Branäs with children – Björnbuseland, evening skiing and a cabin by the piste

Branäs is in northern Värmland, with views over the Klarälven valley, and puts almost everything into families with children. The slopes are either long and blue or short and green, all the accommodation is by the piste and the lifts run until seven in the evening. It is a forested hill rather than a bare mountain, but for a family with children between two and ten that is exactly why it works: everything is close by, and it is a short trip from both Gothenburg and Oslo.

Three family areas

Björnbuseland is in two places, one in the valley next to Bävertorget and one on the mountain by Soltorget. Both have magic carpets for the first runs and button lifts for the next step, barbecue spots with firewood and kindling, and in the valley there is the stage where the children's après-ski is held. The Björnbusarna mascots turn up here.

Logläntan is on the mountain behind the Ladan restaurant and is the calmest place for the youngest. A gently sloping run with soft figures to high-five on the way down, a conveyor lift up and a lift carousel where the children can practise riding a button lift. There is also a snow racer slope, barbecue spots and toilets close to the snow, and at a tap Branäs serves free hot organic squash.

If you are staying in the valley with a three-year-old, Björnbuseland by Bävertorget is the obvious choice. Logläntan is worth a trip up on the gondola one day when the children want something new.

The attractions – once the children can turn

The attractions on the slopes include Nintendo Land, an adventure course with Mario and his friends that slightly older children tend to love, a fun slope, speed skiing where your speed is measured, ski cross, Selftimer – a proper timed slalom course – a big airbag and a snow park.

For children who like goals, there are the ski badges (skidborgarmärken). Busåkare is earned in Björnbuseland, Fartkung in speed skiing, Slopeproffs on the fun slope and Parkmästare in the park. If the child completes the challenge, you can buy the wristband in the shop.

The ski school and the meeting points

Branäs ski school is based on play, and the groups are divided by level. Where you need to be depends on the group:

• In the valley: level 1 and ski kindergarten in Björnbuseland, level 2 and private lessons at Björntorget.
• On the mountain: level 1, level 2, ski kindergarten and private lessons in Björnbuseland.
• At the top: the more advanced groups at the gondola top station.

Ski kindergarten is a shorter lesson for the very youngest, 60 minutes instead of the usual 75. The lessons run either for three days, Monday to Wednesday, or for two days, Friday and Saturday. A group needs at least four participants to go ahead; otherwise another time is offered. Choose a group that is too easy rather than one that is too hard. You can compare how other Swedish mountain resorts set up ski school for small children in Idre Fjäll ski school.

The lift pass – free for under-sevens

Children up to and including age six ski free, but they must have their own lift pass card to get through the turnstiles. Loading the card costs nothing, but if the child doesn't already have a card, you need to buy one. Keep it, and you can load it again next season. Pre-book the lift passes online and collect them from the machines when you arrive.

For parents with small children there is the parent pass, which two adults share. One skis while the other is on the children's slope, and then you swap. Current prices are shown when you book.

Activities beyond skiing

Most of the children's activities in Branäs are free and drop-in: the Björnbusecupen slalom race, Branäscupen, the STIGA Snowracer Challenge, Airbag Open and the children's après-ski with Björnbusarna. During Magical Adventures, the family hunts for hidden treasures on the slopes using a mobile phone, and in the Brants and Ladan restaurants the children get an activity book with magic tricks while they wait for their food.

Other things to do:

• Sledging and snow racers on the slopes by the family areas.
• Dog sledding on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and Monday to Saturday during the school holiday weeks.
• Cross-country skiing on 29 kilometres of trails on the mountain, six loops for both classic and skate. The alpine pass also works as a trail pass, and the gondola up is free with cross-country gear.
• Barbecue at one of the barbecue spots, where the firewood is already laid out. Bring a flask of hot chocolate.

Accommodation – everything by the piste

All the accommodation in Branäs is by the piste, so you can ski to and from the door and leave the car parked all week. What differs is the location:

• Branäsdalen has apartments and larger mountain cabins and the resort's biggest children's area. Ski hire, a café, a restaurant and a grocery shop are here.
• Bävertorget is the family favourite, with a private sauna in every apartment, close to Björnbuseland in the valley, and a large ski store in the building.
• Byhusen have four bedrooms, a sauna and a balcony or terrace, close to the slopes and a barbecue spot.
• Gondoltorget has lodge-style apartments right by the gondola.
• Berget has cabins with wood-burning stoves and saunas, close to Soltorget and Logläntan.
• Mattesdalen has modern cabins and apartments by the Medvinden and Toppexpressen express lifts, with views over the Klarälven river, a sledging hill and a magic carpet.
• Byskolan is 800 metres from the slopes in a quieter area, and the campsite has 90 pitches with electricity, 400 metres from the slopes.

Every property has a cot and a high chair. Accommodation booked through Branäs comes with a snow guarantee: if there is too little snow, you can get your money back or rebook.

Getting to Branäs

Branäs is about 390 km from Gothenburg, 220 km from Oslo, 440 km from Stockholm and 170 km from Karlstad.

• From Gothenburg: the E45 north and then road 62 towards Branäs.
• From Stockholm: the E18 or E20 towards Örebro, then the E18 to Väse and road 240, or via Karlstad and road 62 north.
• From Oslo: the E16 and national roads 2, 205 and 202, then Bograngenvägen into Värmland.
• Without a car: train or coach to Karlstad, then a Värmlandstrafik bus to the Branäs stop. The bus has no room for skis longer than 150 centimetres.

There are more tips on routes to the mountains in getting to the ski resort by car, train or plane.

The 2026/27 season

The opening weekend is 11–13 December 2026, and the season ends on 4 April 2027. The sportlov (February half-term) weeks are the busiest – which week your municipality has off is in winter sports break 2027.

Branäs or a bigger mountain?

Branäs is best for families with small children who want a short journey and everything close by. If you want higher mountains and more areas to choose from, there are Sälen with kids, Funäsdalen with children and the other Swedish mountain resorts in ski trips in Sweden. Just a day on the slopes from Gothenburg? See skiing near Gothenburg. If this is the family's first ski trip, the rest of the planning is in the first ski trip with children, and the food for the week in food on a ski trip.