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Kungsleden (King's Trail)
Arrival day: Arrival at Abisko
After leaving Stockholm at 7pm, the night train arrives into Abisko at 11am the next morning, giving time for porridge and coffee in the breakfast carriage. (Or fly via Stockholm to Kiruna and spend the night before the morning train.) Abisko mountain station is an outdoor hub where you can rent equipment and stock up on supplies from the excellent shop. Enjoy exploring the grounds on the border of the national park. You will have dinner before beginning in the morning.
Mountain Hut (dinner, breakfast and a packed lunch)
After leaving Stockholm at 7pm, the night train arrives into Abisko at 11am the next morning, giving time for porridge and coffee in the breakfast carriage. (Or fly via Stockholm to Kiruna and spend the night before the morning train.) Abisko mountain station is an outdoor hub where you can rent equipment and stock up on supplies from the excellent shop. Enjoy exploring the grounds on the border of the national park. You will have dinner before beginning in the morning.
Mountain Hut (dinner, breakfast and a packed lunch)
Stage 1: Abisko to Abiskojaure
Blue 2 (grade) 13.5km with 160m ascent, 60m descent
This relatively short stage follows the Abiskojakka river and lake through the Abisko National Park to the first hut. Initially amongst birch trees, the route later breaks clear of the forest and gives a flavour of the Kungsleden to come. We stay in the first self-catering hut of this trip. Hikers buy ingredients from the hut's store, or have packed in their own supplies, and they cook and eat in the well-equipped kitchen.
Mountain Hut (self-catering)
Blue 2 (grade) 13.5km with 160m ascent, 60m descent
This relatively short stage follows the Abiskojakka river and lake through the Abisko National Park to the first hut. Initially amongst birch trees, the route later breaks clear of the forest and gives a flavour of the Kungsleden to come. We stay in the first self-catering hut of this trip. Hikers buy ingredients from the hut's store, or have packed in their own supplies, and they cook and eat in the well-equipped kitchen.
Mountain Hut (self-catering)
Stage 2: Abiskojaure to Alesjaure
Red 3 (grade) 20.3km with 360m ascent, 60m descent
An early climb into the Garddenvaggi is followed by gentler gradients through long wide valleys, with mountains on either side and lakes closer to hand. Paths are fairly obvious but often rocky, so progress is not as fast as might be expected. Enjoy more solitude today, as we are away from the realms of the day-trippers! It's a second self-catering night at the hut. It's a hostel style with fully available kitchen; it can be quite a communal experience.
Mountain Hut (self-catering)
Red 3 (grade) 20.3km with 360m ascent, 60m descent
An early climb into the Garddenvaggi is followed by gentler gradients through long wide valleys, with mountains on either side and lakes closer to hand. Paths are fairly obvious but often rocky, so progress is not as fast as might be expected. Enjoy more solitude today, as we are away from the realms of the day-trippers! It's a second self-catering night at the hut. It's a hostel style with fully available kitchen; it can be quite a communal experience.
Mountain Hut (self-catering)
Stage 3: Alesjaure to Sälka
Red 4 (grade) 25.3km with 430m ascent, 390m descent
Drop down from the hut at Alesjaure to cross the river, and then gently ascend the Alisvaggi valley. Not long after crossing a suspension bridge, a new vista opens up towards the Tjäktja hut. After the hut, we climb to the highest point of the whole Kungsleden trail, 1,141m. After the col, we drop into a new valley; soon there are extensive views of the rest of this stage, and part of the next stage as well. Not always easy underfoot, this stage might take longer than the statistics would suggest.
Mountain Hut (self-catering)
Red 4 (grade) 25.3km with 430m ascent, 390m descent
Drop down from the hut at Alesjaure to cross the river, and then gently ascend the Alisvaggi valley. Not long after crossing a suspension bridge, a new vista opens up towards the Tjäktja hut. After the hut, we climb to the highest point of the whole Kungsleden trail, 1,141m. After the col, we drop into a new valley; soon there are extensive views of the rest of this stage, and part of the next stage as well. Not always easy underfoot, this stage might take longer than the statistics would suggest.
