Vasaloppet is more than a race; it is a complete cultural experience, offering visitors a deep immersion into Swedish heritage, Dalarna traditions, and outdoor life. From the alpine start in Sälen to the historic finish in Mora, the region has hosted skiers for more than a century.
Sälen-Mora Event Facts
- Active years: Vasaloppet’s 2027 race marks its 103rd edition. Tjejvasan’s 2027, the women’s race now part of the World Championship as Oxberg – Mora Sprint Women, marks its 39th. The new Oxberg – Mora Sprint Men takes place for the first time in 2027.
- Record number of participants: Vasaloppet has drawn as many as 15,800 participants; Tjejvasan reached a record of 8,344 participants in 2013.
- Other event distances: Vasaloppet’s Winter Week runs across ten days, including Vasaloppet 30 (Oxberg), Öppet Spår söndag and måndag (90km, 45km, and 30km, various techniques), Ungdomsvasan (9km and 19km), Stafettvasan relay, Nattvasan (30km, 45km, and 90km, individually or in two-person teams), and Vasaloppet 10 (9km, freestyle).
Sälen-Mora Travel Guide
- Family and spectator info: Barnens Vasalopp skidor gives even the youngest family members their own race during Vasaloppet’s Winter Week, with distances of 90, 300, or 900 meters, free to enter, with blueberry soup, a diploma, and a medal for every finisher. In Sälen, it takes place at the Vasaloppet start in Berga, the day before Öppet Spår söndag, recommended for ages 3 to 10, though younger and older children are welcome too.
- Top 3 things to do:
- Adventuremine in Tuna Hästberg: a former iron mine near Borlänge, closed in 1968 and now an underground adventure park with via ferrata climbing and a sauna deep inside the mountain.
- Nils Olsson Dalahästar in Mora: the workshop behind Sweden’s iconic hand-painted Dalahäst wooden horse.
- Fjälläventyr in Sälen: guided outdoor adventures in the surrounding mountain landscape.
- How to travel: Sälen and Mora are reachable from Stockholm Arlanda Airport by both bus and train. Skiers can also fly straight into the mountains: Scandinavian Mountain Airport (SCR), which opened in 2019 near Sälen, has seasonal winter flights from Stockholm, Copenhagen, London, Amsterdam, and other cities, and transfer buses, taxis, and rental cars are available outside the terminal.
- Where to stay:
- Sälen offers alpine resorts and cozy hotels close to the start area, including Olarsgården Mountain Resort and Hotel Bugelhof.
- Mora, the historic finish area, offers options like Mora Hotell & Spa and First Camp Moraparken.
- Älvdalen, a quieter area north of Mora, offers Hotell Älvdalen and Tre Björnar for those seeking a more local, craft-focused stay.
- Local specialty dish: Falukorv, a classic Dalarna sausage dating back to the 16th-century Falu Copper Mine, found in grocery stores and restaurants across the region. Also try Dala cheese from local producers, or the world champion mustard from LissEllas, a twelve-time World Championship gold medalist in its category.
- Best-kept secret: Frö Restaurang is tucked into an old farmhouse next to Hundfjället and serves a fixed nine-course menu made from local, organic and wild-foraged food, with a goal of zero food waste. It’s one of only ten Swedish restaurants in the European 360 Eat Guide, which rates both food and sustainability. Make sure you book ahead.
More information about Vasaloppet can be found at vasaloppet.se/en
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Also Read: Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII
Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII (2026/2027)
• Event 1: December 11, 2026 – Bad Gastein Prologue – Austria – 1km
• Event 2: December 13, 2026 – Sportgastein Criterium – Austria – 30km
• Event 3: December 19, 2026 – Bad Gastein ITT – Austria – 7km
• Event 4: December 20, 2026 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Austria – 36km
Bad Gastein Tour (Events 1–4 of Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII)
• Event 5: January 16, 2027 – Engadin La Diagonela – Switzerland – 55km
• Event 6: January 17, 2027 – Zuoz–St. Moritz Sprint – Switzerland – 30km
• Event 7: January 31, 2027 – Marcialonga – Italy – 70km
• Event 8: February 12, 2027 – Bedřichov Heat Sprint – Czech Republic – 1.5km
• Event 9: February 14, 2027 – Jizerská50 – Czech Republic – 50km
• Event 10: February 27, 2027 – Oxberg–Mora Sprint Women – Sweden – 30km
• Event 11: February 28, 2027 – Oxberg–Mora Sprint Men – Sweden – 30km
• Event 12: March 7, 2027 – Vasaloppet – Sweden – 90km
• Event 13: March 20, 2027 – Birkebeinerrennet – Norway – 53km
• Event 14: April 3, 2027 – Reistadløpet – Norway – 35km
• Event 15: April 4, 2027 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Norway – 60km
For more updates and detailed information about the Ski Classics World Championship, visit skiclassics.com.
Author: Leandro Lutz
Top Photo: Magnus Östh/Ski Classics
