4-Day Kayak & Wildcamp the Archipelago of Sweden - Self-guided

I did the 4 day guided trip & it was fantastic, I really reccomed it. It's such a lovely area of Sweden to explore on kayaks, with lots of islands options to navigate & camp on, which keeps it interesting. We were immersed in nature, & we rarley came across anyone else except boats. The gear provided was really good quality kit & easy to use. Our guides Carry & Manu were so friendly & fun & put us all at ease. They kept us on the right path & we helped them whip up some good meals (I particuarly liked the fikka). They looked out for new spots to camp that they had not been too before so it was not like they were just repeating the same tour etc. which made it feel much more like an adventure. If you like the outdoors & kayaking give it a go !

Our background is that we do a lot of cycle touring and camping, including wild camping, and my wife and I met 35 years ago in a pool kayak training session. So we're comfortable camping and kayaking but we'd never kayak toured, and the St Anna area is the perfect location to start. The booking process was very straightforward and we were able to request a bespoke trip of seven days - which was about the right duration to enable us to find out feet and explore a decent-sized area. Prior to arriving we filled out a food order from the comprehensive shopping list and this was all purchased and ready for us to load at the departure point, with anything perishable packed in a large insulated bag with lots of ice-blocks. The online food list was particularly helpful in that it set out the predicted number of days that the perishables would last in the cool bag and we did use this advice to help plan our meals On the day of our trip we were picked up from our hotel and driven to the departure point where our tandem kayak, camping equipment and food were already set out, ready to be loaded. A comprehensive briefing ensued - where to camp/not camp , how to navigate, safety considerations etc - detailed but not overbearing and we got advice on how best to pack the kayak - something which became easier as the week progressed and we worked through our food. It was a bit of a squeeze initially but with help it all went in, plus our clothing, wash kit etc which went into dry bags. We did have one dry bag on the deck and next time we go I'd place this between my legs as it definitely messed with the steering in cross winds. And then off we went. The archipelago is stunning - you have so many route possibilities and camping options. We planned to kayak for 3-4 hours a day, some days with breaks to stop and see things - and averaged around 12k a day, max about 15k. Not too taxing but it enabled us to get to several of the more significant destinations, explore the islands that we camped on, go for a swim and cook a nice meal. We basically followed a clockwise loop and started with a reasonable plan of the areas where we would set up camp each night. Once we got to the area we had a quick recce to identify a camping spot with nearby landing spot - you don't want to carry the equipment too far from where you pull the kayak up on to the island. Some days we just saw a few distant boats, a few times there were yachts moored on the islands we camped on, but for the majority of the time it was just us. Each morning you get a weather report detailing the forecast for the day ahead and the following day. The weather and wind direction did tend to be quite changeable (online forecasts were the same) but there was one day with high winds predicted and we were advised to stay off the water. We just found a sheltered bay and sat out the high winds - not a problem and it was good to not be out on the water sure. That did mean we had to change our route a bit, but that in itself was good lesson - don't get too hung up on a set route - what you aspire to do may not always be feasible. All of the equipment provided is top end stuff. Chatting to the staff at the pickup point everything - tents, sleeping mats, camp chairs, kitchen equipment etc - is set up after each trip to ensure that the next customers don't encounter any issues. And we didn't have a single problem. That's reassuring but also a reflection of the care Do the North take to ensure that the trips they organize go smoothly. I am always interested to see how companies operate. I've rarely seen anything executed to this high standard but with a very fun and chilled vibe. These guys really know how to run a great operation and we had an absolutely brilliant week. It's such a large area that you could visit many times and explore different areas each time, barely repeating the same route - and we plan to return and do it again. At least once but I can see this becoming an annual trip. In the 35 years since we met in that pool session we've had some great adventures - and this trip was right up there with the very best things we've ever done. Thanks Do the North - you are all stars!

The sunsets, the starry skies, the islands, the eagles and the sauna! We just got back from four days of absolute happiness kayaking and wild camping in St Anna archipelago. A big thanks to Thomas and his crew for organising this trip so well for us! We would not have managed to bring all the included equipment on our own. We will definatively be back for more adventures!