Congratulations
Get ready to visit Sweden!
You’ll get to experience the wild & indigenous arctic way in the North. Riddled with nomadic reindeer, icy rivers, snowy landscape, and the original ice hotel. But also, Stockholm – the capital of Scandinavia. Filled with everything from a Viking rich history to a modern vibrant hub, where a ferry ride in any direction will take you to a new island in the archipelago. Get ready for a unique winter experience.
WELCOME TO SWEDEN
YOUR EXPERIENCE
March 3 – Welcome to Stockholm
Arrive in Stockholm
Optional activities (depending on arrival time)
Welcome dinner
March 4 – Off to the North
Flight to Jukkasjärvi
Icehotel Experience
Frozen Arctic River Dinner
Sleep in an ice room or hotel room
(You will experience sleeping in a hand-carved ice room for one of the nights at the Icehotel, either on the first or second night. While you will all have your own room, most guests enjoy sharing this experience with a colleague. Read more)
March 5 – Exploring the Arctic
Your choice of unique winter activities
Exclusive Icehotel dinner
Icebar Celebration
With a bit of luck, northern lights
Sleep in an ice room or hotel room
March 6 – Experience Stockholm
Creative Challenge
Flight to Stockholm
Free time to explore the capital of Sweden
Gala Dinner Extravaganza
March 7 – Goodbye for now
Farewell breakfast
Airport transfers
FUN FACTS
JUKKASJÄRVI
Reindeer outnumber people by almost three to one.
It is home to Sweden’s most northern town (Kiruna), highest mountain (Kebnekaise) and deepest lake (Hornavan).
Did you know that the area is famous for its ‘Squeaky cheese’ (think halloumi)? Served with another speciality – cloudberry jam.
It’s the best place to view the Northern Lights.
The only indigenous people in Europe live here – the Sami
STOCKHOLM
The second highest number of top bars in any country… is little Sweden, and they’re all in Stockholm.
The city is built on 14 islands that are connected by 57 bridges.
The city is very international with over one third of the population coming from abroad.
Gamla Stan – Stockholm’s Old Town – is one of the largest and best-preserved medieval city centers in Europe.
Stockholm Syndrome really does come from Stockholm, coined from a week-long bank heist in 1970’s
Stockholm metro is well known for its art. Often dubbed the world’s longest art gallery.
Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm.
700 million snowballs
needed to build the Icehotel rooms
THE ICEHOTEL
A WARM AND COLD WELCOME
In March, craftspeople begin to harvest two-ton blocks of ice from Sweden’s Torne River. The ice — shimmering and perfectly clear — is stored in big warehouses until the following autumn, when construction begins on the vaulted chambers of the famous Icehotel.
During an intense period in Jukkasjärvi during November and early December every year, the empty space on the riverbank turns into a magnificent hotel made of ice and snow. In winter, people flock to stay in one of the crystalline rooms, on a bed made of pure ice.
The experience is unforgettable. Here’s our guide to staying in Icehotel.
THE ROOMS
THE CULINARY EXPERIENCE
The international kitchen brigade puts a cosmopolitan twist to the local ingredients, sourced from the region’s rivers, mountains, marshes and forests. On our menu you will find delicious dishes with ingredients like cloudberry, reindeer, and arctic char.
Of course the experience is accompanied by delicious Absolut cocktails served in ice glasses.
Everything You Need to Know
Icehotel Survival Guide
Sleeping in an Iceroom
You will stay at the Icehotel for two nights. One of them will be in the comfort of your own warm hotel room, the other night will be in a designed ice room.
In an ice hotel, the actual bed frame is made of ice – but you are separated from the surface by a slatted bed base with mattress, reindeer skins and pillows. We provide you with expedition-style sleeping bags which are tested for extreme temperatures, so you’ll be fine with just thermals, hat, warm socks and a mid-layer jumper.
During the day, bundle up in layers: a breathable underlayer, an insulating middle layer, and a windbreaking outer layer. At night, you’ll want to sleep in a single light layer (like thermal pajamas). We’ll make sure to provide you with items to keep you warm.
(Frozen) Water and electricity don’t go well together, so please don’t expect to find a place to charge your phone (or any power outlets at all). However, we will provide you with a powerbank to ensure you have enough juice to snap that perfect shot from your magical room. Your room will have a door made out of curtains instead of the more traditional wood.
We’ll have a tutorial how to best enjoy your night in your ice room before it’s time for bed. And if you wake up in the middle of the night and need to get out of the cold – we have a number of warm beds as a back-up.
Activites & Outdoors
The temperature in March can vary and it is important to wear the right clothes. We will provide you with, thermal underwear, socks, balaclava, hat, gloves,
warm winter shoes, warm insulated outdoor wear; pants and jacket. We will also share a suggested packing list well in advance.
You will be able to select unique outdoor experiences before the trip. More information to come.
General Excellence Trip Questions
You will stay at a high-end hotel when you arrive in Stockholm, your second and third night will be spent at the Icehotel. One of these nights will be in a cold ice room, the other in a warm hotel room. The fourth night is spent back at the same hotel, in Stockholm
It is possible to extend your stay in Stockholm before or after the trip at your own expense. More information will be available when registration opens.
We will share a list of available activities closer to your departure date.
A packing list will be shared in advance, as well as a list of items you should plan to bring with your trip. We will update you a couple months in advance so that you can prepare in good time for your experience.