Kiruna with kids

6 min read Updated October 2026 Compare all tours

A family trip to Kiruna in winter works best when each day has one outing of two or three hours and plenty of time indoors around it. Most tours collect you in town, lend outer clothing and end with something warm to drink. What separates them for families is the minimum age, which the operators set very differently, and the time of day, because the light is short and the aurora comes late.

Minimum ages by activity

The table lists the lowest ages stated on the tour pages we checked. Where a page gives no limit, ask the operator before you book.

In Abisko the limits are similar. The guided morning hike is not suitable for children under 7, the snowshoe walk not under 8, and on the snowmobile tour children aged 7 to 14 sit in the guide's sled. Ice fishing on Lake Torneträsk takes children from 5.

Tours made with families in mind

The clearest family option is the kennel of Lapland Sleddog Adventures in Kurravaara. Its sleds take two adults and three children, a guide drives, and afterwards there is coffee and home-baked cake by the fire in a tipi. Pickup in Kiruna starts at 09:15, which suits children who wake early. It is also the only tour here that lists outerwear in children's sizes.

Camp Caroli in Jukkasjärvi uses a different idea. A covered sled with a roof that can be closed is pulled by the guide's snowmobile around the frozen lake and river, so small passengers sit out of the wind. The group is limited to five, and overalls, gloves, boots and helmets are included.

Children who are unsure about riding can start with the dogs on the ground. Jukkasjärvi Vildmarks Turer opens its kennel in Laxforsen, about 10 km from Kiruna, for a visit of 1.5 to 2 hours. You meet the huskies, hear how sledding works and have coffee or tea with a cookie in a kåta by the kennel. There is no ride on this tour, and the transfer from town is an option you add when booking.

For reindeer, Aurora Rivercamp runs a two-hour trip to a corral in Jukkasjärvi, where you feed the animals over the fence; children are welcome from 3 years. The sleigh on this tour is pulled by a snowmobile, not by reindeer. In the village itself, the Sámi museum at Nutti Sámi Siida opens daily from 10:00 to 16:00, and our reindeer and Sámi culture page covers the longer visits. Camp Caroli also takes families ice fishing on Lake Sautosjärvi for two hours and grills the catch over the fire.

Keeping children warm

The tourist office gives about minus 20 degrees as a usual January temperature, and minus 15 for December and February. Its clothing advice applies to children as much as to adults: several layers that trap air between them, no cotton, a hat that also covers the ears and neck, and boots one size larger to leave room for thick socks. It also notes that most companies lend warm clothing, but that you should still arrive properly dressed.

The fit of a lent overall on a small child is the open question. Several tours list overalls, boots and gloves without naming sizes, so pack a full set of children's winter clothes and use the lent gear on top. Sitting still in a sled is colder than walking, which is why shorter tours of around two hours tend to work better for younger children. More detail is on our page about what to wear in Kiruna.

Darkness, bedtime and the aurora

From 11 December to 1 January the sun does not rise in Kiruna. Daylight then returns quickly: on 1 February the sun is up from 08:56 to 14:50. For families this means booking outdoor tours for late morning or midday and keeping the afternoon for rest indoors.

The aurora is usually strongest between 21:00 and 23:00, late for small children. The shortest aurora tour on this site travels by van with up to eight guests, takes 3.5 hours and accepts children from 4. A heated bus tour of 5.5 hours takes them from 5, and so does an evening that starts with a barbecue in a lavvu at Poikkijärvi. The tourist office notes that the aurora can sometimes be seen from central Kiruna, though darker places further out are better. On a clear evening a short walk away from the street lights may be enough for a first look. Our northern lights page explains the forecasts.

In town and underground

The LKAB mine tour goes by bus into the mountain to a visitor area on the 540 m level, where it is between 8 and 12 degrees above zero. Children need to be at least 110 cm tall. The tour takes about three hours, and the organiser recommends booking ahead because places are limited.

On the town buses, two children under 6 travel free with a paying adult, and each bus has room for two prams. During the Kiruna Snow Festival on the last weekend of January, which starts on 27 January in 2027, a new snow playground is built every year and is free for everyone. The festival programme also has street hockey for children on Stadshustorget.

A night in the Icehotel is possible with children, but the hotel recommends it only for those older than seven. The ice rooms have no toilets; these, with showers and saunas, are in the warm Riverside building next door, which matters with a child who wakes at night.