About Abisko
Abisko is a tiny village in northern Swedish Lapland, surrounded by mountains and sitting beside one of Sweden’s largest national parks.
What makes it particularly interesting for Northern Lights travellers is the local weather.
The surrounding mountains and prevailing winds create a rain-shadow effect that can result in clearer skies than surrounding areas. That does not guarantee an Aurora display, of course, but when cloud cover is the enemy, a destination with a reputation for clearer conditions is a useful place to start.
Abisko also feels very different from our Finnish wilderness destinations. The landscape is more mountainous, the scale is bigger and the train line running through northern Sweden makes it particularly well suited to multi-centre journeys.
Clear Skies and Mountain Nights
Aurora hunting is the headline here, but Abisko is worth seeing during daylight too.
Winter activities can include husky sledding, snowmobiling and exploring the snowy mountain landscape around Abisko National Park.
After dark, dedicated Aurora searches make use of local viewpoints and experienced guides who understand how weather moves through this particular stretch of Swedish Lapland.
Our longer Sweden itineraries also include Aurora photography experiences here, making Abisko a particularly good choice if seeing and photographing the lights is one of your main reasons for travelling.
Where to Stay in Abisko
Abisko Mountain Lodge
Abisko Mountain Lodge is a small, welcoming base close to the village and national park.
It has been part of our Sweden programme for many years and combines a relaxed lodge atmosphere with good food and easy access to the surrounding landscape.
Best for: couples, serious Aurora interest, food, small-scale lodge stays and travellers who want the mountains close by.
STF Abisko Turiststation
The STF Turiststation sits within Abisko National Park and is used on some of our longer Sweden journeys.
It is particularly practical for travellers combining Abisko with the ICEHOTEL® or other parts of northern Sweden by train.
Best for: multi-centre trips, national-park access and travellers who want Abisko as part of a broader Arctic journey.
