Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [236]
When you do, what you’ll find is unparalleled natural beauty: impenetrable dark forests, icy mountain ranges, silent stretches of wide-open tundra, wide slow-moving rivers and, of course, herds of reindeer, often nonchalantly strolling right down the middle of the road you’re on. (They’re in on it, too – you can’t rush them.) The far north is also home to most of Sweden’s Sami population and is the best place to gain an appreciation for their traditional nomadic culture.
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HIGHLIGHTS
Get a close-up view of Lapporten, the gateway to Lappland, at Abisko National Park
Hike up to the Sami holy mountain of Atoklimpen
Chug along up the middle of the country on the historic train line, Inlandsbanan
Delve into Sami culture at the best museum on the topic, Ájtte Museum in Jokkmokk
Visit the fantastically well-preserved church village of Gammelstad
AREA: 151, 466 SQ KM
POPULATION: 644,376
HIGHEST ELEVATION: KEBNEKAISE (2111M)
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Orientation
The three regions (landskap) of Norrbotten, Västerbotten and Lappland make up the territory covered in this chapter. These correspond roughly, but not exactly, with the counties (län) of Norrbotten and Västerbotten. Landskap designations are historical and cultural, rather than administrative, and especially in the northern part of Sweden they’re more likely than the official counties to shape a visitor’s experience.
Information
As well as the tourist offices listed throughout the chapter, visitors can contact the following agencies for more information on the area:
Swedish Lapland (www.swedishlapland.com)
Västerbottens Turism (090-785 71 76; www.vasterbotten.net; Västra Norrlandsgatan 13, Umeå)
Getting Around
BUS
The following companies provide regional transport links, and if you’re planning to spend much time in the area, it’s worth asking about monthly passes or a sommarkort for discount travel from Midsummer to mid-August. Websites have information on routes, schedules, fares and passes; they’re often in Swedish only, but if you call the telephone numbers listed you’ll usually reach someone who can help you in English.
Länstrafiken i Norrbotten (020-47 00 47; www.ltnbd.se)
Länstrafiken i Västerbotten (0771-10 01 10; www.tabussen.nu, in Swedish)
Ybuss (0771-33 44 44; www.ybuss.se, in Swedish) Express buses daily between Stockholm and Umeå.
Handy regional bus service routes include Länstrafiken i Västerbotten bus 100, which runs several times daily between Sundsvall and Luleå (Skr423, 8½ hours) via the major towns along the E4 motorway; bus 45, which runs daily between Östersund and Gällivare (Skr465, 11 hours); and bus 300, which connects Umeå and Mo i Rana (Norway, eight hours) once daily via Storuman and Tärnaby.
Länstrafiken i Norrbotten runs two daily buses connecting Luleå and Kiruna (Skr293, five hours). Its bus network covers 100,000 sq km (a quarter of Sweden) and it will carry bikes for Skr50 extra.
TRAIN
The historic Inlandsbanan (0771-53 53 53; www.inlandsbanan.se) runs from Kristinehamn to Gällivare via Mora and Östersund, Storuman, Arvidsjaur and Jokkmokk from late June (just after Midsummer) to mid-August (see boxed text). Travel on the line is slow (the average speed is 50km/h), but you can break your journey in any of the small towns en route. Prices are based on a rate of Skr1.23 per kilometre. You can buy tickets for certain legs of the journey or a card that will allow you two weeks’ unlimited travel on the route (Skr1395). ScanRail, Interrail and Eurail passes all apply. Up to two children aged 15 years and under can ride free with a paying adult. Those aged between 16 and 19 years, and students with valid ID, get a 25% discount.
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FOR TAKING IN SAMI CULTURE
Explore Ájtte Museum in Jokkmokk
Pet