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There is a very high chance (unfortunately never 100%) that you will see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) during The King’s Trail. The trail is located entirely above the Arctic Circle and we start in the Swedish village of Abisko, which is world-renowned as one of the absolute best places on earth to spot the Northern Lights.
This is due to a unique microclimate locally known as the 'Blue Hole': the surrounding mountains block the clouds, meaning the sky above Abisko is statistically clearer and more cloud-free than anywhere else in Lapland. Furthermore, because we trek deep into the wilderness and spend our nights in remote mountain huts, there is total darkness and zero light pollution. As soon as the sky is clear and there is solar activity, all you have to do is look up from the mountain hut to admire the magical green light.
At The King's Trail we walk in small groups to create more intimacy and for your own safety.
On each departure day, there are 2 groups, Group A and Group B.
Both groups will hike the full route between Abisko tourist station and the Singi hut. They will also spend the same number of nights in tourist stations and huts.
The only difference between the two groups is that Group A heads straight onto the trail on day 2, while Group B does a local loop around Abisko Tourist Station that day. Group B will start on the trail on day 3, which means they will always be one day "behind" Group A.
While Group B hikes from the Salka hut to the Singi hut on day 7, the adventurers from Group A will have the opportunity to do a local route near Kebnekaise. At the end of the day, both groups will be picked up by snowmobile transport and will be reunited in Nikkaluokta.
Yes, absolutely! You do not need any prior winter trail or snow-hiking experience to participate. As long as you have a good fitness level and don’t suffer from injuries, the route is completely doable.
Whether you choose snowshoeing or ski hiking, you will easily pick up the technique within your first day on the trail.
Our guides will be there to teach you everything you need to know, making it a great entry-level arctic adventure.
The King’s Trail is accessible to anyone with a good fitness level, as our guides have mapped out a balanced route with daily distances between 12 and 22 km. The trail mainly weaves through snowy valleys and rolling hills, so you won't encounter extreme ascents or steep climbs.
What actually makes the trail challenging:
For full details on terrain, weather conditions, and daily distances, visit our Difficulty Overview.
This price includes:
Anyone between the ages of 16 and 65 with good fitness and a sense of adventure can walk this trail. The journey includes a solid amount of physical activity, so being in good health is a must.
Are you looking to try a multi-day hike for the first time, but have doubts about your physical capacity?
Ask yourself the following questions:
If your answers give you full confidence to embark on this adventure, then this trail is definitely for you! You’ll receive a training schedule a week after booking to get you ready to tackle the path comfortably.
Still unsure and want to test yourself before heading out on the trail?
Try one of our micro-adventures like The Vosges Trail, The Mullerthal Trail, or The Packraft Trail.
During this week, you'll cover a total of about 75 km. The number of kilometers per day varies between 12 and 22 km. The days are well balanced in relation to the distance you'll be covering, taking into account the elevation gain you'll encounter.
You’ll be sleeping in cozy cabins for a week, right in the wilderness. These cabins are maintained by the Svenska Turist Föreningen.
They come equipped with a wood stove to keep you warm, a shared kitchen, sleeping areas with bunk beds, and an emergency phone, since there’s no mobile reception in this area. Some of these cabins have a small shop with basic products but don’t count on this for your food and snacks.
In most cases, the cabins have no electricity or running water. So, we get our water from a hole in the ice near the cabins. There’s also always a compost toilet available at the cabins.
As we offer a fully organised trip, it is not possible to adjust the duration or itinerary. However, you are free to extend your trip independently by spending a few extra days on site afterwards, for example, or continuing your journey to another country.
Within 5 days after your registration, you must pay a deposit to confirm your trip. After that, you still have until a few weeks before departure to modify your options and pay the remaining balance. If you make changes, the deposit is automatically recalculated.
There are various payment options, including Bancontact, Mastercard, iDeal. If you have a Travelbase voucher, you can use it as well.
