Kiruna, Sweden: Part 4 - Day 4 and 5: Ice hotel, return flight

Here is a summary of what is spent on Day 4 and 5.

14/7 Day 4: Drive back to Arvidsjaur. Stopped at Ice Hotel, Jokkmokk and Moskosel. 

15/7 Day 5: Flight back to Stockholm

Costs

Day 4

(1) Ticket to enter Ice Hotel - SEK305

(2) Lunch at Ennas, Porjus - Reindeer burger and fries SEK135

(3) Dinner at Moskosel Camping & Stugor - Smoked moutain char (fjällröding) SEK94,50

Day 5

(4) Breakfast at Hotel Laponia - SEK70 (reduced price as we stayed in Camp Gelais when we returned to Arvidsjaur)

(5) Lunch at Camp Gelais - pancakes SEK55, coffee SEK17

(6) Taxi to Arvidsjaur airport - SEK140

The Story

14072024 - We had breakfast and checked out at 10.30am. We saw Ice Hotel on the way to Kiruna and decided to stop here. The ticket to enter inside has increased by SEK10 since I was there the first time in 2018 but I did not enter. I did not enter inside in 2018 because I was not financially stable. This time, I entered as my friend commented that we will not be going inside here again. She has a point. 

The permanent part of the Ice Hotel is heavily insulated to keep the hotel at -5 degrees. Thanks to the long daylight hours and strong sunlight during summer, the electrity price is low to maintain the ice hotel. During winter, it is very cold and the chill from outside keeps the ice hotel in tact. 

We were given thick winter robes to wear inside the ice hotel as it -5 degrees inside.

There is an icebar and one can buy drinks there. There is no staff manning the icebar as it is too cold. The staff is outside instead. 

Kiruna, Sweden: Part 3 - Day 3: Iron ore mining tour

Here is a summary of what is spent on Day 3.

13/7 Day 3: Short drive to Torneträsk. Guided mining tour with LKAB.

Costs

(1) Lunch in Glada Anka restaurant, Kiruna new town - Spring rolls SEK55

(2) 3-hour mining tour - SEK495

The Story

13072024 - Our stay in the hostel includes breakfast. It was a simple breakfast buffet and I was full with the addition of my boiled egg to my sandwiches and yoghurt.

My friend suggested to take a short drive out of Kiruna as we had seen most of the town yesterday evening. Her plan was to visit Abisko but I thought that we did not have sufficient time as we had booked a guided mining tour at 3pm. So, we stopped at a small lake - Torneträsk. It was very calming to sit there and enjoy the blue waters. We saw some big fishes too. We sat here for about 1.5 hours and chatted. 

On our drive back, we saw the hill that we hiked down the day before to see the midnight sun.

We parked our car in town center which is free and had a quick lunch before heading to LKAB Visitor Center. We were required to gather at the Visitor Centre about 5-10 minutes before the booked time. My simple lunch of vegetarian spring rolls.

Kiruna, Sweden: Part 2 - Day 2: Drive to Kiruna, Midnight sun trail

Here is a summary of what is spent on Day 2.

12/7 Day 2: Drove from Arvidsjaur to Kiruna. Hiked Midnight Sun Trail (Midnattssolstigen) and saw midnight sun.

Costs

(1) Car hire from EuropCar for 3 days - SEK1705

(2) Breakfast buffet at Laponia Hotel - SEK70 (price for staying in Camp Gelais)

(3) Coffee break at Arctic Circle rest area - SEK30

(4) Lunch in Peking Palace restaurant, Gällivare - Stir-fried chicken with mixed vegetables SEK145

(5) Dinner in Glada Anka restaurant, Kiruna new town - Chicken dumpling SEK70

(6) Hostel for 2 nights, including breakfast, in STF Malmfältens Högskola, Kiruna - 1200kr per person

The Story

12072024 - First, we had our breakfast. My friend suggested that we have a buffet breakfast at Laponia Hotel. As we are staying in Camp Gelais, we paid SEK70. I don't know the price if it is a walk-in. It was a really nice buffet spread! There were boiled eggs and eating one made me full and held me full until lunch! Of course, I had more than just egg. 

