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Green northern lights over a traditional red Swedish cabin in Arctic Lapland

Signature trip

Swedish Lapland Photography Expedition

A photographic ski trek with a pulka on the Kungsleden, between Abisko and Alesjaure, with the Ecotour team: mountain huts and northern lights nights.

  • CategoryAdventure and Nature
  • LevelModerate
  • Duration9 days / 8 nights
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5.0· 76 Google reviews
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Trip overview

Swedish Lapland Photography Expedition

Nine days in Swedish Lapland with the Ecotour team, skiing with a pulka along the northern section of the Kungsleden between Abisko and Alesjaure, with nights in mountain huts and the Arctic sky as a backdrop for photographing the northern lights. Two days of settling in and photography training in Abisko prepare the group before setting out on the route. A small, carefully selected group and a relaxed pace, designed to give real time to photography.

Expedition members beside a tipi and pulkas under the northern lights in Lapland
  • DestinationLapland · Arctic
  • Duration9 days and 8 nights
  • GuidesJavier Gil and Javier Marven
  • Group sizeMaximum 8 travellers
  • EcosystemsArctic tundra, boreal forest and the frozen lakes of the Kungsleden

The character of the trip

How much adventure, culture and nature you'll experience.

Adventure4/5
Culture2/5
Nature5/5

Who will be with you on this trip

Javier Gil and Javier Marven

In Lapland the guides are Javier Gil of Ecotour Experiences and Javier Marven, expedition photographer, a specialist in the Arctic and night photography.

On the ground, Javier Marven sets the pace of the trek and leads the northern lights photography, while Javier Gil looks after the group and the coordination from start to finish.

Javier Gil

AEGM / UIMLA-qualified mountain leader · Ecotour Experiences

Javier Gil

He goes with the group from start to finish, looking after the pace and the overall coordination of the expedition.

Javier Marven

Expedition photographer

Javier Marven

An expedition photographer specialising in the Arctic and night photography. He leads polar ski and pulka treks in Swedish Lapland and Svalbard. On this trip he takes care of the photography and of reading the sky for the northern lights.

Ecotour departure

Interested in this trip?

Small group · max. 8-10 travellers

Adventure in good company

Share Lapland with a small group, a well-judged pace and an itinerary designed by Ecotour.

Duration
9 days / 8 nights
Dates
13–21 February 2027 · planned
Price
€2,790 expected

Bookings are not open yet. Get in touch and we'll personally tell you all the details.

Enjoy it as a group

We design the itinerary and support you throughout your decision. Sending the form is not a booking or a payment.

How does it work?

  1. You get in touch. Fill in the form or send us a WhatsApp message. No commitment: it isn't a booking or a payment.
  2. We talk it through. We give you all the details, answer your questions and see whether the trip is right for you.
  3. We let you know. As soon as bookings open for this departure, we'll let you know and send you all the paperwork.
  4. All that's left is to enjoy it. Your guide is with you every step of the way. You just live the trip.

Planned dates

DatesStatusExpected priceInfo
13–21 February 2027 · 9 daysSwedish Lapland Photography Expedition · Lapland · Arctic
Bookings not yet open€2,790 expected
22 February – 2 March 2027 · 9 daysSwedish Lapland Photography Expedition · Lapland · Arctic
Bookings not yet open€2,790 expected
3–11 March 2027 · 9 daysSwedish Lapland Photography Expedition · Lapland · Arctic
Bookings not yet open€2,790 expected

These dates are provisional and bookings are not open yet. Leave us your details and we'll let you know as soon as they can be confirmed.

Tell us what you're looking for and we'll contact you personally. It isn't a booking or a payment, just a request for information.

Ecotour departure

Tell us what you're looking for

Swedish Lapland Photography Expedition

How many people?

Sending this form is not a booking: it doesn't hold a place, create a contract or commit you to any payment.

Itinerary at a glance

  1. Day 1: Arrival in Abisko

    Arrival in Abisko from Kiruna airport. We get to know each other, go over the plan for the nine days and talk about how to work in the cold: batteries, gloves, fogging. As evening falls, a first short outing on the shore of Lake Torneträsk to get your hand in with the camera. If the sky opens, there could be an aurora that same night.

    Abisko

  2. Day 2: Settling in and photography in Abisko

    An unhurried day in Abisko. In the morning we try out the skis and the pulka: how to load it, how it pulls, how to brake on the downhills. In the afternoon we head out to photograph the surrounding landscape in the low winter light. For those who want it, another aurora outing at night.

