Nikkaluokta

Nikkaluokta

Nikkaluokta mountain lodge
Nikkaluokta
Coordinates: 67°51′4″N 19°01′30″E / 67.85111°N 19.02500°ECoordinates: 67°51′4″N 19°01′30″E / 67.85111°N 19.02500°E
Country Sweden
Municipality Gällivare Municipality
County Norrbotten County
Province Lappland
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Nikkaluokta is a Swedish Sami village in Norrbotten County. The village belongs to Gällivare Municipality, bordering Kiruna Municipality, the closest urban area some 60 kilometers away. In its vicinity lie the areas of two Sami communities, Laevas and Girjas, who still herd semi-domesticated reindeer in the region.

Nikkaluokta has a mountain lodge, complete with a small grocery store and restaurant, a chapel, and, during the summer months, a commercial helicopter base. It is a popular starting point for several hiking and skiing trails in the Kebnekaise area, including the notable Kungsleden. On foot, it takes around five hours to travel the 19 kilometer distance between the two mountain lodges in Nikkaluokta and Kebnekaise.

Nikkaluokta is sited in the center of three valleys, where the tarmac road from Kiruna Municipality ends. To travel farther, you have to use trails and mountain paths of varying size and condition. Nikkaluokta Bay in Lake Ladtjojaure is also the starting point for the water route into scenic Vistas Valley.

Climate data for Nikkaluokta, 2010-2012 (extremes 1901-2012)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 8.6
(47.5)
9.4
(48.9)
10.0
(50)
14.6
(58.3)
24.8
(76.6)
28.5
(83.3)
28.4
(83.1)
28.5
(83.3)
24.0
(75.2)
16.3
(61.3)
12.0
(53.6)
11.0
(51.8)
28.5
(83.3)
Average high °C (°F) −10.6
(12.9)
−12.2
(10)
−2.0
(28.4)
3.2
(37.8)
8.2
(46.8)
14.1
(57.4)
17.3
(63.1)
14.9
(58.8)
10.7
(51.3)
3.3
(37.9)
−3.2
(26.2)
−9.5
(14.9)
2.85
(37.12)
Daily mean °C (°F) −16.6
(2.1)
−18.6
(−1.5)
−7.7
(18.1)
−1.9
(28.6)
4.0
(39.2)
9.4
(48.9)
12.5
(54.5)
10.0
(50)
6.2
(43.2)
−0.3
(31.5)
−8.8
(16.2)
−14.8
(5.4)
−2.22
(28.02)
Average low °C (°F) −23.2
(−9.8)
−25.8
(−14.4)
−14.5
(5.9)
−7.7
(18.1)
−0.5
(31.1)
4.5
(40.1)
7.7
(45.9)
5.1
(41.2)
1.8
(35.2)
−4.4
(24.1)
−14.4
(6.1)
−20.7
(−5.3)
−7.68
(18.18)
Record low °C (°F) −46.2
(−51.2)
−49.4
(−56.9)
−42.0
(−43.6)
−34.0
(−29.2)
−22.2
(−8)
−5.2
(22.6)
−2.5
(27.5)
−8.5
(16.7)
−13.1
(8.4)
−30.0
(−22)
−39.0
(−38.2)
−45.0
(−49)
−49.4
(−56.9)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 28.3
(11.14)
22.0
(8.66)
13.7
(5.39)
11.3
(4.45)
1.7
(0.67)
0.0
(0)
0.0
(0)
0.0
(0)
0.7
(0.28)
25.1
(9.88)
25.3
(9.96)
39.7
(15.63)
167.8
(66.06)