Active Holidays in Scandinavia

From summer activities like hiking, canoeing, biking and horseback riding to winter experiences including skiing, dog sledding, snowmobiling and ice hotels – Scandinavia offers unforgettable active holidays in every season. Travel at your own pace and explore nature, culture and adventure with experienced local partners.
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Summer activities

Experience the Nordic summer at its best with a wide range of outdoor activities set in breathtaking landscapes. From peaceful nature experiences to active adventures on land and water, summer in Scandinavia offers endless possibilities for exploration and enjoyment.

Riding

The Nordic countries offer a great opportunity for everyone interested in riding. At many places there are special riding trails, which you can follow. Feel free to ride on a thoroughbred horse or a small Icelandic horse. If you are an experienced horse rider, you might want to try out yourself on the horseback. You can also join a group, together with an experienced instructor. Set out in the unspoiled nature on horseback on a day tour, or longer tour. Possible to join a horse—riding course.

Horse and carriage

Slow down! Travel ecological! Enjoy the wilderness life by a horse and carriage tour, according to your own tempo.

Canoeing/ Kayaking

There are hundreds of canoe and sea kayak routes to choose between, only in Sweden. You can do a canoe tour by yourself, or join a group with an instructor. No earlier experience needed if you choose an easy canoe route. Some routes have prepared shelters for overnight stays, and also barbecues. Recommended to bring your own tent, sleeping bag and cooking equipment. Just let us know when you want to come, degree of difficulty wanted and the lengths of your stay, and we put together an unforgettable wilderness experience. The spectacular Canoe Marathon race is taken place in province Dalsland, in the beginning of August every year. Maybe you would like to join?

Biking

There are plenty of opportunities for an enjoyable biking holiday in the Nordic countries. In some areas there are marked bicycling routes to follow. Often possible to stay overnight in youth hostels or guesthouses. Bike rental is available at many places to reasonable prices. So have an active holiday and experience the unspoiled nature from a saddle of a bike! We are happy to give you tour suggestions.

Sailing

The Scandinavian countries offer great sailing opportunities, for sailing enthusiasts. The season is from middle of June until middle of August. If you have a sailing boat certificate, you may rent a sailing boat yourself, or rent a sailing boat with captain. Some bigger sailing ships also take paying crew. The coasts at the Baltic sea, Skagerack and North Sea offer thousands of islands to cruise between. Guest harbours offer good service facilities.

Rafting

Slow down your tempo and enjoy a timber rafting tour, along a river in a speed of 2 km per hour. You decide yourself how many days you would like to spend on the timber raft. Along the shore you put up your tent and stay overnight. Your food supply will be brought to your raft before departure. If you are more adventures, try white water rafting! A special trained guide will steer the rubber raft through the whirling streams.

Walking

All Scandinavian countries offer a wide range of excellent walking trails. Sweden has two of the world’s longest low land walking trails, in the world. One is located in the province Sormland, south of Stockholm and one in Scania, the most southern province of Sweden. The trails are between 900 – 1000 km long, and well marked. Choose how long distance you want to walk. Please, see the suggestions below and send us a request.

Walking trips

Walking tour around the Bjare peninsula in south Sweden 5 days Arrival in Sweden via Copenhagen or Malmo. Possible to continue by train to Bastad. Starting in Bastad you take wonderful walking tours along the Skaneleden trail. The national park/ nature reserve of Bjare has varied scenery, with mixed and varied geology ,flora and fauna. The wild, broken stretch of coast at Hov’s Hallar, is one of the most impressive natural experiences along the entire trail. Close to the pebble stone beaches are wild meadows with junipers. Along the walk you will also find remains from Bronze Age, more than 3000 years old.

Walking tour in south Sweden, 5 days

This section of the Skaneleden trail offers you easy to moderate walking. You stay in a comfortable hotel at Lake Immein and go on varied walks each day. Walk though mixed forests and partially hilly terrain, passing some lakes, until you reach the deserted farm, Sporrekulla, today a homestead museum. Another stretch of the trail takes you to a diabase, black granite quarry, which has been used by architects and artists world ide. Nyteboda virgin forest is a nature reserve, with many old trees, mostly spruce and pine. You can also try canoeing and go fishing in the many lakes. walking on Osterlen, south Sweden 5 days This section of the Skaneleden trail offers easy to moderate walking, giving spectacular views over the sea and the hilly landscape. When you chose the path which mainly runs along the lovely coastline, you reach the nature reserve, Backakra. Here is the mansion of Dag Hammarskold, the former UN secretary general. Along the path there are also many Bronze Age remains. Stenshuvud is the southernmost national park of Sweden. There is another very scenic section along the small river, Verkean.

Walking tour in Sormland, 5 days

Arrival in (and returning from) Stockholm. The walking trail “Sormlandsleden” is just south of Stockholm. The trail offers easy to moderate walking. You have more than 900 km of trails to choose from! A beautiful stretch goes through open farmland and hilly forested areas, partly through the Nynas national park. From the Orreberget mountain you can enjoy a fantastic view of the entire national park. The Nynas Castle is open for visitors.