    Abisko

  3. Day 3: Abisko → Abiskojaure

    The trek begins. The first day on skis along the line of the Kungsleden, among birches and frozen lakes, about 3-4 hours of skiing with the pulka behind you. We stop wherever there is something to photograph: the forest, the tracks in the snow, the valley opening out. A night in the Abiskojaure hut.

    Abiskojaure hut

  4. Day 4: Abiskojaure → Alesjaure

    The longest stage and the one that changes the most. The forest is left behind and the valley becomes high and open, with mountains on either side. A good day for wide, large-format photographs and for getting the group skiing within the landscape. A night in the Alesjaure hut, one of the best on the Kungsleden.

    Alesjaure hut

  5. Day 5: Alesjaure (photographic exploration)

    A whole day at Alesjaure without hauling the pulka. Short outings on foot or on light skis around the area: the ice on the lake, the patterns the wind makes in the snow, the summits in the distance. We photograph calmly and review our shots. In the evening, an aurora outing, looking to compose with the landscape in front of us.

    Alesjaure

  6. Day 6: Alesjaure (flexible day)

    An open day. It is decided in the morning according to the weather and how the group is doing. The plan is to head towards the Abisko Unna Allakas hut, but if it is not available or the weather is against us, we stay and move around the Alesjaure area, which offers more than enough. Safety comes first, along with making the most of the good light.

    Hut depending on conditions

  7. Day 7: Return towards Abiskojaure

    We start heading down towards Abiskojaure, along the same valley or a variant. You already know the landscape, but in a different light and in the opposite direction it looks different. A quiet afternoon of photography around the hut and sorting through what we have taken so far.

    Abiskojaure hut

  8. Day 8: Abiskojaure → Abisko

    The last stretch on skis back to Abisko Turist Station. The circle is closed. A hot shower, a real bed and time to go through all the photos from the trip. If the sky still wants to give us one more aurora, we go out.

    Abisko

  9. Day 9: End of the expedition

    Breakfast and farewell to the group, with departure transfers from Abisko. End of the expedition.

    Return flight

Detailed itinerary

The trip, day by day

Arrival in Abisko

DAY 1

Arrival in Abisko

  • Abisko

Arrival in Abisko from Kiruna airport. We get to know each other, go over the plan for the nine days and talk about how to work in the cold: batteries, gloves, fogging. As evening falls, a first short outing on the shore of Lake Torneträsk to get your hand in with the camera. If the sky opens, there could be an aurora that same night.

Settling in and photography in Abisko

DAY 2

Settling in and photography in Abisko

  • Abisko
  • Desayuno, comida y cena

An unhurried day in Abisko. In the morning we try out the skis and the pulka: how to load it, how it pulls, how to brake on the downhills. In the afternoon we head out to photograph the surrounding landscape in the low winter light. For those who want it, another aurora outing at night.

Abisko → Abiskojaure

DAY 3

Abisko → Abiskojaure

  • Abiskojaure hut
  • Desayuno, comida de ruta y cena

The trek begins. The first day on skis along the line of the Kungsleden, among birches and frozen lakes, about 3-4 hours of skiing with the pulka behind you. We stop wherever there is something to photograph: the forest, the tracks in the snow, the valley opening out. A night in the Abiskojaure hut.

Abiskojaure → Alesjaure

DAY 4

Abiskojaure → Alesjaure

  • Alesjaure hut
  • Desayuno, comida de ruta y cena

The longest stage and the one that changes the most. The forest is left behind and the valley becomes high and open, with mountains on either side. A good day for wide, large-format photographs and for getting the group skiing within the landscape. A night in the Alesjaure hut, one of the best on the Kungsleden.

Alesjaure (photographic exploration)

DAY 5

Alesjaure (photographic exploration)

  • Alesjaure
  • Desayuno, comida de ruta y cena

A whole day at Alesjaure without hauling the pulka. Short outings on foot or on light skis around the area: the ice on the lake, the patterns the wind makes in the snow, the summits in the distance. We photograph calmly and review our shots. In the evening, an aurora outing, looking to compose with the landscape in front of us.

Alesjaure (flexible day)

DAY 6

Alesjaure (flexible day)

  • Hut depending on conditions
  • Desayuno, comida de ruta y cena

An open day. It is decided in the morning according to the weather and how the group is doing. The plan is to head towards the Abisko Unna Allakas hut, but if it is not available or the weather is against us, we stay and move around the Alesjaure area, which offers more than enough. Safety comes first, along with making the most of the good light.

