Destination Comparison
Jukkasjärvi vs Kiruna for Northern Lights
The tiny village home of the original ICEHOTEL versus Swedish Lapland's main Arctic hub city — just 17km apart on the banks of the Torne River. Jukkasjärvi is pure immersive experience; Kiruna is the practical base with airport and infrastructure.
✦8/10
Aurora Score
✦8/10
$350/day
Daily Budget
✓$160/day
Easy ✈️
Accessibility
Easy ✈️
Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar
Best Months
Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar
✓20h
Dark Hours (Winter)
20h
Arctic
Region
Arctic
14 types
Activities
✓16 types
Our Verdict
Jukkasjärvi wins as a transformative experience with its ICEHOTEL and riverside aurora setting; Kiruna wins as a functional base with airport access, rail connections, and more accommodation choice.
Choose Jukkasjärvi if:
Original ICEHOTEL suites, Torne River reindeer sledding, sleeping under the aurora, uniquely atmospheric experience
Choose Kiruna if:
Airport access, wider accommodation range, iron ore mine tour, Abisko day trips, more restaurants and services
Sweden
Jukkasjärvi
Luxury travellers wanting the iconic Icehotel art suite experience with outstanding aurora viewing
Sweden
Kiruna
Couples wanting the Icehotel experience combined with excellent aurora viewing and dog-sledding