| 2027-01-14 |

Snow. Silence. Vast skies. Movement. Warmth.

In the heart of winter, when the landscape around Abisko is covered in snow and the Arctic sky stretches far beyond the horizon, we invite a small group to join us for four days of hiking, yoga, good food and time in one of Scandinavia’s most extraordinary landscapes.

This is not a demanding expedition and it is not a yoga-intensive retreat. It is a carefully balanced winter experience: time outdoors, gentle challenge, quiet, conversation, restorative practice and the simple pleasure of returning to warmth after a day in the mountains.

This will be our fifth winter retreat in Abisko. We keep returning because the combination is hard to match: snow-muted silence, the mountains around Lapporten, long afternoons of yoga, sauna, fireside evenings and — if nature is on our side — the northern lights.

What the days look like

Two guided winter day hikes, adapted to weather and snow conditions.
Hiking at a calm pace along routes around Abisko, including sections of the Kungsleden area.
Two longer yoga classes with Ulrica, plus a shorter opening practice.
Time for sauna, rest and slow evenings at the lodge.
Breakfast and dinner together, with a focus on local and seasonal ingredients.
A real possibility of seeing the northern lights — never guaranteed, but Abisko is renowned for its aurora conditions.
Optional dog-sledding can be added to the trip

Who is it for?

You do not need previous yoga experience, and you do not need to be an experienced winter hiker. The hikes are not advanced or technically demanding, but normal fitness and the ability to be outdoors for several hours in winter conditions are required. Ulrica adapts the yoga to the day’s activities and to the group.

Accommodation

Rooms

It is said that you fall in love with the Swedish wilderness here at the foot of the country's most beautiful mountain range. Here we stay at the charming Abisko Mountain Lodge with a friendly staff in a warm and inviting environment. A small and low-rise hotel and four cozy cabins make up Abisko Mountain Lodge, here you can feel a breath of the mountain hotels of old at the end of the road. Welcome to the warmth, you'll enjoy yourself here.

It is not difficult to feel a sense of community with the other guests - you are all here for the same reason. To enjoy Abisko, the wilderness and all the activities it has to offer.

Meals

Soon you may be sitting in a star restaurant in a megacity trying to figure out where you've had a better meal. And then you smile when you remember the evening at Abisko Mountain Lodge.

On the menu, you will find, mixed with seasonal ingredients, for instance char, reindeer, moose and red deer straight from the wild.

Slow-food is what applies at the Lodge, and it has been that way since the beginning. The Lodge is an official member of the Slow-food movement and they are very proud of that. They have also received an award for their wine knowledge. So wonderful with good food and drink after a day of both outdoor and indoor activities!

The breakfast buffet has everything you could wish for and will set you up for the day's activities. Breakfast is healthy. Home-baked bread, porridge, some scrambled eggs, maybe a sausage or meatball. Sit a little longer, think about the day and enjoy the view of the mountains. Toughest question right now – which type of tea out of all the many types and which type of home-made marmalade on the toast? You feel the energy tingling, time to go out. Already looking forward to breakfast tomorrow.

The dinner menu focuses on local and seasonal ingredients. This is mixed with the classic dishes from Lapland. There are always vegetarian options on the menu and for vegan options or other changes that need to be made for allergies or other special diets - no problem - as long as you tell us in advance.

Light lunch can be purchased at the lodge (soup lunch, pre-booked at least one week before or lunch package, pre-booked the day before). Alternatively, a lunch buffet is served at STF Abisko Tourist Station (approx. 2 km).

About Ulrica and Maria

Ulrica Norberg and Maria Söderholm lead this retreat and to soem extent you will also meet a local, certified hiking guide.

Ulrica and Maria have solid experience of leading hikes in different environments, around the world. During the pandemic, the idea arose to carry out a winter hiking trip in Sweden. This duo is based on the concept of "hikefulness" where hiking is a way of creating a conscious presence in nature. It is in nature, on the hiking trail, in the mountains that the physical, emotional and spiritual work together and the senses open up. Where we can grow as people in unison with each step and heartbeat. Winter hiking defines hikefulness to the highest degree.

Three yoga sessions are offered under the guidance of Ulrica. She adapts yoga to the day's activities. If you haven't done yoga with Ulrica before, you have something to look forward to as she is one of the most experienced and popular teachers in Northern Europe and she is known for her extensive knowledge, sensitivity and amazing ability to put together a yoga practice that suits everyone . You do not need to have any experience with yoga.

Program

We offer two day hikes, both along the Signature Trail Kungsleden and other circular routes. The hikes are of course adjusted according to weather and snow depth. Hiking in winter is more gentle on the body than hiking on bare ground and is an excellent exercise for the whole body.