If your payment fails, it is likely due to an incorrect reference number or exceeding your account limit.
You can easily add or cancel most optional extras up to a few weeks before departure. Please bear in mind the following rules:
It is always possible to cancel your trip. You can find the general cancellation conditions here. You can also rely on the Superflex cancellation conditions. More info under the FAQ ‘What are the Superflex cancellation conditions?
The Superflex cancellation conditions are available for anyone who books early.
You can reschedule your trip to another period within the same season (depending on availability) or cancel for free before a certain date, which is clearly stated on the registration form.
If the deadline to use the Superflex conditions has passed, the general cancellation conditions apply.
The food pack includes a complete week's worth of lightweight, high-energy meals designed specifically for trekking:
Dietary Preferences
Vegetarian options are available for all meals. Simply select your preference when placing your booking, and we'll ensure your pack is customized accordingly.
No, we currently do not offer lactose-free or gluten-free food packages.
If you have any food allergies, intolerances, or specific dietary restrictions beyond a vegetarian diet, we strongly advise you to bring your own specialized freeze-dried food packages to ensure all your dietary needs are safely met during the trek.
During The King's Trail, you won't encounter any restaurants, except at the beginning and the end of the week. For this reason, we offer you a complete meal package consisting of freeze-dried meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This adventure food pack costs only €115 (veggie) or €125 (standard). In addition, the meals are lightweight and easy to carry in your pulka or backpack.
In the months of February and March it is on average -15 to -20 degrees in Swedish Lapland. Because the air contains little moisture compared to the Netherlands, it does not feel as cold as it is when there is no wind. It is mainly dry cold that you experience for which you can dress very well. Since we are on the move and sleep in heated cabins at night, the cold will not be a problem as long as you arrive well prepared.
The average winter temperature ranges between -10°C and -20°C. Because the air here is very dry, it often feels less cold than the thermometer indicates.
To stay warm, we recommend using a three-layer clothing system:
Don't forget to pack high-quality mittens, a warm beanie and thick woolen socks to protect your extremities.
Yes. There is no luggage transport. Since we go from hut to hut with a pulka you take all your gear with you.
Every day you sleep in a comfortable STF cabin. These are equipped with bunk beds, wood stoves, kitchenette, tables and chairs. They are basic cabins that actually offer everything you need. Outside the hut you will find a compost toilet, there are no showers, but you can shower at the beginning (Abisko) or at the end (Nikkaluokta).
There is also a sauna every day except for the Tjäktja cabin. At some huts you will also find a small shop with basic products (do not expect extensive meals, but rather some small snacks for during your trail that they sell).
You can pay with a credit card in the cabins, but just to be on the safe side, also take some Swedish crowns with you in case the ATMs accidentally don't work. We recommend 50 SEK to bring for on the trail.
Yes, in some cabins there is a small shop with basic products. Don't expect whole meals, but you can find snacks such as nuts and candy. You can pay by credit card or with Swedish crowns.
Yes, this is possible. You pay €15 for one gas bottle that you can use a whole week. If you want to bring your own stove make sure you have a stove that you need to screw on the gas can. Screw mechanism needed. No ‘prik-stove’.
There are no charging facilities or electricity outlets available in the mountain huts along The King’s Trail.
To keep your electronics powered throughout the entire trip, keep the following in mind:
Snowshoes are special frames that you tie around your own shoe. Because the surface is large, you do not sink through the deep snow and you can easily walk from hut to hut. It is not difficult to learn and once you have them on you will be very happy with them. Combine the snowshoes with good, warm socks.
Your arrival and departure dates depend directly on the schedule of your chosen trip week:
What happens during your week:
Between your arrival and departure days, the program includes 5 full trekking days along the trail, plus 1 extra day tailored to your group:
During the trail, you’ll have little to no phone signal. Please let friends and family know in advance so they don’t worry, you’re in good hands.
