All women backcountry ski adventure in Sweden
Made for beginners - no previous skiing experience required
Snowshoe under the moonlight through frozen forests
Sleep in an off grid wilderness lodge that’s scandi chic
Learn to cross country ski over fresh untracked snow
Pull a sled and head off on a self-sufficient expedition in true alpine conditions
1 night winter camping on a mountain plateau
Take ice baths in a frozen lake and embrace the sauna ritual
See the Northern lights dancing in the night sky - if the conditions are right!
Embrace the winter on this winter wilderness retreat!
What to Expect
Embark on a women-only backcountry ski and snowshoe adventure in the pristine fells of Sweden. This unique retreat is tailored for beginners, ensuring that over the course of the week, you'll master the basics of cross country backcountry skiing. Our goal? To build your confidence and skills, culminating in an unforgettable overnight ski expedition where we'll camp amidst the serene snow-covered landscape.
Staying in a remote wilderness lodge by a frozen lake, where we embrace a simpler way of living. With no electricity, our evenings are lit by candles, and the atmosphere is made cosier with the warmth of a log fire. This rustic setting is all about immersion – from bonding over shared meals to enjoying traditional saunas followed by invigorating ice dips in the lake
During our stay, we'll spend our days honing our cross country skiing skills. If you're new to the sport, there's no need to fret; our metal-edged touring skis are perfect for beginners and off-track ski touring. It offers an experience similar to hiking but with the added excitement of gliding through the snow.
As dusk settles, our adventures don't wind down. On one special evening, we'll exchange our skis for snowshoes and journey through the chilly forest. Our destination? A teepee where we'll enjoy a magical dinner beneath the starlit sky.
Building on our growing cross country ski skills and confidence, we prepare for the highlight of our journey: a backcountry ski expedition. This challenge will see us pulling sleds and camping overnight in the snow, capturing the essence of the wild alpine outdoors.
Join us on this ski touring experience, where we learn, explore, and embrace the beauty and simplicity of winter wilderness.
LOCATION
We’ll be heading to the remote Navar valley, northwest of Mora in the northern Dalarna region of Sweden. A special wilderness lodge will be our home for the week, completely surrounded by tall wooded hills. Close to the shore of lake Orsa in the lowlands, Rännkölen and Anjosvarden nature reserve at semi high altitudes and the alpine plateau of Fulufjället national park, it’s the perfect location for a Nordic winter adventure.
Staying in a wilderness lodge for the week, we can choose where to head for the day depending on weather and snow conditions. This is the land of frozen lakes and mires, boreal forests, mountains, and folklore. This is the part of Sweden we imagine when thinking of a time long ago, where many Swedish traditions have their roots.
Because it is in true wilderness, the lodge is basic and completely off grid: there are wood-fired heaters to keep us warm and lanterns and candles to give us light, a sauna will warm and relax our bones, and there is a wild magical winter landscape right on our doorstep. We will cook together in the cabin’s little kitchen, and occasionally on an open fire, and for those who are keen, go for an ice bath in the lake!
Cross country skiing
Cross country skiing has been compared to hiking and running - on skis. It is the most amazing way to get out into the wide open, snowy backcountry under your own steam. It’s great exercise too because it works your whole body, improves balance, proprioception, cardiovascular and muscle condition.
You don’t need any previous ski experience to join this adventure! This beautiful low altitude area is the ideal location for your first steps on cross-country skis.
OVERNIGHT EXPEDITION
The pinnacle of our achievement on this tour - once we have practised and developed our ski skills - will be to head up the Fulufjället mountain plateau for one night of winter camping! After the initial ascent, an expansive plateau of wind-swept snowy plains awaits. These are true alpine conditions, white as far as the eye can see, no trees and an amazing vista of the lowlands spreading out below.
Each of us will pull a sled with everything we need to stay warm while winter camping. We will use a lightweight yurt as a sheltered place to cook, hang out and be merry in the evenings. We may also dig a bivouac for those who are keen to spend the night in a cosy little hut made of packed snow, instead of a tent.
THE GUTSY GIRL WAY
You don’t need to have done anything like this before. Come get out of your comfort zone with new friends to support you and laugh with you!
We pride ourselves in our fun and friendly approach to adventure, making you feel at ease about being a beginner!
ACCOMMODATION
The wilderness lodge is a really special place. When we say remote wilderness, we really mean it!
As in off-grid, deep in the forest on the shores of a frozen lake. We have the whole lodge area to ourselves and it has a lovely rustic and cosy atmosphere, lit by candle and lantern and heated by wood burning stove. There is no electricity.
