Two days in Kiruna with the Icehotel at the center
Two days is a common length for a winter stop in Kiruna, and the Icehotel fits neatly into the first one. This plan gives the first morning to the guided tour and the first evening to the sky, then leaves day two open.
Why the Icehotel goes first
Put the Icehotel on the first full morning. Winter weather in Swedish Lapland can upset plans for a day, and a booking early in the stay leaves room to move it.
The guided tours on this site allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before. That keeps a first-day booking low risk if your flight lands late or a storm rolls in.
A morning outdoors on day one also shows you how your clothes cope with the cold. If they fall short, there is still time to buy a warmer hat or better gloves in town.
Day one morning at the Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi
The Sámi-guided tour by Scandinavian Sami Photoadventures (~$182) picks up at Camp Ripan at 9:30 am, or outside the Kiruna tourist office at 9:40 am. The van takes about 20 minutes to Jukkasjärvi, roughly 17 km (11 miles) east of town.
The first 70 minutes or so belong to the reindeer at Nutti Sami Siida, where guests get to feed them. Then comes the old church, whose oldest parts date from 1607, and about 70 minutes among the ice art.
The whole tour runs about 3 hours, so you are back in town in time for a late lunch. Our guide to the reindeer stop covers what the Sámi guides talk about.
Prefer a slightly later start? Lights of Vikings (~$182) costs the same, begins at 10:00 am with pickup from six hotels and runs about 4 hours, with more time inside the ice.
A morning that fills day one
Three hours with a Sámi guide that start among the reindeer and end in the ice rooms. Pickup is in town, groups stay at 8 people or fewer, and GetYourGuide lets you reserve now and pay later.
A quiet afternoon in Kiruna town
Kiruna is Sweden's northernmost town, built around one of the world's largest underground iron ore mines. The mine undermines the old centre, so the town is being moved east.
A slow afternoon suits most people after a cold morning. Eat something hot, walk around the town while there is light, and rest before going out again after dark.
An aurora chance on the first evening
The northern lights are possible in Kiruna from about September to March on a clear, dark night. They are never certain, and no day tour includes them.
Check the cloud forecast in the afternoon and walk away from street lights after dark. Even the edge of town gives you a darker sky than the centre.
Standing still at night is colder than walking through the ice rooms, so add a layer to the morning outfit. What to wear in a hotel made of ice lists the basics.
Day two with sled dogs or the Abisko side
Day two is yours to shape. Local companies around Kiruna offer winter outings that sit outside the listings we compare. These are the usual ones.
- Dog sledding
- Snowshoe walks
- Snowmobile trips, some of them with a stop at the Icehotel
We do not review those here, so check each company's inclusions before you book. Group sizes and prices differ a lot between companies.
Some travelers base themselves in Abisko, roughly 95 km (59 miles) west of Kiruna, for the aurora. From there Lights Over Lapland runs a 7-hour coach day to the Icehotel (~$152), and our Abisko day trip guide covers its trade-offs.
That way round costs about four hours on a coach for 2.5 hours at the hotel, with no reindeer stop. It suits people whose trip is built around the Abisko sky rather than around the ice.
Whatever you choose for day two, keep the evening free again. A second clear night is a second aurora chance.
What the two days cost
The only fixed price in the plan is the tour. The rest depends on how you eat and what you add on day two.
| Part of the plan | Price per person | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sámi-guided tour, 3 hours | ~$182 | Icehotel and Sámi museum entry included |
| Lights of Vikings, 4 hours | ~$182 | Same price, with hotel pickup and longer in the ice |
| Entrance ticket alone | ~$33 | Transport to Jukkasjärvi extra |
| Aurora watch on your own | free | Needs a clear, dark night |
| Day two outing | varies | Not compared on this site |
Meals and drinks are not included on either guided tour. Our Icehotel price breakdown lists the extras that add up over a day.
Small things that keep the plan on track
- Book the Icehotel tour before you plan day two around it
- Save the pickup point and time offline (Camp Ripan at 9:30 am or the tourist office at 9:40 am for the Sámi-guided tour)
- With Lights of Vikings, wait outside your hotel rather than in the lobby, as its Viator pickup note asks
- Keep both evenings free of fixed plans in case the sky clears
- Carry a snack and a warm drink for the aurora watch
With one day, or with three
With a single day, keep just two things, the morning tour plus the evening sky watch. Both fit in one winter day without a rush.
With a third day, consider a night in the ice itself. Sleeping in the Icehotel or visiting by day weighs that up, and the best weeks to go helps you pick the dates.