Nordkalottleden
Description
- Name Nordkalottleden
- Length of trail 800 km, 497 miles
- Length in days 45 days
- Start of trail Sulitjelma
- End of trail Kvikkjokk
- Traildino grading MW, Moderate walk, backpacking trail
- Hut tour grading T1, Walk
Arctic Trail, 800 km, Sulitjelma (Norway) or Kvikkjokk (Sweden) - Kautokeino (Norway), two months
Connects to Kungsleden and Padjelantaleden.
The entire Arctic Trail is 800 km long, a very long walk that will take all nordic summer. Three countries share the trail: Norway (Nordkalottruta, 380 km), Sweden (Nordkalottleden, 350 km) and Finland (Kallottireitti, 70 km).sh; Kautokeino (Norway), two months
This is the most northerly long distance hike you will find in Europe, entirely above the polar circle. The landscape is unceasingly wild and desolate: mountains, lakes, glaciers and high plateau's. It is wide and open in most places, but wooded valleys, birch and pine, are part of the natural landscape too.
Parts of the trail are shared with other well known trails. Starting from the south, the beautiful mountains and plateaus of Nord-Helgeland, Saltfjellet and Sulitjelma are crossed via the more southern Nordlandsruta. Where Sulitjelmafjellene ends, starts the Nordkalott trail. On the Swedish side, a second branch starts in Kvikkjokk. The trail follows the Padjelantaleden in Sweden, then runs together with the Nordlandsruta, then picks up Kungsleden. From Abisko, the northern trailhead of Kungsleden, the Nordkalott trail continues for a long, long distance, entering Troms, passing over Finnlands highest mountain, and finally finishing in the Samen village of Kautokeino in Norway.
The entire trail is marked and serviced by mountain huts. Most of the huts will be of the unstaffed type, where you must carry your own food. You will need the DNT key to open (and close) the huts. Along the popular Kungsleden and Padjelantaleden, staffed huts take over, and meals and provisions are available.
Opinions

- Philipp July 2017
- Rate 10

- Argysh June 2013
- Rate 10
Map
Links
Facts
- Nordkallottruta - grenseløs fin fottur - Tur - UT.no (Norwegian)
The DNT has an excellent and complete description of the trail, with an overview of all the huts and how to get a key, and public transport to the different trailheads.
- Outdoors.fi - Nordkalottleden Trail
This page from a Finnish outdoor website focusses mainly on the Finish part of the trail. The site helps you organising your expedition, giving lots of facts on transport, lodging, maps, and difficulties of the trail.
- Wanderwege - Weitwandern im Fjäll (German)
This German website is a good source of information for those who want to explore the far north of Europe.
- Nordkalottleden - Nordkalottruta - Kallottireitti (Dutch)
Good introduction of the trail, with an overview of the sections and a few links.
Reports
- Nordkalotten Trail | nielsenbrownwalkabout
Complete coverage of this trail in Sweden's wild North.
- Hiking Northern Scandiavia (part 1): Nordkalottleden « Strous House
Blog style report. These hikers walked a part of the Nordkalottleden and a part of Kungsleden. While on Kungsleden, they got caught in a running contest. So, it's not that lonely at the top.
- Hiking Trails: Nordkalottleden
Fine introduction to the trail, and parts of the trail are described as the author has walked them.
- Nordkalottleden, the Arctic Trail: 13/08/07 - 5/09/07
Good website, with a lot of practical info. Hopefully the author will upload his complete trail account in the future.
Guides and maps
Lodging
Organisations
Tour operators
GPS
Other
Books

Netherlands
2010
- Nordskandinavien - Der Wanderführer
- Aktualisierte und erweiterte Neuauflage: Dieses Buch enthält die erste vollständige Beschreibung des 1993 eingeweihten, sehr populären Nordkalottleden. 800 Kilometer führt dieser schönste und längste Wanderweg Nordskandinaviens durch die Berge Norwegens, Schwedens und Finnlands, überquert dabei 15 Mal die Grenzen und führt auch über den... Read more
- Also available from:
- Bol.com, Belgium
- De Zwerver, Netherlands

Belgium
2010
- Nordskandinavien - Der Wanderführer
- Aktualisierte und erweiterte Neuauflage: Dieses Buch enthält die erste vollständige Beschreibung des 1993 eingeweihten, sehr populären Nordkalottleden. 800 Kilometer führt dieser schönste und längste Wanderweg Nordskandinaviens durch die Berge Norwegens, Schwedens und Finnlands, überquert dabei 15 Mal die Grenzen und führt auch über den... Read more

Netherlands
2010
- Wandelgids Nordskandinavien wanderfuhrer - Noord Scandinavië | Edition Elch
- Uitvoerige wandelgids - duitstalig - over een aantal lange afstands wandelpaden in het uiterste noorden van Zweden en Noorwegen. Goede beschrijvingen met veel praktische details als afstanden, route, dag tot dag, hutten etc. De wandelpaden zijn: Nordkalottleden, Kungsleden, Padjelanta Aktualisierte und erweiterte Neuauflage: Dieses Buch enthält... Read more

Netherlands
2018
- Wandelgids Lappland - Lapland | Rother
- Uitstekende wandelgids met een groot aantal dagtochten in dal en hooggebergte. Met praktische informatie en beperkt kaartmateriaal! Wandelingen in verschillende zwaarte weergegeven in rood/blauw/zwart. Lappland ist die Heimat des Urvolkes der Samis, der Rentiere, der Fjälls, der Bären sowie eines unermesslichen Reichtums an Natur. Die Region,... Read more