Abisko National Park is the most famous hiking and outdoors destination in Swedish Lapland. Abisko trails are accessible for both short day hikes and multi-day long-distance hikes of hundreds of kilometres. The most popular of Abisko's trails is Kungsleden, which runs along the River Abiskojåkka and the banks of the Lake Ábeskojávri in the national park.

I did a long hike in Abisko in August. I first walked in the national park to Kårsavagge valley. Halfway through I hiked in Mårma area, Stuor Reaiddávággi and Sielmmávággi. The rest of the way I hiked Kungsleden, from Unna Allakas at the border of Norway and Sweden to Gamavuopmi, and back to Kungsleden and Abisko National Park.

Kungsleden

The most famous of the trails from Abisko is Kungsleden (King's Trail), which runs through the middle of Abisko National Park to Abiskojaure and then a few kilometres to the national park boundary where it continues to the south. The most travelled part of Kungsleden is the Abisko-Nikkaluokta or Nikkaluokta-Abisko trail, about 100 kilometres long, on which the annual Fjällräven Classic hike is organised.

Kungsleden is also known as the Dag Hammarskjölsleden pilgrimage trail between Nikkaluokta and Abisko. From Abisko to Singi, Kungsleden is also part of the Arctic Trail (Nordkalott Trail).

Kungsleden, which runs for over 400 kilometres from Abisko to Hemavan, is divided into various stages. The Abisko-Nikkaluokta route and the Ammarnäs-Hemavan route have been selected as one of the 12 most beautiful hikes in Sweden.

Abisko National Park

Abisko National Park is located in northern Sweden, close to the Norwegian border. Established in 1909, the park's landscape varies from rich deciduous forests to green valleys and the ruggedness of the surrounding mountains.

Abisko National Park has stricter rules and restrictions than the rest of the environment. While berry picking and mushroom picking are everyone's rights, fishing is prohibited and no flowers or other plants may be collected. Movement in the bird preserve area is prohibited in late spring and during the summer. Dogs must be kept on a leash within the national park.

In Abisko, camping is permitted only in the paid campsites at the Abisko Mountain Station and by the Abiskojaure cabins. On Kungsleden, camping is only allowed in the Nissonjohka tenting area. Outside the boundaries of Abisko National Park, you can pitch your tent quite freely.

Fires are only allowed in the national park area in marked areas. But, you can use camping stoves everywhere.

Abisko 170 km hiking route

I planned my hike from Abisko National Park at the end of August according to three areas: Kårsavagge valley, Mårma area and Unna Reaiddávággi, and Unna Allakas. By combining these, I made a 170 km ring route:

Abisko - Kårsavagge - Abiskojaure - Áhpparjávri - Aliseatnu - Mårmastugan - Mårmapasset - Vistas - Stuor Reaiddávággi - Sielmmávággi - Tjäktja - Alesjaure - Unna Allakas - Gamavuopmi - Abiskojaure - Abisko.

Due to bad weather I changed Unna Räitavaggi for Stuor Reaiddávággi and hiking past the Nallo cabins. The total duration of my hike was 6 days and 5 hours - a 3 hour evening hike on the day of arrival and two hours of morning hike on the day of departure.

There was plenty to see along the way, so I decided to write my hiking experiences in three parts. This last part contains photos and experiences from the hike from Kungsleden Tjäktja to Alesjaure, from Alesjaure to Unna Allakas to the Norwegian border, and along Gamavuopmi to Abisko National Park and Kungsleden to Abisko.

The first and the middle parts of the hike:

• Abisko hike 170 km in August - Kårsavagge and Áhpparjávri
• Abisko 170 km hike - Mårmastugan, Nallo & Sielmmávággi

Kungsleden to Alesjaure - hiking story

I woke up on Kungsleden along River Sielmmánjira, about a kilometre north of the cabins of Tjäktja. I had hiked from River Aliseatnu via Mårmapasset and Sielmmávággi to Kungsleden in mostly miserable and even wild weather. The mountains were still shrouded in a thick mass of grey clouds.

The most pleasant observation of the morning was that my camera had already recovered. Last time on Kungsleden, the camera was mute due to the insane humidity and downpour in Tarfala from Kebnekaise to Teusajaure and a little bit sulking down to Vakkotavare.

I started walking towards Alesjaure along the familiar red-marked path. A couple of years earlier, it was raining cats and dogs while I was hiking along these trails. It was August even then.

