Stora Sjofallet National Park

The park was declared in 1909 around Stora Sjofallet, a fall on the Lule river then reckoned among the great sights of the north. In 1919 the boundary was redrawn to allow damming, and regulation for hydroelectric power has since left the fall largely dry - water is released only occasionally, and the reservoir Akkajaure fills the valley behind. It remains one of the most-visited episodes in Swedish conservation argument. What the park holds now is the Akka massif, a group of peaks over two thousand metres with glaciers, along with birch forest, lakes and a stretch of the Kungsleden. Ritsem at the western end has a touring station and boat connections.

What you actually see

• The Akka massif - peaks over two thousand metres with glaciers.
• Akkajaure reservoir - filling the valley behind the old fall.
• A waterfall largely dry - taken by regulation after 1919.
• A stretch of the Kungsleden - through the park.

When to go

July to September. Two days to a week.

Honest expectations

The waterfall the park is named for no longer runs except on release. Boat connections at Ritsem are seasonal. Weather in the massif is severe. Booking huts ahead is necessary in high season.

Nearby

Padjelanta is south; Sarek is south-east; Norway is west.