Trail Overview

440km, unofficially divided into 3 sections (or 4). I think giving a day by day account of things might be a bit dry, so I’ll roughly list the difficulties you might encounter on the trail, and go into it in detail later.

South section

Hemavan — Viterskalet

Hemavan — Viterskalet — Syter — Tarnasjo — Serve — Aigert — Armmanas (80km or so)

The South/ Middle sections are essentially hikes between forested valleys where huts are located. Huts are spaced 12 to 19km apart, and the trail is easy to follow. I took 4 days, with the last day being an easy descent into Armmanas where I had lunch and proceeded onto the next section.

The writeup for this section is shorter than the rest; that’s because there’s really not much to talk about for this section. It’s a great hike, but there aren’t that many things to take note of or worry about.

Viterskalet — Syter

After Syter (the second hut, 24km in) you descend into a series of islands on a lake, and mosquitoes can get pretty terrible there.

Syter — Tarnasjo. Lakes/ islands/ mosquitoes

There are saunas at Tarnasjo and Aigert, with lakes you can jump into post-sauna to cool off. Great views too. You really should try the saunas at least once.

Tarnasjo — Serve

There’s an emergency hut between Serve and Aigert, if the weather gets bad; it got pretty damn bad for me, I was dealing with unexpected sleet, so that was a godsend.

Seve-Aigert

Seve-Aigert feat. incoming sleet

I don’t think I had an issue with water, but I didn’t really feel like I wanted to drink from water in the island/ lake section. Ask the wardens, I suppose.

Sauna at Aigert; you’re supposed to jump into the lake to cool off post-Sauna. There was a thermometer in the lake that said 15C.

You don’t have to camp at the huts of course. Just take note that the forests can be dense, so if you don’t wish to trouble yourself looking for a nice forested campsite, just camp above the treeline, or near the treeline when the trees start to become less dense.

Middle section

Armmanas — Adolfstrom — Jakkvikk — Kvikkjokk (180km or so)

This is lengthy, if not just because there is a lack of information about this online. So I’ll split this up.

If you’ve looked up the Kungsleden, chances are you would’ve been told this section is more remote/ challenging. Most of my concerns pre-hike were about the condition of the trail, and they turned out to be unfounded. The trail itself is fine, just maybe a LITTLE bit muddier than the other sections. The trail was as easy to follow as ever, though some of the boardwalks over the bog may be broken but it’s not like you had to wade through bog or anything. If there were giant puddles of water/ mud, they weren’t that deep and you could ever step around it most of the time.

Armmanas — Adolfstrom

You can resupply at the supermarket at Armmanas. From Armmanas, there are two different routes you can take. I heard the ‘new’ route is actually more challenging, but I’m not sure in what way. Either way, it’s longer, it detours to the Ravfjallstugan hut. I took the ‘old’ route, which involved a bit of roadwalking before turning into the forest and climbing up to a plateau. The two routes eventually join before heading down nature reserve. If you’re taking the old route (and I think this is the more popular option)get directions from the locals, it can be quite confusing; apparently there are a few different ways you can climb up to the plateau.

Ammarnas — Adolfstrom

The afternoon I set off from Armmanas it was the start of what would be a 3 day deluge. The plateau itself is easy walking though, you’re not dodging rocks with every step.

Descending into the Vindelfjallen nature reserve

But there was a brief respite when I was descending from the plateau (maybe 20km after Armmanas? Just an estimate based on my map, I lost my GPS points );), into what would be part of the Vindelfjallen nature reserve. It was a pretty incredible sight, seeing the deltas stretch out before me bathed in a orange-magneta tint. For what it’s worth this is one of my favourite sections of the hike, it was just so serene and quietly majestic. I don’t think it’s difficult to find a place to camp, though the ground can (understandably) be a bit marshy if it’s a wet day.