There are five rooms in this large cabin, a big kitchen and cosy lounge. You can choose from a quad, twin or private room.
The toilet facilities are outside, to add to the adventure!
There are no showers, instead we’ll use the sauna and heated up water in a bucket as a shower (and icy dips in the lake if you dare) to keep us fresh!
FOOD
You’ll enjoy delicious food on this trip! When we’re at the lodge, we will cook together. There is a gas stove, fridge and freezer, and a large kitchen area.
During our day trips and the mountain plateau expedition, we will cook some items ourselves, but we will also bring hearty nourishing soups and stews prepared in advance by our wilderness chef. In subzero temperatures, it’s nice to mostly be able to keep your gloves on and it’s a great way to still enjoy filling and super delicious meals.
Our wilderness guides will take on the role of head chef and we invite you all to join us in preparing delicious dinners together throughout the week.
We can cater for all dietary requirements.
NORTHERN LIGHTS
Will you see the northern lights? We can’t guarantee it but you’ll be in the right place, with little to no light pollution! We’ll be keeping everything crossed that mother nature delivers!
The Adventure
How will each day of this adventure play out? Here’s a little taster!
See it as a rough guide as we may make changes to suit the weather conditions, snow and trail conditions.
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Your adventure will begin with us when you arrive at Mora station.
Take an early flight to Stockholm Arlanda, and then hop on a train to Mora. From there we will drive to the wilderness lodge, enjoy our first dinner together, discuss what will happen over the next week and get a good night’s sleep in preparation for our wilderness adventures!
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After equipment fitting, we will fill up our thermoses and head half an hour away to Rännkölen. It’s a stunning open landscape of snow-covered frozen mires and sparse trees, surrounded by deep boreal forests with tall ancient pines. It’s an ideal area for our first steps on touring skis with small variations in altitude and actual prepared tracks to follow.
We will find somewhere along the tracks to build a fire to grill sandwiches and have a warming cup of soup.
Down in the valley after our skiing trip, we will take a stroll around the Ribbåsen “Fäbodar”. These are small log houses, where farmers used to bring their cattle for grazing. Farmhands would stay in these little cottages all summer long, and most of them date back to the 1700s.
A whole culture emerged from this way of life with cooking traditions, superstitions and folk music. This region is famous for these idyllic settings and their cultural heritage.
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Today we ski on untouched snow right on our door step, across the lake and through the forest along the shores. We learn how to put up a tent with our skis on, pull a sled and go into more depth about all the skills we need for our upcoming winter camping expedition.
By late afternoon, we give our skis a rest and strap on snowshoes instead. We hike up the tall hill behind the cabin, through a forest of gigantic snow-clad spruce trees, to a tipi. We spend the evening relaxing on sheep skins around the fire and cook up a traditional Sami inspired dinner, before heading back down to our lakeside abode.
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Today we will get back onto our skis for a shorter trip! This time we start right on our doorstep and practice making our own tracks through the forest, over untouched snow.
Back at the lodge, we will cook up a lakeside lunch over the fire using a traditional Murikka. This is a huge wok-like pan that’s amazing for cooking for many on an open fire.
We will spend the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying our wonderful spot in the wilderness. But we will also make a hole in the ice, fire up the sauna, and those who are keen can take the ice plunge!
In the evening we will cosy up in front of the fireplace, enjoy each other’s company and plan for tomorrow’s exciting expedition.
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This is what we’ve been working towards! Fulufjället national park, close to the Norwegian border, is a mountain plateau of flat snowy expanses.
First, we will strap on our skis and sleds with everything we need to stay warm, fed and happy during our winter camping expedition. The skis have built-in ‘skins’, which gives them a good grip when going uphill. This makes it surprisingly in terms of technique, but strenuous in terms of terrain! After a 3km ascent, the expansive plateau awaits. The solitude up here and the sounds of the wind sweeping across the plains is hard to describe in words. Here, we will experience true peace and tranquility.
Darkness falls early this time of year, and by late afternoon we will start setting up our camp. Staying warm while alpine camping is all about equipment and knowledge.
We will be sleeping in absolutely top-of-the line tents, sleeping bags and on inflatable mattresses, all of which are designed for way colder temperatures than you will experience on this trip.
You may have heard of a yurt, a circular tent traditionally used by nomadic people on the steppes on Central Asia. We’ll use a modern-style yurt, where we can all hang out and cook dinner in the evening, protected from the elements.
