Nikkaluokta is located where the three valleys Vistasvagge, Ladtjovagge and Kalixälven’s lakes meet at Sweden’s most powerful high mountain area. The village is located where the public road ends and the mountain trails begin. Lake Paittasjärvi extends east of the village and to the west rises the Kebnekaise massif. The village is located on the border between two Sami villages, Laevas and Girjas, which conduct reindeer husbandry in the area.

There have been Sámi settlements in the area for several thousand years. In Nikkaluokta came the first permanent settlements, the peat huts in the early 20th century. It was the reindeer herding families – njargajohttit – who lost their reindeer herds during difficult winters and sought other ways to provide for their families. Nikkaluokta was located on the migration route and was a good place to live. There were opportunities for fishing, hunting and, as it turned out later, work with transport and service.

See and do

Skiing in Nikkaluokta is a spring-winter daydream. Experience the silence in Vistasdalen, the view from the open mountain area or take you through the birch forest in Ladtjodalen. From here you can also make a day trip to Sweden’s highest mountain Kebnekaise – there are daily snowmobile transfers heading up to STF Kebnekaise Mountain Station. The spring-winter season in Nikkaluokta normally extends from the end of February to the beginning of May.

During the Summer and Autumn seasons, you will find great fishing oppertunaties in the area, and there are several nice mountain hikes that suit everyone. Rent a canoe and go out with a friend or accompanied with an experienced guide on a wonderful boat trip in Vistasvagge. In summer you can also go on a lovely riding tour with icelandic horses. Kallax Flyg with its helicopter base on spot offers scheduled services to Kebnekaise Mountain Station.

From Nikkaluokta to Kebnekaise Mountain Station

To get from Nikkaluokta to Kebnekaise mountain station you have 19 km of lovely mountain hiking or skiing ahead of you. The first 5,6 km to the glacial lake Láddjujávri consists of easy hiking through birch forest. At the lake is Enoks, which offers comfortable accommodation in mountain cabins and good food in the beautiful restaurant. Try the reindeer burger in classic Lap Dånald’s style surrounded by vast nature in a mountain setting. If you want, you can choose to take a boat across Láddjujávri from here to shorten the hiking time during the summer. Departure times daily from around the end of June to the middle of September. The boat trips are adapted to regular bus times between Nikkaluokta – Kiruna.

The trail then continues along the valley and Láddjujávri before eventually diverging and beginning to wind its way up the mountainside towards the station. In the last kilometers to the station, the landscape opens up and the terrain becomes slightly steeper. The hike usually takes between 5-6 hours.

For those looking for an alternative to the hike or skiing, you can choose to take a helicopter up to the station in the summer or a snowmobile transport in the spring and winter.