Absolute ice of Bothnian Coastal Route

Day 1: Arrival in Skellefteå

Arrival at Skellefteå (SFT) airport. 

Several flight connections from Europe via Stockholm-Arlanda are available.

Accommodation at The Wood Hotel. The hotel is a sight in itself and hosts a culture center and a fine restaurant.

Day 2: Skellefteå & Piteå

Winter swimming is a true arctic experience. In Skellefteå you can start your morning by trying out this envigorating sport in good company.

A drive to Piteå takes about one hour and there your first ice-breaker adventure awaits you.

From December to March, the Arctic Explorer keeps vital shipping routes open in Piteå’s frozen seas. Step aboard for a 2-hour icebreaker experience and feel like part of the crew! Explore the ship from the engine rooms to the Captain’s bridge, learn about life aboard Arctic vessels, and even take part in the crew’s daily tasks.

A leisurely after cruise drive takes you to Luleå for an overnight and dinner at Stadshotellet.

Day 3: Luleå & Kalix

Before leaving Luleå, we recommend to have a morning walk on the nature ice track around the city.

A drive of about one hour takes you to the next ice-breaker adventure in Kalix.

The Polar Explorer Icebreaker offers a 3-hour cruise on the frozen Bothnian Sea in Lapland. Witness the vessel’s immense icebreaking power, explore from engine rooms to the Captain’s bridge, and enjoy a 16-language audio guide and a short film on global icebreakers. Relax in the cozy saloon with warm juice or walk on the frozen sea. For the adventurous, take a dip in icy waters with a survival suit and receive a Cruise & Swim Certificate from the captain as a keepsake.

Today the after cruise drive takes you to Kemi in Finland. You get to marvel the frozen sea both from Restaurant Lumihiutale and from the Seaside Glass Villas.

Day 4: Kemi & Oulu

All ports of Finland freeze in winter, when temperatures often dropping below -20°C. Given its reliance on sea transport, keeping winter ports open is crucial for the country’s international trade and competitiveness. The icebreaker Sampo, was a groundbreaking vessel of the 1960s, featuring dual bow thrusters for enhanced icebreaking efficiency. Sampo has been offering leisure cruises in Finnish Lapland since 1998. This morning is your turn to board this fantastic ship.

After the three-hour cruise you drive to Oulu. Aalto apartments by the sea are a true tribute to contemporary Nordic design and comfort.

Later, after dinner, we recommend to join in on the wilderness experience with a good chance to see the northern lights.

Day 5: Kalajoki

This day begins with a two-hour drive to Kalajoki. This coastal seaside resort with a massive sandy dune beach will impress you with a wide white view.

A snowmobile safari will take you out on the frozen sea and the little archipelago just south of Kalajoki Sand Dunes. The sea ice is treacherous and the local knowledge of the erxperienced guides will keep you safe during this exciting adventure.

Out on the sea you wil encounter ice-eskers that can be several meaters high. There can also be open water after an ice-breaker or just shifting ice blocks. With a hovercraft these hurdles are overcome and you might even visit autonomous Maakalla island (weather permitting).

Over dinner and from your room you get to enjoy the fantastic view and changing colors of the winter.

Day 6: Vaasa

We bet you have a lot of impressions to digest and need a relaxing break before you travel back home.

Two-and-a-half hours of driving takes you to Kalles Inn Resort in Vaasa, Kvarken Archipelago. Here you are staying right by the frozen sea. Unwind in a sauna, enjoy coastal flavors at dinner. Kalles Inn glass houses offer you a 180 degree wiev on the frozen sea as soon as you open your eyes. You might be lucky to fall asleep to northern lights blazing over the resort.

Day 7: Wasaline & Umeå

Catch a morning or daytime ferry from Vaasa (one hour drive from Kalles Inn Resort) to Umeå. Wasaline takes you over icy Kvarken Strait. Your thoughts will go to the past days’ ice-breaking adventures as the ferry ploughs through the icy waters.

Departure from Umeå (UME) airport. 

Several flight connections to Europe via Stockholm are available.