Vadvetjakka National Park

Vadvetjakka lies at the top of Sweden near the Norwegian border, about twenty-six square kilometres of mountain, delta and bog north of Tornetrask, and it is the least accessible park in the country: there are no bridges, no marked trails and no huts, and the Vadvejohka river has to be forded, which is dangerous or impossible in high water. That keeps visitor numbers to a few dozen a year. The park was created in 1920, and the limestone in the massif holds some of the largest karst caves in Sweden, among them the deepest at 155 metres, some of them ice-filled, and the calcareous ground gives a rich flora. Large delta bogs fill the northern shore of the lake and are wet ground to cross.

What you'll find

• The northernmost Swedish park - and the least visited.
• Deep limestone caves - some of them holding ice.
• Large delta bogs - on the northern shore of Tornetrask.
• No bridges or trails - fording is the only way in.

When to go

July to September, in low water. Two to three days.

Good to know

River crossings are genuinely dangerous in high water and the park can be unreachable. There are no facilities, trails or huts. Caves should not be entered without proper equipment and experience. Navigation is entirely on you.

Nearby

Abisko is east; the Norwegian border is west.

Key facts