Jokkmokk, SWEDEN
Airing Date: May 21st, 2002
There are five Sami villages in the district and here you can experience some of their culture.
In winter freezing temperatures of minus 15C needn't deter you from getting out and about.
A three-hour snowmobile safari is a great way to see this unique area. There is a lunch break and several coffee stops during the tour so your body gets a chance reset the thermostat. Or perhaps it's because next to the Finns the Swedes are the biggest coffee drinkers in the world.
Roger Rimpi, the tour guide for the snowmobile safari, is a Sami and a reassuring presence in this open winter wonderland. The way he roams around you would think he has an inbuilt compass.
Ice fishing is popular past time in Jokkmokk, but it is hard work, as first you need to carve out a section of ice just to get to the water. Patience is a virtue with this sport as it can take hours to catch something.
In this area many Sami traditions are alive and well, for example if you want to escape the cold you are welcome to drop in unannounced - it's customary.
If you are a bit shy, don't fret organised tours are available. Maj-Doris, Roger's mum, offers a tour of her hut or Kata, a bit of tucker and a viewing of her prized reindeer herd for $106.
However, Jokkmokk and its people aren't always sticklers for tradition. In the nearby town of Petia the world's first McDonalds drive-thru for snowmobiles has just opened.
The facts
Thai Airways International has 24 flights per week to Bangkok. Scandinavian Airlines provides frequent connections from Bangkok to Lulea, one of the nearest airports to Jokkmokk. Prices start from $2,459 per person from the east coast and $2,349 from Perth.
Thai Airways International
Tel: 02 9251 1922
Scandinavian Airlines
Tel: 1300 727 707
Rooms at the Jokkmokk Hotel start from $97 per person per night.
Hotel Jokkmokk
Tel: 0011 46 971 777 00 (international)
Jokkmokk Tourist Information
Tel: 0011 469 711 21 40 (international)