From Sielmmánjira, Kungsleden follows the Alisvággi valley all the way to Alesjaure along the Aliseatnu River. After Alesjaure comes a chain of several lakes - including Lake Áhppar, on the shore of which I camped at the beginning of the hike - and then Aliseatnu River continues again to Lake Rautusjávri. Kungsleden is part of the Nordkalott Trail as far north as Abisko and as far south as Tjäktjavagge.

Hikers began to appear in the wide valley cut by the wide track. River Bossosjohka's magnificent waterfalls and bridge are the most spectacular sights of the Tjäktja-Alesjaure stretch on Kungsleden, and the place was all crowded. I waited for the selfie groups to move on to take a quick photo of the waterfalls.

The sky slowly began to clear, with the sun peeking through the clouds in places. Duckboards and hikers came into view with increasing frequency. After less than three hours of hiking, the Alesjaure huts were already visible above the meandering river on the cliffs.

A squeaky suspension bridge took over the turquoise River Aliseatnu to the courtyard of Alesjaure's huts. Behind the buildings, the bushes were bustling. A flock of willow grouses was hovering just along the path, on the rocks and among the bushes. And there was also a noisy group of hikers.

Alisjávri's cottages could be seen on the other shore of the turquoise lake. I had walked the path that rose up next to them on my Vistas valley hike in the rain a couple of years earlier. According to the signpost, Unna Allakas was 14 kilometres away.

The map showed three routes towards Unna Allakas: along the beach on Kungsleden, a path higher up the slope and a snowmobile track in between. I walked probably another kilometre along Kungsleden to a signpost, where I turned left up the slope.

Hike from Alesjaure up Coalmmivággi

The route from Alesjaure to Unna Allakas is marked in red, as are all marked routes in the area. For about a kilometre the slope was a bit steep and a nice change from the flat Kungsleden of the morning. Two hikers descended the trail as small black dots in the middle of the grass.

Halfway up, water flowed in small streams along the cliffs. Next to the stream was a flat boulder like a resting place, and I sat down on it and ate some yoghurt nuts. Njuikkostakbákti's vertical wall stood out majestically amid a chain of turquoise lakes.

After a gentle grassy section, the rocks and stones began. The scenery behind me got better and better as the climbing metres accumulated and the clouds disappeared from the sky. Several hiking parties passed by, this was apparently a popular route.

I reached the rocky saddle between Gárddecohkka and Coalmmiriehppi. The boulders were nothing compared to Mårma and Sielmmávággi, though. In the middle of the saddle there was a small pond and patches of snow. You could just about pitch a tent here if you had to.

The rest of the day would be mostly downhill. The sun was shining beautifully and the hike felt like a breeze. There would be no more major climbs on my route to Abisko.

I spotted a rocky outcrop that looked just like a bench and took another snack break. I sat on the rocks as long as I felt like it. My intention was to get close to the Unna Allakas cabins at the Norwegian border, but I could stop a little earlier.

The Snárapláhku plain stretched out before me in August brownish green. I descended a steep slope towards the shimmering lakes. The route was marked by red crosses, which in winter would be driven by snowmobiles. The day after tomorrow would be September.

Bajip Snárapjávri Lakes and Snárapláhku

The lakes of Bajip Snárapjávri are sheltered by the mountains of Snárapoaivi and Snárapbákti and the Gárddecohkka, Coalmmiriehppi and Tjålmeåive mountains. There are great camping sites on the shore. There were also fire pits set out in circles, but getting firewood on the treeless plateau can be more difficult.

I followed the path towards a narrower point in the middle of a smaller lake, where there was a wading spotl. The first part of the crossing was on stones, but halfway across I had to change to sandals. The stream wasn't very deep, but the rocks laid out in it were mossy under the surface and incredibly slippery. Without my hiking poles, I would have slipped in the stream for sure.

I walked for a while in my Sealskinz socks and sandals to give them time to dry. The Snárapláhku plain seemed to go on forever. Barren and beautiful. And complete silence everywhere. I hadn't seen other hikers since the start of the hike.

The trail past Snárapbákti continued for three kilometres. There were duckboards built over the rocks. Norway's snow-capped mountains loomed in the horizon against autumn's orange hay.

I reached the Unna Snárabás river. The bridge planks were a mess, but I could still walk along them. There wasn't much water in the river anyway.