Mountain Hut (self-catering)
Stage 4: Sälka to Singi
Blue 2 (grade) 11.8km with 80m ascent, 190m descent
Continue the journey down the valley, generally on better paths than previous stages. Enjoy the last stretch in this wide open setting. At the Singi hut, the mountains encroach and we turn off East from the main Kungsleden trail. Please note that the Singi hut does not have a shop - you'll need to carry food with you on this stage.
Mountain Hut (self-catering)
Blue 2 (grade) 11.8km with 80m ascent, 190m descent
Continue the journey down the valley, generally on better paths than previous stages. Enjoy the last stretch in this wide open setting. At the Singi hut, the mountains encroach and we turn off East from the main Kungsleden trail. Please note that the Singi hut does not have a shop - you'll need to carry food with you on this stage.
Mountain Hut (self-catering)
Stage 5: Singi to Kebnekaise Fjällstation
Red 2 (grade) 14.2km with 210m ascent, 250m descent
A change of scene! Today's route leads through a much narrower valley than previously encountered, before opening out into the final valley of the trek. The stage ends at the well-appointed Fjällstation with its full-service restaurant and hot showers: a welcome change from the self-catering Fjällstugas.
Mountain Hut (dinner, breakfast and a packed lunch)
Red 2 (grade) 14.2km with 210m ascent, 250m descent
A change of scene! Today's route leads through a much narrower valley than previously encountered, before opening out into the final valley of the trek. The stage ends at the well-appointed Fjällstation with its full-service restaurant and hot showers: a welcome change from the self-catering Fjällstugas.
Mountain Hut (dinner, breakfast and a packed lunch)
Stage 6: Kebnekaise Fjällstation to Nikkaluokta
Blue 2 (grade) 18.5km with 10m ascent, 210m descent
The final stage is largely in thin birch forest, and the first half is on rocky paths. Part-way along is an option to take the ferry and miss the middle 4km. Later, a good track leads you to the trail head at Nikkaluokta: here there is a shop and restaurant where you can celebrate the end of the walk in traditional Sami style whilst awaiting the bus to Kiruna.
Hotel in Kiruna (breakfast)
Blue 2 (grade) 18.5km with 10m ascent, 210m descent
The final stage is largely in thin birch forest, and the first half is on rocky paths. Part-way along is an option to take the ferry and miss the middle 4km. Later, a good track leads you to the trail head at Nikkaluokta: here there is a shop and restaurant where you can celebrate the end of the walk in traditional Sami style whilst awaiting the bus to Kiruna.
Hotel in Kiruna (breakfast)
Departure day: Departure from Kiruna
Departure from Kiruna after breakfast. The night train leaves in the early evening, South to Stockholm, or Kiruna airport offers flights to Stockholm and Oslo. Or heading North, take the morning train to Narvik on the Norwegian coast, a spectacular journey of moorland and fjords.
Departure from Kiruna after breakfast. The night train leaves in the early evening, South to Stockholm, or Kiruna airport offers flights to Stockholm and Oslo. Or heading North, take the morning train to Narvik on the Norwegian coast, a spectacular journey of moorland and fjords.
Options
Our normal trip walks from Abisko to Nikkaluokta in 6 stages, without any rest days. This involves one longer day, from Alesjaure to Sälka. Shorter or longer trips are possible, albeit with some restrictions due to the spacing of huts. Have a look at our popular options below, but please do ask if you are looking for something a little different.
Make the trip shorter
For strong walkers we can offer a schedule of 5 stages; this means 2 consecutive long days are required to make it work. First there is the long day from Alesjaure to Sälka, as per our normal trip. Then we suggest bypassing Singi to walk from Sälka to Kebnekaise in a day. Please contact us if you would like more information on this option.
