonder play out. But, to experience this you need to stay under the stars for the night. Most tours include camping excursions for this sight. Even this escapade is one of the best things to do in Abisko, Sweden. You need at least one night for this experience.
I suggest you should book your Northern Lights Tour in Abisko in advance.
2. Abisko National Park
The national park is situated only a few minutes away from Abisko village. For the majority of the year, the national park is covered in ice and snow. It has a birch forest, lakes, streams, waterfalls, hills, and a beach. It is one of the best places to visit in Abisko, Sweden for outdoor activities. These include hike trails, cross-country skiing, snowshoe hike, dog-sledge rides and more. Even the popular Abisko northern lights tour passes through this national park. People also come here for landscape photography. You will need at least a day to explore this place.
3. Snowmobile Trip
You can rent a snowmobile to tour the Abisko National Park or you can take it for a ride around the village. Either way, this ride is loads of fun. That’s why it is one of the most popular Abisko attractions. You can also embark on a wildlife-spotting safari on a snowmobile. This vehicle is to snow what an ATV is to off-roading. There are several options to rent a snowmobile ranging from a few minutes to an entire day.
I suggest you should try a Daytime Snowmobile Trip in Abisko.
4. Ice Hotel
You will need to take a few hours from Abisko travel to visit this wonderful structure. The hotel looks as if it is entirely made of ice. Many parts of it actually are. It has an ice lobby, ice rooms, an ice bar, an ice restaurant, and more. It is one of the most interesting things to see in Abisko. The hotel is about an hour away from the village. You will need 2 to 3 hours to explore this place and return.
I suggest you should book an Ice Hotel Tour in advance.
5. Dog Sledge Ride
The dog sledge ride is one of the most popular Abisko winter activities. You can tour the arctic on a sledge dragged by Malamutes and Huskies. If you have never ridden a sledge before, you will get a brief training session. But this ride is exciting as you cruise over the snow through forests and wilderness. Plus, you get to play with the dogs when you take a break. You need a couple of hours for this experience.
6. Hiking Trails
You can embark on a snowshoe hike through the snow-covered nature trails. But, you can also see some grass-covered hills, beautiful lakes, streams and hills. The best time to visit Abisko National Park for a snow hike is during late winter. If you want to see the natural landscapes with a little less snow, you can come here in July. Early morning hikes are especially popular for photography owing to light conditions. You will need at least 3 to 4 hours from Abisko sightseeing for a hiking trail in the region.
I suggest you should go for a Morning Hike in Abisko National Park.
7. Ice Climbing
This activity is for the more thrill-seeking visitors. You can climb ice walls alongside cliffs, hills and mountains. If you are looking for a safer place for this experience, you can also go for training sessions. Here you can climb a smaller ice wall under the supervision of an expert. Many of the mountains have an amazing view from the top. Some of these Abisko tourist attractions are only accessible through ice climbing. You will need 2 to 3 hours for this activity.
I suggest you should experience Ice Climbing with Certified Guide in Abisko.
8. Skiing & Cross-Country Skiing
You can go up hillsides for skiing or you can roam the lateral land for cross-country skiing. There are several ski centres and small resorts. These places have ski slopes and also have several other facilities for leisure and adventure. It is one of the most fun things to do in Abisko. If you want to do some footwork, you can go for cross-country skiing. You can also embark on long guided trails while skiing.
9. Winter Camping
You might have camped in forests, but have camped surrounded by the snow. People can head for camp side by themselves or join a group camping tour. If you camp overnight, you can see beautiful sunrises and sunsets. This place has very low light pollution. So you get a wonderful view of the night sky and aurora borealis. Winter camping is also part of the Abisko northern lights tour. You will need one night for this experience.
10. Ice Skating on Lake Tornetrask
Lake Tornetrask is one of the most beautiful natural features around Abisko. This lake freezes completely in winter. Then, it becomes of the best places to visit in Abisko for ice skating. If you don’t know how to skate, there are trainers on-site to teach you. You can bring your own ice skates or rent skates at the lake. You get an incredibly large space to skate. You need one hour or so for this activity.
