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Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing

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Beloved pastimes

Evidence of cross-country skiing dates back over 5000 years in Lapland, with this mode of transport being used in hunting, wood gathering, reindeer herding and when accessing remote communities.

Today cross-country skiing is a hugely popular pastime across Lapland and indeed skiing has become a sport which the Nordic countries have become renowned for globally.

As visitors to this region you will very likely see people of all ages making their way across the landscape on skis – it is a real haven for such activities and there are hundreds of varying trails criss-crossing the landscape.

Such is the love of cross-country skiing that in the summer you will see the locals wearing skis with wheels, just so they can still enjoy the sport despite the lack of snow.

Another form of traditional skiing is forest skiing which you will find in some destinations in Sweden. It involves using wider and longer skis to traverse the landscape in a similar fashion to cross-country skiing. 

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The use of snowshoes also dates back thousands of years in this region when they were vital tools that helped people to survive and hunt here.

Through their important use in allowing easier navigation across deep snow, they were of long-lasting importance to hunters and trappers and also crucial for allowing communities to maintain contact when the snowfall was at its deepest.

Today, snowshoeing is still a popular way to get around in the winter time and allows much easier access to areas where the snowfall can be particularly high.

The activities

The majority of our trips will involve snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in some form, allowing you to experience this landscape from an altogether different perspective. Whilst both activities may seem a little tricky to master at first and, particularly with the cross-country skiing, involve an extra bit of coordination, with instruction you will soon be setting off across the landscape with ease.

With these activities you can experience the pristine landscapes in a quiet manner, enjoying the silence of your snow-covered setting. There are numerous trails to be explored at all of our locations and at most snowshoes and cross-country skis can be hired to allow you to explore independently once you have gained confidence. 

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The Aurora Zone was born from a desire to share Mother Nature’s greatest wonder with our clients. We’ve explored the destinations, researched the science, and fallen in love with the Scandinavian way of life. It’s our mission to pass this knowledge on to you, providing you with the very best chance of experiencing the magic for yourself on your Northern Lights holiday.

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