It is also possible to shorten the trip by a night, but keep to our 6-stage itinerary, by utilising the sleeper train to skip either the night in Abisko or Kiruna. The sleeper train from Stockholm arrives in Abisko at 11am, and with a relatively short first day it is possible to start hiking straight away, reaching Abiskojaure on your arrival day. Another option is to miss Kiruna at the end, instead taking the sleeper train or a flight to Stockholm that evening. Please ask us about bus times from Nikkaluokta to Kiruna that will meet the train or plane.
Make the trip longer
If you’ve got some extra time, why not opt for our 7-stage itinerary, which breaks the long day from Alesjaure to Sälka (25.8km) with an overnight at Tjäktja? In effect, this stops at every hut and breaks this long day in half. The Tjäktja hut does not have a shop, so you'll need to carry food with you from Sälka.
Climbing Kebnekaise
Should you wish to climb Kebnekaise, Sweden’s highest mountain, we are happy to book a second night at the Kebnekaise hut where you can join the hut's guided ascent. The walk is at a grade higher than we are able to offer on this self-guided trip, involving summit snow slopes with long drops and the need for crampons. Please do ask for more details if you are interested in this option, and we can put you in touch with the hut at Kebnekaise who can book you onto one of their guided ascents. This would be an extra cost payable to the hut.
Hike with a guide
Hike with confidence in the company of our fully qualified International Mountain Leaders (IMLs), with the navigation, accommodation and all arrangements taken care of. You're welcome to walk on any date within our season and we can adjust the hike to suit your needs. If your group would like a guide for your trip, please get in touch for more details.
Prices 2025
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Kungsleden 1 July to 15 Sept 2025 |
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| Dorms | |||
| Self-guided | |||
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6 stages (7 nights) |
GBP 880 Singles 40 Main trip |
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7 stages (8 nights) |
GBP 930 Singles 40 |
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| Options | |||
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Baggage transfer Direct |
Please ask us | ||
Accommodation
Where we stay
On our normal 6-stage trip, you will stay in mountain huts for 6 nights, of which 4 are self-catered and 2 are catered (dinner, breakfast and packed lunch included). Your final night will be in a hotel in Kiruna, a treat in terms of (relative) bustle and facilities! As standard, you will be staying in dormitory accommodation at the 6 huts.
Abisko and Kebnekaise are catered huts while the remaining 4 huts are self-catered; here are more details on these two hut types:
Full-service mountain huts (Turiststations or Fjällstations)
The larger, full-service, huts at Abisko and Kebnekaise are akin to the larger DNT huts in Norway, to a Youth Hostel in the UK or to a larger and smarter Alpine hut. Leave your boots in the doorway, check in at the reception desk and find your room or dormitory. A 2- or 3- course dinner is served at typically one or two sittings each evening. A well-stocked shop sells snacks, souvenirs and essentials such as gloves and compasses. There are self-catering kitchens available, but as standard we include dinner and breakfast at these two huts.
Self-catering mountain huts (Fjällstugas)
Guests arrive and are allocated a bunk by the hut warden. Duvets, pillows and blankets are provided. You only need to bring a sheet liner. Some of these self-catered huts have a shop stocked with supplies for dinner, breakfast and a simple packed lunch. Buy your food from the store and cook by yourself or with other guests. Tjäktja and Singi do not have shops so on some days you'll need to carry food in advance for dinner, breakfast and lunch. You can also bring in your own supplies of basics and augment from the stores. You will find the Swedish self-catering huts extremely orderly, with clearly defined tasks that all must undertake to keep the cabins spotless and resupplied. The warden may assign you a task such as chopping some wood, carrying water from the stream, or sweeping the floors. All are taken in good spirit and everyone lends a hand so it is light work! We book your stay, but because of the limited space there is a chance of your bed being a mattress on the floor as opposed to a bunk bed; it depends on how many are staying and on who arrives when.
Private Rooms
The two full-service huts, Abisko and Kebnekaise, have a limited number of private rooms, and we can book these for a small additional supplement if they are available. Please let us know if you'd be interested in private rooms and we can book these for your trip if they are available.
