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Photo: Staffan Widstrand

Canoe Tours on Klarälven (Sweden)

An easy-going rural canoe tour on wide, meandering river ideal for adults or families

  • Self-guided (min 2 pers)
  • Easy
  • From £/adult, £/child
  • May-Sep, 4 or 7 days
  • Adults, Families, Groups

Highlights:

  • Paddle 50km or 100km over 4 or 7 days
  • Wide, slow-flowing river with no land transports
  • Wild camping on the riverbank
  • Good chances to see beavers
  • Kitchen equipment included
  • Optional camping equipment and provisions

Description »

A relaxed canoeing holiday with wild camping on the riverbank

A family holiday in Sweden with a difference! The Klarälven runs the length of Värmland, from north to south. Its serpentine meanderings make it a major feature of the Värmland landscape. Its waters flow gently and the landscape ranges from steep valleys to flat, cultivated land.

Canoe on Klarälven is a canoe tour suitable for adults seeking a relaxing, less challenging canoe experience and is also the ideal choice for a family holiday with children of all ages - a self-guided canoeing holiday where you paddle on your own, camping wild on the riverbank along the way.

For the 7-day tour, you can also choose if you wish to camp for one night free of charge at one of the "proper" campsites you will pass along the route.

The canoe tour is ideal for families

The Klarälven offers a great canoeing and camping experience for both adults and active families. Photo: Per Eriksson.

The Klarälven is a wide, meandering river which flows at a stately 2km per hour - a wonderful way to experience the beautiful landscape of rural Sweden and watch the world go by as you make your way downstream!

The Klarälven canoeing tour takes you through a lovely rural area of forests, small villages and farmland, giving you the opportunity to stop for provisions and explore the settlements and surrounding woodlands along the route.

Whether you are a couple seeking a peaceful few days together on the water, an active family introducing your children to the thrill of the outdoors and wild camping, or an adult group looking for a relaxing paddle adventure, Canoe on Klarälven may well be the ideal option!

You will be camping wild on the riverbank during your tour

Camp wild along the route on the banks of the river, choosing your own spot each night. Photo: VV.

An area rich in wildlife with good chances to see beavers

The flora and fauna of Värmland is a cross-section of Swedish species, where the north and south of Sweden meet along the plant geographic boundary of Norrland, which is also the northern limit of the oak.

Northern Värmland and the Norwegian borderland offers wonderful possibilities for canoeing and is ideal for lovers of nature and wildlife - you have good chances to spot beaver when canoeing on the Klarälven.

Canoeing for odd-numbered groups

Canoes used are 2-person Canadian canoes but can also accommodate three persons. For odd numbers, there are two possibilities - please specify your chosen option when booking (option chosen does not affect the price):

  • Paddle three persons in one canoe. This reduces the level of challenge but note that this option will limit available space for packing (this option is not recommended if your party is only three persons in total).
  • Extra person uses sit-on-top kayak as alternative to canoe. The majority of packing for this extra person will then be carried in one of the canoes.

 ...

Itinerary »

Why not combine your canoe tour with Timber Rafting Taster and try some timber rafting during your trip?

Arrival

Detailed information you will need for your experience, including a description of the route, is sent out once full payment has been received.

Meet at the canoe centre in Gunnerud. You will receive your equipment and the information about paddling technique and your route. You can also buy a fishing licence for the tour if you wish. You will then load your canoe equipment onto the minibus for transfer upstream to the start point for your canoe tour. Distance covered is approx. 50km for the 4-day tour and 100km for the 7-day tour.

  • High season: Check-in is between 10.00 and 11.00.
  • Low season: Depending on start date, start time will normally be by arrangement between 12.00 and 17.00 subject to availability.

Following Days

You journey down the wide, meandering river Klaräven, stopping as the mood takes you at small villages and places of interest along the way (suggestions will be included in your route description documentation). You may even wish to plan a half day or day to go hiking in the beautiful forests of the area. The time you spend on the water and the distance to cover each day to complete your voyage downstream is up to you. Each night you will camp wild on the riverbank at a suitable spot - if you wish, you will also pass occasional "proper" campsites, where you are welcome to spend the night if you wish. An additional charge payable locally applies for these sites, except when doing the 7-day tour, where the option to camp free of charge at one of the sites is included.

