Northern Lights Forecast for Jokkmokk

Northern Lights in Jokkmokk

Jokkmokk is a small town and an important Sámi center in Swedish Lapland, a few kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. It sits far inland among forests, rivers and lakes, with the mountains of Laponia further west. Fewer than 3,000 people live here, so the town is small and the sky gets dark quickly once you leave the center. The aurora season runs from about late August to early April.

Lake Talvatis and Storknabben

• Lake Talvatis: The lakeshore between Ájtte’s mountain garden and Hotel Jokkmokk is an easy walk from the center and gives you an open view across the frozen lake.
• Storknabben: The municipality suggests this hill above town for the northern lights in winter. It is reached by a steep 2 km gravel road from the mountain garden, so ask locally about access in snow.
• Guided evenings: Local guides run evening dog-sled trips over frozen lakes and mires, which are also a way to look for the aurora away from town.

The Arctic Circle crosses the E45 a short drive south of Jokkmokk, where a large roadside sign marks the line.

Jokkmokk Winter Market

The Jokkmokk Winter Market (Jokkmokks marknad) has been held for more than 400 years and starts on the first Thursday of February. The main market lasts three days, with other events during the rest of the week. It is a major gathering for Sámi people, with handicraft, food, concerts and exhibitions, and it draws thousands of visitors to a very small town. Plan accommodation early if you want to combine the market with aurora watching. February nights are still long.

Ájtte and Laponia

Ájtte, the Swedish Mountain and Sámi Museum, is the main thing to see in town during the day. It covers Sámi clothing and silver, reindeer herding, handicraft and the Laponia World Heritage area.

Laponia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, covers the Sarek, Padjelanta, Stora Sjöfallet and Muddus national parks, spread across Jokkmokk and Gällivare municipalities. Muddus is the closest, north of town.

Murjek and the summer-only Inlandsbanan

The Inlandsbanan train stops in Jokkmokk only in summer. The rest of the year, take the train to Murjek, about 60 km away, where the night trains from Stockholm stop, and then the connecting bus, which takes around an hour. The closest airports are Gällivare, about 1 hour 20 minutes by bus, and Luleå, about 2 hours 30 minutes. If you are driving, the E45 runs north to Gällivare and road 97 runs southeast toward Boden and Luleå.