Saunas
The Swedes are huge sauna fans and you will find 3 huts with saunas on this route. They are great to loosen-off your tight hiking muscles, and also provide a welcome opportunity to wash in hot water as there are no showers on the route. It is normal for there to be one sauna for all guests (but male and female saunas at Kebnekaise) and to go in without any clothes on. In the self-catering huts, again guests need to earn their sauna, by sawing and splitting the wood and hauling the water needed to keep the sauna going!
Single Room Supplement
The single room supplement covers the additional cost of booking single rooms on your hotel night in Kiruna, rather than sharing a double, twin or triple room. Unfortunately, because of the way the huts operate, it's not possible to book single rooms in the huts.
Solo Travel
We do not take bookings for solo walkers on self-guided trips. If you are still interested in this trip, we do have availability on our guided trips.
STF Membership
We are delighted to be able to include membership to the Swedish STF as part of your trip cost. The STF (Svenska Turistföreningen) is the Swedish trekking and travel association and your membership will be valid for the year of your trip, e.g. the remainder of 2025 for trips during 2025. Membership gives us (and therefore you) discounted rates at huts; this saving is accounted for in our prices. Membership also gives you benefits like discounts in the STF Abisko or Kebnekaise shops and supports the maintenance of the national parks. All huts including Abisko and Kebnekaise are owned by the Swedish hiking association, the STF. Like the DNT in Norway, it’s the body that is responsible for Sweden's national parks, the network of 350 huts and hostels, and promoting outdoor life and the preservation of the Swedish natural world. We are delighted that our trekkers become bona fide STF members like so many Swedish trekkers.
In the run-up to your trip we will ask the date of birth of everyone in your group, as it's required for the STF membership, and also a phone number to which your membership details can be texted. You can then use the STF app on your Android or iPhone to show your membership to hut wardens and others.
On our normal 6-stage trip, you will stay in mountain huts for 6 nights, of which 4 are self-catered and 2 are catered (dinner, breakfast and packed lunch included). Your final night will be in a hotel in Kiruna, a treat in terms of (relative) bustle and facilities! As standard, you will be staying in dormitory accommodation at the 6 huts.
Abisko and Kebnekaise are catered huts while the remaining 4 huts are self-catered; here are more details on these two hut types:
Full-service mountain huts (Turiststations or Fjällstations)
The larger, full-service, huts at Abisko and Kebnekaise are akin to the larger DNT huts in Norway, to a Youth Hostel in the UK or to a larger and smarter Alpine hut. Leave your boots in the doorway, check in at the reception desk and find your room or dormitory. A 2- or 3- course dinner is served at typically one or two sittings each evening. A well-stocked shop sells snacks, souvenirs and essentials such as gloves and compasses. There are self-catering kitchens available, but as standard we include dinner and breakfast at these two huts.
Self-catering mountain huts (Fjällstugas)
Guests arrive and are allocated a bunk by the hut warden. Duvets, pillows and blankets are provided. You only need to bring a sheet liner. Some of these self-catered huts have a shop stocked with supplies for dinner, breakfast and a simple packed lunch. Buy your food from the store and cook by yourself or with other guests. Tjäktja and Singi do not have shops so on some days you'll need to carry food in advance for dinner, breakfast and lunch. You can also bring in your own supplies of basics and augment from the stores. You will find the Swedish self-catering huts extremely orderly, with clearly defined tasks that all must undertake to keep the cabins spotless and resupplied. The warden may assign you a task such as chopping some wood, carrying water from the stream, or sweeping the floors. All are taken in good spirit and everyone lends a hand so it is light work! We book your stay, but because of the limited space there is a chance of your bed being a mattress on the floor as opposed to a bunk bed; it depends on how many are staying and on who arrives when.
Private Rooms
The two full-service huts, Abisko and Kebnekaise, have a limited number of private rooms, and we can book these for a small additional supplement if they are available. Please let us know if you'd be interested in private rooms and we can book these for your trip if they are available.