After another 12km or so you reach an emergency hut, Sjinulttie. There’s a toilet there too. If you see a ton of dead mosquitoes in the hut, it means they haven’t cleaned up from that night a fellow hiker I met on the trail and I spent in there, when we left the windows open while we were cooking and we were swarmed by mosquitoes :p Didn’t sleep a wink that night, it was absolutely miserable

The short walk to Sjinulttie

With Ari, whom I met at Hemavan and reunited with at Sjinulttie. On the way to Adolfstrom

At this point my feet were starting to hurt —my North Face Ultra Fastpack boots had shrunk from last season. I’m very sure they have shrunk because they felt really tight even at the start of the hike. It was starting to hurt my ankles.

There’s more walking, then a descent into forest, and after 15km or so, you arrive at a lake and a hut called Baverholmen, which is only accessible via foot (e.g if you were hiking) or by boat (from Adolfstromm). I think they offer dining and accommodation, and the cafe is supposed to be great. From there you can walk another 8km to the village Adolfstromm via a forested walk, or take a boat trip across the lake. I opted for the latter along with my fellow thru-hiker because of the sleepless night. I believe it should be around 300sek for the boat trip. I took two days to walk from Armmanas to Adolfstrom.

Boat to Adolfstrom

Adolfstrom — Jakkvikk

Adolfstrom is a quaint little village. There’s a cafe there run by an incredibly nice lady; I say cafe, but they sell enough stuff that it could conceivably be a minimart, though you might as well hold out on resupplying in full until the next town which is one day’s walk away.

You can inquire about renting out a cabin if you so wish, which I opted for due to the aforementioned sleepless night and not wanting to set up my tent in the rain and having someone to split it the cost with. I think it works out to 350sek/ night. There are definitely options for tenting, either near the cafe or at the tourist information center, it should be around 75sek.

I suggest spending the night near Adolfstrom because the sections before and after are somewhat densely forested and it would be difficult to find a place to set up a tent.

Wew

From here on it’s a 21km walk to Jakkvikk (there’s an old sign that says 27km, but no really it’s 21km). As mentioned before, most of it is forested. Even with the wet weather most of the ground was firm and grippy. It can get a bit rocky, as in having to navigate between rocks and walk around them. Around halfway, you pass an emegency hut. Didn’t detour to take a look though. Around 2/3 of the way through you climb up to another plateau.

Plateau walking

On the plateau (at least, in the year 2017) there is small river on a plateau between Adolfstrom and Jakkvikk with a broken bridge. It isn’t particularly deep even with the rain, but it was moderately swift. You can head upstream to find a section where it is narrower and leap across it if you so wish. I took what I considered to be the safer option and just forded it. It took 3–4 steps I believe, and it never rose above my ankles. Then you descend to Jakkvikk.

Jakkvikk — Kvikkjokk

At Jakkvikk, there’s a hostel and a gas station/ supermarket. You can resupply there. You can camp by the hostel, I can’t remember for how much, but it’s reasonable enough. You definitely want to stop by the hostel either way though, if not just to get the number for the boat crossings in the next section. The hostel owner is incredibly friendly and helpful. And if you choose not to camp at the hostel I know a couple of pair of hikers who found a place to camp inside the forest after Jakkvikk.

On the way to the rowboat crossing

It’s a 15km hike from Jakkvikk to the motor boat crossing. After around 3km of forest walking you reach a small lake that you’ll have to row across. There are three boats at the lake, and there should always be at least one boat on each side; which means that if there’s only one boat on your side you’ll have to row across with that one boat, tow a boat from the other side back, and row back across. I have no rowing experience, so I suppose it was lucky that I set off with a couple of other thru-hikers who knew how.

Wow another plateau

There’s a bit more forest walking before climbing up to a plateau (notice a pattern?)and descending down to the shore where you will take a boat across, it’ll cost around 300sek or so (I noted down the cost in my currency, not in SEK; I’m not sure how the exchange rate has fluctuated since). After a 15min ride you’re at Vuonatjviken, a small village with some very limited supplies (chips, coke etc).

Boating crossing shore.

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Bartek River

From here on it’s more forest. After 2.5km, there’s a nice open area by Bartek Riverwhere you can camp — it’s on the right, just keep an eye out for it. That was a pretty cosy campfire night.

And after another 7km, you exit the forest and start a slow ascent up a plateau. Remember to look back, it’s a pretty wonderful vista.