Return towards Abiskojaure

DAY 7

Return towards Abiskojaure

  • Abiskojaure hut
  • Desayuno, comida de ruta y cena

We start heading down towards Abiskojaure, along the same valley or a variant. You already know the landscape, but in a different light and in the opposite direction it looks different. A quiet afternoon of photography around the hut and sorting through what we have taken so far.

Abiskojaure → Abisko

DAY 8

Abiskojaure → Abisko

  • Abisko
  • Desayuno, comida de ruta y cena

The last stretch on skis back to Abisko Turist Station. The circle is closed. A hot shower, a real bed and time to go through all the photos from the trip. If the sky still wants to give us one more aurora, we go out.

End of the expedition

DAY 9

End of the expedition

  • Return flight

Breakfast and farewell to the group, with departure transfers from Abisko. End of the expedition.

Trip highlights

What makes this route special

Northern lights in Arctic territory

Northern lights in Arctic territory

We sleep several nights in the mountains, far from the light of any village. On a one-night excursion you either catch the aurora or you don't; here you have the whole trek for the sky to open up.

  • Several nights on expedition
  • Very dark skies, no city lights
  • The Swedish Arctic, far from crowded routes
Photography in the polar light

Photography in the polar light

Photographing at 20 below zero is a different thing: batteries run flat, your fingers stop responding and the light does not last. Javier Marven teaches you to cope with that out in the field, not in a classroom.

  • Photography briefing for Arctic conditions
  • Practical composition sessions on the route
  • Polar winter light
Ski trek along the Kungsleden

Ski trek along the Kungsleden

Every day on the route you move on cross-country skis, pulling an expedition pulka with the group's equipment, through boreal forests, frozen lakes and open valleys on the northern section of the Kungsleden.

  • Cross-country skiing with an expedition pulka
  • Boreal forests and frozen lakes
  • Northern Kungsleden, Abisko-Alesjaure
Sharing life in the north

Sharing life in the north

A small, carefully selected group. You share the hut, dinner and the turns to dry your kit by the stove. By the end of the trip you know the people you have skied with.

  • Small, carefully selected group
  • Life together in mountain huts
  • Real support throughout the expedition

Included

  • Eight nights as per the programme: Abisko Turist Station, the Abiskojaure hut, the Alesjaure hut and Abisko Unna Allakas.

    Accommodation

  • Breakfast at Abisko Turist Station and full board during the trek in mountain huts (breakfasts, packed lunches and dinners), from departure from Abisko until the return.

    Full board on the route

  • Hire of a full ski-touring kit (skis, bindings, skins and poles) and use of expedition pulkas to carry the shared equipment.

    Ski and pulka equipment

  • Daily planning of stages according to the weather and the group's level, professional liability insurance, shared safety equipment and support before, during and after the trip.

    Coordination and safety

  • Handling of bookings, advice beforehand, access to the trip's Telegram group, a kit checklist in PDF and access to the Ecotour Explorers community.

    Management and community

Not included

  • International flights, personal expenses, tips and costs arising from itinerary changes beyond the organisers' control. Click for the full details.

    What is not included

Additional information

  • Travel insurance

    You must travel with insurance that includes medical cover, rescue and activity in snow and extreme cold. It is not included in the price.

  • Fitness level

    An average level of fitness and a good tolerance of the cold: you ski through snowy landscapes with no technical activities or extreme effort, at a relaxed pace. No previous cross-country skiing experience is needed, although basic confidence on Nordic terrain helps.

Frequently asked questions

What people ask us

01Do I need previous experience?

Yes, we recommend basic experience of Nordic terrain. We will be in an Arctic environment, with cold and changing conditions. During the expedition we support you so that you improve and adapt to Nordic terrain.

02What level of fitness is required?

An average level of fitness and a good tolerance of the cold are required. We will ski through snowy landscapes and spend time outdoors, but with no technical activities or extreme effort. The pace is relaxed and designed for enjoying yourself safely.

03Is seeing the northern lights guaranteed?

No. The northern lights are a natural phenomenon and cannot be guaranteed. We travel in one of the best areas and at one of the best times of year in Lapland, and we plan each night according to the weather and solar activity to maximise the chances.

04What equipment do I need to bring?

Before the trip you will receive a detailed guide to clothing and equipment for Arctic conditions, along with recommendations for photographic kit. Professional equipment is not necessary, but you do need to be well prepared for the cold.

