8-Day Kayak & Wild Camp The Archipelago - Self-Guided

Our Self-guided Expedition last 5-8 days. This is an example itinerary for 6 days, and you have lots of flexibility in choosing your route. Launch and finish at different locations, three spots to choose from, which makes it easier to adapt your route to weather conditions and cover more distance. Pick-up in Norrköping either at the train station or any hostel/hotel of your choice at 10.00. It's an hour-long drive down windy country-side roads to the coast and beautiful Saint Anna.

All your provided gear and pre-ordered groceries are waiting for you at the launch. We'll do a briefing on navigation, safety and the area, and go through a rough plan for your expedition. You'll repack your clothes into drybags and load the kayaks. Using our top-of-the-line equipment is a real treat! It can be hard to justify purchasing gear of that caliber on your own! Our launch site is situated in a sheltered bay – soon you round the first islands and see a maze of islands spreading out in all directions. During your paddle northeast towards Aspöja you’ll pass through many clusters of forested islands and islets. A variety of different ducks, as well as swans and Grey herons breed around here, and White-tailed eagles are sighted regularly since they nest in large trees nearby. Continue paddling through the Uggelholmarna Nature Reserve, a great spot for a break. Three hundred year-old pine and linden trees grow here, and the open forest is perfect for a short wander. Aim east towards the narrow inlet between Lammskär and Kalvskär - you'll end up surrounded by a beautiful and sheltered atoll formation of islands. A short distance north you'll reach the cluster of islets south of Aspöja - one of the most gorgeous settings of the archipelago with spectacular sunset views.

Today is an absolutely stunning route southeast through the outer archipelago and its barren wind-pined tiny islands. Begin by heading east past the bird sanctuaries around Torrskär and Stångklabben. Large colonies of Herring gulls breed around here and perhaps you'll spot waders like Oystercatchers and Ruddy turnstones. Continue your expedition southward to the Missjö Archipelago, where massive clusters of hundreds of islets and skerries stretch south for ten kilometres. The blue horizon is your backdrop and it’s so beautiful out here! You may spot Ospreys, Great Cormorants and Arctic skuas along with many other types of birds. Grey seal sightings are frequent around Norrbådarna and Ådskär. After a strenuous paddle you reach one of the most famous points of interest in Saint Anna - the old navigation mark Kupa Klint. It’s a fantastic lookout with spectacular views of the archipelago spreading out below. Inside the outer band of skerries you find the large island Missjö with its parallel islands. There is a rustic pub on Missjö run by local boat taxi man and sea dog Mats. He's often there to host and tell stories and it's a very fun time indeed!