One of the many amazing properties of snow is that you can dig and form your own structures. We will start by digging a canal for our legs, and voilà, we will make ourselves a couch and a table! We’ll light up some lanterns and candles, put down some sheep skins and we will create a cosy living room, right there on the snowy wind-swept plateau.
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Today we leave our winter camp behind and head off for a day trip across the plateau. We may ski to the ‘altar ring’, an ancient monument that’s considered Sweden’s highest altar of worship. It was likely built by the Sámi, who have inhabited this area for thousands of years.
Downhill is the tricky part of tour skiing and we’re not expecting you to master any fancy manoeuvres as we descend from the plateau. We take our time and move as slow as we need to, zigzagging down to the valleys below. Once completed, you are sure to feel an amazing sense of achievement – a true winter expedition in the bag!
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This will be our last morning in our winter wonderland. We enjoy a last breakfast together and head back to Mora. No doubt we’ll leave northern Dalarna with new friends - and full of inspiration and ideas of what we each will conquer next!
PRICE
Four person bunk room £1500
Twin share room £1600
Private room £1750
Dates
Sun 17 March - Sat 23 March FULLY BOOKED
Sun 24 March - Sat 30 March
WHAT'S INCLUDED
5 days of guided tour skiing
1 evening guided snowshoeing
5 nights accommodation in our cosy wilderness lodge as our base (no running water or electricity, shared outhouse toilets, quad or twin shared rooms only)
1 night winter camping (two people share one tent)
Skis, poles, boot, and snowshoe hire included
All camping kit hire included
2 expert local guides
Gutsy Girls host
All meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Saunas most nights
Transfer from Mora train station*
Please be aware that the itinerary on our webpage is a guide; we are likely to move things around to make the most of the weather conditions we have each day. Safety is our first priority so please understand that our itinerary is not set in stone.
*single timed transfer, you must be at the station for our designated pick up times.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
Flights
Drinks
Travel insurance
Personal clothing
Check out our packing list here
PAYMENTS
30% deposit is required to secure your spot, the remaining balance is due 45 days before the trip start date.
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Arrival
Meeting Point: Mora Train Station
Transfer Time 17:40
Departure Point: Mora Train Station
Drop off: 12:00
This tour is timed so that it’s possible to fly in on the first day and fly out on the last day. Fly into Stockholm Arlanda, Sweden’s main airport, served by direct flights from many UK airports.
You will need to take a train from the airport (Arlanda Central) to Mora for a 17.40 pick-up. The train takes 3 hrs 25 mins and can be booked here: sj.se.
The best train to take leaves Arlanda at 14.06 and arrives in Mora at 17.32, direct. There are other options involving changes - you can find all the information at sj.se.
If you want to combine your trip with a visit to Stockholm, take the Arlanda Express to the city, which takes 20 mins. The train from Stockholm Central to Mora takes 3 hrs 45 mins and is bookable at sj.se.
As long as you are at Mora train station for the transfer time of 17.40, you can get there however you like.
On the last day, you'll be dropped at Mora station for 12 noon.
The best train to take for an evening flight out of Stockholm leaves Mora at 12:22 and arrives at Arlanda (airport) at 15.53, with a change at Borlänge. There is a later option which is direct - you can find all the information at sj.se.
Please see our FAQs under “Travel Information” for more details.
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For all nights except one we stay in a remote rustic off-grid wilderness lodge that will act as a base for our excursions. Rooms are shared between two people.
The Navardalen Wilderness Lodge is a really special place. It's off-grid, deep in the forest on the shores of Lake Navar. We have the whole lodge area to ourselves and it’s a lovely rustic and cosy atmosphere. Wood-fired heaters will keep us warm. Lanterns and candles give us light. We use the sauna and heated up water in a bucket as a shower. There are five rooms in the grand cabin, a large kitchen, hang-out area and a little cottage.
Please note that the toilets are in shared outhouses, there is no electricity or running water (or bathrooms other than the sauna) and that single rooms are not available.
For one night on this tour - and what we’re working towards - we head up the Fulufjället mountain plateau for one night of winter camping!
Each of us pull a sled with everything we need to stay warm while winter camping. A lightweight yurt gives us a sheltered place to cook, hang out & be merry in the evenings, protected from the elements. Light up some lanterns and candles, put down some sheep skins and we have a cosy living room on the snowy wind-swept plateau.
Staying warm while winter camping is all about equipment and knowledge. We use Hilleberg Staika free-standing tents (one tent shared between two people), Exped’s inflatable Downmats and Fjällräven Polar down sleeping bags, which are all made for way colder temperatures than you will experience on this trip.
