Kaitumjaure - Singi - Sälka
- Distance: 25km
- Duration: (with breaks): 8h 40min
- Elevation gain/loss: 320m/125m
After an amazing stay in Kaitumjaure Fjällstuga, I was ready for a proper hike. Today I need to walk 25km to reach Sälka, where I am again staying in a Fjällstuga. This one was planned and booked upfront and I don’t mind at all sleeping inside once again.
Leaving Kaitumjaure behind, I gradually climbed towards Tjäktjavagge valley which, according to my guidebook, was supposed to be just spectacular. However, low clouds were once again hanging around me, obscuring all the surrounding peaks.
The trail once again was quite exposed and I used tall rocks as my shelter when in need of a break. At least the path was easy and I could keep a good pace. Even though I could not see the tops of the hills around me, I still found the valley very impressive. Such a vast landscape with rows of hills peaking as far as I could see. It would be nice to come back here on a clear day.
With those views, I arrived at Singi perfectly on time for lunch. As the day was not particularly pleasant to casually sit outside, I opted for lunch inside the Fjällstuga, which is open for day visits for a small fee. That’s where I met my hiking friend guide-writer again and ended up having a bit longer lunch than planned.
Singi marks a new stage on Kungsleden as from here the trail should be much more crowded. Singi is a turning point for many hikers who want to climb the tallest peak of Sweden, Kebnekaise (2098m). There are also a lot of hikers walking from Abisko to Nikkaluokta.
When researching Kungsleden I found that more than half of the blogs or videos of Kungsleden are actually hikes from Abisko to Nikkaluokta. Technically, Kungsleden follows this section only until Singi, from which it continues south (if you start in Abisko) instead of turning to the east, towards Nikkaluokta.
I was curious how different it’ll be on the trail as some Kungsleden hikers compared it to a hiking highway. I could not imagine a highway in a place where I met only a couple of people per day.
The trail turned out to be more of a village path than a highway, as I met only a few people. It seemed that nobody is moving towards the south. The Fjällstugas were closing in two days, so probably the majority of hikers has already passed this stretch of the trail. After Fjällstugas are closed, only camping hikers will be able to enjoy the North.
As I climbed up the cloudy valley, the sun decided to show up for a bit, making me perform a little dance of happiness. An awesome thing about this trail is that ~90% of the time I am all by myself, so I can do whatever I want. Today I felt like dancing. While clouds didn’t scatter, cool rays of light illuminated the hills. As if only some selected patches get to enjoy the sun.
Somewhere between Singi and Sälka, I passed an emergency shelter, which again served as a great place to rest. This place had a lot of impressive reindeer antlers, rising my hopes for an impressive souvenir too. Three days ago I found a little piece of an antler, so since then, whenever I’m bored or the weather is not great, I search for a new trophy while walking. This shelter seems to indicate a high potential ahead.
This section of the hike showcased Tjäktjavagge valley even better. The hills seemed to occupy the valley in a neat system, row after row. It looked so grand and vast even with clouds obscuring the skies.
Although I was keeping a good pace, at around 16:30 I started to get anxious. Where is the hut?? I could not see it anywhere in the distance. I hopefully approached every hill expecting to see the hut, but in vain. It felt as if the day is ending, while I’m stuck in the valley. At least I don’t need to camp, which is not too bad even if I finish in dark.
Soon blue shades covered the landscape as the sun was already behind the hills. I raced through the wooden paths made for wet sections and scaled one hill after another.
After what felt like dozens of ups and downs, I finally saw the hut on top of the next hill. Well, about the time! With extra motivation, I sped through the trail to finish the hike. When I arrived, the warden was already outside, chatting to another hiker. “You must be Simona” she greeted me and my last stay at a Fjällstuga began.
Day 7 tips
- For those wanting to summit Kebnekaise, you don't have to reach Singi. From both north and south, there are more direct paths, both of them signposted.
- While lunching in Singi, I got a recommendation to visit some of the adjacent valleys in the east (Kebnekaise territory). A fellow hiker explored one of the valleys 1 hour away from Singi (on the way towards Sälka) and told me that she could already see the glaciers. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time, but this might be a nice detour if you're only hiking the Singi - Sälka section.