Kiruna Area, anything else than Kungsleden?

[camlun]

If you start i Nikkaloukta you can hike Vistasvaggi and turn to either Unna Reaiddavaggi or Stuor Reaiddavaggi and walk to Sälka. From Sälka you can walk south on Kungsleden (aprox half a day) to Goubirvaggi where you turn towards Tarfala. From Tarfala back to Nikkaloukta I have only followed path.

 

[KebneKajsa]

Norway is part of the Schengen area.

 

[Henning K]

There is one reason not to hurry to much to the bus or train depending on your starting point: You might need to buy fuel or gas in Kiruna. Of course it is no problem to get it in Nikkaluokta or Abisko, but if you start in Katterat there is no place to buy it there.
You could walk a variation of the trip Veni proposed further up: Take the bus or train to Katterjåkk (just before Riksgränsen on the swedish side). There is a shop on that place, so I guess it should be possible to get fuel there - but maybe someone knows. Take the path to Stuor-Kärpel - Unna Allakas and then over to Cunojaure - Caihnavagge - Gautelis - Hukejaure. Here I would propose to continue to Singi (Taking the light dotted - unmarked - path through Neasketvaggi) and then to Kebnekaise - Nikkaluokta or south to Kaitum - Vakkotavare.
Or the other way round with start in Nikkaluokta which gives you more time in Kiruna as you wrote further up.
As KebneKajse wrote: Norway is part of the Schengen area so there is no problem for your girlfriend to visit that country.
The only discount I know about in the busses is that you get 25% off if you are not older than 25, but the same thing is on the train, so that might always be cheaper if you have the choice.

Henning

 

[tiantian]

My girlfriend is 25 years old, so she would get the discount. Starting in Nikkaluokta and take a train back from Katterjåkk to Kirnua would at least be the cheapest way, just 393SEK. But money shouldnt be to important for this trip. It also leave us enough time bring clothes to the hotel and we can get fuel for our stove in Nikkaluokta.
Can't find a lot information about this trek, seems that really not a lot people do that. Have you done it? Is it really possible in our time, I guess its a little long for 7 full and 2 half days.

 

[Henning K]

I have not done that trek as one trek, but except the bit from Nikkaluokta to Kebnekaise Fjällstation I have walked all of it under different treks (Sometimes only in the opposite direction).
I guess it should work (I check it with the huts, but of course with the tent you do not have to stop there ):
1 (Half day): Nikkaluokta - Kebnekaise (Bus arrival 16:00)
2: Kebnekaise - Singi
3: Singi - Hukejaure
4: Hukejaure - Gautelis
5: Gautelis - Caihnavagge (Short but lots of rocks)
6: Caihnavagge - Unna Allakas
7: Unna Allakas - Stuor Kärpel (Quite rocky, difficult to find tent spots on some parts)
8 (Half day): Stuor Kärpel - Katterjåkk (Trains at 11:45 and 13:35)

So it seems you even have a spare day, so you do not need to just "run" through but can take it easy when you feel like.

Henning

 

[smux]

Even if Nikkaloukta-Kebnekailse is an easy trek, it's quite long (almost 20km) and I wouldn't consider it beeing half a days walk as I understand you will be carrying tent and food etc for the full trail? If you don't want to meet to much people, avoid Kebnekaise fjällstation (that place is crowded more than enything else on Kungsleden).

As I understand you are hard depending on your flight schedules, I woudn't recommend you to plan such a long trip that you have to walk day & nights just to catch your flight instead of having time to enjoy the trail and sceneries.
I have no information of your earlier experiences from long trekking tours or this area of the world, but I would recommend that you plan at least one spare day per week in your plan. This would ensure time to recover, slow down in case of fatigue or a cold or just bad weather. In particular the weather can be a challenge so far north and close to the northern Atlantic - it changes rapidly and can be very rough.
I try to plan daily distances of around 10-11km when carrying tent, food etc. This would ensure the extra spare days to be part of my plan. If I don't have to use the sparetime as intended, it's a good opportunity for day trips to explore the areas I visit

 

[guhj]

Even if Nikkaloukta-Kebnekailse is an easy trek, it's quite long (almost 20km) and I wouldn't consider it beeing half a days walk as I understand you will be carrying tent and food etc for the full trail?

I try to plan daily distances of around 10-11km when carrying tent, food etc.

This all comes down to personal fitness and preferences. I've walked Nikka-Kebne in about 4 hours with a 35 kg pack without really pushing it. With a slightly lighter pack, if there is a fairly straight and smooth trail, and there's no significant altitude changes, I find 5 km/h to be a reasonable pace, which turns daily distances of 10 km into 2 hour walks...

So the basic advice (plan to have some spare time, weather can be an issue, having to hurry kind of sucks) is sound, but take advice about how far is too far with a pinch of salt.

 

[Henning K]

I was also thinking about writing Nikka-Keb for half a day, especially as they only arrive at 4 in the afternoon. But as they have a tent with them there is no need to reach the Fjällstation on that day, and the next day is not too long so they might catch up a little then.
But I agree: Take it easy and enjoy, it is not possible to see everything on your first visit anyway.

Henning

 

[avslutad210712]

I have walked Kebne-Nikka a number of times and would say that its a half day without headbanging.

 

[tiantian]

We are both fit, and our equipment is lightweight. Without food it's just 6kg per person for tent, sleeping bag and air mat, clothes, backpack. I also dry my food by myself, it's also not to heavy. And we like to walk, as long as it's not dark we can walk till 10pm first day without a problem.
I also have experience with trekking, Corsica last year, two years ago a long trek through Chinese mountains up to 5000m....

 

[avslutad210712]

We are both fit, and our equipment is lightweight. Without food it's just 6kg per person for tent, sleeping bag and air mat, clothes, backpack. I also dry my food by myself, it's also not to heavy. And we like to walk, as long as it's not dark we can walk till 10pm first day without a problem.
I also have experience with trekking, Corsica last year, two years ago a long trek through Chinese mountains up to 5000m....

Its Kiruna
Its summer

It never gets dark so just walk on

 

[tiantian]

@Henning: Why you recommend Katterjåkk instead of Katterat, you mean I should just avoid it as a starting point because of the fuel, but how about the ending point. Which is a nicer trek, walking to Katterjåkk or Katterat?
For our dates there is only one daily train on this route.

Is there any need for buying the bus ticket from Kiruna to Nikkaluokta in advance at sj.se? Can i pay with creditcard in the bus and is it the same price than online?