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Around Kungsleden I

From Nikkaluokta to Abisko

By Northern Adventures

September 16^th, 2012

Introduction

(Mon Sep 9th - Tue Sep 17TH, 2012)

Kungsleden (The King‘s Trail) is a famous hiking trail in northern Sweden, approximately 440-kilometre long, between Abisko in the north and Hemavan in the south. It passes through one of Europe‘s largest remaining wilderness areas.

The trail may be separated in four portions which each represent approximately one week of hiking. The most practised part is by far the northernmost, between Abisko and Kebnekaise. The season, when huts are open and rowing boats available, usually runs between mid-June and the end of September, but the weather can be very treacherous, including late or early snow.

We opted for the northernmost part of the trail and chose beginning of September to enjoy the peak of autumn season there. Also, instead of staying purely on Kungsleden, we pursued zig-zag crossing across the area.

The 9-days itinerary was the following: Nikkaluokta - Visttasvággi valley - Unna Reaiddávággi pass - Sälkastugorna - Alisvággi valley - Unna Allakas - Abiskojaurestugorna - Abisko. Except for one night in the Unna Räitastugan hut, we used our tents and enjoyed autumn landscape of the deep north pretty intensively. That sense of freedom… cannot be described by words.

Day 1: From Nikkaluokta into Visttasvággi valley

It took us a whole day to get to Kiruna in northern Sweden from the very heart of Europe (Prague); two SAS flights with a layover in Stockholm were flown. From there, a friend living in Kiruna and working in iron ore mines gave us a night car lift to the small outpost of Nikkaluokta. Around midnight, we pitched our tents on a small hummock close to a nearby chapel.

The following morning we woke up into a perfect autumn day.

The sun was shining and autumn colours were at their best: around us in all the directions, endless fields of birches were bursting by golden, red and brown colours.

After a few hundreds meters of walking back on the road (on the contrary to all the other hikers who followed the hiking highway towards Kebnekaise), we quickly turned to the left and entered the broad Visttasvággi valley. The Visttasjohka river was running slowly and peacefully, creating numerous lakes and smaller ponds.

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Those of us with shorts were lucky.

We were hiking far beyond the polar circle and in the middle of autumn, yet the sun was shining so intensively that shortly we found ourselves sunbathing shirtless in the popular “Putin style”.

The valley looked beautiful in the afternoon sun.

Instead of rushing, we preferred to slow down to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding arctic landscape and the lovely unexpected weather.

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Shadows were getting longer yet it was still very warm.

We continued hiking in the northwest direction towards magnificent peaks we saw in the west.

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We camped using a convenient camping spot we found among birches.

The night was peaceful and we felt really thankful for such a beautiful opening of our trekking adventure.

Day 2: Deep in Visttasvággi Valley

Early morning was very foggy as one may expect in late autumn in a location close to a river; the sun was only hardly getting through thick clouds.

Soon, luckily, fog and clouds started to disappear, and brilliant sunshine resumed the rule.

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We continued hiking in the northwest direction, slowly ascending on the right sight of the valley. From time to time, we descended back to the river to get a chance for a refreshing swim.

It was really warm, yet naturally water temperature was arctic as was our location.

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It the late afternoon, the skies remained cloudless. On the right side of the valley, having gained some elevation, we got a chance to look back at those twenty five kilometres we had hiked so far. Somewhere in the east, there was Nikkaluokta settlement - the closest civilisation.

So far, we had met less than five people. For unknown reason, the Visttasvággi valley was not really popular - good for us!

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We decided to camp on a nice small plateau located on the right side of the river we crossed using a footbridge. In upcoming twilight, the temperature dropped significantly. Dinner, tea, and finally a shot of whisky in our sleeping bags all followed.

The first two days on the trail couldn’t be any better.

We were looking for tomorrow - the plan was to leave the valley, and finally to venture into the mountains.

Day 3: From Visttasvággi valley to Unna Räitastugan hut

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Sunrise in Vistasvagge in close proximity to majestic peaks was an unforgettable experience.

First sun beams of the day were illuminating surrounding mountains in a magical game of light.

Looking out from our tents, however, we didn't feel much optimistic. Thick clouds had gathered throughout the night and it looked like rain.

Indeed, light shower started soon, and we had rather wet breakfast. We packed our things quickly, and set out on the trail again.

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We decided to cross the Unna Reaiddávággi pass and spent the night in a small cabin called Unna Räitastugan.

In fact, this meant more or less constant ascent throughout the pass, following a tributary of Visttasjohka. From time to time, rain showers were making our progress more challenging, but we were also rewarded by a beautiful rainbow.

The hike along the (unnamed) lower lake below Unna Räitastugan hut was a rather wet endeavour; that time, it rained quite extensively.

The landscape changed dramatically - here in the pass, there was almost no life, neither birches nor bush; just tundra grass.

Everything looked really rough.

