Orsa Grönklitt: an ideal ski holiday destination for families with kids in Sweden

---

For the second time this year the Myslopes.com team was on ski holiday in Sweden, this time in Orsa Grönklitt. Orsa is attracting more and more international tourists thanks to its great facilities for families with kids.

---

The central valley in Orsa that has most accomodations has a drag lift that brings you directly to the slopes. The accomodation that we were staying in, a 4-person wooden cabin (or rather 'stuga' as the swedes call them) was not incredibly luxerious but still had everything you needed. The picturesque surroundings with snow coming up to the windows of the cabin were beautiful.

 With about 20km of ski slopes, the ski area is not too challenging voor de advanced alpine skier. Orsa makes up for this however by a great diversity in facilities and entertainment for children. The ski area only as drag lifts (mostly t-bars) that can be accessed easily even by the smallest kids if parents aren't around. Arriving on the slopes there is something special for kids almost on every descent. The most interesting part for young children is the 'Blabär Skogen' (Blue berry forrest) : A trail past all sorts of talking and singing statues and animals whilst skiing down. Thanks to the large number of short trails in and out of the pine-tree forrest you really feel like you're in Scandinavia.

On the southside of the ski slopes there is a small slalom-run (including blueberry-shaped slalom-gates where the kids pass through, instead of around) and a beautiful boardercross for the older kids. On the north side of Orsa there are 4 red runs that are slightly more challenging. The widest of these 4 runs is flankes by a number of big jumps and rails you can jump over. At the start of the slopes, usually at end of the afternoon there is also the possibility for kids to ride on mini snow-scooters on a small laid out track.

Besides a restaurant down in the valley at the reception, the toppstugan restaurant (literally top cabin in swedish) is at the peak of the area and there are a few hotdog booths along the ski slopes.

Cross-country skiers ('langspar') also have 60km of prepared and semi-groomed trails, which also started right next to the cabin where we stayed. Ice fishing, Scooter Safaris and moose safaris are also an option here in Orsa.

Bear Park, Polar World & Tomteland
Besides the snow sports activities, the Orsa ski area also has a number of other interesting day trips. Orsa is known in particular for its Bear Park (Björnenparken) where you can amongst others see the brown bears Sofie and Peter. This Bear Park is one of the largest animal parks in its size and also hosts other animals such as tigers and lynx. Polarworld has also been added to the Bear Park where you can see polar bears Ewa and Wilbär together in the snow.
 

Finally Grönklitt Orsa has a very nice attraction nearby: Tomteland (Santa-world) a complete Christmas world where you can meet Santa Claus, reindeers,  see the sleigh and Santa's house. (usually open on saturday in ski season)