Abisko and Björkliden Day Trip From Kiruna with Lunch

About this tour

When Em from our team ran this day trip from Kiruna, we headed into Abisko National Park to see why locals reckon it's one of Sweden's sharpest landscapes. The tour hits the river canyon and Silver Waterfall (often half-frozen, which makes for solid photos), then drops you in Björkliden village for lunch with mountain views that actually live up to the hype. It's a 6–7 hour loop that doesn't demand rock-climbing fitness but does pack genuine scenery into a single afternoon. The mix of big terrain and a hot meal makes it a solid half-day option if you're based in Kiruna and want to skip the usual tourist trails.

Highlights

• River canyon cuts through white terrain — genuinely dramatic geology
• Silver Waterfall partially frozen; Em got sharp photos without crowds
• Lunch at Björkliden hotel: warm, unhurried, mountain views included
• AC van means you're not sweating between stops
• No heavy hiking required, suits most fitness levels
• Accessible from Kiruna hotels — no long transfer faffing
• Park itself feels quieter than typical Nordic tourist circuits
• Winter light turns everything crisp and clear

What to expect

Em picked up from her Kiruna hotel and drove into genuine emptiness — the kind of Swedish landscape where trees thin out and light does odd things. The canyon is the main event: water's cut deep, walls are steep, and it reads bigger in person than photos suggest. Silver Waterfall sits nearby; depending on the season, it's either a roaring drop or partly locked in ice, both photo-worthy.

Lunch happens at a cosy hotel in Björkliden village, not a rushed cafe. You get proper time to sit, warm up, and eat without feeling herded. The pacing is relaxed — this isn't a tick-box blitz. Weather's a factor (Sweden being Sweden), so layers and waterproofs aren't optional, but the tour doesn't pretend to be something it isn't. You're seeing a slice of proper northern landscape, not a theme park.

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