Science of astronomy and ice: Sweden

March 2025 - Register now at tours@newscientist.com and we will contact you soon with full tour details.

From striking alpine forests to picturesque snowcapped mountains, travelling to Northern Sweden during the winter months offers a truly magical experience. Discover a place of awe-inspiring natural beauty where scientists from all over the world come to study climate change and conduct scientific research in an Arctic environment. 

During this tour, spend time exploring Abisko National Park, an area preserved by scientists since the 1900’s. Travel to the Aurora Sky Station, known as one of the best places to view the Aurora Borealis. Meet with experts at the Aurora Sky Station, who will teach you more about the worldly phenomena of northern lights. From here, stay at the unique Ice Hotel. Every year, when the river Torne freezes, blocks of ice are harvested to create this luxurious igloo hotel, which is the world’s largest hotel made of snow and ice. Stay in one of the hotels unique ‘ice rooms’, with temperature of -5 to -8 degrees Celsius.

This tour is perfect for those with a key interest in astronomy and nature, or for anyone wanting a truly remote escape.

DAY 1: KIRUNA TO SFT ABISKO TURISTATION

On arrival in Kiruna airport, you will be met and transferred to the SFT Abisko Turistation, located in Abisko National Park, a journey time of around 90 minutes. There will be time for you to settle into your accommodation before this evening’s welcome meeting and activities.

Situated 125 miles north of the Arctic Circle on the shores of Lake Torneträsk, Abisko National Park was established in 1909 by a group of Swedish scientists who wanted to preserve the area in its original condition for scientific research. The region has continued to be a key for scientific interest and is home to the Abisko Scientific Research Station. The station is primarily used for biological, climate, ecological, environmental, and geological research and contains on-site laboratories as well as smaller off-site field research stations.

In the evening, there will be a welcome meeting with the group and your tour leader before dinner at the hotel.

After dinner, take a short walk to the base of the mountain, where you’ll be kitted out in warm clothing before a 20 minute ride on a chairlift to the Aurora Sky Station.

The world-famous Aurora Sky Station is undoubtedly one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights. The Sky Station lies right at the centre of what is known as the ‘Aurora Oval’, and is situated on Mountain Nuolja, 900 meters above sea level, in an area with very few distracting sources of light or sound During the winter months, with no light pollution and frequent cloudless skies, there is nothing to hinder auroral displays, and the peace and quiet of this area is the ideal atmosphere in which to look out for the northern lights.

Once at the station, you will learn more about the northern lights and hopefully spend time enjoying this amazing natural phenomenon before returning to your hotel.

DAY 2: TRAVEL TO THE ICEHOTEL

After breakfast, you will be transferred by road to the Icehotel, a journey of around 90 minutes through Sweden’s beautiful snowy wilderness landscape.

The first and original Icehotel was built in Jukkasjarvi, Swedish Lapland in 1989 and took just two weeks to complete. It was built out of ice, snow and ‘snice’ – snice combines snow, water and air. It was made from snow cannons which have a higher density than snow itself making it stronger and perfect for building purposes. In the ‘snice’, the small ice crystals combine with air in between them makes it as white as snow and insulating because of the air. Kept at a constant -5°C to -8°C, the interior actually feels quite pleasant, especially when outside temperatures can drop to around -37°C!

Enjoy a private tour of the Icehotel with Sculptor and creative director of the Icehotel, Arne Bergh. He has been overseeing the annual selection of the team of international artists who design and build this incredible feat of architecture for over 25 years.

In the afternoon, there will be free time to enjoy some of the activities available at the hotel including husky-sledding, snow-mobiling or perhaps a more relaxing reindeer ride through the beautiful countryside.

Tonight, spend a night sleeping on the ice in one of the Icehotels ‘cold rooms’.

DAY 3: EXPLORE KIRUNA

Today, you will learn more about the mining town of Kiruna which is having to be relocated due to the Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara AB (LKAB) mine. In 2004 it was decided that the town centre was required to move location to accommodate mining-related subsidence. The relocation would be made gradually, beginning in 2014 and commencing around 2040.

The LKAB mine is the world’s largest, most modern underground iron ore mine located in northern Sweden, it began the iron ore operation more than 100 years ago. The mine is divided into eight production areas, each containing its own group of ore passes and ventilation systems.

Return to the ice hotel in the late afternoon.

Tonight, you will sleep in one of the Icehotels ‘warm rooms’.

DAY 3: KIRUNA DEPARTURE

After breakfast, you will be transferred back to Kiruna airport for your return flight home.