midnight sun experiences, activities in Jukkasjärvi under the summer sun
In Jukkasjärvi summer doesn't follow the rules. The sun is up at midnight, the river is cool enough to take your breath away and at some point during your second day you stop checking the time entirely. That is not an accident. It is what this place does to you.
The activities here are built for the light and not around it, but genuinely because of it. Things happen at 10pm thar would be unremarkable at noon anywhere else. Dinners are cooked over open fires at whatever hours feels right. The midnight sun changes what is possible. The experiences are the best ways to use it.
on the river
The Torne River is the physical heart of Jukkasjärvi. In winter it freezes solid and its ice becomes the hotel. In summer it runs clear and cold from the mountains and almost everything we do here involves it in some way.
Torne river rafting
Put on a wetsuit, helmet and life jacket and spend the day pushing through the river's tough rapids and stretches of glassy calm. The Torne River moves through uninhabited forest where there are no roads visible, few buildings and other boats. In June, the light is the same at 9am and 9 pm. Both feel extraordinary on the water.
The rapids are genuine. This is not a lazy float but the guided format makes it accessible without prior experience.
Book one of our group river rafting tours here
grayling fishing in Luspen
The Torne River is one of Sweden's great grayling rivers. At our wilderness camp, Luspen, you can experience a true premium four day fishing trip. You stay in a cozy cabin with access to a wood-heated sauna. At Luspen, there is a great chance to catch big graylings. When you are not fishing you can rest your legs indoor. During your stay at Luspen, your guide will make sure that no one goes hungry. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks will be prepared for you to enjoy. Meals are based on local produce and perhaps also your catch of the day.
In the wilderness
Wilderness dinner
ICEHOTEL's signature summer evening: Taste the season on our Wilderness Dinner - a delicious dining experience in the woodlands. You head out to a secluded wilderness camp by boat or minivan (depending on the weather) together with a guide. The northernmost part of Sweden has eight seasons, each with its own characteristics, which inspired the exclusive three-course wilderness dinner made and served by your guide.
Wilderness lunch
Join us for a lunch out in our mighty, beautiful nature! Your guide takes you to a wilderness camp by boat, hike or car depending on the weather. The lunch is cooked from local ingredients over an open fire. The guide shares the kind of knowledge about this landscape that doesn't appear in any guidebook.
Challenge park
A treetop ropes course built into the forest surrounding ICEHOTEL. An exhilarating couple of hours for those who want movement and height. There are sections at every difficulty level, from straightforward crossings to rope bridges that require real focus.
Ice and the unexpected
ICEHOTEL 365 - Summer outside, winter inside
Here is the contradiction that makes ICEHOTEL unlike anywhere else on Earth: The midnight sun is powering, via solar panels, a building kept at a permanent -5°C inside. In June, you can walk out of 16°C sunshine into a space made of river ice and carved sculptures, have a drink in a glass made of ice at the ICEBAR and spend the night in an art suite where the walls, ceiling and bed frame were sculpted by international artists.
It is genuinely surreal. The summer light outside and the winter cold are not in opposition; the sun is what makes the ice possible.
Ice sculpting class
Available year-round, the ice sculpting class takes on a specific quality in summer. You work with a block of Torne River ice in a space kept at -5°C while outside it is warm and light. The tools are real, the instructions are hands-on and most guests are absorbed enough that time disappears entirely, which is appropriate in a place where the usual cues for times don't apply.
Slow down
Jukkasjärvi Sauna Ritual
Ten ten-step sauna ritual is ICEHOTELs most consistently popular activity across every season and in summer it has a specific quality that winter cannot offer. The ritual moves through heat, cold and rest in a sequence that has been practiced in this part of Sweden for centuries: wood fired sauna, tar soap, a river plunge. In June, the river plunge happens in cold Torne River water under a sun that is still above the horizon at midnight. Most guests describe this as the most awake they have ever felt. The full Sauna Ritual takes around two hours.
When to come
Peak midnight sun: May 27th-July 14th. The sun does not set at all during this period in Jukkasjärvi.
Summer solstice week (around June 21st): The sun is at its highest position. The light is at its most extraordinary. This is the week to book if you can, but it fills fast.
Midsummer: Around June 21st. This is Sweden's most celebrated summer festival. Jukkasjärvi celebrates with dancing around the maypole, local food and people staying up late because there is not reason not to.
Temperature: The average summer temperature is around 16°C in June and July. Evenings are somewhat cooler. Mosquitoes are active from mid-June, so bring repellent (or buy some at the ICEHOTEL shop).
Midnight sun and northern lights: These don't overlap. The aurora requires darkness, which doesn't exist between late May to mid-July. If you want both, plan two visits. Many guests visit both in winter and in summer.
Plan your summer at ICEHOTEL
The summer packages include accommodation in ICEHOTEL 365, food experiences and activities. They are the most efficient way to experience several of out activities without booking separate. Booking a package at ICEHOTEL makes it easy and straightforward for you to book your ICEHOTEL stay.
view summer packages Explore ICEHOTEL behind the scenes explore wilderness skills
See also: The midnight sun in Sweden - When where and what to expect | Summer at ICEHOTEL | What is the midnight sun