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Because we will be living together in an off grid lodge in the wilderness, there will be a little communal work necessary that we will all be expected to muck in with. This involves things such as washing up after meals, keeping the place clean, feeding the fires etc. As long as we work as a team, these tasks will just take a short moment!
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All your meals are provided.
You’ll enjoy delicious food on this trip. We cook some items ourselves in the lodge. We might grill toasties over the fire while we're out, but we also bring hearty soups and stews prepared in advance by our wilderness chef. In sub-zero temperatures, it’s nice to mostly be able to keep your gloves on and it’s a great way to still enjoy filling great tasting meals.
Swedish products are always our first choice.
Please bring your own snacks (energy / muesli bars, nuts, raisins etc) if you might need these during the week.
We can cater for most dietary requirements. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements at the time of booking.
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You do not need any experience of cross country skiing or snowshoeing experience.
Working with fantasticguides, we'll take our first steps on touring skis in a low altitude area with small variations in altitude and actual tracks to follow. We'll build up our skills daily to finally explore incredible remote and snowy landscapes off the tracks.
Snowshoeing requires no technical skills! If you hike, you can snowshoe!
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The weather will have a big impact on how we structure the itinerary for each trip. Please view the itinerary on our webpage as a guide; we are likely to move things around to make the most of the weather conditions we have each day. Very occasionally, if the weather is very bad, it is not safe to attempt our overnight expedition to the Fulufjället National Park. In this case we will remain at our wilderness base and ski in more sheltered areas. We will recreate a wilderness night with activities such as digging and sleeping in snow caves instead, if there is time and it is deemed safe and possible. Safety is our first priority so please understand that at times we need to be flexible with our itinerary.
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This holiday is rated moderate.
This cross country skiing trip is designed for beginners. No previous ski or winter sports experience is required, but you’ll need a good level of fitness to get the most from this experience.
Fitness Requirements
You take part in medium to high-intensity cardio exercise 3 times a week, for around 45 minutes each time.
What That Might Look Like
Your weekly routine regularly includes activities like running, HIIT sessions, crossfit, cycling, or spin classes. While you don’t need to be a world-class athlete or breaking records, you're accustomed to workouts that raise your heart rate and leave you breathing heavily for about 45 minutes each time. Engaging in low-intensity activities, like walking, yoga, and pilates will be beneficial, but these alone won't be enough to meet the cardio demands of this trip.
What to Expect
Duration: Each day you’ll be active for around 5-6 hours.
Distance: We'll cover between 8 km to 12 km daily. Consider if you can comfortably walk these distances and on consecutive days.
Intensity: Backcountry cross country skiing feels like hiking with skis on. The day we pull the sledges behind us will be more demanding.
Balance: You’ll be skiing off track, the wide skis with hard metal edges will give you stability. You’ll need some balance to stay upright though!
Downhill: The trails are not overly steep, but you will need to be comfortable gaining speed on a slope.
Sliding Motion: Being comfortable with a gliding sensation is essential.
Falling: Expect a few tumbles while learning cross country skiing. Though these falls are generally softer than in alpine skiing, you’ll need to be comfortable with the idea of falling!
Cold Exposure: While activity generates warmth, you will be experiencing sub zero temperatures. We'll advise you on effective layering to stay warm. We provide warm camping gear for the overnight expedition.
Consecutive Activity: This trip involves several days of consecutive skiing, which can be tiring.
If you have any questions about this, please do get in touch before booking, we're happy to help!
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Our experiences are created with solo female travellers in mind, connecting like-minded women through sports, nature and adventure. The Gutsy Girls community is filled with bold and badass women from 18-65 years old, we never ask your age, just that you are up for an adventure!
As a rough guide, most Gutsy Girls guests are 24-60 years old, with around 60% in their 30s-40s.
After a day in the wild, age becomes irrelevant, as we are all connected by our experiences.
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You will need personal travel insurance that covers you for cross country skiing and nordic skating - this is a requirement.
We highly recommend you buy your travel insurance as soon as you book your spot to cover yourself should you fall ill or injure yourself before your trip.
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The cancellation will only be effective from the date that the cancellation is received in writing by email. Cancellation charges will be payable as follows:
• Cancellation fee of 100% is charged if cancelled 44 days or less before the trip
• Cancellation fee of 30% is charged if cancelled 45 days or more before the trip
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Whenever possible we use female instructors and guides, however, we cannot always guarantee this, simply because there are fewer female instructors available!