Looking back

I encountered some reindeer on this plateau too. 9km or so later, you’ll come across a Sami hut (or a hobbit hut, it really does look like one). It provides pretty nice shelter from storms; I know cus I stopped in it to chill out and have my chocolate for lunch… which was a massive mistake because without the heat generated from walking I got cold incredibly fast. Ended up just staying at the hut the entire day. I didn’t sleep in it though, I didn’t trust myself to clear the ground sufficiently that I could lay my sleeping pad on it without worrying about punctures. And I also wanted to test the stormworthiness of my Duomid in the gusts of wind.

Sami hut

10km and one descent later later, you will come across a cover of rivers that you will cross with bridges; there’s a toilet around here. And this actually also marks the halfway point of the trail.

Around the halfway point. Looks a bit like the PNW I think. Or at least, what I know of the PNW.

The next section is another one of my favourites; maybe it was just the golden evening lighting, but by god it was beautiful. And yeah, plenty of camping opportunities I believe.

Same mountain, different foreground.

One of my favourite photos.

I swear this valley looked more magical irl.

Right before Tsielekjakkstugan

This stretch lasts 23km to another emergency hut, Tsielekjakkstugan. It would be best to camp here if possible — there were some open spaces in the forest ahead, but I’m not sure about the quality of the ground.

After another 10km you’ll descend to a shore where you’ll take a boat to Kvikkjokk (200SEK or so.. I think). If you had neglected to take down the number for the boat crossing at Jakkvikk, I believe you can actually find it in the hut by the shore, and if not, the boat comes on a schedule at 10.30am and 2.30pm. There’s reception here. Either way, it would be great to call the boat as soon as possible, because the mosquitoes were out for blood.

Waiting for my ride/ looking into Sarek.

North section (part 1)

Kvikkjokk — Parte — Aktse — Sitojuare — Saltoluotka (around 80km)

Kvikkjokk has a restaurant and small mart — you could resupply there but options are limited. It’s actually not uncommon to ship your food to Kvikkjokk; of the (loose) group of us that hiked together, I was the only one who didn’t ship food there. I was intending to buy from the minimart there, but I ended up taking a zero day and making a detour to Jokkmokk via bus (around 360sek?) because I needed to replace my boots, and I swung by the supermarket since I was there. The boots were killing my feet, I limped the last 10km to the Kvikkjokk boat jetty. I decided to throw money at a pair of trail runners instead… the downside being that the only trail runners they had that fit me were a pair of Salomon XA Pro 3d GTX. Without the midcut splash protection of boots, water was bound to get into my trail runners from the top and stay there for the rest of the trip. So that was pretty annoying.

My departure from Kvikkjokk basically coincided with a heatwave, after 4 days of pretty mild weather and 3 days of nonstop rain before that. I was prepared for the cold and wet. I was not prepared for the warmth. I was wearing a long sleevemerino 140 weight base layer hoodie.. which wouldve been perfect if it hadn’t shrunk in the wash before my trip (if only I checked it beforehand urgh). I had cotton t-shirt and shorts but I intended to wear it for sleeping. And I had no cap. Welp.

Kvikkjokk-Parte

Kvikkjokk — Parte is a quaint 16km forested walk that swings around a lake. Parte is located by another lake, surrounded by mountains.

Parte-Aktse

Parte-Aktse is 24km long, and takes you along the border of, and into, Sarek National Park. Unfortunately from the trail you don’t really glimpse much of the wildness that Sarek is famous for, but it is very possible to work a detour into the park from here.

Crossing to Aktse

There’s a rowboat crossing before reaching Aktse, and it’s long. Don’t cross it if you have any doubts about your rowing ability, from my map I estimate it’s around 2.5km to get across it. There are motorboat crossings, I believe twice a day; 9am and 6pm. There should be information about this at the previous hut. But either way, there is more traffic in this section of the trail so chances are you can get a ride from someone with rowing experience.

Arriving at Aktse

Aktse is situated in a nice peaceful plain, but a lot of hikers don’t camp there. I think the factors involved are the steep climb north of the hut, and the fact that the junction to Skierfe is immediately after the climb.

