Camping 200 km North of the Polar Circle

Lapland, the last wilderness of Europe.

Camping in Lapland, Sweden is perhaps one of the most rewarding experiences of overwhelming nature, you will ever have. You are 200 km North of the Polar Circle in Sweden, a huge country with only ca. 12 mill people. And most of them are more than 1000 km south of Lapland.

Tent and camping equipment on the Kungsleden trail in Sweden. The Kungsleden (“The King’s Trail” or “The Trail of Kings”) is one of Sweden’s most famous hiking trails and runs for a total of 450 kilometres through Swedish Lapland, 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle.

What is Lapland anyway?

Lappland often anglicized as Lapland (Swedish: Lappland, Northern Sami. Finnish: Lappi, Latin: Lapponia), is a province in northernmost Sweden. It borders Jämtland, Ångermanland, Västerbotten, Norrbotten, Norway and Finland. Nearly a quarter of Sweden’s land area is in Lappland. But Lapland i s also in Norway and Finland.

Tent and camping equipment on the Kungsleden trail in Sweden. The Kungsleden ("The King's Trail" or "The Trail of Kings") is one of Sweden's most famous hiking trails and runs for a total of 450 kilometres through Swedish Lapland, 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle.

How do you get to Lapland, Sweden

Depending on where you start of course, you may choose to drive by car all the way through Sweden, which will take you days, since it is ca. 22 hours straight driving, ca. 2000 km in total. Or you pick a plane to Stockholm and then from there to ie Lulea (there are other options) from there and rent a camper. Norwegian Lapland is much more expensive than Finnish or Swedish Lapland, but a few tips like eating out for lunch instead of dinner or avoiding the most tourist looking rental places for snow scooters and excursions etc. will cut your expenses big time. Anyway, expect there is no way unless you are the airforce to go from Southern Sweden to Lapland in less than ca. 7.5 hours on a very good day. Since kind of vacation is based on you having a good time and perhaps at least 3 weeks total is a good estimate for a successful Lapland vacation including transport from abroad.

Light morning to the viewpoint at Abisko, Sweden.

What to see in Lapland

Swedish Lapland is located in the northwest part of Sweden. It is a vast area. ca. 1/4 of all of Sweden, which already in km2 is huge, consisting of mountains, broad plains, glaciers, rivers, lakes, and forests. Swedish Lapland is Europe’s last wilderness and the land of the Midnight Sun and the Northern Lights. Those you can also find in Greenland and Norway and Finland to be fair.

There are lots of activities all year round. Try hiking along the world-famous Kings Trail (Kungsleden), go skiing, river rafting, canoeing, fishing, cycling, climbing, dog sledding, and snowmobiling, etc. You can also meet the Sami people and learn more about their traditions and culture.

Camping in Lapland and the Abisko National Park

You can camp in Lapland, Abisko National Park, See the link below to camping places. Abisko is a national park in Swedish Lapland where you can enjoy the beautiful nature and rich wildlife. It is a perfect place for hiking and skiing. Why not try the King’s Trail which begins in Abisko. In the summer you can hike through canyons and along fjords, make a trip to a roaring waterfall, visit the underworld in one of the many caves, and taste the water in lake Trollsjön – the clearest lake in Sweden. If you go to Abisko in the winter, of course, you can go skiing but you can also try walking in snowshoes, go dog sledding or ice fishing.

The Northern Lights in Lapland

One of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights is the Aurora Sky Station. The Northern Lights shimmers across the sky in different colors, usually pale light pink and green. And since Swedish Lapland is close to the magnetic north you have good chances to see the magical scene here. The best time to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights is from November to Mars.

Landscape in Lapland, northern Sweden

The Midnight Sun

Swedish Lapland is a paradise in the mid-summer because it never gets truly dark. You can literally play golf in the middle of the night. The Midnight Sun is a period of constant sunlight for 24 hours. It is a mind-boggling experience playing tricks with your mind in the best possible way, injecting so much energy and time to experience the land. The difference between night and day blur out, and you see everything in a new light. The best time to experience the Midnight Sun is late May to mid-July.