Last (or first?) patches of snow were lying on the slopes of surrounding high peaks.

The path continued on the left side of the pass, climbing to a plateau with another lake where the hut should have been located.

We were quite tired and were really looking forward to a place where we could warm up a bit and enjoy the evening.

There was a spectacular waterfall connecting higher and lower lakes.

The hut was small and not in a perfect shape. Still, it was a cosy place.

With a small fireplace, we quickly managed to warm up the cabin, and enjoyed the rest of the evening in a peaceful and comfortable atmosphere.

Outside, in the meantime, it got really cold.

The wind was blowing severely through the pass, and from time to time it continued to rain. We were really thankful for the small hut we were staying in - it became our true home for the whole night.

Day 4: From Unna Räitastugan to Sälkastugorna

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The sunrise at the Unna Räitastugan cabin was nothing less than a phenomenal light performance in a truly exceptional setting.

The rising sun was illuminating surrounding peaks and changing their colours continuously. It was cold, most likely below zero, but we couldn’t resist staying outside to witness this natural phenomenon.

We didn’t rush to move on; the comfort of the cabin was way too attractive.

We enjoyed our breakfast, warm tea, and packed our things in a slow-paced way.

The sun was shining intensively though it was quite cold outside - no wonder, we were at the elevation of 1200m.

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We set out on the trail hiking in the southwest direction.

Frequently, there was hardly any path at all; we were crossing barren land of rock fields - not a pleasant way of walking.

From time to time, a few reindeer were our companions.

Here, there was no one, no other hikers - obviously this shortcut to Kungsleden was even less frequented than the Visttasvággi valley we had explored during the first two days on the trail.

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Soon, we started to descent from the pass, and after some time we turned to the left, towards the beautiful Reaiddájávri lake.

The journey planned for the day was quite short, barely 15km to Kungsleden; we didn’t really rush, and enjoyed beautiful autumn weather instead.

Having hiked a few kilometeres across the plateau with the lake, we started yet another descent - now to our final destination of the day, Sälkastugorna hut and campsite.

For the first time, we were about to reach the Kungsleden trail - the trekking highway is crossing the area in the south-to-north direction.

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The evening in Sälka was pleasant though rather cold.

Of course, we did enjoy its sauna with a cold dip in the nearby stream - surely a must after a few days of hiking and sweating.

The night was not warm - near a river it became really cold, and we were thankful for our good sleeping bags.

Day 5: From Sälkastugorna to Alisvággi valley

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There were a few brief moments of morning sunshine, yet it became overcast quickly and grey clouds started to occupy the skies.

It looked like rain.

We set out on the trail, following the Kungsleden path in its northern direction. The terrain was flat in the beginning, with some gentle ascents that followed.

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The trail then continued to Tjäktjapasset pass.

It started to rain - luckily there was a small cabin in the pass where we got a chance to dry out and had lunch.

Then, the path led us along the Tjäktja hut, and we continued hiking till twilight, aiming to find a nice camping spot in the broad Alisvággi valley.

We pitched our tents on a small hummock somewhere in the middle of the Alisvággi valley. It was overcast, yet at least it wasn’t raining.

We realised that though the valley was really nice, it wasn't comparable to landscapes we crossed during our first hiking days in terms of the natural beauty.

(Retrospectively, that was often the case on Kungsleden).

Also, we met more people on Kungsleden - and from time to time, these were really funny encounters. Have you ever met a hiker on a long-distance path in Lapland with carrying an umbrella? :-)

Day 6: From Alisvággi to Unna Allakasstugorna

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The morning sky looked much better than yesterday. For our sixth day on the trail, we planned rather long hike, significantly exceeding 20 kilometres.

Our plan was to quickly reach Alesjaurestugorna hut and Alisjávri lake, have lunch there, and then to continue across the mountain plateau to the west, aiming to reach Unna Allakasstugorna hut in the evening.

Here on the trail, we met an “Umbrella man”, as we quickly nicknamed him. Umbrella, small backpack, and a sleeping bag on his shoulders… quite a unique style of wandering in the deep north!

The wind started to blow quite intensively as we quickly continued to Alisjávri lake, crossing a spectacular footbridge across one of the tributaries of the Aliseatnu river.

Soon, we reached the lake and the nearby Alesjaurestugorna hut.

Slowly, the sun started to break through grey clouds and illuminated the surrounding autumn landscape with its beautiful light.

It looked like in an autumn fairy-tale: everything in red, yellow and brown autumnal colours.

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It was already mid-afternoon when we set out on the trail again, having had lunch at the Alesjaurestugorna hut.

We still had thirteen kilometres ahead of us, starting with a fair climb to a nearby plateau.

Leaving Kungsleden once again meant exploring more spectacular scenery, now in the beautiful tones of the setting sun.

There were herds of reindeer as well, and not surprisingly, we had only met two hikers on this “shortcut”.

This may have been one of the surprises and secrets of Kungsleden: these shortcuts and side trails are often much more interesting than the main trail.

