If you’re doing day hikes in popular parts of a mountain area, there’s no reason to worry. The trails are marked and often clearly signposted, the distances aren’t very large, and you’ll meet other hikers. The same applies if you’re hiking between mountain huts on the most popular routes. See our recommendations.

Facilities to ensure the safety of mountain hikers:

• Signposts and marked trails mean you can feel certain of choosing the right direction.
• On the trails there are bridges over larger watercourses.
• The trails offer temporary shelters.
• Many of these shelters have emergency telephones, as do all mountain huts.
• You can contact the mountain rescue service on 112 or direct from the emergency phone.
• Mountain huts and mountain stations are available for accommodation.
• Mountain guides offer hikes.
  
  

You can do a lot yourself:

• Choose a hike that suits your ability and don’t walk alone.
• Try out walking with your boots and backpack at home.
• Make sure you are warm, dry and have plenty to eat.
• Choose hiking shoes and rainwear carefully.
• Use a mountain map – study the different hike options before leaving home.
• Hike along the marked trail but still follow the map.
• Bring your mobile phone, but don’t rely on it to work everywhere.
• Listen to local weather forecasts.
• If you’re hiking for several days, tell someone about the hike and when you plan to be back.

You don’t actually need specific mountain hiking equipment. The gear you use for outdoor activities at home is usually fine for mountain hiking. For all hikes, you need good footwear and to keep yourself warm, dry and fed.  If you’re going to hike between mountain huts, you need to make sure your backpack isn’t unnecessarily heavy.

Simple equipment for day hikes

Dress in clothes that feel comfortable when you’re hiking on your home terrain! In a small backpack you carry a packed lunch, a seat pad, rainwear and something to keep you warm during breaks. Good hiking footwear, which can be boots or shoes with sturdy soles, is recommended. Even if you trust your shoes, bring blister plasters. There are summer days when you may need gloves and a hat, but there are also days for shorts and T-shirts. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and choose what to bring with you! Even if hiking trails are well-marked, you will be glad you brought a map and perhaps some energy bars! Bring your mobile phone, but don’t rely on it to work everywhere!

Day hike equipment list here

Simple equipment for multi-day hikes

Take a look in your store room and wardrobe. You probably already have everything you need. Dress in clothes that feel comfortable when you’re hiking on your home terrain. Your feet need boots with sturdy soles. It’s common for people to bring more than they need, so be wary of ‘useful things’. You’ll find your hike in the mountains so much easier if your backpack isn’t unnecessarily heavy. You can choose to bring an open-air kitchen and cook lunches along the way, but a lighter option is to fill your thermos and make a packed lunch in the mountain hut, where you also prepare breakfast and dinner. You can buy food in many of the huts. You can see which ones in our list of recommended hikes.

Multi-day hike equipment list here:

In all easily accessible mountain areas there are huts, hotels, guest houses and hostels. You can usually count on them as sources of local advice and tips on hikes and activities. If you want to hike over the mountains between different places, you stay in mountain huts and at mountain stations.  The accommodation in the huts is spartan, but the standard is higher at the mountain stations!

Day hike accommodation

You rent a mountain hut or stay in a hotel, guest house or hostel. But there are things you need to think about in addition to the price when you choose accommodation. Ask about them when you book:

• How close to the mountains is the accommodation?
• Are there many marked trails so I can do a variety of hikes?
• Do marked trails start immediately outside the accommodation or do I need a car?
• What other outdoor activities are available in the area?
• Is there equipment for hire?
• Are there any guided hikes?
• Can I choose bed and breakfast, half and full board?
• Is self-catering possible?
• How far is it to any food shops?
  
  

Multi-day hike accommodation

On a multi-day hike, you stay in huts and mountain stations along the marked route. It’s about 15–20 km between overnight stops. Hikes can vary from a couple of days to week-long hikes. The Swedish Tourist Association, STF, has 44 mountain huts from Grövelsjöfjällen in the south to Pältsa, close to Treriksröset, in the north. In areas with no roads, STF has four mountain stations. In Padjelanta National Park, seven mountain huts are run by Badjelánnda Laponia Turism.  You can’t pre-book a bed in these huts.

Mountain huts offer simple standard accommodation and you share the space with other hikers. A warden allocates beds and manages the facility. You book a bed, not a room. There are good self-catering facilities, and often also a food shop. Several of the huts have saunas, and all of them have ’outhouse’ toilets. On the beds there is a duvet and pillow. You bring your travel sheet with you. The mountain stations are of higher standard, and you can book a room or bed, eat in a restaurant, often book a guided tour and have the option of renting equipment. Self-catering is also available here. For accommodation in STF’s mountain huts and mountain stations, you book and pay in advance. All overnight stays can be booked at the same time. You don’t book the huts in Padjelanta. You can find more information on svenskaturistforeningen.se and padjelanta.se.

From Dalarna in the south to Treriksröset in Lapland, there are plenty of areas offering great mountain hiking. Your choice of area will depend on whether you intend to do day hikes, walk between different places or have a mountain holiday with many different types of activity. But also how far you want to travel and how you choose to get there. We’ve picked out a few mountain areas for your first mountain holiday.

Most first-time visitors to the mountains in summer start their mountain hiking experience with day hikes. You stay in one place and hike on well-marked trails. Signposting is often good, and there are many local printed hiking guides or apps that suggest routes. You simply choose the length of mountain hike that suits you. In the areas we recommend for day hikes, there are also often a range of other activities, such as cycling.

On a multi-day hike, you hike between different huts and mountain stations along the marked route. The huts offer simple self-catering accommodation, and they are about 15-20 km apart. We recommend that you book before arriving. Some huts have small shops with food, which helps reduce the weight of your backpack! You should count on a day’s hike taking between 6–9 hours, depending on factors such as the weather and topography.

Read more about the hikes in the different mountain areas:

Grövelsjöfjällen
Härjedalsfjällen
Jämtlandsfjällen
Vindelfjällen
Laponia – the Padjelanta Trail
Kirunafjällen