Hiking the Kungsleden Part III - Aktse to Parte
- David Maiwald
- Dec 21, 2024
- 3 min read
Part III of the Kungsleden Series
In this article:
Aktse to Parte
Aktse to Parte
The next morning I packed my gear and made my way down the trail all the way to the shore of Laitaure. There was already a local waiting to take the first hikers of the day across the lake. Today’s hike along Kungsleden would be the longest but also one of the most picturesque day hikes along the entire trail. After crossing the Laitaure which offered great views of the glacial valley upstream as well as the distant snow-covered peaks, I started my 20km hike down south to Parte. This section will have it all: lush forests, marshlands, glacial streams, steep climbs, and high plateaus. All in all this day hike has a total elevation gain of 649 meters with most of it within the first 8 km. Along the way the trail also leads into the southeastern corner of Sarek National Park and with it through the most remote stretch of my entire multi-day hike. While this is an area that is only reachable via several day hikes this was also where I got to experience a real Lapland outdoor adventure surrounded by both, a colorful and lush as well as a rugged and harsh arctic wilderness.
The day once again started off bright and sunny with only few clouds in the sky and the temperatures quickly reaching 10 degrees in the early morning. The first 5 km along the Kungsleden started off fairly easy, leading through a dense forest with a few clearings. Just before the big climb out of the valley and onto the plateau 300 meters above I had to traverse an idyllic marshland with several crystal clear streams and little waterfalls. Beyond, the climb out of the forests and onto the fjäll awaited. It was already high noon and the climb - while not technically difficult - proved to be pretty strenuous in the bright September sun some 60 km north of the arctic circle. And to my own surprise, by the time I made my way up the plateau I noticed that I got slightly sunburned - something I did not anticipate when planning my fall trip into the arctic!
Up on the vast open plateau I took some time to let my clothes dry, drink some water and eat some snacks while taking in the scenery around me. To the east and south I was able to see for as far as 40 km with just pristine, unspoilt nature in sight. It was a great and liberating feeling to be out here in the middle of nowhere - seemingly worlds away from the hectic of everyday life. After a while I packed my stuff and continued down south. For the next 6 km the trail led across this vast open plateau with some glacial streams crossing my path where I was able to fill up my bottles with some of the purest drinking water that I have tasted in a long time! Occasionally I was passing by some smaller herds of reindeer that were not bothered by my presence for the most part. Since they are semi-domesticated many of them live their lives in these mountains mostly undisturbed by humans with only some of them ending up killed and slaughtered by their herders. Mostly peaceful animals, they also go through a rutting season each fall which means that I always tried to keep my distance, even if they were grazing along the trail. All in all I had no close encounters with them anyhow since they always made way once they saw me approaching them along the trail.
6 km before Parte the trail reached the opposite end of the high plateau offering stunning views of the vast mountain valleys of Sarek National Park far below. For the final part of this day hike the trail descended back into dense forests, across roaring streams, and through lush open meadows. A peaceful scenery that made me stop over and over again so I could take it all in - I actually noticed how those few days out in the wilderness slowed me down and brought me back down to earth. The final kilometers led back out of Sarek National Park and eventually to the Parte mountain hut which is beautifully located on a peninsula at lake Sjabttjakjavrre. Surprisingly this hut was mostly empty with just two other hikers in the bunkhouse and three hikers sleeping in their tents outside. A total change of pace compared to the hustle and bustle of Aktse the nights before. Here I just sat down at the tip of the peninsula and watched the setting sun covering the surrounding landscape with its fall foliage in a dramatically warm light. After a long day on the Kungsleden trail I prepared my dinner and got ready for the night.
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