Skierfe

Skierfe is a lookout point from which you can view the Rapadalen Delta that runs through Sarek National Park (and eventually flows to the lake that you just crossed). It’s a side-trip, but you really do need to do it. It’s 6km one way, with a muddy start, before tapering off into a very rough trail marked by cairns (as you reach Skierfe the trail underfoot can disappear completely). Most hikers set up their tents at the junction, take a daypack and make the trip to Skierfe and return to the junction to camp there for the night. Because well.. if youre going to drop your pack, you might as well set up your tent there. Hence the lack of campers at Aktse.

Rapadalen Delta, had pretty good light that day.

I think Skierfe was the highlight of my trip. It was a clear day, and I reached it at around 9pm, just in time to catch the sunset (more like ‘sunset’, since the midnight sun was still in play).

STF Tourist Ad. Or something.

A pair of Dutch hikers that were hiking at a similar pace at me brought binoculars up with them to Skierfe, they saw an Elk and a moose, amongst other animals.

If you wish to camp near Skierfe for whatever reason (e.g you want to see how the Rapadalen Delta looks both in the morning and evening), there are streams right before the final rocky ascent up to the lookout point. In fact, it is very possible to camp on Skierfe. I know it because I did it :p The ground is hard though, so you’ll have to stake your tent out with rocks.

Hi.

Back to the Kungsleden

To Sitojaure

From Aktset to Sitojaure it’s 13km, most of which is an easy walk across a plateau. There’s a lake crossing to Sitojaure.

I took a motorboat crossing, operated by the Sami (they also sell fish, if you need); it was the only viable option at that time given that a storm had just blown in, and none of us were willing to row across that lake in a storm. But this lake in particular might be trickier to navigate given that the route isn’t straight; and I hear blowing winds might be an issue even without the rain.

To Saltoluotka

From Sitojaure it’s another easy 20km walk to Saltoluotka, with an emegency hut located near the halfway mark.

Nearing Saltoluotka

It’s generally pretty easy to find places to camp in this section. The forested sections (immediately before and after the huts) are significantly less dense than before. And there are plenty of open spaces and streams above the treeline.

If you’re relying on huts for food, take note that from Kvikkjokk onwards, every other hut offers food. In other words, the only hut along the two terminus huts that offers food here is Aktse. Parte definitely doesn’t. Sitojaure might, I didn’t check.

North section (part 2)

Saltoluotka — Vakkotare — Teusajaure — Kaitumjaure — Singi — Salka — Tjakta — Alesjaure — Abiskojaure — Abisko

Saltoluotka is a mountain station, so you can expect a restaurant, a (well-stocked) shop and room/ camping accommodation.

You’ll have to take a motorboat crossing and then a bus to get to Vakkotare. There are crossings at around 1020am and 245pm which connect to the bus.

Vakkotare — Teusajaure

I alighted from the bus at around 12.20pm. Vakkotare — Teusajaure is 15km, and after a steep ascent it’s easy walking. Somewhere in the middle the route briefly splits into two, one that crosses a bridge and one that leads directly to a river that you’d have to ford. I chose the latter, because I was rushing for time; there’s a (final) lake crossing and I was trying to catch the 4pm motorboat instead of rowing 1km across.

The crossing to Teusajaure

But when I got there at 345pm there were two rowboats happily sitting there, and I thought meh I should try rowing. It wasn’t exactly the best time to learn how to row; keeping the boat straight was hellishly difficult. But I made it across.

To Kaitumjaure

It’s another steep ascent up before a 9km walk to Kaitumjaure, where you will find a sauna and food. I made the mistake of assuming that the next hut after this would have food; it didn’t. So stock up here if you have to.

To Singi

It’s 13km to Singi. You’ll turn into the valley that in which the rest of the Kungsleden traverses. You’ll also reach a junction slightly after a halfway mark.

10pm.

This junction actually marks the part of the trail where it starts to get crowded — as in, ‘Someone passes me in the opposite direction every 10mins and I can always see someone ahead of me’ crowded. It’s where the Kungsleden thru-hike trail joins the truncated Nikkoluokta-Abisko Kungslegen North trail.