05How does the booking process work?

This expedition is not booked automatically. First you request your place, we talk with you to answer any questions and confirm that the trip suits you. To secure your place, an initial payment of €490 is made.

06Can I go alone?

Yes. Many people travel alone. The group is small and carefully selected, which creates a friendly, respectful and very human atmosphere from the first day.

Gallery

Trip moments

Reviews

What people who have travelled with us say

Excellent5.0
Google76 Google reviews
Write a review

  • Adrian Romero Fernandez2 years ago

    Patagonia

    I set off on a trip to the southernmost point in the world with Eco Tour and the experience couldn't have been better. Without a doubt, I'd do it again a thousand times!

    ★★★★★

  • Veronica Bimba2 years ago

    Patagonia

    I went on a trip to Chilean Patagonia with Javi last Christmas and it was impressive!! Besides the scenery, which is truly incredible, Javi's management and organisation were great. Before the trip he advises you on everything you need, and during the trip he was one more companion and friend. A good person and a good professional, I'd definitely travel with him again.

    ★★★★★

  • Sara Rojas3 months ago

    Morocco

    Just back from spending a few days in Morocco with Ecotour, all I can say is that the experience was wonderful, the kind that leaves unforgettable memories and makes life even more beautiful!!! Thank you

    ★★★★★

  • Hector Rus2 years ago

    Morocco

    I went on a trip to Morocco with Ecotour and Javi: 4 people and two specialists in snake spotting and rescue. Honestly, the number of different species we saw was surprising, from cobras to vipers and grass snakes, very big desert lizards, geckos and so on. It was non-stop, including getting into Western Sahara, with a group that from minute one felt like we'd known each other all our lives, great vibes and lots and lots of passion for animals and sharing. I learned a ton of things and was able to handle these animals in complete safety. I'd also say that I never felt we were going through tourist spots, quite the opposite. The places we passed through hadn't seen outsiders for days. That means that, besides everything being cheaper, you feel you've really got into the heart of a trip. One hundred percent adventure; more than a tour, it was a trip among friends passionate about animals. Thanks for everything, Javi, and for being there looking out for everyone. A big hug, and I'll do it again as soon as I can, no doubt. 🫂🙌

    ★★★★★

  • Sergio Gonzalez Yagüe2 years ago

    Morocco

    The trip to Morocco was one of the best moments of my life, 10/10, nothing more to add.

    ★★★★★

  • Lara Redondo González2 years ago

    Morocco

    How lovely it is when things are done with passion! A truly authentic trip with Javi in Morocco. If I were you, I'd rush to grab the next place :)

    ★★★★★

  • Juan Pablo Bernalte Toledo2 years ago

    Morocco

    This trip to Morocco was magical, the organisation and the guides super professional, every day an adventure. 100% recommended.

    ★★★★★

  • Carlos Buil3 years ago

    High mountain

    As always, it's an unforgettable experience to do high mountain climbing safely with Javier. Climbing two 3,000-metre peaks and enjoying the scenery in an educational and passionate way. Looking forward to doing it again 💪💪💪

    ★★★★★

  • rajae azelmad3 months ago

    Honest and good experience

    ★★★★★

  • Rut V2 weeks ago

    Red deer rut

    A wonderful experience in a luxury setting. We got in touch with Javi after finding him online and it was a great decision. He's a young guy, passionate about his work and about nature, and it shows. He explained so many things about the rut and the surroundings, and brought samples to show us how animals are tracked, always with respect and without disturbing their habitat. He also took loads of souvenir photos, both of us and of the animals, which we really appreciated. I loved the equipment he uses: he has a screen that attaches to the camera, so we could all enjoy the views without needing telescopes. Thank you so much, Javi, for the experience. You're a truly lovely person.

    ★★★★★

  • M. Villar (Proska)2 weeks ago

    Red deer rut

    Without a doubt an unforgettable experience. Several companies offer the rut, but not like this one: his knowledge of the subject, together with the technology he uses, guarantees a complete outing and lets you enjoy the activity to the fullest. 100% recommended

    ★★★★★

  • Loisian2 weeks ago

    Red deer rut

    We can only thank Javi for our outing: the day before the weather was awful and he advised us to postpone it, so we wouldn't climb up and not see the rut. The next day was wonderful, the views beautiful, and thanks to his experience and his technology we could see everything as if we were at the cinema. If we come back, we'll do it again. 100% recommended

    ★★★★★

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