This is an Adventures, Planned itinerary for 5 days of kayaking and wild camping in the Saint Anna archipelago, which is aptly nicknamed, ‘Kayak Paradise.’ The itinerary includes a day for arrival and transport to the starting location, and an optional 2-3 days of exploration in Stockholm at the end of the trip. Total suggested trip length: 9 days.
Not sure if you’ll like it? This itinerary is best for adventures, group trips, islands, water-based trips, sports-based trips, and mini escapes. It’s aimed at people who like kayaking and wild camping and are therefore OK with creepy-crawlies, zero toilet facilities, and isolation from city atmospheres.
How it Works
To follow my itinerary, simply book anything marked with a bold, B.
To adapt my itinerary, scroll down to the SWAPS section for recommended adjustments.
Contents
Introduction
The Expedition Itinerary: Day One
Day Two
Days Three-Six
Day Six
End of Trip Options
Days Seven-Eight
Day Nine
Cost
Swaps
Introduction
I completed this expedition in 2017 with a group of friends. The trip provided us with stunning views over mostly desolate islands with occasional wandering sheep. The red-sky sunsets reached freely across the unspoiled horizon. At night, the moon reflected over calm waters, and a strange quiet was born in this wild place – strange, because I had never stood almost alone on an island on which there were no other human sounds, no passing boats most days, and minimal evidence of previous passer-bys. Despite being in Europe, in a well-known country, we saw only one other group on a nearby island, and only one recurring pleasure boat was gliding past, a topless Swedish man peering over its deck.
This isn’t to say that the trip is easy. Remember, you’re alone in the sea, and navigating is hard when the islands look the same. Phone signal is good, but help isn’t nearby. Follow our kayaking expedition kit list and guides to make sure you’re able to complete this trip self-guided.
This itinerary involves renting kayaks from Kajak Paradise, a friendly and experienced company that are based in Saint Anna.
The Expedition Itinerary
Day One
- Fly to Skavsta Airport. B.
- Airport Bus to Norrköping from £12. B.
- Stay in Norrköping. Recommended hostel: Pronova Hotell & Vandrarhem. Prices from £26 per person, per night. You can travel to the hostel from the central bus station by a short bus journey or a twenty minute walk. B.
- Rest and complete any last-minute food shopping in local supermarkets.
Day Two
- Get to Norrköping bus stop. Take a bus or tram to Söderköping and book via this link. Prices from £5. B.
*If you are having trouble understanding the website, get in touch with Kajak Paradise and they will be able to help you.
- Transfer from Söderköping to Kajak Paradise.
- This is the “Närtrafiken” taxi transfer – https://taxibil.se/ to the Kajak Paradise base, where your kayaking journey will begin. The taxis will start from 45 sek per person (£3.94). You can only travel on mornings or evenings Monday-Friday. At weekends, you can travel between 0900-1700. You can ask the company to book this transfer for you. B.
*You can pay by card in taxis in Sweden. Yay!
- This is the “Närtrafiken” taxi transfer – https://taxibil.se/ to the Kajak Paradise base, where your kayaking journey will begin. The taxis will start from 45 sek per person (£3.94). You can only travel on mornings or evenings Monday-Friday. At weekends, you can travel between 0900-1700. You can ask the company to book this transfer for you. B.
- There is a food shop in Söderköping if you still need to stock up before the start of your kayaking journey.
- Once at Kajak Paradise, you can organise and repack your kit into the kayaks. You’ll receive water to start you off on your journey, maps, a list of islands with facilities, and you’ll have a chance to ask any questions you might have.
- We recommend requesting a 3 hour training session to get you all up to the same level, and to point you in the right direction. B.
- Start kayaking! You’ll spend your first night wild camping on an island of your choice.
Day Three–Six
Kayak time!
Day Six
- End kayaking and return to Söderköping by taxi transfer. Request this transfer at the time of booking from Kajak Paradise. B.
End of Trip Options: Home, or Explore Stockholm?
Option 1: Home/One Day Longer – Stay close to the airport
- If you want to head directly to Skavsta Airport, you can take a bus. Check out this site to look at your options, which start from £8. It’s best to check your journey options nearer the time as services are currently altered due to COVID-19. Expect the journey time to take around 2 hours. B.
- If you need a hotel, the Connect Hotel is 100 yards from the airport. Rooms start at £60 per person, per night. B.
- If you have limited time and want to stay near the airport, but you still have enough time to explore Stockholm, you can use the airport bus to hop back and forth between the famous city. The journey time will take one hour. B.
Option 2: More time: Stay in Stockholm, and explore
- Travel from Soderkoping Bus Station to Stockholm City Terminal via Swebus (now Flixbus) from £21. The journey takes 2:45. B.
- Stay in Stockholm. Recommended hostel: STF Chapman & Skeppsholmen. Prices approx £24 per person, per night. You can take a taxi to the hostel. B.
Days Seven-Eight
Explore Stockholm. Not sure what to do? Don’t miss out on these:
- The grand Vasa Museum. £
- The Abba Museum. ££
- The Nobel Prize Museum. £
- Walk along the Stockholm Canal
- For meat lovers, this Viking restaurant in the heart of Stockholm. Be prepared to have a trumpet blown when you enter, and your name and home country announced to a red-faced bunch, who sit on wooden tables. You may have to book to get a table. £££.
- For book lovers who miss a decent sized bookstore, check out the massive Science Fiction and Fantasy Bokhandeln.
Day Nine
Take the airport bus to Skavsta Airport and leave Stockholm for home. The journey should take 80 minutes, and prices start at £13. B.
Cost
Flights: It’s best to check the flight prices nearer the time. Currently, Sweden is not on the list of countries that are safe to travel to due to COVID-19. You can expect the prices to vary pre-covid and post-covid.
Kayaking:
- £105.58 per person for 5 days of kayaking rental in a single kayak.
– 20% off the total amount (group amount) if you book for May or September, and you book before 1st May.
– Or -20% off if you plan to go in June, July, or August.
- £96 for the whole group to have 3 hours of kayaking training. If 5 people are going, that’s £19.20 for you.
Accommodation fees:
£26 First night
+ £24 x 3 = 72 for Stockholm exploration
Or £60 for one night in the Airport Hotel
= £72 or £86, depending on what you choose to do.
Internal transport fees:
£25 to get you to the kayaking start location and back again.
£8 if you choose to stay by the airport in Skavsta at the end of the trip. More if you choose to visit Stockholm from here, and return to the airport-side hotel again.
£21 if you head straight to Stockholm, and £13 to head back to the airport.
Additional fees:
Transport to and from the airports in your home country, food, kit, museum visits, shopping, and anything else you want to buy.
Total: £222.65 – 279.20 plus flights and additional fees above.
SWAPS: Customisation suggestions
- Fly into Arlanda airport, not Skavsta.
- Stay in Stockholm at the beginning of the trip, not the end.
- Stay in Soderkoping, not Norrkoping.
- Choose a different company or archipelago in Sweden (article detailing options coming soon).
- Extend or decrease the number of kayaking days.
- Replace hostel options with hotels.
Downloads coming soon.