Walking tour in south Sweden, 5 days

This section of the Skaneleden trail offers you easy to moderate walking. You stay in a comfortable hotel at Lake Immein and go on varied walks each day. Walk though mixed forests and partially hilly terrain, passing some lakes, until you reach the deserted farm, Sporrekulla, today a homestead museum. Another stretch of the trail takes you to a diabase, black granite quarry, which has been used by architects and artists world ide. Nyteboda virgin forest is a nature reserve, with many old trees, mostly spruce and pine. You can also try canoeing and go fishing in the many lakes. walking on Osterlen, south Sweden 5 days This section of the Skaneleden trail offers easy to moderate walking, giving spectacular views over the sea and the hilly landscape. When you chose the path which mainly runs along the lovely coastline, you reach the nature reserve, Backakra. Here is the mansion of Dag Hammarskold, the former UN secretary general. Along the path there are also many Bronze Age remains. Stenshuvud is the southernmost national park of Sweden. There is another very scenic section along the small river, Verkean.

Trekking

Guided trekking tours are offered in the high mountain areas. Some trekking trails pass through unspoiled nature in our national parks. The “King’s trail” in northern Sweden is among one of popular ones. This is approximately 450 km long. Overnight cabins are available (not possible to book in advance) along the path. You have to carry your own food supply, sleeping bag and personal belongings

Trekking with a Sami guide and his reindeer

We can offer you great trekking experiences together with a Sami guide. One of his semi domesticated reindeer will carry most of your package.

Winter activities

Embrace the Nordic winter with unique outdoor experiences in a magical snowy landscape. From skiing and dog sledding to ice hotels and Arctic adventures, winter in Scandinavia offers unforgettable activities shaped by nature, tradition and adventure.

Skiing

Sweden, Norway and Finland offer great skiing possibilities. The skiing season often starts in December and last to middle of April. At Riksgransen in Sweden the skiing season usually lasts until Midsummer, around June 20th! Here you can go skiing in a swimming suit in the middle of the night, in the Midnight sun, in June! we are happy to book accommodation for you in cottages or hotels in some of the most famous ski resorts, such as Are and Salen in Sweden, Hemsedal and Geilo in Norway, and Yllas and Levi in Finland. Ski rental and ski schools are available at all main ski resorts.

Maybe you would like to try to learn the original alpine skiing style, the telemarkswing? For those of you who love cross-country skiing there are outstanding opportunities. For example one of the world’s longest cross-country ski track system, with about 300 km of prepared ski tracks, you find in the province Harjedalen. Send a request and we tell you more, and book your accommodation.

Dog sledding

Train how to run your own dog sled and set out in the wilderness! You just listen to the bark of the dogs and the whistling of the wind. A special trained guide will assist you. Choose from a half-day tour to a week long tour. This could be an experience of your lifetime!

Snowmobile

We offer you great wilderness experience on a snowmobile tourl You can choose from a half day tour to a weeklong tour, from basic to advanced level. we co-operate with special trained snowmobile guides, who make your wilderness tour to an unforgettable memory.

Thermal clothing and special warm boots are provided. You need a driving license and be over 16 years old to be allowed to drive snowmobile in a group together with a special trained guide.

Ice hotels

The original hotel built of ice and snow was constructed the first time in 1990 in Jukkasjarvi, 18 km from Kiruna in the northern part of Sweden. The season is from the middle of December to middle of April every year. Have a drink in the Ice bar in a glass made of ice!

The temperature inside the Icehotel is approximately minus 5 degrees centigrade, though it might be much cooler outside. You sleep in warm sleeping bags on reindeer fur. At the end of April it’s getting warmer in this arctic area and the ice and snow melt. During summer time the wonderful sculptures made of ice, are displayed in a huge deep-freeze house. New artists are invited to make new masterpieces of ice sculptures every year. we arrange your stay here combined with snowmobile safaris and dogsled tours. our local suppliers have well trained guides. We offer snowmobile safaris and dogsled tours to competitive prices.

You also find hotels made of snow and ice at other places, for example:

Kemi (Finland), open Jan – April. Some part of the Snow & Ice Hotel is open all year round.

Rovaniemi, (Finland), open middle of Dec. – end of March

Alta, Sorrisniva (Norway), open Jan — April Some part of the Snow & Ice Hotel is open all year round.

Hunderfossen (Norway), open Jan – April

Kirkenes (Norway) open Dec –April Some part of the Snow & Ice Hotel is open all year round.

Ice Breaker Cruise

Make an Icebreaker cruise in the Golf of Bothnia. Available from Pitea in Sweden and Kerni in Finland. Combine this with a swim in hole in the ice, of course you are dressed in a special warm survival suit.

Fun winter activities

Have you ever tried kick-sledding? It is very common to use a kick-sled for your transportation during winter-time, when there is a lot of snow. Easy to learn, and great fun to experience! Put on snow-shoes and take a walk in the deep snow. – Have great fun! Try to fish trough a hole in the ice!
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Plan Your Theme Tour or Wildlife Safari in Scandinavia

We offer tailor-made wildlife safaris and themed tours across Scandinavia. From elk, bear and whale safaris to fishing, hunting and eco tours – all experiences are designed with local expertise, responsible tourism principles and flexible itineraries.
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