My breakfast - pancakes, meatballs, sandwich with smoked ham and reindeer meat and smoked salmon. yoghurt with granola, a boiled egg, a glass of orange juice and my hidden cup of coffee.

After breakfast, we collected our rented car from EuropCar. We took an automated car with petrol. I was not comfortable with an electric car as I did not know how to recharge such car. I opted for the smallest car too as it would be easier for parking. The ride from Arvidsjaur to Kiruna was estimated to be 5 hours and I estimated it to take longer as I was not used to such long drives.

Kiruna, Sweden: Part 1 - Day 1: Arrival in Arvidsjaur

I had a short summer holiday with my friend in the north of Sweden, specifically Arvidsjaur and Kiruna. My friend was in Arvidsjaur and we decided to do a road trip to Kiruna. I was there for a long weekend from a Thursday until the following Monday. I did two things on this trip which I never expected to - see the midnight sun and drive to Kiruna! Whenever I drive, my boyfriend is always next to me and this time, it was just my friend and I. I was nervous because my boyfriend is my 'safe' person but I drove successfully without him. What a milestone!

For the first time, I flew domestic within Sweden. Initially, I planned to take the train from Stockholm to Arvidsjaur as I am used to taking the train. But the train tickets were not released yet when I checked in April and May. Gradually, the tickets were on sale but there was no direct train and one has to take a 7-hour bus ride after a 7-hour train ride! So, I flew. It was a 1 hour 45 minutes flight one way followed by a 10 minute taxi ride to my friend's accommodation. The total price for the flight + taxi is cheaper than train + bus. Can you imagine that? Unfortunately, I did not save the price information for the train and bus. 

Here is a summary of what is spent on Day 1.

11/7 Day 1: Flight 08:30am from Stockholm. Arrived Arvidsjaur airport 10:15am. Taxi to Camp Gelais. 

Costs

(1) PopulAir flight ticket return - SEK1891

(2) Taxi from Arvidsjaur airport  - SEK140

(3) Lunch at the only Thai restaurant in town - SEK110

(4) Dinner at Laponiakåtan restaurant - Smoked salmon SEK265, shared Blueberry opera cake SEK110, pineapple mocktail SEK65

The Story

11072024 - I did not think I will be in Arvidsjaur town again. I was here in 2022 when we took Inlandsbanan train and stopped at this town. It is a small town but the cool thing in this town is that reindeers walk freely in this town and cars have to stop to make way for the reindeers. I took the flight from Stockholm and it was a small airplane. There were no booked seat numbers and we could sit wherever we want. The funny thing was that there were only 10 passengers on the flight! HAHAHA! I could not help but laugh at this. I have never been in such a flight. We got coffee and some chocolates on the flight. I brought a book to read and I managed to finish the book after the flight.

It was a rainy morning when I reached Arvidsjaur. I booked a taxi two days before my flight. One has to book latest a day before the flight. The phone number for the taxi is on Arvidsjaur airport website.

My accommodation in Arvidsjaur - Camp Gielas. 

We had lunch at the only Thai restaurant in Arvidsjaur. Buffet lunch for SEK110. There were only 4 dishes in addition to rice and noodles served in the buffet. Well, one cannot be choosy when there are no other options available.

Inlandsbanan: Part 8 - Day 8 and 9: Gällivare to Östersund C; Östersund C to Mora to Stockholm

Here is a summary of what is spent on Day 8 and 9.

26/7: Depart from Gällivare at 0703 hours. Arrive in Östersund C at 2147 hours. 

27/7: Depart from Östersund C at 0723 hours. Arrive in Mora at 1229 hours. Depart from Mora with SJ train at 1622 hours. Arrive Stockholm at 2015 hours.