11. Sami Camp Tour
If you want to experience the regional culture, the Sami camp is one of the best Abisko attractions. You can learn about the people, culture, traditions, and lifestyle. You can also take part in cultural activities, try regional cuisine, check out their handicrafts and more. You will need about 3 hours from Abisko sightseeing to tour this place.
12. Reindeer Sledge Ride
You can get a reindeer sledge ride at the Sami Camp. There are also other Abisko tourist attractions where you can get this ride. Be prepared to experience what Santa Claus feels as reindeer pulls your ride. This is a unique and memorable experience. You will need 30 to 45 minutes for this ride.
13. Aurora Sky Station
This station is situated atop Mount Nuolja. It is a popular spot for several Abisko winter activities. You can take a cable car to reach the top and enjoy beautiful landscape views along the way. Atop the mountain, you have facilities for skiing and several snow activities. It is also a well-known site for Abisko northern lights tour. You can easily spend an entire day at Aurora sky station.
12. Landscape Photography Tour
There are several beautiful things to see in Abisko National Park. The frozen lakes, streams, hills and waterfalls make a marvellous site. You will also spot a few wild animals in this place such as reindeer, moose, arctic foxes, and bears. You will need at least a day from Abisko travel for this tour.
I suggest you should book a Landscape Photography Tour in Abisko National Park.
This section pretty much covers all the top things to do in Abisko. Still, you can check the section below to find other attractions and activities.
Things to do in Abisko
Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Abisko
- Naturum Abisko Museum
- Gransforsvars Museum
Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Abisko
- Abisko National Park
- Mount Noulja
- Lake Tornetrask
Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Abisko
- Aurora Sky Station
- Lake Tornetrask Pier
- Abisko Yatch Club
Shopping in Abisko
- The Creative Place
- Godisfabriken
Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventure in Abisko
- Skiing
- Cross Country Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Ice Fishing
- Ice Skating
- Dog Sledging
- Reindeer Sledging
- Northern Lights Tour
- Camping in the Snow
- Ice Climbing
- Snow Mobile Ride
- Snowshoeing
- Snow Hiking
Where to Stay in Abisko?
Here we have listed Top Rated Hotels in Abisko. You can check below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Abisko.
- STF Abisko Turiststation
- Abisko Mountain Lodge
- Abisko Guesthouse and Activities
- Abisko Net Hostel & Huskies
- Katterjokk
Custom Tours Package in Abisko
How to Reach Abisko?
By Air
The closest airport for Abisko travel is Kiruna Airport. This airport receives flights from Stockholm & Dusseldorf. If you are flying from anywhere else, you can get to Stockholm and take a flight to Kiruna. Then you can get road transport to reach Abisko. The journey is about an hour and a half journey.
By Road
You can reach Abisko by bus and train. ACP Rail train routes connect Abisko to Narvik, Kiruna, Gallivare, Boden, and Lulea. You can also get connecting trains to and from several other places in Sweden.
If you are planning to visit Abisko by road, you should stick to highway route E10. This road connects Abisko to Kiruna. You can also use this route to reach Abisko from Norway.
By Water
There are no water routes for Abisko travel.
Image Reference
- Abisko Northern Lights Tour – Azchael / Flickr
- Abisko National Park – Daniel Turull / Flickr
- Snowmobile Trip – D Mz / PixaBay
- Ice Hotel – Cate Blouke / Flickr
- Dog Sledge Ride – Arctic Warrior / Flickr
- Hiking Trails – Zaki Habibi / Wikimedia Commons
- Ice Climbing – Valter Cirillo / PixaBay
- Skiing & Cross-Country Skiing – StockSnap / PixaBay
- Winter Camping – Arctic Guesthouse And Igloos / PixaBay
- Ice Skating on Lake Tornetrask – L’Astorina / Wikimedia Commons
- Sami Camp Tour – Mary McGuire / Wikimedia Commons
- Reindeer Sledge Ride – Heather Sunderland / Flickr
- Aurora Sky Station – Bhavishya Goel / Flickr
- Landscape Photography Tour – Kristine.li / Wikimedia Commons