Departure

You paddle downstream to finish your canoe tour at the canoe centre. Please plan your journey accordingly.

End time is normally latest 11.00. However, as buses to Karlstad do not depart until later in the afternoon or early evening depending on connections, to avoid a long wait before departure, if you wish, you are also welcome to plan your tour to spend longer canoeing on the river this day and return your equipment in the afternoon (latest 17.00).

Dates & Prices»

Dates 2025

High Season:

  • 22.06-17.08.25. Start days Sundays and Thursdays, check-in between 10.00 and 11.00 (last standard start day 17th August).

Low Season:

  • 01.05-21.06.25 and 18.08-30.09.25 (latest end date 30th September). Start any day (except Sundays) by arrangement between 12.00 and 17.00 for a minimum total price of cost for 4 adults due to custom transfer logistics required for tours at this time. Examples: 2 or 3 persons charged at 4 x adult rate; family of 2 adults + 2 children under 16 charged at 4 x adult rate, family of 2 adults + 3 children under 16 charged at 4 x adult rate + 1 x child rate.

Prices 2025

Prices include full kitchen equipment.

High Season/Low Season tours: During High Season, standard per person prices and start days apply. For tours during Low Season, there is a minimum charge of the cost for 4 adults due to custom transfers required. See under "Dates" for more information.

Standard Prices 
4-day tour/adultGBP
4-day tour/child under 16GBP
4-day tour/person group size 14+GBP
  
7-day tour/adultGBP
7-day tour/child under 16GBP
7-day tour/person group size 14+GBP

Groups: Price per person regardless of age. Group rates apply for group size min. 14 persons. NB: For group rate bookings, special conditions apply for deposit payment and cancellation - please contact us for details.

Optional Extras (see description below) 
4-day tour 
Sleeping bag package/personGBP
Provisions package/adultGBP
Provisions package/child under 16GBP
Provisions package/person group size 14+GBP
Tent (per 3-4 persons)GBP
  
7-day tour 
Sleeping bag package/personGBP
Provisions package/adultGBP
Provisions package/child under 16GBP
Provisions package/person group size 14+GBP
Tent (per 3-4 persons)GBP
  • Sleeping bag package: Includes sleeping bag, sleeping bag liner and foam sleeping mat.
  • Provisions package: See image below. You can choose to add a food package for up to 7 days. The food provided is that eaten by a typical Swedish family. At the start of the tour you will be given a provisions box with the food for the trip (if you have specific dietary requirements, please let us know so that arrangements can be made). The exact contents of the package may change depending on the season and availability. The food is purchased from small, local countryside shops. Typical contents include: bread, butter, cheese, juice, milk, yoghurt, muesli, coffee, tea, salami, jam, meatballs, fishballs, Swedish beef stew, ham, sausages, pork loin, mashed potatoes, onions, carrots, vegetables, beetroot, apples, biscuits, tomatoes, cucumber, rice, macaroni, asparagus soup, cauliflower soup, salt and pepper. You may need to purchase additional fresh milk, etc, along the way. Please note: If choosing provisions, for organisational reasons all persons travelling together must choose food packages (i.e. it is not possible to split packages or to purchase for only some members of a group). As the provisions packages are sourced from small, local stores which may have a limited range of goods, ONLY the following dietary requirements can be catered for: Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Lactose Free. Other requirements (vegan, allergies, etc) can unfortunately not be accommodated. If you prefer, you can also purchase provisions independently in Karlstad before travelling to the tour, which offers a wide range of larger food stores and supermarkets where provisions for special diets are available.
  • Tent: See image below. High quality 3/4-person Hilleberg tents. Please note that, like all tents rated 4 persons, the tents are most comfortable for 3 adults.
  • Fishing: Very simple fishing equipment and also fishing licences can be purchased at the canoe centre on arrival (NB: fishing equipment is available for purchase only, not for hire).
Hilleberg Nallo 4

Tent (3-4 persons)

Provisions package

Typical food package contents (for 4 persons)

What's Included »

