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Abisko Aurora Hunt
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In a nutshell...
•Duration: 4 nights
•Group size: approximately 4-16 people
•Flights from London Heathrow to Kiruna (via Stockholm)
•Return airport transfers
•4 nights mountain lodge
•4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 4 dinners
•Aurora workshop, snowmobile safari, 2 Aurora hunts in heated minibus, visit to the ICEHOTEL®, Aurora snowshoe, husky safari (order of activities subject to change)
•Cold weather clothing for the duration of your stay
•Fully qualified wilderness guide and instructors

Departure dates from: 10 December 2012 - 11 March 2013
 

Abisko has deservedly earned a reputation for being one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights. A combination of cloud breaking mountains and favourable prevailing winds conspire to create regular cloud free skies. If there is cloud cover then we have the mobility to escape it. It’s a real Aurora hunt.

 

Day 1: Flights, arrivals and transfers
 

On arrival at Kiruna Airport, you’ll be driven to Abisko where a warm welcome and dinner await.
 
Days 2: Aurora workshop, snowmobile safari and Northern Lights search
 

The quest to see the Aurora starts after breakfast. Your guide (a local with unsurpassed knowledge of the terrain and Aurora viewpoints) will brief you on the days and nights ahead.

To come to such a beautiful part of the world and not explore by day would be a scandal. The best way to see the remarkable and unspoiled Abisko Mountains is by snowmobile so you’ll be powering up the machines for a 30km safari designed to show you the very best of this immaculate environment.

It’s entirely possible that the Aurora will be visible from Abisko on any given night. However, we want to get you as close as possible to this amazing phenomenon so you’ll be jumping in a minibus this evening for a 3 to 4 hour search for the Northern Lights. That’s the advantage of being mobile and having a local guide armed with the most up to date Auroral predictions.
 
Day 3: The ICEHOTEL® and Aurora snowshoeing
 

Today, we go in search of one of the world’s manmade wonders.

Every year, the very best of ice and snow architects, artists and craftspeople arrive in Juukasjarvi to design and construct the world famous ICEHOTEL®. It’s a labour of love because every year come Spring, it all melts away from whence it came, into the Torne River. This means that every ICEHOTEL® is unique and this will be your opportunity to spend time admiring the sculptures, the design work, the fabulous art suites and so much more. It’s an unforgettable experience.

Back at Abisko the focus falls back on the Northern Lights and after dinner your guide will take you out into the darkness on a snowshoe search for the Aurora.
 
Day 4: Husky safari and Northern Lights search
 

After all this rushing about in search of the Northern Lights, we’ve kept today fairly quiet. Well, quiet-ish because the cacophony of howls emanating from a team of huskies anxious to be on the trail would please even the most demanding fan of heavy metal music. It’s a relief to be up and running because only then do they settle into an easy paced rhythm and the noise abates.

You’ve got to concentrate all the time when driving a sled but we defy even the most assiduous musher not to be distracted by the views unfolding before them during this two hour safari.

This evening, it’s back onto the minibus for the last of our Aurora hunting sesssions.
 
Day 5: Departure

Abisko Mountain Lodge
The lodge is a real gem in Sweden and is the brain child of Mina and Dick Johansson. Two people with an unsurpassable passion for their surroundings. To be honest, who can blame them? They have designed their lodge to take full advantage of the Abisko area, its towering mountains, high alpine environment and Lake Torneträsk.

They actively encourage all of their guests to get out amidst it all and experience the landscape up close, at whatever level suites you. The lodge's hotel rooms are cleanly furnished, comfortable and airy. Each has an en suite shower and toilet room. There are plenty of clothes hooks in the rooms but you will have access to the drying room regardless. The whole house has wireless broadband so you can keep in touch with the outside world (however we recommend just forgetting about it). There are no televisions in the rooms. Your hosts want guests to spend time in the comfy lounge, to relax and chat with a coffee or glass of wine from the bar. The lodge restaurant provides a fabulous range of locally sourced produce; arctic char, smoked venison, elk, to name only a few typical ingredients.

There is passion in every aspect of the lodge as well as the activities. Dick Johansson is one of the most well known mountain guides in Europe let alone Sweden and so you are in ideal hands. The two itineraries we have put together are designed for those who want an incredible opportunity to witness the Aurora Borealis whilst trying out some fantastic activities.

ICEHOTEL - The Cold Rooms!
The original and best known of all the snow and ice structures to be found in Scandinavia. The ICEHOTEL® is constructed every year from the thick ice of the Torne River and combines fine art with ice engineering.  Everything from the reception desk to the ABSOLUT ICEBAR® is carved from this crystal clear ice.
 
Only the very best ice and snow artisans create the bedrooms, bars, sculptures, beds, tables and the ever popular wedding chapel.  Each year the designs are completely different yet equally spectacular.
 
A night in a snow room can be best compared to igloos, they are simple and contain your ice bed (covered in a mattress and reindeer skins to keep you snug as a bug).  There are also family snow rooms available on request. The next step up is an ice room.  These rooms feature ice furniture as well as your cosy bed.  They are decorated with artwork carved into the walls.
 
The crème de la crème of ICEHOTEL® accommodation are the art suites.  These are the marvels of the building and the rooms that are the centre piece of the guided tours (don't worry though - after 7pm they are private to guests only).  They are spacious and each suite is individually designed by an award winning artist.  Rooms may feature large sculptures, unique beds, sculpture, art works and spectacular lighting - they are magnificent.  If you are visiting this world famous destination for a special occasion then we can certainly recommend splashing out.  No matter which accommodation you sleep in, you wake to a warm cup of berry juice by your bedside before you take a morning sauna and head for a hearty buffet breakfast. 
 
ICEHOTEL - The Warm Rooms!
The options for your nights in warm accommodation are delightful.  To come back after a day of activity and curl up in a cosy room under a bug duvet is quite a lovely thing to do.
 
The Kaamos Hotel rooms are bright and spacious.  They are decorated in a contemporary Scandinavian style and are well equipped with en suite shower room, kettle, TV and telephone.  Most rooms are double but some can be converted into twins.
 
The Nordic chalets are wood built and have two separate bedrooms, one with a double bed that can be converted into twin beds and one with bunk beds.  There is a living room with refrigerator, kettle, TV and phone and a bathroom with shower.
 
The Northern Light Hotel chalet has two separate bedrooms one with a single bed and one with a double bed.  The rooms have a ceiling skylight to enable you to see the Northern Lights from bed should they appear.  These are extremely popular and should be booked early.
 
There is a living room with refrigerator, kettle, TV and telephone and a bathroom with shower.

in our opinion...

The drive from Abisko to the ICEHOTEL® is my favourite anywhere in the world. Repeated stops to admire the wonderful lake and mountain scenery usually doubles my journey time but who cares? It's simply stunning!