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After a few hours of tiring hike, we found ourselves quite close to... Norway.

In fact, the snow-covered peaks reminding us of Tolkien's Mordor landscape were actually located in Norway.

It was already during sunset when we descended from the plateau to another valley - however, we still had to cross another smaller ridge called Unna Allagas.

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We reached the Unna Allakasstugorna hut during twilight.

Having talked to the hut's warden, we were told that today was actually the last day the hut and campsite were operating (in the summer season).

Autumn was about to end here, and birches were already almost leafless in the area.

The warden was kind enough to give us a box of Cokes that left in the hut's small shop - after a few days of wilderness hiking, this was like a small miracle that unexpectedly happened to us.

It was really a long hiking day. Or, better said, the longest day of our overall journey.

28 kilometres with heavy backpacks is neither short nor an easy walk.

Tired, we fell asleep quickly. The night was quite peaceful, with occasional wind and a few rain showers.

Day 7: From Unna Allakasstugorna to Rovvidievvá

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We woke up into a foggy mysterious morning.

Fog and mist were rolling through the valley, and it looked like rain.

The warden told us that the weather shall improve in the afternoon, with even some sunshine being forecast. But now, in the morning, it started to rain.

In the rainy and foggy weather, the autumn tundra landscape looked in a different way.

There was some melancholy in the air, and one could really feel that the winter is already knocking on the door. Mid of September - autumn doesn’t last long in the deep north.

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We hiked in the northeast direction, aiming to camp somewhere close to Abiskojaure lake.

It was quite an easy albeit a bit long walk in the broad valley, without major descents or ascents. After some time, the light rain stopped.

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Around lunch time the sun finally broke through thick clouds.

We felt this could haven been the very last day of autumn here.

Once again we were hiking in a fairy-tale place, without other hikers around, being completely alone.

We continued hiking through the Rovvidievvá hamlet with a few summer houses (of course, no one was there).

We camped in a small birch forest and enjoyed a campfire.

Our journey was about to end soon; so far, we had hiked more than one hundred kilometres.

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Day 8: From Rovvidievvá to Abisko

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The morning was really optimistic - after a few cloudy days, there was plenty of sunshine, and the grey rainy clouds disappeared completely.

After breakfast, we set out on the trail aiming to reach Abiskojaurestugorna hut and campsite around lunchtime.

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The journey was pleasant and not really challenging. Also, after a week-long hike our backpacks became lighter and more bearable.

We reached Abiskojaurestugorna hut around lunchtime, bought some snacks and a few Cokes, and enjoyed the lunch. It was rather windy, but the sun continued to shine perfectly.

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The re-joined the Kungsleden path for the second time and continued hiking on the right side of Abiskojaure lake.

Here on the trail, we were definitely not alone - herds of day-trippers were passing by, following the Kungsleden highway to the south.

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We didn't really rush - our aim was to camp somewhere close to the end of the trail, saving a few last kilometres for tomorrow.

It was really beautiful. I remember seeing summer pictures from Kungsleden, everything in green - this was far much better. More colourful, and without mosquitoes.

For us, autumn is the best season for hiking in the areas around polar circle.

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From time to time, we were hiking along the Abiskojåkka river.

As we progressed further, we were meeting more and more day-trippers. The civilisation was not far.

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We camped quite close to Abisko train station, in a nice campsite at the river.

Last night in the wild; our adventure was about to end.

Day 9: To Abisko train station... and home

It took us two hours to come to the end of the trail in Abisko.

We took a train back to Kiruna and spent a night there.

Of course, good meal and a few beers formed our last night in Sweden; The Bishops Arms is a place to go in Kiruna when in a mood of a proper pub meal and a few beers.

Practicalities

Kungsleden became world-famous long distance trail over the years and attracts visitors from around the globe; in fact, locals form a minority on the trail. It may serve as a fine introduction to multi day hiking in Lapland for those gaining first experience with trekking in the Nordics. That being said, more experienced hikers may find the trail crowded and a bit monotonous.
The hut along the trail may provide additional comfort and food supply for those in need; the real treat some of the huts offer, however, is the sauna. I recall saunas at Sälka, Unna Allakas and Saltoluokta were all worth checking out.
As far as our route is concerned, Visttasvággi valley was of a delicate beauty with its birch woods (and easy to go through). The adventurous leg of Unna Reaiddávággi valley, with two nameless lakes connected by a waterfall, and with a cosy small Unna Räitastugan cabin we stayed overnight, formed the most exciting part of our journey. Last but not least, the remote Unna Allakas, set among small tarns and birch trees, is a perfect hideout with a sauna (and not far from Norway).
Logistically, Kiruna is the usual starting/final point, with direct flights to Stockholm, train connection to Abisko (and further to Narvik) and bus connection to Nikkaluokta.

Footnotes

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FootNotes

All images are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without permission of the author.

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