Included

  • Canoe equipment: 2-person Canadian canoe, paddles, buoyancy aids, one waterproof pack barrel per canoe (approx. 60 litres), water can (5 litres), canoe rope, topographical map, toilet spade (toilet paper is not included), cleaning sponge and rubbish bags.
  • Kitchen equipment: Hurricane stove* with fuel, cups, plates, cutlery, carving knife, cutting board, spatula, cheese slicer, whip, butter knife, can/bottle opener, potato peeler, bowl, dish brush, washing-up liquid, kitchen roll, matches and storage box.
  • Instructor: Instruction meeting before your tour starts.
  • Transfers: Transport by bus for participants and equipment from the meeting point to the start point of the tour (tour route returns to meeting point).
Canoe equipment

*Exact contents may differ from example shown

Please be careful with the canoe and the rest of your equipment! If some part of the equipment should break as a result of misuse or carelessness, you may be charged for the damage caused.

Not Included

Please see "Prices > Optional Extras".

  • Travel: We do not arrange flights or domestic travel, but are happy to advise on suitable connections and assist you with any aspect of planning your journey. See under "Getting There" for general travel information.
  • Food: A provisions package is available as an optional extra. There are opportunities to shop in small stores along the way.
  • Tent
  • Sleeping Bag

Good To Know »

Required

Health requirements/experience:

Swimming ability required by adults. All participation at own risk. Minimum 2 adults*. You should be in good health and have a reasonable level of fitness and strength.

The canoe tour is on calm flowing water. The Klarälven tour involves fairly light paddling with no lifting and you will be travelling downstream for the whole tour.

*This tour can also be suitable for solo adult + child(ren), depending on ages of children and previous outdoor experience. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

What makes this "Easy"?

You will be paddling downstream on a wide, slow-flowing river for the duration of the tour and in a rural area. The tour is based on wild camping but you there are also 1-2 "proper" campsites en-route where you can overnight if desired. No land transports are required.

NB: Perception of difficulty is very subjective. What is hard to one person may be easy for another and vice versa, depending on factors including level of fitness, age and previous experience. Weather conditions/temperatures can also dramatically affect the actual level of challenge encountered.

Equipment/clothes needed:

For information on any equipment and/or clothing included as standard for this experience, please see under "What's Included".

A detailed recommended packing list for personal items to bring will be sent with your booking documentation.

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. Note of course that the most appropriate clothing to use as well as the level of challenge experienced during any outdoor activity may vary significantly depending on factors such as the time of year and the particular weather/temperature conditions during your trip.

Preparing for your trip:

For further reading, we also have a number of general information articles to get you ready for your trip, covering a wide variety of topics from what to do on a city break before/after your tour, advice on packing, eyewear for winter and considerations for female travellers.

Combine This With

This experience makes a good combination with the following:

Groups

Canoe on Klarälven is ideal for groups. We reserve the right to assign groups to certain camp sites to minimise impact on the natural environment.

Eco Info

This provider has received a prestigious Swedish Ecotourism award for its commitment to high standards to cultural and environmental sensitivity.

The Beaver:

Canoeing or rafting the Klarälven gives you a very good chance of seeing beavers. But this has not always been the case. The beaver became extinct in Sweden in the late 19th century and was only reintroduced in 1922. Since then they have flourished in this area and Värmland now has an estimated population of several thousand. See our Wildlife Guide for more information on beavers in Sweden.

Getting There »

Getting There

See below for a summary of travel options. To learn more about how to travel to this experience, please get in touch!

Detailed information on travel will be provided in response to your enquiry. We are happy to advise on suitable connections and assist you with any aspect of planning your journey.

NB: Please ensure that you make a booking with us first and wait for confirmation that your spaces are reserved before making any travel arrangements.

Travel Summary:

By Air:

You can choose to fly to Stockholm, Gothenburg or Oslo airports. From here, you travel by public transport to Karlstad (around 2.5-5.5 hours depending on options chosen). From Karlstad, you travel by local bus to Gunnerud (around 1.5 hours). You can also choose to travel by hire car.

Without Flying:

Ferry Dover-Dunkirk or Newcastle-Amsterdam for onward connections to Gunnerud.

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