Our first priority is to work with the most highly experienced and considerate instructors and guides, who are patient, friendly and as passionate as we are about building women’s confidence in the outdoors.
Simply due to the ratio of men to women in the outdoors industry, sometimes this means our guides and instructors are male.
We keep a close eye on the feedback our guides receive from our guests as we believe that overall this is more important than their gender. We sincerely hope that as more women are introduced to adventure sports and activities, the number of female guides and instructors in our industry will increase.
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This trip has a maximum of 10 spots, early booking is advised!
Frequently Asked Questions
Packing List
Backcountry SKI Adventure in SWEDEN
Expect cold and variable weather conditions. While we can't forecast the exact temperatures for a specific week, they typically range between -5°C to -20°C. On occasion, they might even plummet to around -35°C. Though these temperatures sound extremely cold, Swedish winters usually offer a "dry" cold, which often feels less biting than the "damp" cold familiar to the UK.
We Provide
Backpack
Towels
Touring skis
Ski boots
Top quality gloves and wool liner gloves
Goggles
Sled
Snowshoes
Tent (two persons share a tent)
Sleeping bag (Fjällräven Polar down, rated to -30 degrees)
Insulated inflatable sleeping mat rated to -40 degrees
Thermarest camping pillow
Food thermoses for food
Thermoses for water
Drinking bottle
Head torch
Cooking gear
Shovels
GEAR HIRE
For this adventure, we offer winter clothing rentals.
You have the option to rent at the time of booking or up to two weeks prior to your trip. Rest assured, your attire will be ready and waiting for you in Sweden, and once your journey concludes, you can simply leave it with us. The clothes are maintained and cleaned between use.
It's worth noting that the gear we provide is sourced from Houdini Sportswear – a premium Swedish brand celebrated for its exceptional outdoor apparel quality.
Winter Clothing Kit Rental £140
PowerHoudi – Polartec® fleece hoodie
Mrs. Dunfri – Primaloft® lightweight synthetic down (mid or lighter reinforcement layer)
RollerCoaster Jacket – Fully featured mountaineering shell jacket.
RollerCoaster Trousers – Waterproof and breathable 3-layer shell pants for skiing and mountaineering
Extra Thick Reinforcement Jacket £65
If you are a very cold person it might be worth getting this Houdini jacket for extra insulation when we are standing still, cooking or in the evenings.
Bouncer Jacket – Padded with Primaloft® synthetic insulation that provides incredible warmth.
YOU WILL NEED
Cross Country Skiing / Snowshoeing Kit
Base layer thermal tops (synthetic, wool or silk) - at least 2 sets
Long johns (thermal) (synthetic, wool or silk) - at least 2 sets
Warm fleece or wool jumper (available for rent)
Light mid-layer synthetic or down insulated jacket (available for rent)
A breathable, waterproof/water resistant and windproof shell jacket (available for rent)
Breathable, waterproof/water resistant and windproof shell trousers or ski salopettes (available for rent)
Fleece sweatpants or thermal leggings (mid layer for your legs)
A warm packable insulated / down jacket (available for rent)
A selection of warm socks of different thicknesses to help you get the best fit in your boots (wool is best):
Thinner socks x 3 or more
Thicker socks x 2
Sunglasses (ski googles can be useful if the weather is bad but can fog up when you get hot!)
Warm hat
Buff (you might want two - one for your neck, one as a headband), scarf or balaclava
Gloves for normal winter use, nothing fancy needed (liners and thicker mittens for winter activities provided)
Glove liners and/or disposable hand warmers if you suffer from cold hands
Warm hat
Sunglasses with UV-protection
Off the skis
Snow boots or warm and waterproof hiking boots
Casual warm evening clothes
Night wear
Toiletries
Swimwear for the sauna if you wish (Swedes will go nude!)
Sandals, preferably plastic, for sauna
Travel towel (optional; bath towels are provided)
Sleeping bag liner (optional)
Sunscreen (high factor) and lip salve
Any prescription medication
Other medication (paracetamol/ibuprofen) is significantly more expensive in Sweden so bring some if you need to
Compeed or moleskin for blisters, just in case!
Slippers / shoes for the cabin
Earplugs and eye mask for sharing rooms in the cabins
Other Stuff
Camera
Fully charged power banks (there is no electricity in the wilderness base).
Neoprene booties and gloves for ice dipping if you wish
Waterproof case for your phone might be handy
Snacks
We recommend packing your gear into a backpack or soft sided non-rolling bag, as you will need to carry it for a short section over snowy terrain!