I passed Stuor Allagas on its right side. The sun was already setting behind the mountains and the golden rays were caressing the steep slopes and the valley of Lake Allagasjávri. I took my time admiring and photographing the scenery, even though I would probably have to camp in some random bushes at dusk.

The slope down to Lake Allagasjávri was willowy, but completely covered with long planks. Although the lake seemed to be close by, it was a couple of kilometres to the shore.

Unna Allakas on the Norwegian border

Lake Allagasjávri was still and shiny. There would have been a few nice campsites on the north side of the lake. However, I thought I would walk across Unna Allagas while it was still light. After a short climb up the slope, the Norwegian mountains were already in front of me.

Storsteinfjellet mountain with its large glaciers at 1894 metres was a landmark that could not be missed. Narrow ponds dotted the valley, reflecting the pink of the sky like mirrors.

The path to Unna Allakas turned right, and I continued left at the junction towards the Norwegian border. On the Norwegian side, the hiking trails would continue to Cunojávri and from there south and north. You could hike these areas for a long time, there was a lot to see.

Now the day of my hiking was coming to an end and the sun was already setting. I wanted to find drinking water quickly and a flat, dry campsite. Both proved difficult.

The terrain was very wet and swampy. One clear stream crossed the path a few hundred meters from the crossing. The banks of the small ponds were all marshy and there was no water, let alone tent pitching. Finally I found a plateau a few metres wide on the cliffs and set up my tent with lightning speed as the mosquitoes whined and darkness fell.

By the light of my headlamp, I headed back towards the crossroads and the stream I had found. I filled my water bottle halfway and, with the help of GPS, returned to my tent. I enjoyed my dinner in the tent, sheltered from the insects.

A beautiful clear morning dawned and made the landscape look like summer. The water I fetched in the evening was only enough for coffee, I would have porridge later. The day's hike to Abisko National Park would be a long one, I had my backpack on at quarter past six.

STF Unna Allakas Mountain Cabin's red huts were still sleeping in the shadows on the hillside as I passed by. Four kilometres to the north, you could visit the Sjangeli mining area. There should also be a Sámi village, siida nearby. I could come to the cabins on a winter skiing trip some time, there would also be a sauna.

Hiking Gamavuopmi to River Válffojohka

I passed mirror clear ponds in the cool of the morning. After a 15-minute walk I reached the first stream to be crossed, which I crossed on stones. A few steps further on, the River Ruovssokjohka was flowing, with maybe 15-20 cm of water. I changed into wading socks and sandals.

After crossing the river, I lazily continued my hike in sandals, and also because walking makes socks and sandals dry faster. Soon I was crossing some duckboards in the tall grass. The water on the planks was up to my ankles in places.

After the wetlands, the fine fell highlands began. Even the planks of wood over the willows were dry. I sat on a large rock for a while, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

The moorlands gave way to birch trees. Some of the leaves had already turned yellow. The Gamavuopmi valley would certainly be magnificent in the autumn foliage.

A clear stream ran down from Sjangeli, over which a bridge of metal grating had been placed. Right next to the stream was a big rock, so I took a porridge and coffee break by the stream. At River Hoiganjohka I would take a lunch break.

The open plains continued beyond the forest. I crossed the reindeer fence using a ladder. More and more autumn colors began to appear, the leaves of the mountain birches glowed orange, the blueberry bushes flamed bright red.

As Snárapjávri approached, the warped birches stood leafless in the valley. The sight reminded me of the view from Kaldoaivi wilderness, with its sadly gnawed trees against a cold grey sky. There were few similarities in terms of weather: the Swedish Lapland experienced near-heat temperatures and the sun shone torturously bright.

I arrived at River Válffojohka. The river originated at Lake Válfojávri on the Norwegian side, from where it flowed down through the Válffojávrrit lakes to River Kamajåkka in Sweden. In the grassland, I could see flat and round spots and other hikers' tracks.

A hanging bridge had been built on the cliffs above the rapids. The low railings were made of rusty metal rope and reached up to knee height. I'm not a fan of bridges, and even less so after crossing the Válffojohka bridge.

Rovvidievva and Hoiganjohka

As I approached Lake Gámajávri, the path climbed into a wonderfully cool forest. The fireweed glowed red on the slopes. The coastal path around Vuolip Cahcaoaivi was bushy, with only glimpses of River Kamajåkka.