Costs

26 July

(1) Lunch (from Hotel Laponia, Arvidsjaur) on Inlandsbanan train - Salmon pokebowl SEK155

(2) Coffee on the train - SEK20 

(3) Dinner (from Hotel Wilhelmina) on Inlandsbanan train - Cream stew venison chew served with mashed potatoes and raw lingonberries SEK159

(4) Accommodation at STF Ledkrysset - SEK278 per person for 1 night (our own room that can accommodate 4 persons. The room costs SEK834), SEK90 per person for borrowed bedsheets from the hostel.

27 July

(5) Coffee on Inlandsbanan train - SEK20

(6) Lunch at Käk och Plock, Mora - Caesar chicken SEK165

(7) Coffee on SJ train - SEK24

The Story

26072022 - Time to head south! We have completed the whole stretch of Inlandsbanan arriving at Gällivare (2 days ago) and today, we head back down. 

Today, we spent the whole day on the train! Can you imagine that? Almost 15 hours on the train. When we decided on the destinations, I think it did not strike us how long 15 hours will be on. We played cards and talked and enjoyed the view. On hindsight, we should have chosen a destination or took the fast train back. We forgot that we had the option to take another train back and we could have done that for the journey back as we had experienced Inlandsbanan. 

We passed by Pite Alv bridge again where the bridge is shared by both vehicle and trains. We were here two days ago when we took the train from Arvidsjaur to Gällivare. Everyone was requested to disembark from the train and walk on the bridge to get back on the train. 

Our lunch was cooked by Hotel Laponia in Arvidsjaur. The train attendant got our lunch boxes and distributed to the passengers. The salmon poke bowl was yummy!

We passed by the smallest train station, Buddnakk, which is no longer in use.

We stopped at Sorsele and we had enough time to check out Inlandsbanan Museum. 

The nails used to hold fast the railway planks.

Inlandsbanan: Part 7 - Day 7: Dundret nature reserve

Here is a summary of what is spent on Day 7.

25/7: Hiked at at nearby nature reserve. 

Costs

(1) Lunch - SEK120

(2) Dinner at Steakhouse, Grand Hotel - Sirloin steak 200g SEK419, alcohol-free red wine SEK49, Iberico rib (companions) SEK379

The Story

25072022 - Today, we spend the day in Gällivare as we arrived here the evening before at about 10pm. So, it made sense to spend a day here. Our accommodation included breakfast too so, before breakfast, I went around the house and took photos. The house gives a homey and cosy feeling.

This is our breakfast. The usual Swedish breakfast. Yoghurt, cereal, orange juice, bread, sausages and of course, coffee.

There are two small guesthouses right beside the main house. It would have been nice to have our own space. 

Inlandsbanan: Part 6 - Day 6: Arvidsjaur to Gällivare

Here is a summary of what is spent on Day 6.

24/7: Took a stroll in Skolskogen (the school forest). Saw reindeers in town. Depart from Arvidsjaur at 1703 hours. Stopped at Pole Circle. Arrive in Gällivare (the final station and destination for Inlandsbanan) at 2147 hours. 

Costs

(1) Lunch - Souvra plate SEK129, canned drink SEK20

(2) Coffee on the train - SEK20 

(3) Accommodation at Gällivare Bed & Breakfast - SEK587 per person for 2 nights. 

The Story

24072022 - Our next stop is Gällivare and the train will pass by Arvidsjaur at 5pm so we had the whole day to explore Gällivare. For breakfast, we had blueberries from a nearby forest and some food that we bought from the local supermarket. We were adventurous and bought smoked reindeer meat. The meat is quite tough for me. Also, the hostel that we stayed in provided breakfast cereals so we could have that with our yoghurt.

We decided to explore a forest nearby - skolskogen. It has a short trail and along the trail, we found cloudberries! We were so ecstatic when we found them and stuffed ourselves! The cloudberries were next to giant blueberries. Blueberries in the north are so much bigger than the ones in Stockholm.