Last year we were lucky and got to see wonderful Northern Lights dancing in the sky and there is a good chance that we will experience it again. Scientists believe that we are in a time when the Northern Lights increase around the Arctic Circle during the winter months.

Day 1
- Arrival and check-in. The lodge is open for lunch if you arrive early.
- At 4:00 PM we gather at the lodge, dressed in winter clothes! We go outside for a while, right outside the hotel where Ulrica leads yoga. Before dinner, we gather at the lodge to review the coming days.
- Dinner together

Day 2
- Breakfast at the lodge
- First hiking day. We check the weather etc. during breakfast, if it's ok, then we hike directly from the hotel up to Stor-nebben, here you have a wonderful 360-degree view of the famous Lapporten, the lake Torneträsk and the surrounding mountains.
- Afternoon yoga
- Dinner together

Day 3
- Breakfast at the lodge
- After breakfast we get ready to hike to the STF Turiststationen where the Kungsleden trail starts. We hike along the trail and also go down to Torneträsk. We eat lunch at the mountain station (not included).
- Afternoon yoga. After lunch we go to Naturum where Ulrica leads yoga.
- Dinner together

Day 4
- Breakfast
- We part ways after an experiential and wonderful long weekend

The program gives a general description of the weekend and should be seen as preliminary. Among other things, weather and wind can affect the schedule.

Closer to departure, we will send out a more detailed program.

Travel & facts

Included in the price:
•   4 days / 3 nights in a shared twin room
•   Breakfast and dinner
•   2 guided winter day hikes
•   2 yoga classes + a shorter opening practice
•   Access to sauna
•   Transport to and from the yoga venue

Not included:
•   Travel to and from Abisko
•   Lunches
•   Local transport other than transport to/from the yoga venue
•   Optional dog-sledding (currently SEK 2,200)

Single Room: There is only one single room. It can be booked with price surcharges which can be seen when you click "Book on request" before registering anything.

Check-in: Check-in from 14:00. Check-out no later than 11:00

How to get there:
The easiest option for many international guests is to fly to Kiruna (KRN), usually via Stockholm. From Kiruna you can continue to Abisko by train, airport transfer/taxi or rental car. The train stop you want is Abisko Östra, only a few hundred metres from Abisko Mountain Lodge.

Another option is to fly to Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes (EVE) in Norway and continue to Abisko by rental car or taxi. Travel is booked separately from the retreat.

- Airport bus/Taxi transfer: Visit Abisko: phone +46(0)980 40037, or by ticket online at www.visitabisko.com
Taxi Kiruna: phone +46 (0)980 12 020

Train:
Vy Train runs the traffic to Abisko from Kiruna. There are two stations in Abisko, make sure to get off at Abisko Östra. The train stops only a few hundred meters from the lodge and you can easily walk from the station, follow the signs.
Vy Train: phone +46 (0)771 444 111 or www.vy.se.

Car:
When you get to Abisko Östra, turn off the E10. Note that some GPSs don´t have updated maps regarding Abisko Östra and therefore sometimes shows the wrong way. We therefore recommend you to keep your eyes open and follow the signs towards Abisko Mountain Lodge.

Bus:
County traffic: phone +46(0)771 100 110 or www.ltnbd.se.

NOTE! Do not book your trip before you have received information from us that the minimum number of participants for the retreat has been reached.

Yoga equipment: There are slightly thick yoga mats to rent on site (SEK 100), but feel free to bring your own yoga mat, preferably a travel yoga mat that is a little thinner and easier to carry with you.

Other things to bring:
- Headlamp
- Stable and warm hiking boots
- Windproof warm layers
- Small backpack for day trips
- Own coffee mug/coffee thermos
- Notepad and pen
- Nice normal physique is required for the hikes, it will go at a leisurely pace

Special diets: No problem getting special diets in most cases. Notify when booking.

Age limit: No children

Credit card: Accepted at the hotel

Dog sled

As an option, you can book a dog sled tour, a fantastic experience!
In this tour, you as a guest get to sit on a sled while the guide stands behind and drives. Each sled has room for up to 4 people and each team consists of 8-10 dogs. With so many dogs, there is enormous power and it takes a real "Musher" to be able to steer. You sit comfortably on reindeer skins and really get the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful nature. During the tour, there is also a coffee stop where the guide makes an open fire and you get the chance to warm yourself in a tent before it's time to go back.

If you don't want to miss anything in the "main program" we recommend booking the tour starting at 08:40 on Sunday (check-out day) provided the snow conditions are ok. If it is not possible to organize in Abisko, there will be transport to Kiruna and then go dog sledding there. Normally, the dog sled ride takes about 2 hours. Can only be changed/cancelled/refunded up to 30 days before the start of the tour.

Price: 190 EUR, selected as an option when you fill out your booking request.

Sweden, Abisko – Winter Hiking and Yoga in the Arctic