The junction gives you the option to turn to make a 28km detour (return) to Kebnekaise fjallstation should you wish to ascend Kebnekaise from there. But that’s not the only way up.

Kebnekaise

I think this is the Sinnijohka

3km after Singi there’s a small gap between mountains where the Sinnijohka river runs.

On the way to base camp

If you turn into that gap, you can follow a rough trail (marked by cairns, and on the map) up to a nice plain surrounded by a few peaks and set up base camp there. This is the West Route, also known as the Durlings Led route.

Pretty nice base camp.

The other view from base camp feat. my Silnylon Duomid

It’s another 16km return up to Kebnekaise. You will have to contend with walking across snow and following a very loose track and a few steep slopes, but you save significantly more time compared to going the ‘traditional’ way of hiking to Kebnekaise fjallstation, up Kebnekaise, back to the fjallstation and then back to main Kungsleden track.

On the way up. Looking back at the distance covered.

The rocks at the bottom are the sort of terrain youll be walking on.

I won’t say it is difficult, I think anyone with the fitness and awareness to hike the Kungsleden self-supported should be able to do it, but walking on snow for extended periods and contending with scree/ rock and slippery dirt surfaces can be taxing. You might need to scramble a little. I don’t have many photos of the trail unfortunately, mostly because I didn’t think to shoot it at the time; it didn’t make for very interesting photography.

View from the top

Bring a insulated jacket up, it gets cold even with the sunlight, and you’ll definitely want to chill up there for a little while longer. It’s also a nice remote lesser known trek, and I suppose the quietness is nice considering how busy this section normally is. Of course the peak will be crowded still, but at least the trip up isn’t.

Saw a reindeer on the way down.

Strange sunset colours.

Back to Kungsleden

To Salka

Turning back onto the main Kungsleden trail, it’s 10km to Salka, where there is a shop.

Some hikers having lunch.

There are few rough trails that cut eastwards through the heart of the mountain range. You’ll have to buy the Abisko-Kebnekaise map to take a look at those. I didn’t hike on those (in retrospect I really wish I did, but I had my eyes set on the end) but there are emergency huts every 10–15km even withn those rough trails, and they can provide an alternate path to the main trail — for example you can cut east right after Salka and emerge right after Aljesuare.

It does also seem you’re literally closer to the mountains, since the valleys you are traversing are narrower. I met someone who travelled on one of the rough tracks (I distinctly remember him saying he passed Nallostugan) and he said the track wasn’t as even and easy as the main trail, but there were no major obstacles besides that. But the map indicates that the difficulty of each trail varies from valley to valley, and I’m not sure where else he has been. So, I suppose one could keep these detours as an option and ask the wardens for more info.

To Tjatka

And then another 12km to Tjakta, where you have to crest a pass that takes you to the highest point of the Kungsleden.

Cresting the Tjakta pass

I think a few people have mentioned that the ascent is rather steep, but it didn’t feel any different from any of the ascents before. There was some snow on the pass in July, but it’s definitely passable. If you’re going during high season you’ll have a trail of crushed snow to be follow.

After the pass.

To Alesjaure, featuring marshmellow.

I enjoyed the 13km walk from Tjakta to Alesjaure, if not just because I was hiking under the midnight sun.

This river is bridged thankfully.

There’s a nice patch right before Alesjaure that makes for great camping. Lake is beautiful too.

To Abiskojaure

Lunching

There’s food both at Alesjaure and the next hut 19km away, Abiskojaure. And then another 12km before you arrive at Abisko. It’s a nice calming walk through a forest.

To Abisko

Last few km.

Around 5km before Abisko there’s a nice open area to camp at (though it’ll be crowded) if you don’t wish to pay the camping fee at Abisko.

I took five days to blow through this last section, 3 if you discount the tour to Kebnekaise. I was covering 30km+ per day and not sleeping enough to make up for it.. because I had a tendency to stay up late looking through photos/ finding places to shoot/ hiking late into the night after spending a long time at a hut having lunch and every morning at around 6am the sun would shine into my tent and turn it into a sauna. I guess at this point, with the end near I just wanted to finish the trail.