| Kungsleden | |
|---|---|
| The Kungsleden trail above the Teusa lake | |
| Length | 440 kilometres (270 mi) approximately[1] |
| Location | Northern Sweden |
| Trailheads | Abisko/Hemavan |
| Use | Hiking |
| Highest point | 1,150 m (3,773 ft) (Tjäkta Pass) |
| Lowest point | 305 m (1,001 ft) (Kvikkjokk) |
| Trail difficulty | Moderate |
| Season | Summer to early Fall |
| Months | June to September |
| Sights | Mt Kebnekaise, Lapporten, Abisko, Sarek National Park |
Kungsleden ("The King's Trail") is a hiking trail in northern Sweden, approximately 440-kilometre (270 mi) long, between Abisko in the north and Hemavan in the south.[1] It passes through one of Europe's largest remaining wilderness areas.
Contents |
Kungsleden was created by Svenska Turistföreningen (STF) at the end of the 19th century, in order to allow more people to experience the beauty of Lapland. It runs for about 440 kilometres (270 mi) between Abisko in the north and Hemavan in the south. It is well equipped and maintained by STF, having for instance large parts where one walks on two parallel planks to avoid muddy ground. Since it's so well maintained and rather flat, the trail is not considered as very difficult, but some wilderness experience and regular caution are required.
The trail is separated in four portions which each represent approximately one week of hiking. The most practiced part is by far the northernmost, between Abisko and Kebnekaise. The season usually runs between mid-June and the end of September, but the weather can be very treacherous, including late or early snow.
Huts have been constructed along the trail, separated by a distance that a walker could expect to cover during the day, about 9-22 kilometres (6-14 mi). The huts are primarily operated by STF. For a small fee, it is possible to pitch a tent outside and use the facilities. Some unguarded shelters can also be found between these huts. Supplies can be bought in some of them (Alesjaure and Kebnekaise Fjällstation for example).
The huts along Kungsleden are:
|
|
|
It must be noted that there are no huts between Kvikkjokk and Ammarnäs. This leaves a distance of about 130 kilometres (81 mi) with no huts.
Highlights along the way, sometimes a small detour is needed, are:
The two basic options are to fly from Stockholm to Kiruna or Hemavan, or to take the Göteborg-Narvik train, operated by Connex (it also goes through Stockholm, Uppsala, Luleå and some other Swedish cities), and stops in Kiruna and Abisko. The train takes about 24 hours for the whole trip.
From Kiruna, a bus runs to Nikkaluokta, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) away from Kebnekaise Fjällstation, or some trains go to Abisko. There is also a bus to Östersund.