Published on Jan, 2024

My son and I spent 4 nights at the Mattharaka Lodge to celebrate our birthdays and I would happily have stayed longer. Fabio and Mikko led the tours around the local area and were knowledgeable, interesting and great fun. The lodge was warm and cosy, the breakfasts were a buffet style serve yourself and were excellent. Tea and coffee was available all day. The bedrooms were compact and very comfortable, with a seating area, en suite bathroom and good beds. It’s a family run lodge and all the staff were very friendly - it feels like a home away from home. Chef Alex provided a few meals on request (lunch or dinner) and they were very good. We were provided with all the cold weather gear for our time there and, as the weather was unseasonably cold, this was essential. We visited the Sami, went dog sledding (highly recommended with this tour) and practised mindfulness in a tipi ( then later with the dogs) and went snowmobiling twice. Once in the dark and once at sunrise. There’s a hot tub up on the roof (which you need to book) and a sauna in the lodge itself. And, very importantly, we saw the northern lights. There’s a clear viewing area facing north at the lodge. We had one excellent viewing and one with a green glow. We were also taken to a frozen lake one night. Fabulous stars though not much aurora action. The lodge is situated on the edge of the wilderness and there are numerous paths that have been compacted so that you can go walking on your own. The lodge is close to Kiruna, a mining town if you wanted some shopping but far enough away to feel like a retreat (about 10 minutes from the airport). We spent our free time hiking into the snowy wilderness. This is a fabulous place to go and stay if you want to see the northern lights - everyone goes out of their way to try and ensure you have the best chance. We loved it and I’m already planning a return visit.