Hemavan is a secluded ski resort in Swedish Västerbotten. It is the southern trailhead for the Kungsleden trail. The nature reserve of the Vindelfjällen fell area is close.

Understand

Landscape in Vindelfjällen

The fell area around Hemavan is an important destination, with the nature reserve of Vindelfjällen to the north and east the largest in Sweden, at 5,500 km² (2,100 sq mi).

The ski resorts of Hemavan and Tärnaby (20 km away) form the biggest centre for downhill skiing in Sweden. The pists have among the biggest height differences in Sweden. The highest fell, Norra Storfjället, reaches 1,768 m (5,801 ft). Most tourist facilities are owned by a single company, Hemavan Alpint.

Hemavan itself is in the lowlands in the valley of the Ume river, by the lake Ahasjön. The area is a nationally important cultural landscape. Hemavan and its surroundings belong to the municipality Storuman. The Norwegian border is some 40 km away.

The first tourists came in the 1930s, as the road along the Ume river, continuing to Norway, was improved. The first ski lift was built 1954.

Get in

Hemavan

The Tärnaby ski resort is 20 km to the south-east. The municipal centre Storuman is 150 km to the south-east, Mo i Rana in Norway 100 km to the north-west.

By car

Hemavan is at the Blue Highway between Russian Petrozavodsk and Mo i Rana in Norway.

By bus

Buses go between Umeå (which has fast trains) at the Swedish coast and Hemavan . There is also an overnight bus from Stockholm . There are no public buses to Norway from Hemavan.

By plane

• 1 Hemavan Tärnaby Airport (HMV  ^IATA) (1 km from the centre). Closed in summer. A small airport, with flights from Stockholm. (updated Jan 2020)

The airports in Mo i Rana, Vilhelmina and Umeå are other options.

See

• 1 Botanic garden of alpine plants (Fjällbotaniska trädgården). (updated Jun 2017)
• Vindelfjällen visitor centre (Naturum Vindelfjällen). (updated Jun 2017)
• 2 Hemavan church. (updated Jun 2017)

Do

Camping below Sytertoppen in July.

In winter

• Downhill skiing. Including off-pist heliskiing. (updated Jun 2017)
• Cross-country skiing. (updated Jun 2017)
  • Lapplandsleden (below) has one route for hiking, one for skiing, mostly coinciding. No maintained tracks.

In summer

• Hiking. (updated Jun 2017)
  • Kungsleden. The most famous hiking trail in Sweden, 440 km, to the north through the Laponia national park system and ending in Abisko, close to Kebnekaise. (updated Jun 2017)
  • Drottningleden. 10 km hiking trail to Laisaliden. (updated Jun 2017)
  • Lapplandsleden. Came by Kungsleden and want some more fell hiking? Lapplandsleden, inaugurated in the 2020s, leads southward to Borgafjäll at the southern border of Swedish Lappland, in Dorotea. Although there are a few cabins on the 190 km, a tent is needed, as are adequate skills. At the lean-to shelters overnighting and using the firewood is allowed only in emergencies. 
• 1 Vindelfjällen. (updated Apr 2020)
• Tours and excursions. The Vindelfjällen visitor centre arranges tours and excursions. Check dates. (updated Jun 2017)
• Mountain biking. Some of the ski lifts can be used for bikes in the summer season. (updated Jun 2017)

Sleep

There are hotels, cabins etc. in Hemavan. There are wilderness huts in Vindelfjällen, although a tent gives you more freedom to choose your routes.

Go next

Routes through Hemavan

END ← Mo i Rana ←

NW  SE

→ Tärnaby → Storuman → Umeå