Most importantly, we strongly encourage you to take advantage of the remote setting and try going offline for a few days, disconnecting is one of the absolute highlights of the trail!
No, you will not have to carry your main heavy backpack while trekking but you will transport it yourself.
All of your big luggage and heavy equipment will be pulled behind you in a pulka. You only need to wear a small daypack on your back to keep essential items easily accessible during the day, such as a water bottle, extra layers, and snacks.
No, there is no option to store extra luggage before setting off.
Everything you bring to the starting point must be taken with you on the trail in your pulka or daypack. Please keep this in mind when packing and bring only the essentials to ensure your sledge remains light and manageable throughout the trek.
That really depends on what you prefer. If you choose to go on skis, we recommend taking a pulka. It glides smoothly behind you and makes moving forward a lot easier on the flatter stretches. If you opt for snowshoes, carrying a backpack is usually the better choice. You naturally make more perpendicular movements with snowshoes, which can feel a bit awkward with a pulka pulling behind you. If you would like to mix things up and switch between the two, that is completely fine as well.
No, you don't need any skiing experience because we use different types of skis. These skis lock under special boots and are very easy to use. Skis are ideal to go through deep snow because you have a large (long) surface and therefore sink less quickly through the snow and are able to slide over it.
For this reason we call this ski walking and is therefore completely different from 'normal Alpine skiing' that you may be used to. Experience shows that it takes a day to learn it, but that it goes by itself afterwards.
After your booking, you will receive a detailed packing list, carefully compiled by our experienced team. The packing list includes everything you need for your adventure, from clothing to equipment and useful extras.
While both let you travel across snow, they offer a completely different experience.
On The King’s Trail, snowshoes give you maximum control, stability, and ease, making them the ultimate choice for a stress-free trek through the winter wilderness.
A pulka is a sled that is used to pull your material. There are two rods on the sled that you can use with a hip belt so that you can pull the sled from your hips. Because they are special sleds for deep snow, you will find that they slide easily through the snow and you don't have weight on your back but behind you, which is generally a lot more comfortable in deep snow.
Ski clothing is generally too warm for this trek. You are constantly on the move and will sweat much faster than you think. Besides staying warm, you also want to avoid getting soaked in sweat. Once your base layers are wet, it becomes much harder to stay warm. We always recommend using the layering system:
Avoid thick ski pants or heavy jackets; you are guaranteed to get too warm while walking or skiing.
The rental ski boots are relatively wide and fit most adventurers. If you're unsure, let us know your shoe size and possibly the length/width of your foot. We can check with our partner to ensure there's a suitable model available.
If it turns out on-site that you really can't fit into the rental shoes, you'll have to complete the trail with snowshoes and your own sturdy winter hiking boots.
No, standard ski or snowboard boots are not compatible with the equipment we use.
We use a nordic ski system with specific leather nordic ski boots, which have a completely different connection than alpine ski gear.
You can rent warm winter snow pants from us for €70. This will keep you warm when you walk through cold circumstances. On top of this you can also rent warm mittens for €25 per person for the whole week. You can book these until 2 months before departure.
This depends on how much material you bring together. If everything fits in 1 pulka then of course you don't have to, for example you can take 1 pulka and 1 backpack so that you alternate a bit with each other.
Yes, absolutely. A pulka:
Without a pulka, you have to carry everything in a backpack, which can quickly feel heavy and unstable in deep snow.
We recommend bringing both a waterproof duffel bag (approx. 90L) and a small daypack (approx. 30L). This allows you to keep your main gear neatly packed inside your pulka (sled) while keeping daily essentials quickly accessible. Whether you prefer to pull a pulka or carry a full backpack is entirely up to you, and no prior experience is needed to use a pulka. The main advantage of a pulka is that it frees your back and shoulders from heavy weight, whereas a backpack keeps you agile but puts all the strain directly on your body. Keep in mind that you will not return to basecamp during the trip and must carry everything with you, so pack as light as possible!
