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Naturguiden, Nordic Skating Adventures Since 1996
Your Guide to a Nordic Skating Tour in Sweden
Tour
What the nordic skating adventure looks like
A Naturguiden tour is a 4-day, fully guided Nordic skating adventure on natural ice in Sweden. You arrive at Stockholm Arlanda Airport on Thursday morning and depart on Sunday evening. Transport, accommodation, meals, equipment and daily route planning are all handled by your local ice guide.
We do not fix the route in advance. Ice conditions on natural lakes and the Baltic Sea archipelago change daily, so your guide selects the best available ice each morning, usually within 60 minutes morning drive drive of accommodation
This core flexibility is what allows us to consistently put our guests on best available ice of the day.
Your guide picks you up in the arrivals hall at Terminal 2 between 10:30 and 11:00 and drives you by minivan to our base camp, about ten minutes from the airport. If you are arriving from a different location, pickup at another agreed site is possible by prior arrangement with your guide.
At the base camp you change into skating clothes and collect your full equipment, including tour skates, boots and all safety gear. After that you drive to the nearest suitable ice for your first skate and lunch. Depending on where the best conditions are on arrival day, the drive can be 30 minutes or up to three to four hours.
Accommodation is booked 24 to 72 hours in advance, once we know where the best ice will be. We aim to stay in the same place for all three nights, but if conditions shift significantly we may move closer to a better skating area. All accommodation, whether hostel or hotel, is chosen with the ice in mind first.
The price includes full board for all three nights. Alcoholic drinks, energy bars and similar personal items are not included.
Safety
How we approach ice safety
Nordic skating on natural ice involves inherent risk. No two days on the ice are the same, and the decisions about distance, route and when to turn back require genuine experience. Our guides are trained leaders from Swedish ice-skating clubs with hundreds of seasons on natural ice between them.
Before you step onto the ice, your guide runs a full safety briefing and shows you exactly how to use every piece of equipment. The guide always skates first, testing thickness and choosing the line. You follow in the same tracks.
Three rules that keep you safe on the ice
We go through these together before every tour. They are not optional.
1. Never skate in front of or out of sight of your guide.
The guide goes first at all times, testing the ice and choosing the safest line. Your safety depends on following exactly where the guide has already been.
2. Always skate in the same tracks as your guide.
Ice thickness varies across a lake. The guide’s tracks show where the ice has already been tested and confirmed safe. Moving off the line puts you at risk.
3. We practice with the safety equipment before anyone sets foot on the ice.
Every guest practices how to use ice claws, the rescue line and the backpack before the tour begins. In an emergency there is no time to figure it out.
Safety Equipment — Provided for Every Guest
All safety equipment is included in the tour price and fitted to you at the base camp on day one.
- Ice claws, for self-rescue if you break through the surface
- Skating backpack, acts as a flotation device if you fall through
- Helmet, required on all Naturguiden tours
- Dry bag, waterproof bag inside your backpack with a full change of clothes
- Rescue line, so your guide can pull you to safety from a distance
- Skating poles
- Knee and elbow pads, provided and recommended for all guests
- First aid kit, carried by the guide at all times
Important:
Your backpack functions as a flotation device only when worn correctly. Always secure the leg strap around your leg, fasten both hip and chest straps, and keep your dry sack with a complete change of clothes at the very bottom of the pack. Your guide will check this before you go on the ice.
Equipment
What Naturguiden Provides and What to Bring Yourself
- Nordic skates and insulated boots
- Skating poles
- Safety backpack with ice claws and rescue line
- Helmet, knee pads and elbow pads
- Dry bag for your clothes and towel
- Towel
- Thermos, lunch box and water bottle
- Comfortable seat pad
- First aid kit (carried by guide)
- Minivan transport throughout the tour
- Complete change of clothes (packed in the plastic bag)
- Moisture-wicking base layer
- Mid layer, fleece or light insulation
- Light down jacket (also used during breaks)
- Windproof outer layer
- Mittens, warmer than gloves on open ice
- Beanie that fits under a helmet
- Socks, underwear, trousers and long-sleeve shirt
Useful extras to pack
- Small dry bag for phone, wallet and valuables
- Portable battery pack
- Lip balm and sunscreen, the winter sun on open ice is stronger than it looks
- Energy bars and personal snacks for between stops
What to Pack in Your Dry Bag
Your dry bag goes inside the skating backpack and must contain a complete change of clothes. If you fall through the ice, this is what you change into immediately. Pack everything in this order, with the first item you need on top:
- Light down jacket, you will also use this during breaks so keep it accessible
- Long sleeve shirt
- Cap
- Base layer
- Underwear
- Trousers
- Socks
- Mittens or gloves
- Towel
Your guide checks that your dry bag is sealed and packed correctly before you go on the ice.
What to wear
What you wear on a Nordic skating tour
Nordic skating is physically comparable to cross-country skiing, a sustained moderate effort across open terrain. You will generate heat while moving and cool down quickly during stops. The 3-layer principle handles this well: manage moisture close to the skin, retain heat in the mid layer, and block wind and precipitation with the outer layer.
Expect temperatures between 0°C (32CF) and minus 15°C (5°F). Wind on open ice makes it feel colder. The key is being able to add or remove a layer quickly. A light down jacket or a warm sweater in your backpack covers most situations.
| Layer | Purpose | What Works |
|---|---|---|
| Base layer | Move moisture away from skin | Merino wool or synthetic, never cotton |
| Mid layer | Retain body heat | Fleece or lightweight insulated jacket |
| Down jacket | Warmth during breaks and lunch | Light and packable, fits easily in your backpack |
| Outer layer | Block wind and light precipitation | Windproof shell, breathable is a bonus |
| Hands | Warmth while skating | Mittens, significantly warmer than gloves on open ice |
| Head | Retain heat, fit under helmet | A not-too-thick beanie that sits flat under the helmet |
Ready to skate?
Join one of our scheduled open tours or book a private group. Max 8 guests per tour. January to March, from Stockholm Arlanda.