Before Rovvidievva I crossed a fine clear stream. The bridge was high and the scenery beautiful. At the bridge I was met by two hikers, the first of the day. The last time I had seen other hikers had been yesterday, climbing the slopes of Coalmmivággi.

Rovvidievva was in a lush forest. There are several buildings in the area, I felt like I was walking in someone's backyard. From Rovvidievva, the path goes right to Kungsleden, the junction where I turned off from Kårsavagge on my way to Lake Áhpparjávri and the Mårma trail. From Unna Allakas I had hiked 14 km, with 7 km left to Abiskojaure.

Less than two kilometres away, a mighty roar echoed through the forest even before the white foam of Hoiganjohka came into view. On the cliffs you could see worn tent sites and fire pits. The landscape of Hoiganjohka looked incredibly beautiful.

I wasn't hungry yet, so I just took a chill break by the river. If I'd had more time, I could have camped on the bank of the river, enjoyed the ease and written about my hiking experiences. It would have required a proper pen, though; my ballpoint had stopped working after five lines on the first night.

Along the River Hoiganjohka you could hike up to Hoiganvággi and all the way to Stuor Kärpel. I decided to come back one day. This hike would continue along River Kamajåkka to Abisko National Park.

Abisko National Park - Boazojohka and Abiskojaure

From River Hoiganjohka, the walk continued through the woods, similar to the one before Abiskojaure when walking from Kårsavagge. Worn campsites and campfiresites were thickly dotted along the trail for a couple of kilometres before the national park.

The Boazojohka River is the boundary of the Abisko National Park, which runs along the river in the southern part of the park and around Lake Boazojávri. There was some sort of rest stop near the Boazojohka bridge, I sat on a bench for a while and took a bottle of water. More hikers started to appear again.

It was only a couple of kilometres from the river and the border of the national park to Abiskojaure. There wasn't much to see on the forest path, mostly duckboards and wilted flowers. At the end of the last planks, the red buildings of Abiskojaure could be seen.

People were hanging around in the yard. I glanced at the notice board. Abiskojaure had beds for 61 people, a shop, and a sauna in the evenings. For a small fee, you could pitch a tent in the wooded yard. There's even a swimming beach on the shore of Lake Ábeskojávri. I continued on to Kungsleden.

Kungsleden - hiking in Abisko National Park

In Abiskojaure the best place is at the suspension bridge. The bridge offers views of River Kamajåkka and Lake Ábeskojávri, where Kamajåkka gently meanders down. Towards Abisko, the sky was already cloudy, and after the hot weather, rain was on its way.

Kungsleden seemed familiar, even though I had never walked from Abiskojaure to Abisko before. The path was wide and rocky until it turned into a hayfield covered with duckboards. In places there were two long planks side by side, so at busy times it was easy to pass.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of a helicopter and it quickly became louder. I saw a helicopter circling low in the direction of Abisko. Then it landed somewhere. As I passed the estimated landing site, all I saw was forest. The helicopter remained a mystery.

Kungsleden runs all the way through Abisko National Park, right along the shore of Lake Ábeskojávri for about four kilometres, and then along River Abiskojåkka all the way to Abisko. The eastern edge of the national park follows the River Coamohasjohka and the northern corner goes to the top of Njullá in Abisko.

The evening sun, setting behind the mountains, brushed warm tones on the landscape. It was quiet on the trail, with many people finishing their day's hike much earlier. For me, a late walk even after sunset is a pleasure. Walking is the most important part of my hike. On the move I feel the strongest connection with nature and my mind calms down.

The path turned into a gravel road, golden rays into a blue moment. Kårsavagge valley was already resting in the twilight. Fortunately, the bridge between Ballinjohka and Coamohasjohka rivers was of sturdy construction. I stood for a moment above the stream and breathed in the coolness of the last evening. Long hikes leave some lasting marks to your soul.

Nissonjohka campsite - camping in Abisko National Park

The only free camping area in the Abisko National Park area is the Nissonjohka camping area. It is located where the Nissonjohka River flows into the Abiskojåkka River, just south of the Nissonjohka bridge. The camping area is about four kilometres from Abisko.

There are plenty of flat tent pitches in the wooded area, with several tent camps in the grassland. The scenery is not very spectacular at any point, even though the Abiskojåkka flows right next door. The kitchen shelter is close to the shore, with the newer dry toilets a little further back behind it.

