Jokkmokkguiderna

During three days have Stina and I together with our two Border Collies been hiking in the mountains of Kvikkjokk. The main reason for the hike was to be out in the nature but we have been very diligent with the cameras and we have got some really good pictures and movie clip.
One of the days we got a fantastic experience where we came in contact with a Wolverine and it came very close to us, just 50-100 meters. We were so close that we could see the colors of the fur and his body movements, yes we could actually hear him hissing when he discovered us before he finally ran away.
/Matti

Laponia got the inscription as a world heritage by UNESCO in 1996. It’s the only world heritage in Scandinavia that fulfills the criteria for both cultural and natural importance and is one of 25 in the whole world. Laponia is a big nature area of 9 400 km² including Sarek, Padjelanta, Muddus and Stora Sjöfallet National Parks and several nature reserves such as Sjaunja, Stubba and others. This is the biggest incoherent protected nature area in Europe.
Every world heritage area has to establish a management plan. Jokkmokk and Gällivare municipalities have together with the concerned Sámi villages and the County and the National Environmental protection Agency made a proposal for a new management plan for Laponia. This proposal has been on referral for consideration at different companies, organizations and universities.

Jokkmokkguiderna is one of the companies that got the opportunity to take part of this document and to give comments about it seen from our point of view. It took at least 2 days to read and understand the meaning of the document. A good deal of it was very positive.
One of our comments is that they should have given more of our partners and competitors in the tourist industry the opportunity to give comments about it.
Concerning dogsledding , the proposal is now that everyone who wants to go with dog sled in Laponia in the future has to apply for permission. As it is today you have to get a permit to go with organized/commercial tours in the area but not as a private person.
If you are going to book a organized tour in Laponia with sled dogs, hiking, skies etc. it’s important that you check with the tour company that they have the permit that’s required.
Jokkmokkguiderna has permission for 2010/2011.

If you want to read more about the world heritage areas and the Laponia Process we recommend the following links:
UNESCO
Unesco world heritage areas
World heritages in Sweden

During one afternoon we trained our colleague Volker Husmann to drive dog sledge in a new style.
The dog sleds from Oinakka are now officially tested on water with good results.
We have earlier tested the Oinakka sleds on bare ground and of cause also on snow, and we must say that this is versatile sleds.
Volker survived the exercise and will during the coming winter season continue dog sledding on snow as he have done the last couple of years.

After Matti’s and Ruth’s kayak adventure it was my time to show her our beautiful mountains.
On Sunday we took the car to Kvikkjokk to make a 3 day hiking tour in one our fantastic National Parks, Padjelanta.
Since Ruth didn’t have so much time we flew helicopter with Lapplandsflyg from Kvikkjokk in to Staloluokta by the great lake Virihaure (don’t mix up with Saltoluokta).
After 20 minutes of a wonderful helicopter ride we where in the middle of Padjelanta and just by the mountain cabin of Staloluokta.
We spent the days by making day tours and spent the nights in the comfortable cabin. One day we walked south on the trail called Nordkalottleden towards Staddajåkkå and another day we walked north to Arasluokta. These two parts of the trail shows two different types of landscape, both very beautiful but very different from each other.
Our plan was to stay from Sunday to Tuesday. But on Tuesday there was thick fog in Kvikkjokk and they couldn’t take off with the helicopters during the whole day. So there was nothing else to do then to enjoy the extra day up in one of Sweden’s most beautiful areas.

/Stina

Some days ago we got an inquiry from a guest at the hotel if we could arrange a safari for only her.
So, together with her we planned for a 3 days kayaking tour in the Pärlälvens (Pearl river) Nature Reserve and a 3 days hiking tour in Padjelanta National Park. The best of Lapland in 6 days!
So, on Wednesday I and Ruth headed west to the lake Karats with two kayaks on the car trailer. We got three lovely days with paddling in a fantastic virgin forest and low mountain area. The weather gods gave us a multi show with sunshine, wind, thunder and rain. We had long interesting philosophic discussions about everything such as politics, food, nature, history and economy etc. Very interesting and I hope we meet again.
To go by kayak or canoe in Lapland is a wonderful way to transport. You get rid of the mosquitoes out on the water and you can bring good food also fresh food. You can store the marinated meat, the butter and the cheese in the front of the kayak where it will stay cool while you are paddling. Another good thing is that you don’t have to carry a heavy backpack.
A canoe or kayak vacation in Lapland is highly recommended!
/ Matti

