Sea Kayaking in St Anna Archipelago
"Dave and I had a wonderful time on our kayaking trip - the weather was glorious, the sea beautiful and John was a brilliant guide. We would recommend it highly." Sally
Photo: J.Savelid
Photos: J.Savelid
The St. Anna Archipelago is one of Sweden's premier sea kayaking areas - a beautiful landscape of islands, rocks and skerries lying around 150km south west of the capital, Stockholm.
The archipelago offers excellent paddling for novice and more experienced sea kayakers alike. The area is a nature reserve and is rich in both natural and cultural heritage. Due to its unique biodiversity, the St. Anna Archipelago has been proposed as one of three archipelagos in Sweden particularly suitable for National Park status.
From your start point at Stockholm Skavsta airport or Linköping station, you will travel with your guide to the Baltic coast to begin your experience. Over the next 4 days/3 nights you will have the opportunity to explore some of the myriad islands comprising the St. Anna Archipelago, from bare rocks barely breaking the surface of the water to verdant islands densely forested with pine and birch.
Sea kayaking is an ideal way to experience the landscape and wildlife of the St. Anna Archipelago. During the tour you will also have a chance to improve your paddling technique and to learn about safety and navigation from your guide.
Each night you will be camping wild on a suitable island, preparing dinner together and sharing memories of the day's paddling as the sun sets over the horizon.
This experience is available both on scheduled dates and as a private tour for small groups. For private tours, you can choose to extend your stay in the St. Anna Archipelago with one or more additional days' sea kayaking.
Meet at 13.00 at Stockholm Skavsta airport (NYO). Pick-up from Nyköping train or bus station can also be arranged. From here you will travel by local bus together out to the Baltic coast to where your kayaks and equipment are waiting. You will begin by packing your personal belongings and other items for the tour into dry bags, which will then be stowed into the kayaks. You are welcome to leave behind any luggage not needed during the tour. After a short introduction covering paddling technique, safety considerations, etc, you will take to the water to begin your tour, taking things easy at first to get used to your equipment and begin to relax into your experience. Later in the day you will go ashore at the one of the thousands of islands in the area, pitch camp and prepare dinner together over open fire. An evening dip is a marvellous way to round off a day's paddling in the archipelago! Accommodation for the night is wild camping in 2-person tents.
As the morning sun begins to warm the rocks, you will gather for breakfast before breaking camp, repacking the kayaks and heading out towards the open sea, leaving no trace on the island to show you have been there.
The distances covered during the tour and level of challenge are flexible and will depend on factors such as weather conditions and the needs and wishes of the group. You will be paddling through a landscape of islets, rocks and skerries, into calm, secluded bays and further out towards the open sea. You will have a chance to learn or improve your paddling techniques and skills, learn about safety, how to read a coastal map and about the rich flora and fauna of the area. The archipelago is rich both in wildlife and in places of cultural and historical interest, some of which you will be able to stop and visit during the tour.
During your day's paddling, there will plenty of opportunity to take breaks to eat and relax. At the end of each day, you will pitch camp on a suitable island for the night to watch the sun set over the horizon.
After breakfast, you will break camp and paddle for home. You will be at the end point around 16.00. Once ashore you will have something to eat before travelling by bus to Skavsta airport or Nyköping for departure.
For groups of minimum 6 persons, private tours can be arranged on custom dates between June and October at standard prices. Smaller private groups are also possible. For private tours, additional days may be added.
Prices are in British Pounds. If you wish, you are also welcome to make your payment by bank transfer in Euros or Swedish Kronor. If this would be of interest, please let us know and we will be happy to provide prices.
£515/person
Private tours (based on standard 4-day itinerary as above) can be arranged for groups of min. 6 persons at standard prices. For smaller groups and custom itineraries, please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Wild camping in 2-person tents for 3 nights.
All meals from dinner on Day 1 to lunch on Day 4. Please let us know in advance if you have any particular dietary requirements. Everyone assists with preparation of food and other tasks around the camp.
Experienced and knowledgeable guide during the tour.
Hire of sleeping bag: £16/person
No previous kayaking experience required. You should be in good health with a reasonable level of fitness and enjoy the outdoors.
Minimum age 16 for scheduled tours. Children aged 12 and over are also welcome if sharing double kayak with adult with previous kayaking experience. For private tours, please contact us to discuss your requirements.
A detailed recommended equipment list will be sent with your booking confirmation.
NB: We advise you not to buy equipment or clothes for your trip or to incur other non-refundable expenses such as flights until you have received confirmation of your booking from us in writing.
As in the UK, there are ticks in the forests in Sweden which can carry diseases such as Borrelia. You should check for ticks at the end of a day in the outdoors. If you find a tick, remove it as soon as possible by pulling the tick out straight, carefully and slowly, with the tweezers as close to the skin as possible. Ensure that you do not leave any of the insect's mouth parts attached to your skin. Wash the bite area with soap and water. In the unlikely event that you feel unwell or notice anything unusual around the area of the bite in the coming days/couple of weeks, consult your doctor.
In some small localised areas of Sweden (mostly in the Stockholm archipelago), the ticks are known to carry a disease called TBE, or Tick-borne encephalitis, and locals spending extended periods in affected areas do vaccinate themselves. For a map of TBE distribution in Europe and latest updates, please see Tick Alert.
For current advice on TBE and inoculations, please consult your doctor or see NaTHNaC.
Minimum total 3 participants required for tour to be confirmed to run. You are of course welcome to book as a solo traveller.
Maximum group size 8 persons.
This experience is ideal for groups. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
The St Anna Archipelago ("Sankt Anna Skärgård") lies on the east coast of Sweden 150km south-west of Stockholm, and extends from Aspöja in the north to southern Finnö in the south.
This stretch of the Baltic coast is renowned for its unique natural heritage with thousands of bays and islands, from the bare rocky skerries of the outer archipelago to the lush green of the inner archipelago.
The area is currently a nature reserve and has also been proposed for future National Park status.
This provider has received a prestigious Swedish Ecotourism quality mark for its commitment to high standards to cultural and environmental sensitivity.
Detailed information on travel options will be sent with your booking documentation. We are happy to advise on suitable connections and assist you with any aspect of planning your journey.
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