Sarek National Park Trek
Trek through the heart of one of Europe's last wilderness areas
Autumn colours, Arctic tundra and Aurora Borealis
An unsupported journey through one of the last remaining wilderness areas in Europe, this trek takes us through the heart of Sweden’s Sarek National Park.
Carrying everything we need to be self-sufficient for the duration, we’ll traverse the entire region, linking together two long-distance trails which run down either side of Sarek - this is a trip for experienced hikers looking to undertake an adventurous expedition. Timed for late-summer, nights will be dark enough to see the Aurora Borealis overhead, whilst during the day we can pick berries and look out for some of the rare wildlife which inhabits the region. September sees the arrival of the autumn colours to the area, whilst the mountain-tops may see a dusting off snow.
We’ll trek through old-growth forest, arctic tundra, and the alpine peaks and glaciers which characterise the massifs that make up the region. Along the way we'll find remnants of an ancient way of life in these high mountain valleys, left over from the movement of Sami reindeer herders moving between the surrounding plains and the mountain pastures.
Read on for more info below...
THE ROUTE
We’ll meet at Stockholm Arlanda airport where we’ll board the overnight sleeper train for the journey north, beyond the Arctic Circle, to the outskirts of Sarek National Park. In the morning we swap the train for a bus, before a short boat journey brings us to Saltoluokta Mountain Lodge. We’ll spend a relaxed afternoon finalising plans and packing, before dinner and overnighting at the lodge.
In the morning, a short boat ride and bus take us further up the valley, skirting the northern extent of the National Park. One last, short boat ride sees us deposited on the south-western shore of Akkajaure, where our trek begins.
After a short section through old birch forest following the Padjelanta trail, we branch off and climb toward the main valley system which provides our route into the centre of the park. Ascending above the treeline, we’ll hike over open tundra, with occasional stream crossings. As we push further south, a poorly defined trail leads us past an old Sami wood and turf house, used duration the migration between summer and winter pastures.
As we head deeper into the park the mountains rise up on either side, in places reaching just over 2000m, with hanging glaciers still siting in the high corries which dominate our view. After several days following the main valley system, we begin an ascent toward Basstavagge, a narrow valley which cuts between two of the area's mountainous massifs.
The ground here is much rockier, as we cross moraines carried down by the numerous glaciers above. Just beyond the col, a gorge leads away from the valley and takes us south into the mountains, toward the highest part of our route, the summit of Vássjábákte. The summit commands views of the mountains to the west, and the plains stretching into the distance in the east. From here, we'll carefully pick an intricate line down the rocky southern flank of the mountain to reach the plateau below, the crux of the trip.
A day hiking across the plateau brings us to Skierffe, the shearsided cliff which overlooks the Rapa valley and the Laitaure, one of the largest freshwater deltas in Europe. Just beyond Skierffe we reach the Kungsleden, Sweden’s well-known long-distance trail, and the first infrastructure we've seen for many days. The trail leads north, crossing a lake by boat, and after a couple of days, returns us to our starting point at Saltoluokta for well-earned showers and a comfortable bed.
In the morning we retrace our journey back to Stockholm, first by boat, then bus, and finally back on the sleeper train.
Cuillin Ridge Traverse
A traverse of the Cuillin Ridge captures all the grandeur of an alpine-scale objective. Sustained, efficient movement over moderately technical ground, at least one overnight bivvy up high on the ridge, a thoughtful approach to packing to achieve a pack-weight which maximises chances of success, All these elements combine to give a mountaineering objective unlike any other in the UK.
There are many ways to make a traverse - for some, visiting every summit and climbing every possible pitch in good time and good style is the ultimate aim, whilst for others, the objective is simply the process of undertaking a journey through high mountain terrain with an overnight bivvy looking out over the sea and summits. Each traverse is personal, an expression of our own vision of what being in the mountains is to us.
When organising a full Cuillin Ridge traverse, we typically take bookings for 3 days in a 4-day period, or 4 days in a 5-day period, giving some flexibility to deal with inclement weather and/or a rest-day if necessary.