Prices are an indication and may vary. Activities are subject to availability at the time of booking.
The ICEHOTEL is the world’s first hotel made of ice and snow. Founded in 1989, it is reborn in a new guise every winter, in the Swedish village of Jukkasjärvi – 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. The Torne River, the arts, and creating a setting for life-enriching moments are at the heart of it all.
It’s the Torne River that provides ICEHOTEL with its ice in winter – and in the summer when the hotel melts, the water returns to its source. Natural ice requires a lot of work – before it is harvested in the very beginning of spring, when it has grown its thickest, months are devoted to maintaining the “ice field” and keeping it clear of snow so that the ice can have the best possible conditions for growth. But in Jukkasjärvi, people think that the natural Arctic ice is worth the effort. “For us the natural beauty and unique story of each individual block of ice provides inspiration that can never be found in artificial ice,” says Petra W Lindh, who has been working at Icehotel for 20 years.
The name Jukkasjärvi comes from a Sami word that roughly translates as “meeting place by the water”, as the village was historically an important marketplace. At Icehotel, too, meetings take center stage – the meetings between Jukkasjärvi residents and visitors, between different cultures, between people and nature, and between ice and creativity.
Photographer: Asaf Kliger
The ICEHOTEL offers a wide range of activities and experience and we have created a short break that we feel embraces as much of the adventure as possible to create a truly once in a lifetime experience. Spend one night in one of the cold rooms and a comfortable Arctic sleeping bag atop reindeer skins. Test your skills as a dog musher or sit back and enjoy the trip as a passenger with the 4 hour husky safari. The Arctic Wildlife Safari is the perfect trip for photography enthusiasts and nature lovers as you learn about the native animals including moose, reindeer and grouse and try and see them in their own environment. If the Northern Lights are on your list of things to see the Northern Lights Horseback Safari will certainly be the highlight of your evening even if the Aurora don’t appear. Search for moose under the stars across foothills and pine forests. Top off the night with dinner in a Sami hut.
Photographer: Asaf Kliger
Artists: Lisa Lindqvist & Katarina Rose
If you would like to add to your itinerary you can choose from activities below.
Explore the magical world of ice sculpting for yourself with this introductionary class. Working with your hands completely absorbs you, realaxing and intense at once. The guide begins the class by giving you some background about working with ice, and an introduction to the tools.
Each sculptor apprentice is then given a block and chisel and off you go!
Duration: 2-3 hours
Age 13 and over
We meet you at the hotel and drive you by car to our starting point. Here you will get acquainted with the camera and practice some photography in order to be well prepared to take good pictures of landscape, animals and local culture during the tour.
When you feel confident with the camera we go in search of photo objects. We choose our objects depending on the weather and the sami eight seasons. We can never guarantee you pictures of for example wild animals, but we will search for good nature sceneries, sneak up on arctic animals like moose, reindeer and birds and search for possibilities to photograph local people or places.
The tour ends with a cup of coffee or tea.
Duration: 4 hours
The Sámi people inhabitated northern Scandinavia long before the city of Kiruna was founded. For thousands of years, they’ve lived in harmony with nature and their reindeer, constantly moving in search of food for the herd. Nils Nutti is Sámi and through his business Nutti Sámi Siida, he lets curious visitors get a close encounter with his culture. Meet the reindeer, tast the food and try driving the reindeer sled.
Handle and drive your own reindeer with a sled through the wintry pristine forests. Experience the traditional mode of transportation during winter here in Sápmi and enjoy a Sámi lunch in a Sámi tent. Transfer is included. Minimum age is 8 years. Minimum age for driving your own reindeer sled is 16 years.
This tour is certified with the Swedish Ecotourism Society’s label, Nature’s Best.
Duration: 4 hours (every Mon, Tue, Fri & Sun between 0900 and 1300 between January and April)
We will take you to our secluded wilderness camp where you will be served an exclusively designed three course dinner.
Our guide will show you “the eight seasons of Lapland” and focus on one of the seasons, suitable to the time of your visit.
Duration: 4 hours
Begin your Arctic adventure at the airport. Sit back in the sled and enjoy the winter wonderland swish by as you approach Icehotel, where you are dropped off and check in for the night.
Of course, you can also choose to end your stay this way.
Duration: 75 minutes and must be pre-booked
Join an exciting adventure with your own team of sled dogs in search of the Aurora Borealis.
The tour begins at the kennel and we spend the night in one of our secluded wilderness camps with the option to try a traditional sauna. Dinner, breakfast and sauna snacks included.
Duration: 19 hours
If you want to create your own adventure you can rent our equipment and do it yourself.
We have maps, and instructions of where to go or ski and what to do. We make sure that you feel confident and secure before you leave for the great outdoors.
Prices are an indication and may vary. Activities are subject to availability at the time of booking.
As we tailor each break especially for you, prices are on request. Please email or call us for more information and we would be happy to help.