Every summer we and Uppsala International Summer Session (UISS) arrange a shorter mountain hike for their students who studies Swedish.
We started the tour in Kvikkjokk with boat over the river Kamajok.. Our captain Björn told us about how the sudden and violent snow melting this spring affected the river. After the boat trip we made a shorter walk up to Vallevare where we set camp. The next day we got terrible weather with thunderstorm, thick fog, rain and even more rain. The low clouds and the fog forced us to stay in the camp the whole day. So, the most of the day was spent in our tents where we slept, drank tea, ate and slept even more. It felt that we had lightning and thunder from all directions except from underneath. We were lucky that we chose the spot for our camp protected by a small hill.
The third and last day we were lucky to get good weather and we got a nice hike down to Kvikkjokk. Back in Kvikkjokk the students catch the bus down to Jokkmokk and hot showers and a dinner of moose (elk) meat and potatoes awaited at Skabram camping
/ Matti

Kungsleden (the Kings Trail) is a summer and winter trail going from Abisko in the north to Hemavan in the south, almost 430 km long. This is one of Swedens most well known hiking trails and this year it’s among the finalists at Trip Global Award for one of the best experiences in Sweden.
In the beginning of the 1900s the Swedish Tourists Association started to mark the trail and intention was to make the King of all trails and it should go through the most beautiful areas in the Swedish mountains, therefore the name Kungsleden (the Kings Trail).
The most hiked and very polular distance are between Abisko and Nikkaluokta.
I have travelled here many times with the dogs when I have been transporting luggage for skiers, but I have never experienced it in summertime.
In June we were contacted by the Swedish Tourists Association and asked if we could guide one of their groups and I accepted.
We were a small group with only 6 persons including me. I like small groups, it’s only making it more personally and you have the chance to really get to know each other. All the nights were spent in the nice mountain huts along the trail.
I really enjoyed the tour and it was so nice to se this area in summer colors, lots of flowers and all the glittering waters which are covered of thick ice in wintertime. The nature showed herself from her best side and we got great weather. We had one day of rain but it was wonderful anyway.
Thank you Christina, Florence, Martin, Mattias and Tonje for a great week.

I recommend Kungsleden and if you want to experience it in wintertime driving your own dog team, many of our tours go along parts of the trail.
If you want to travel in the north most parts and in one of Sweden’s most high alpine areas I recommend the tour “The Northern Kings Trail with huskies”.

/Stina

Single in Salto
Every year the Saltoluokta Mountain lodge arranges a weeks program called Single in Salto. The mountain station is our base during the week with day tours in the surrounding area. Flora tours, hiking to the summit of Lulep Gierkau, cruising with M/S Langas to Stora Sjöfallet and a daytrip to Acke and Siv Kuoljok at Pietsaure Sami camp. A three course dinner at Saltoluokta restaurant every evening is one of the daily high points of the week. During the last few years, STF have hired Janne Axelsson of Inspirationsguiderna and myself, as the guides for this annual event.

Once more I can easily come to the conclusion that Saltoluokta Mountain lodge is one of the peaks in the Swedish mountains summers and winters!
/ Matti

All our Dog sled tours are updated for winter season 2010/2011!

And we have a new dog sledding adventure.
Some people think that the Overnight tour with dog sled is to short and the other longer tours are to long. So we now present a 4 days mid-winter adventure through the fairytale forests of Jokkmokk with big chances for northern lights.

It’s time to book a REAL winter husky adventure!
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!

/Stina

NEW! Dog sledding adventure and northern lights

4 days mid-winter adventure! Travel with your own dog team through the fairytale forests and see the mysterious northern lights dancing over the sky.

4 days  //  Price 9 600 Sek  //  18 – 21 Dec  //  26 – 29 Dec 2010 //  5 – 8 Jan 2011

The list of things that can happen out in the forests and mountains can be many, fractures, heart attack, diarrhea, hypothermia (cold injuries) etc.
WMI of NOLS (Wilderness Medicine Institute of National Outdoor Leadership School) provides educations for us who most of the time work where the nearest help from a rescue team is one hour or longer away.
Lena and Fredrik were our instructors this weekend. Both of them have many years of experience in guiding tours and expeditions around the world.
We were totally 16 students, most of us from Jokkmokk but also some from Gällivare.
We are very happy that several of our cooperation partners also have focus on safety and quality and joined this wilderness First Aid education.
Stina and I at Jokkmokkguiderna as well several of our cooperation partners are now prepared for the coming season with charged first aid kits and refreshed knowledge which we hopefully never have to us.
/Matti