Saunas
The Swedes are huge sauna fans and you will find 3 huts with saunas on this route. They are great to loosen-off your tight hiking muscles, and also provide a welcome opportunity to wash in hot water as there are no showers on the route. It is normal for there to be one sauna for all guests (but male and female saunas at Kebnekaise) and to go in without any clothes on. In the self-catering huts, again guests need to earn their sauna, by sawing and splitting the wood and hauling the water needed to keep the sauna going!
Single Room Supplement
The single room supplement covers the additional cost of booking single rooms on your hotel night in Kiruna, rather than sharing a double, twin or triple room. Unfortunately, because of the way the huts operate, it's not possible to book single rooms in the huts.
Solo Travel
We do not take bookings for solo walkers on self-guided trips. If you are still interested in this trip, we do have availability on our guided trips.
STF Membership
We are delighted to be able to include membership to the Swedish STF as part of your trip cost. The STF (Svenska Turistföreningen) is the Swedish trekking and travel association and your membership will be valid for the year of your trip, e.g. the remainder of 2025 for trips during 2025. Membership gives us (and therefore you) discounted rates at huts; this saving is accounted for in our prices. Membership also gives you benefits like discounts in the STF Abisko or Kebnekaise shops and supports the maintenance of the national parks. All huts including Abisko and Kebnekaise are owned by the Swedish hiking association, the STF. Like the DNT in Norway, it’s the body that is responsible for Sweden's national parks, the network of 350 huts and hostels, and promoting outdoor life and the preservation of the Swedish natural world. We are delighted that our trekkers become bona fide STF members like so many Swedish trekkers.
In the run-up to your trip we will ask the date of birth of everyone in your group, as it's required for the STF membership, and also a phone number to which your membership details can be texted. You can then use the STF app on your Android or iPhone to show your membership to hut wardens and others.
Route
Our approach to the KungsledenThe Abisko to Nikkaluokta section is the most popular and accessible week of the full Kungsleden, or King’s Trail in English. The Kungsleden in its entirety stretches from Abisko all the way to Hemavan, in Västerbotten County in the South; a total distance of 460km. We hope in the coming years to extend our Kungsleden coverage to the lesser-travelled Southern sections including the Sarek mountains, which are part of Europe’s oldest national park.
The Terrain
The Kungsleden terrain is remarkably stark (but beautiful!), and conditions underfoot mirror the remoteness of the valleys. The bedrock of Swedish Lapland is hard, making for some rocky walking. This also makes for a harsh land for larger plants to take root; tree cover ends after your first day on trail from Abisko and only returns on your final day on departure from the Kebnekaise hut. The bulk of the trail is therefore on the open fjells between the broad valleys giving fantastic open views of the mountains. The meltwater makes for full rivers and lakes with slopes riven with smaller streams. Stream crossings are accomplished by rock-hopping and bridges.
Communications on the trail
Due to the remoteness of the Kungsleden trail, there is no phone signal or WiFi available between Abisko and Nikkaluokta, almost the entire duration of the hike. This means that our self-guided clients need to be self-reliant every step of the way until they reach the end of the trail. For this reason, we strongly recommend bringing a satellite phone or another device, such as a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) or Garmin InReach, so that you can call for help in the event of an emergency.
Is it for me?
The Kungsleden is a great introduction to walking in Scandinavia. The trail is well-marked and many sections are well equipped and maintained by the Countyboard of Norrbotten (Länsstyrelsen i Norrbotten), with plank walkways covering swampy or rocky ground. Still, there will be stream crossings, and some walking on rocky ground that calls for steady feet. The ability to navigate using a map and compass is vital in case of poor weather conditions. The Northerly latitude makes for changeable weather with cooler days perfect for walking but also the chance of rain (and sun of course!)
