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Green northern lights over a lake and a flat-topped mountain, a band of blue twilight on the horizon
Photo: David Becker / Unsplash

Kiruna in winter

Husky sledding, northern lights, the Icehotel and reindeer farms in Swedish Lapland. Compare the tours from Kiruna and book the one that fits your days.

Aurora season from late August to April · Icehotel winter season from December

Choose your activity

Husky sleddingDrive your own team or ride as a passenger: kennels, times and the tours compared.Tours from €148Northern lightsWhen the sky is dark enough, why tours drive to Abisko, and which aurora tour suits you.Tours from €56Snowmobile toursLicence rules, day or evening, and tours where you can sit in the sled instead.Tours from €90IcehotelDay ticket or guided trip, the winter hotel and ICEHOTEL 365, and what else is in Jukkasjärvi.Tours from €29Reindeer and Sámi cultureReindeer farms with Sámi hosts, sled rides and how to tell the formats apart.Tours from €193Abisko and day tripsAbisko National Park, Björkliden, Torneträsk and the fjord at Narvik, by tour or by train.Tours from €105

Snowshoeing, ice fishing, moose spotting and more

Three tours to start with

An aurora trip towards Abisko, a husky morning where you drive the sled, and a guided visit to the Icehotel with the Sámi museum. All three include pickup in Kiruna.

Northern lights trip to Abisko

Minibus to Abisko, max. 8 · 4.5 hours

4.4 (498 reviews)

✓ Free cancellation

from €169

Book on GetYourGuide

Self-drive husky morning with lunch

Self-drive, 2 per sled · 5 hours

5.0 (190 reviews)

✓ Free cancellation

from €260

Book on GetYourGuide

Icehotel and Jukkasjärvi with a guide

Guided, max. 8 · 3 hours

4.7 (66 reviews)

✓ Free cancellation

from €160

Book on GetYourGuide

See all tours in the comparison

A mining town in the far north

Kiruna lies 145 km north of the Arctic Circle, according to the regional tourist office, and grew up around the iron ore mine in the Kiirunavaara mountain. The mine is the reason the town centre is moving: a new centre opened in 2022, and in August 2025 the wooden church was moved about five kilometres in one piece. Our page on Kiruna town and the mine explains what you can see of it.

For visitors the town is a base for the winter outdoors. The Icehotel is in Jukkasjärvi, about 17 km to the east, and Abisko National Park lies 93 km to the northwest by road. Most tours collect you at your hotel or at a meeting point in the centre, so you can book activities without renting a car.

Light shapes every plan here. The sun stays below the horizon from 11 December to 1 January, and the days lengthen quickly after that. The month-by-month guide shows what that means for a husky ride in the morning or an aurora tour at night.

Plan your trip

Plan your tripBest time to visit KirunaPolar night, daylight by month, cold and snow, and when the aurora season runs. Plan your tripGetting to KirunaFlights, the night train from Stockholm, the airport bus and getting on to Abisko. Plan your tripGetting around KirunaBuses, taxis, winter driving, tour pick-ups and the train to Abisko. Plan your tripWhat to wear in Kiruna in winterLayers, wool and the outer gear that tours lend you, so you know what to pack. Plan your tripKiruna itineraries for 3 to 7 daysSample plans for a long weekend, five days and a week, with Abisko and the Icehotel. Plan your tripKiruna with kidsMinimum ages, family tours, cold and darkness: what works with children. Plan your tripPolar night in KirunaWhen the sun stays below the horizon, how much light there is and how to plan your days. PlacesWinter events in KirunaSnow Festival, Jokkmokk market and other dates for the winter season.

Places and sights

PlacesAbisko National Park in winterTrails, the Aurora Sky Station chairlift, Torneträsk and how to get there from Kiruna. PlacesAurora Sky Station in AbiskoThe chairlift to Nuolja, opening times, what to wear and how the evening works. PlacesJukkasjärvi villageThe village on the Torne River: old church, Icehotel, Sámi culture and the way there. Plan your tripKiruna town, the move and the mineWhy the centre moved, where the church went and how to visit the iron ore mine.

Questions travellers ask

When is the best time for a winter trip to Kiruna?

Snow usually settles at the end of October and winter activities run until about mid-April. The best chances for the northern lights are from mid-November to mid-March, and the Icehotel winter season runs from December to April.

How dark is it in Kiruna in winter?

The sun does not rise from 11 December 2026 to 1 January 2027. Even on 21 December there is twilight from 08:56 to 14:18. By 1 March the sun is up from 06:59 to 16:45.

How far is the Icehotel from Kiruna?

The Icehotel is in Jukkasjärvi, about 17 km east of Kiruna according to the hotel. Many tours include the transfer, and the airport is a 15-minute drive away.

Do I need a car in Kiruna?

No. The airport bus runs to all flights, and almost every tour on this site includes pickup in town. If you drive yourself, winter tyres are compulsory in winter road conditions from 1 December to 31 March.

Is this the official tourist office?

No. Kiruna Tourism is an independent guide. The official tourist office of the region is Kiruna Lapland at kirunalapland.se.