I was one of the last campers of the evening, and I got to choose from the tent spots that was left. There was mainly a large open field in the middle of the camping area, the more sheltered spots in the forest were almost completely taken, and I didn't bother to pitch my tent right next to anyone either. The day's hike was a good 35 kilometres, but in the easy terrain with a lightweight backpack it hadn't felt heavy at all.

A clear little stream splashed near my tent site. In such a popular camping area, however, I abandoned taking a drink from the stream and headed for the big river. Just in case, I boiled the water, as there was some leftover food on the bank. Some hikers either don't know or perhaps don't think about how biowaste should be treated in nature to keep waterways and the rest of the environment clean.

After dinner, I went straight to my sleeping bag. The good thing about a dull landscape is that you don't have to stay up late into the night and it's easier to wake up and get going in the morning.

Kungsleden - the last leg to Abisko

As Lapporten would be left for later hikes, I didn't hurry in the morning. Immediately after the campsite, Kungsleden continued across Nissonjohka along a big steel bridge. The river was shallow in a rocky channel.

The hill near Vuolip Njahkájávri was the last meditation spot on Kungsleden. At this point the Abiskojåkka made a nice bend, which you could admire from the high river bank. Other hikers were bustling around and taking pictures of themselves, so I continued on my way.

For the last two kilometres the river roared deep in the canyon, surrounded by slate walls, sometimes foaming white, sometimes gliding deep turquoise. I took some velvety long exposure shots, but my own eye is always more drawn to images where the water is sharp and unforgiving, as it is in nature.

The rest of the way up Kungsleden was high above a steep canyon, with a metal fence lining the path. The most picturesque area of Abisko National Park, apart from the eastern end of Kårsavagge valley, is undoubtedly the area around Abiskojåkka river between Nissonjohka and Abisko.

I saw the railway bridge, it was the end of my adventure. The last stretch from Tjäktja on Kungsleden to Gamavuopmi and to Abisko was a good 71 kilometres, with an ascent of 1117 metres.

I had now hiked almost the entire Abisko-Nikkaluokta route on Kungsleden, with only 12 km between Alesjaure and Abiskojaure left for future adventures. Of course, I would still have to hike Kungsleden from Aktse to Kvikkjokk and from Kvikkjokk to Ammarnäs and Hemavan if I wanted to see the whole of the King's Trail.

I had preserved an extra day for Lapporten hike, but in the evening the clouds and rain would arrive again. I preferred to skip Baddustrail, there was always a way back to Abisko. I took my backpack to the car, changed into clean socks and shoes, took my daypack and set off on a day hike to the top of Njulla in Abisko National Park. After that, I did another tour of Abisko Canyon before it was time to head towards rainless Finland and the Aakenustunturi fell in Ylläs.

The 170 km hike to Abisko was a great week, I had a lot of new experiences and saw some incredibly beautiful scenery. There was still a lot to see - fortunately, planning hiking adventures is almost as rewarding as the hike itself!

Read also the previous stages of the hike:

• Abisko hike 170 km in August - Kårsavagge and Áhpparjávri
• Abisko 170 km hike - Mårmastugan, Nallo & Sielmmávággi

Abisko National Park trails

Abisko offers easy access to day trips and long hiking trails. There are many marked trails. The classic is the Kungsleden hike on the Abisko-Nikkaluokta trail, which can also be combined with Kebnekaise hike.

Almost all Abisko routes start near the E10 road at the Abiskojåkka river. The Kårsavagge trail leads to the summit of Njulla and Rihdonjira waterfalls. The trail to Baddosdieva and Lapporten starts to the east. Abisko Canyon is on the Lake Torneträsk side of the E10 road.

The Arctic Trail or Nordkalott Trail also passes through Abisko. The Arctic Trail leads north to Kilpisjärvi Finland via Malla Nature Reserve, and from Kilpisjärvi towards Halti, and into Norway from Lake Somasjärvi to Sieimma and Reisa National Park.

Abisko can be reached by car, train and bus from Kiruna or Narvik. From Kiruna it takes just over an hour to drive to Abisko. The Abisko Mountain Station and the Naturum Visitor Centre are located next to the E10 road and the railway. Naturum has an information board, a map and two parking areas.

Parking is available on the north side of the road when staying at the Abisko Mountain Station. South of the train station is a large free car park where long-term parking is allowed.