Difficulty
We grade the Kungsleden as Red overall. The landscape itself is generally rolling with few steep ascents or descents, and there is no particular need for technical walking skills. Day lengths are manageable and the trek is usually well-marked, though you’ll find stretches of eroded and rocky path. Despite the barren landscape, on most days you’ll find windbreaks or small huts to shelter in for a sandwich or to escape the worst of the elements. A particular challenge lies in the remote terrain – in case of a twisted ankle or old injuries flaring up, it is usually impossible to skip stages or leave the trail early.
Walking Guide to the Kungsleden - our detailed read
How to get there
To Abikso via StockholmFor a full Swedish experience, we recommend taking the sleeper train from Stockholm all the way to Abisko. The train calls at Stockholm's Arlanda airport on the way North, or take a train or bus into the city centre before the 7pm train departure. Buy some food at the central station - there is also a buffet car - and find your berth, which can be in private cabins or shared (3 or 6 bunks). See a large portion of Sweden and the extent of the forests; in the morning, the train calls at Kiruna before Abisko Turiststation later in the morning. Or, forego the sleeper train to fly direct to Kiruna (Sweden) or Narvik (Norway) and take the day train to Abisko. Overall then, our recommendation is the night train to Abisko and then a flight home from Kiruna.
To Abisko via Oslo
From Oslo and Southern Norway, it’s best to travel via Stockholm. However, there are Oslo-Kiruna and Oslo-Narvik flights, from where it's a day train in either direction to Abisko.
Departing from Kiruna
Kiruna, a mining town, is furnished with an airport and train station, with train links to Northern Norway and the rest of Sweden. Take a flight to Stockholm or Oslo, or the night train to Stockholm. Heading North, take the morning train to Narvik in Norway for onward buses to Bodo or the Lofoten islands. Please ask us for more details.
Travel to and from the trip is not included in the holiday price. We take care to give the most useful notes possible about all the travel options. We supply these both on booking and in your info pack, and we offer personalised tips at any point. The aim is that our trekkers arrange their travel by the simplest and most scenic means as suits their plan.
Included
- Bespoke accommodation itinerary - tailored to your preferences
- Breakfast on 3 mornings (Abisko, Kebnekaise, Kiruna)
- Dinner on 2 evenings (Abisko, Kebnekaise)
- Detailed Routecards KLK1-7 of the Exploratory system, printed on waterproof paper
- The Swedish topographical hiking map
- Downloadable GPX Tracks covering the route
- Membership of the Swedish STF for the year of your trip
- Expert advice and local information
- A comprehensive Season Update following our pre-season recce
- Full support during your trip from the Alpine Exploratory team (9am until 9pm Scandinavian time)
Not included
- Travel to Abisko and from Nikkaluokta
- Local transport during the trip
- Travel insurance
- Lunches, dinner and breakfasts at the self-catering huts, and additional snacks and drinks
- Baggage transfer
Baggage transfer
On the trailConventional baggage transfer isn't available on this hut-based trip, due to a total lack of roads meeting the huts. However, there is a helicopter service for person and baggage movements. This comes at quite a cost and quite an impact on the environment and noise levels, so we would suggest it's best left for essential movements only, but please ask us for more information. In fact not too much needs to be carried on the Kungsleden, and the self-catering huts have plenty of food on sale for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Direct to Kiruna
If you're traveling onwards in Sweden, it might be easiest to spend a night in Kiruna before your hike and leave a bag at your Kiruna hotel. Please ask us to coordinate this. Alternatively we can send your baggage by road from Abisko to Kiruna. Please ask us - thank you.
Got questions about the Kungsleden?
Feel free to ask us any questions you have about any aspects of your planning and preparations! Lucy, Steph, Nicky, Rob, Evie, Ben and Amy will reply with expert advice. We spend a lot of time walking our routes and more broadly exploring ski and hiking trails around the world so do feel free to ask anything at all.
 
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Since Alpine Exploratory started in 2005 we have loved getting to know our clients from around the world. Along with the UK, our best-represented countries are the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Please use our national-rate numbers for a cheaper call to contact our office in Edinburgh.
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EH2 2JG
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