Arvidsjaur: Sámi Culture and Nature Reserves

In Arvidsjaur, Lappstaden is a Sámi church town and represents a Sámi building tradition. The destination includes not only the town of the same name but also Abborrträsk, Glommersträsk, Moskosel and Akkavare.

Culture

Lappstaden comprises 85 buildings, including 31 wooden kåtas and 54 guesthouses, known as aittor in Sámi. The annual Storstämningen festival takes place on the last Sunday in August.

The first church was inaugurated on the grounds of Gamla Prästgårdsområdet in 1607. The present Gamla Prästgården building was constructed in 1891. Guided tours with local cultural history guides are offered at Gamla Prästgården by prior arrangement.

Nature

Gallejaur is a well-preserved, culturally shaped landscape representing the settler period of the 19th century and the development into an agricultural cultural landscape in the 20th century. Gallejaur has nine farms with surrounding grazing land and hay meadows. A hiking trail in Gallejaur leads to a summit cabin in Gallejaur Nature Reserve, while another trail leads from Gallejaur into the forest of the nature reserve. An information building with a café is located at the entrance to Gallejaur. The Gallejaur Nature Reserve contains trees more than 300 years old.

Reivo Nature Reserve comprises lakes, old natural forests, wetlands and low mountains. There are numerous hiking trails, picnic areas and overnight cabins. Visitor facilities in Reivo include a fire pit, an information board, parking areas, picnic shelters and wind shelters, overnight cabins and a hiking trail. Reivo’s natural forests provide habitat for a great variety of predators, birds, insects, fungi, lichens and plants.

Vittjåkk-Akkanålke is a low mountain area close to settlements, surrounded by an extensive forest landscape. The Vittjåkk-Akkanålke area has hiking trails, fire pits and wind shelters for visitors. There is also a ski facility there.

The nature areas therefore differ in their explicitly stated features: Gallejaur combines a culturally shaped landscape, farms and historic land use with trails into the nature reserve and forest. Reivo ranges from lakes and wetlands to low mountains and, in addition to hiking trails, features several picnic and shelter facilities. Vittjåkk-Akkanålke represents low mountains in a forest landscape, along with hiking trails, wind shelters and a ski facility.

For a hotel stay in Arvidsjaur, travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions can provide the practical framework. The accommodation is one aspect alongside the destination’s different themes; culture, nature and travel logistics can be considered as separate focuses with their own locations, landscapes and transport connections.

Getting There

Within Arvidsjaur Municipality, the Inland Railway stops at five stations. During the summer season, Arvidsjaur can be reached by the Inland Railway on the route between Kristinehamn and Gällivare. European route E45 runs through the centre of Arvidsjaur. Good local cuisine is available at many places around Arvidsjaur.

Annual Cycle

On the return journey, there was an approximately one-hour stop at Storavan, with the opportunity to go swimming and grill sausages. A steam train journey between Arvidsjaur and Slagnäs was announced for summer 2026.

The town of the same name, Arvidsjaur, is also part of the destination.

To the higher-level travel overview: Norrbotten.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Kiruna, Boden, Piteå.