Rapa Valley in Sarek National Park, Sweden

© Alena Vishina/Alam

Swedish wilderness. Rapa Valley, Sweden

Welcome to Europe's oldest national park, and a view best enjoyed from the air. Established in 1909, Sarek National Park encompasses 760 square miles of pristine wilderness in Lapland, northern Sweden. Rapadalen (Rapa Valley), a 22-mile-long valley surrounded by steep mountains, is considered one of Europe's most enchanting landscapes. The Rapa River runs through it, carrying green glacial water and sediment into this twisting river delta landscape. The park has almost 100 glaciers and six mountains over 6,600ft (2,000m) within its boundaries, including Sweden’s second highest mountain, Sarektjåkkå.

But as beautiful as this remote, high-alpine region is, it is only recommended for experienced and well-equipped hikers. The weather is severe and unpredictable, it is criss-crossed with turbulent rivers, there are no cabins to stay in and no roads leading up to the park - visitors need to ski or hike in. The indigenous Sámi people have lived here happily for thousands of years however, and the mountain slopes here are grazing land for their reindeer.