Amazing Northern Lights displays across Sweden

A particularly strong outburst of solar activity has led to some stunning displays of the Northern Lights across Sweden in the last few days.

We are currently at the peak of an 11-year cycle of solar activity, and scientists’ predictions that this winter season should see some of the best displays in 50 years have been borne out by the intense auroras seen even in the more southern areas of country, much further south than would normally be expected. Yesterday’s display in the far north of Sweden was described as “like an explosion in the sky”.

Nature Travels offers a wide range of winter adventures in Sweden located in areas which give very good chances to see a display of the Northern Lights during your tour, from family-friendly dogsled tours to challenging ski touring expeditions.

Of course, displays can never be guaranteed even in such an active year, and we always recommend that the excitement of the activities and the very special atmosphere of the Arctic winter should be your main motivations for travelling, but a display of the Northern Lights is certainly the icing on the cake at the end of a day’s dog sledding in the wilderness!

 

Tipi Adventure recommended in The Times

UK newspaper The Times featured our Tipi Adventure in Dalsland experience this weekend as one of its recommended options for affordable family holidays this summer:

“Cook supper over an open fire before snuggling down on a bed of fir twigs covered with reindeer skins.”

Tipi Adventure in Dalsland is ideal for active families or groups of friends, with 4-day/3-night stays just £217/tipi (up to 6 persons). A range of activities from high-wire to kayaking are available to book as optional extras.

Canoeing in Dalsland – new tour for 2012

Canoeing in Dalsland’s Lake District is a flexible canoe tour in a stunning landscape of forests and lakes in West Sweden.

This 7-day tour is suitable for adults and active families and offers a great deal of flexibility in the route taken and distance covered, allowing you to vary the level of challenge depending on your requirements.

Price £167/person for even-numbered groups, with additional person in same canoe just £79. Price includes full canoe equipment but also tent, sleeping bag package and camping stove with fuel.

Start any day by arrangement between May and September.

Nature Travels offers a wide range of canoe holidays in Sweden, from family-friendly adventures to challenging wilderness expeditions.

Australian Times recommends Nature Travels dog sledding in Lapland

Australian Times, the UK magazine for Australians, recommends Nature Travels dog sledding holidays in Lapland in its latest issue with its article “Mushing beneath the Northern Lights”.

Nature Travels offers a wide range of dogsled tours in Lapland from 4-12 days, from “soft adventure” family-friendly tours to challenging mountain expeditions. And with the 2011/2012 winter season set to be the best for Northern Lights for 50 years, there’s no better time to be travelling to the far north!

Guided hiking in Swedish Lapland 2012

Bookings are now open for our guiding hiking tours in Lapland for the 2012 summer season. We offer three options for hiking in the far north:

Hiking on the King’s Trail from Abisko to Kebnekaise (8 days)
Hiking in the National Parks of Laponia (7 days)
Sarek National Park Expedition (9 days)

The King’s Trail and Laponia tours are moderately challenging. You should be used to hiking with a backpack around 10-12kg with distances up to 20km per day. Sarek National Park is a pathless wilderness area and the Sarek tour is a challenging tour featuring wild camping suitable for experienced hikers.

Nature Travels offers a range of options for self-guided hiking tours. New for 2012, we have added self-guided option in the mountains of Jämtland in north-west Sweden on the Jämtland Triangle.

Horse riding in Lapland 2012

Dates and prices have now been published for our horse riding tours in Lapland using Icelandic horses for the 2012 season:

The 5-day Skeble Mountain Tour and 8-day Vindel Mountains Expedition now feature comfortable hotel accommodation at the start/end of the tour.

Tours are offered in June, July and August with prices from £511/person. Suitable for participants aged 15-55 with able to handle a horse at walk, trot and canter.

The tours take place in the Vindelfjällen Nature Reserve, Europe’s largest protected area and home to an important population of Arctic Fox.

Nature Travels in Guardian Green Travel List 2011

Nature Travels is delighted to announce that we have been once more been featured in The Guardian’s Green Travel List for the second year running.

The Green Travel List is compiled from a panel of green travel experts based on recommendations by the public, and we are very pleased to be one of just five travel companies worldwide to be included in the category “Sustainable Holidays” and just 20 companies to be included in the List as a whole. The other categories were Community and Conservation, Transport and Days Out/Visitor Attractions.

We would like to extend our warmest thanks to those who recommended Nature Travels for inclusion in the Guardian Green Travel List 2011. It is wonderful to have recognition of our aims to promote sustainable enjoyment of outdoor activities in Sweden.

See here for the full Guardian Green Travel List 2011.

Sea Kayaking in West Sweden 2012

Bookings are now open for our guided and self-guided sea kayak tours on Sweden’s west coast for 2012.

Dates for our guided Koster and Fjällbacka tours will be 6^th-8^th and 10^th-12^th July 2012. Prices remain unchanged from 2011 at £403/person.

Self-guided Sea Kayaking in Bohuslän offers flexible start days between May and September and you can choose to paddle for 3-6 days.

Both tours feature wild island camping. Guided tours are suitable for all levels of experience, while for self-guided kayaking you should have some previous sea kayaking experience or take an optional introductory course before your tour begins.

Nature Travels also offers guided and self-guided sea kayaking in Sweden’s east coast archipelagos.

Hiking in West Sweden 2012

Information for our Self-guided Hiking in Bohuslän experience for 2012 has now been published and bookings are now open.

Self-guided hiking is a 4-day/3-night experience with optional extra days, giving you the chance to discover the beautiful region of the Kynne Hills in West Sweden using private hiking tracks specially reserved for guests. There is also the option to extend your stay and take time to further explore the area by canoe.

Price £177/person for 4 days.

Nature Travels also offers guided hiking in the northern of Sweden and self-guided hiking along the Pilgrim’s Trail in Dalsland.

Stockholm Holidays 2012 – Hike, Bike and Paddle

Details of our Hike, Bike and Paddle Stockholm’s Lakes and Islands experience have now been released for 2012.

Available in 4-day or 6-day variations, Hike, Bike and Paddle is gives you the chance to discover the beautiful natural regions surrounding Stockholm by a combination of paddle, pedal and pedestrian power! Accommodation each evening is in a series of comfortable guest houses and hostel-standard accommodation along the route.

Suitable for couples, adult groups or families, Hike, Bike and Paddle is the perfect way to discover the delights of the Stockholm archipelago and mainland lake areas at your own pace.