The Arctic Trail is a remote hiking path, 250 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. It winds by way of Norway, Sweden, and Finland, encompassing total 800 kilometers of marked tracks. Nonetheless, it is possible to walk components of the trail. The primary part starts in northern Sweden and follows the more traveled King’s Trail. The second part ends in a small village in Norway, which is troublesome to access. This is the story in regards to the third phase — taking us from Kilpisjärvi in Finland to Abisko in Sweden.

Bringing an excellent tent is a should as there are only about forty cabins spread around the entire path system. Some of them are locked. You can hike for days right here without meeting one other human being. The weather can change abruptly — in just a few minutes — and one ought to by no means hike alone into mountain terrain.

Getting there

Enable for ten days to cover the Kilpisjärvi-Abisko part of the trail. That includes 2–3 days of transport, attending to and from the trail system, and about 10 kilometers by boat within the beginning. The path itself is of medium issue with few steep sections, allowing for 20–30 kilometers hiking per day.

There are a number of ways to access the trail. We flew from Stockholm to Tromsø, through Oslo. From Tromsø in Norway, it takes nearly four hours by bus to Kilpisjärvi in Finland. Explore the different itineraries relying on your starting point.

The Three-Country Cairn

The boat Milla will take you throughout the lake close to the three-country cairn, the place Norway, Sweden, and Finland meet. You can also take the nature trail that begins at Mount Saanas foot and are available to the Arctic Trail that way. This part is wooded and quite straightforward to force. From the boat to the cairn, it is an easy three-kilometer walk. Walk one other three kilometers to get to Goldahytta in Norway.

The path starts to raise and you might be quickly above the tree line. Walk 10 more kilometers and you will reach Gappohytta, also in Norway. On the way south, a superb place to pitch the tent is some 4 kilometers earlier than you attain Pältsa cabin. However, be prepared for lots of mosquitos!

Heading South

From Gappohytta, you may head south to the Pältsa fjällstuga in Sweden. Listed here are the primary signs of what lies ahead; fishing with some small lakes to pitch the tent and relaxation for a while. Do not be afraid to be deviated a little from the trail. Nevertheless, be prepared to wade if necessary. Moving on to into Norway and Rostahytta, crossing the suspension bridge throughout Iselva.

The walk alongside the river is good and relaxing. On the three cabin Rostahytta, you will meet a couple of cabin hosts. Take the opportunity to ask about weather conditions and the like. Also, do away with garbage and unnecesessary equipment. After the coin, the path takes on a new stretch, around the mountain south of the hut. The gradient and terrain transform quite demanding.

Gone fishing

From Rostahytta, the path continues to Dærtahytta and Dividalshytta. After a few days, it is good to scrub our garments and take a bath. The area is hilly and quite dry. After a while, however, it is sort of like walking right into a swamp. Swamps imply hundreds of thousands of mosquitos and wet boots. After a while, you will reach a wonderful fishing site. This was the primary part of the path where we really noticed quite a number of people.

After Dividalshytta, the terrain adjustments to a jungle-like forest that never seems to end. Don’t miss the attractive and mighty waterfall close to the trail. After hiking for a number of hours, we decided to arrange a campsite by the river.

Go West

Hiking the Arctic Trail is assembly nature in its completely different shapes and expressions. Shiny sunshine mixed with snow and ice. Naked raw mountain combined with jungle forest. The wonder lies in the contrasts.

Approaching the tip of our journey, the hike continues from Dividalshytta to Gaskashytta through Vuomahytta. After Dividalshytta, we passed Divielvan through a suspension bridge. Subsequent, the path rises once more from the birch forest up within the mountains with panoramic views. Vuomahytta is located in the mouth of a wide u-shaped valley. After Voumahytta, the trail reaches virtually thousand meters, after which it goes down to Gaskashytta and Altevatn.

Litjälktis lower slopes do not invite the hiker to nice experiences with their bushes and muddy trails. Before Inset, there are nice camp sites. In Inset, there are good lodging facilities together with a husky farm. Altevasshytta is positioned a couple of kilometers east of Inset. Altevatn is a dammed lake of some ten kilometers. West of it there are about 4 hundred houses, the place one can only pass alongside a road. There are three places the place it’s important to wade because of unsafe bridges on account of floods within the area. Shortly before the border to Sweden, you’ll arrive at Lappjordhytta.