You don't need to bring your own trekking poles or reserve them. Everyone will receive trekking poles on-site anyway.
Hardshell pants (available to rent)
A proper hardshell layer is essential to block harsh arctic winds and keep out rain and snow while remaining breathable. Because your legs are in constant motion while hiking, pairing a breathable hardshell with a base layer provides the ideal balance of warmth and ventilation without trapping excess heat.
Thermal leggings / trousers
Bring a good pair of thermal leggings to wear directly under your hardshell pants. Thermal trousers offer excellent breathability and flexibility for the rugged terrain.
What to avoid: ski trousers
We strongly advise against wearing standard ski pants. They are generally too heavy and warm for continuous hiking, which leads to excessive sweating and discomfort.
For hiking the King's Trail (Kungsleden), pack 2–3 pairs of moisture-wicking underwear (merino wool or synthetic—never cotton, which holds moisture and causes chafing) along with 1–2 sets of thermal base layers (a long-sleeve top and leggings) for chilly trekking days and cold nights in your tent. Merino wool is the ideal choice across the board because it naturally resists odors, stays warm when damp, and can be worn comfortably for multiple days. A great rule of thumb is to wear one pair of merino underwear for hiking, keep a spare in your pack, and save a completely dry set strictly for sleeping.
To stay warm and comfortable on the trail, you will need a combination of two specific types of jackets to manage active trekking versus stationary rest:
1. Waterproof hardshell Jacket (for active trekking)
2. High-quality down jacket (for stationary rest)
Nordic skiing is a different movement than normal skiing, that’s why we recommend winter hiking socks instead of skiing socks. These give enough warmth and comfort for this kind of activity.
For trekking on The King’s Trail, your footwear choices depend on the activity you select:
For snowshoeing you need Type B hiking boots with a waterproof membrane.
Ensure they are waterproof to navigate snow, fit snugly to prevent heel slippage and blisters, and leave enough space for thick winter socks. Their sturdy build ensures they stay securely attached to the snowshoe bindings. Avoid regular snow boots. Standard snow boots are not suitable for active snowshoeing. They lack a snug fit, causing your heel to slip and significantly increasing the risk of blisters.
For nordic skiing you will receive specialized ski boots, but you have to bring your own personal winter shoes.
We provide specialized boots designed specifically for Nordic skiing for use during the activity. For these, we highly recommend bringing hiking wool (blister wool) or another preventative remedy against blisters. You also need to bring a comfortable pair of waterproof snow boots or regular winter shoes for travel (before and after your flights) and for wearing around the huts in the evening.
Yes, you can book your flights directly through us, as long as seats are still available.
We offer flight packages that include both checked baggage and ground shuttle transport:
Important Arrival Time: If you arrange your own transport, please ensure you arrive at Abisko Turiststation by 8:00 PM at the latest.
If your flight departure time differs from the rest of the group, you can easily book individual transport yourself.
Because we spend the final night in accommodation near Kiruna rather than out on the trail, arranging flexible travel to match your schedule is straightforward. The official trek runs from Abisko Turiststation to Nikkaluokta Sarri. Once the trek concludes, if you need a private ride directly from our final accommodation to Kiruna Airport or the Kiruna train station, you can conveniently book your own local ride via Taxi Kiruna.
No, experienced people do this. You do not ride the snowmobile, but sit in a sled behind the snowmobile. Your material also goes in here so that everything can be brought to the end point together in one go. From the last hut Singi to Kebnekaise the trip takes 1-2 hours depending on the weather. Then from Kebnekaise to Nikkaluokta is 30 minutes. The rides are included in the price. Make sure you dress warm during the snowmobile transfer.
On each departure day, a team of experienced guides who know the trail very well and have chosen the beautiful routes and accommodations will join. They will also be there for support in case any issues arise during the trail itself.