Autumn Soft Adventure in Västerbotten, Lapland, Sweden

Why not experience the best of Västerbotten’s nature, wilderness, wildlife and culture on a soft adventure escape to a unique part of Sweden?

Västerbotten is located in the north of Sweden in the region of Lapland, and its most populated city is Umeå.

Half of the population lives in Umeå whilst the rest lives in the surrounding region of Västerbotten. The area of Västerbotten is around the same size as the Netherlands, which is crazy when you think about the fact that the population of Västerbotten is only around 250,000.

You really can be surrounded by only the wilderness if you want to. Escape Umeå and be sure to visit this unique part of Lapland.

Keep your eyes open as this area can be a hotspot for wildlife such as bears, elks, reindeer and moose.

What is a soft adventure?

A soft adventure is like a normal adventure with a few added elements to make it more comfortable.

Maybe you don’t fancy taking your next trip to the ultimate extreme and want to kick it back a bit whilst still retaining some aspects of adventure travel.

This was my first soft adventure trip. It has become a growing trend in Sweden, and I was happy to try it out.

Normally, a soft adventure would include an upscale hotel or a glamping experience rather than camping in a tent or sharing a room in a hostel.

Your dining options may include having dinner in a gourmet restaurant that serves local produce rather than eating a packed lunch.

The experiences might also be more relaxed, such as a nature hike without any tough climbs.

It’s not a lazy adventure. It’s more upscale in quality than downsizing the adventure, and it’s just a bit more comfortable to make it more accessible to all.

Getting to Västerbotten

It’s easy to get to Västerbotten by simply flying to Umeå Airport. There are many daily connections from Stockholm with Norwegian air or SAS (Scandinavian Airlines).

Another option is to take the SJ Train from Stockholm to Umeå, which will take you over six hours to complete the journey.

You can also travel to Umeå from Finland by taking the Wasaline boat from Vaasa.

Where to stay in Västerbotten? Granö Beckasin

Granö is a tiny town community located around an hour’s drive from the main city Umeå, and it’s a great base to locate yourself to explore the surrounding region of Västerbotten, Lapland.

Granö Beckasin is your best option for staying in Granö and has many accommodation options to choose from.

The most popular place to stay for the night at Granö Beckasin is the Bird’s Nest option which is a selection of treehouses to choose from.

These unique rooms are securely attached to pine trees high up in the air, which gives you a unique view over the lake. It’s perfect for observing the night sky and maybe even the northern lights if you’re lucky.

In the morning, the restaurant puts on a great breakfast buffet with tasty Swedish coffee to wake you up.

There are also dining options on offer for the evening, and I can highly recommend the wild mushroom soup which is a great way to kick start your three-course meal.

Culture and nature walk around Granö

Granö Beckasin has nature guides available who can take you for a walk around the lake and into the forest. They will teach you about the local nature and how everyday life has evolved around what grows in the forest.

From wild mushrooms to nature’s Aspirin, what grows in the Swedish woods can be used for everyday life. On this nature walk you will learn about many of these things.

Your journey will start on a homemade raft that will take you to the start of the trail.

Then you will walk into the woods and visit old huts which have been built to support the tar industry. Tar was cultivated from the surrounding trees back in the day.

You will end your nature hike around a fire with some camping coffee, an overfire moose and vegetable wok and Lapland style flatbread.

It’s a perfect way to enjoy lunch: over an open fire with some local fresh produce, surrounded by nature.

Walk some huskies with Spruce Island Husky AB

A unique experience to try in Västerbotten is to go on a husky safari with Spruce Island Husky AB. The dog sledding company is located in the town of Granö.

During the winter, their tours range from day trips to three-day expeditions over the weekend.

In the summer, spring and autumn, they offer a fun dog walking program, but I’m not sure who is walking who as the husky dogs can’t wait to go for a walk in the woods.

You get a specially adopted husky harness to make sure they don’t run away. It’s a fun way to hang out with the husky dogs and a great way to fit in a morning exercise.

Lunch and coffee are also included in the visit.

Go for a white-water rafting adventure with Forsknäckarna

Looking for the ultimate adventure in Västerbotten? Head to the Wilderness Camp in Ekorrsele, which is around an hour’s drive from Granö.

Here you can go on a white-water rafting trip with Forsknäckarna for a few hours, hitting level two and level three rapids down a Swedish riverway.

It’s super fun to be surrounded by Swedish nature which offers incredible scenic views, and the guides are top class.

Once you’ve been on your rafting trip, you can get out of your wetsuit for the day and try out the awesome sauna and hot tubs to relax. You can also stay overnight in one of the lodges.

They also offer a top dining option in the smoke hut where you can try the famous Västerbotten’s cheese pie or some wild reindeer with squeaky Lapland cheese and coffee. Great to try the local dishes on offer here.

Thank you for reading about Västerbotten

I hope you’ve enjoyed this article about exploring the Swedish Lapland region of Västerbotten.

I wish you a wonderful and awesome trip to this special place in the north of Sweden.

If you have any more questions about this trip, feel free to send me a message directly and I will be more than happy to help.