Kayak, Hike and Wild Camp the Stockholm Archipelago

Group sizes are kept small to ensure safety and a personal experience. The guide-to-guest ratio is usually 1:6, with two guides leading bigger groups of 7–12 people. Your local host is a close-knit team of warm, down-to-earth kayak instructors. All group leaders are certified wilderness guides and trained in wilderness first aid. Many of them spend their summers guiding kayak tours in the archipelago and their winters leading expeditions in the Scandinavian fells. You can count on them not only to share their knowledge and passion for the outdoors, but also to keep you safe and handle any unexpected situations – so you can relax and enjoy the beauty of the archipelago.

Travel in wild places always comes with a little unpredictability. Weather, sea conditions, or other local factors may mean that your guides need to adjust the itinerary. Safety is always the top priority, and your experienced hosts know the archipelago inside out. In practice, this might mean altering routes or choosing alternative wild camping locations that are more sheltered, slightly lengthening or shortening the planned paddling distances, or even swapping a kayak session for a guided hike if conditions require. These adjustments are designed to keep the adventure safe and enjoyable without taking away from the overall experience. That said, the weather is generally stable during the season when this trip runs, so it’s unlikely that severe conditions would disrupt the whole itinerary. We recommend approaching the trip with flexibility and a sense of adventure – it’s often these unscripted moments that create the most memorable stories.

Yes! Anything you do not wish to bring on the trip , including extra luggage and other items that you will not use during the kayak tour, can be stored safely and for free at the host's basecamp. Your items will be locked in their insurance-grade containers, marked with your name and waiting for you once you get back from your tour.

As a group, you'll be provided with 5-litre tanks (as many as needed) to carry throughout the trip. There are also few places out in the archipelago where it's possible to refill during the trip. As a rule of thumb, we recommend 2–3 litres of drinking water per person, per day. Please remember to bring your own small water bottle so that you can refill to stay hydrated while on the water.

You’ll be paddling in good quality double (tandem) sit-inside touring kayaks. These are stable and comfortable boats designed for multi-day expeditions, with spacious cockpits and plenty of storage for camping gear and supplies. They’re well-suited to both beginners and experienced paddlers, making them ideal for exploring the Stockholm Archipelago. If you have plenty of previous sea kayaking experience, your host may also be able to offer a single kayak; please contact them via your booking ahead of your trip if you'd like to discuss this option.

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

BACKGROUND

Stockholm’s food culture reflects its northern climate, island geography and long winters, with preservation techniques like curing, smoking and pickling shaping a cuisine built around fish, root vegetables and seasonal produce. Meals tend to be simple, balanced and often include dairy, grains and seafood, with a growing emphasis on freshness and sustainability. Travellers with dietary requirements generally find Stockholm accommodating, particularly for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets, though traditional dishes can be less flexible. It is usually straightforward with some planning, a guide can help navigate menus and communicate specific needs. For this adventure, the guides carry all food in the kayak from the start, so it is important that you fill in any dietary preferences or allergies on your MBA Passenger Information Form in good time before the trip.

SPECIAL DIETS

Vegetarian Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Traditional Swedish cuisine has historically been meat- and fish-based, shaped by a cold climate and short growing season, but a vegetarian undercurrent has always existed in what the land and pantry provided through winter. Staples like potatoes, root vegetables, cabbage, peas, and hearty rye and barley breads formed the backbone of everyday eating, often stretched with dairy. Classic meat-free dishes include raggmunk (potato pancakes) and porridges like havregrynsgröt and risgrynsgröt, while foraged lingonberries, cloudberries, and chanterelles add seasonal variety. A fully vegetarian diet as a conscious choice is a modern development, but historically, traditional bondkost (peasant fare) meals were often naturally meat-free simply because meat was expensive and reserved for Sundays and holidays.

Vegan Vegan diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Modern Sweden has embraced veganism strongly. The brand ‘Oatly’ was founded in Lund, but the traditional roots lie in the simple, plant-forward bondkost (peasant fare) that sustained rural households when meat and dairy were scarce.

Kosher Fully certified Kosher kitchens and supervision are rare and usually cannot be guaranteed unless expressly confirmed in advance by your host. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

Halal Certified Halal supply varies by destination and may not always be possible. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

INTOLERANCES

Gluten Free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below) Gluten-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Our host will do their best, but if you have Coeliac disease, they cannot 100% guarantee no cross-contamination or traces of gluten.

Lactose-free Lactose-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.

ALLERGIES

Our host has confirmed that provision for certain mild and severe or life-threatening food allergies on this trip may be unreliable. Please get in touch with our Customer Experience team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip.

This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority. Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

This trip runs from June to early September, when the weather and sea conditions in the Stockholm Archipelago are at their best. Daytime temperatures typically range from 20–27°C, and the sea sits between 16–20°C – fresh, but ideal for wild swims. The archipelago is generally free from large tides or swell, so most paddling is done in calm, sheltered waters – though wind can create choppier conditions in more exposed areas.

June brings long daylight hours and cooler nights. July and August are the warmest and most settled months, while September is quieter, with crisp evenings and golden sunsets. You'll be provided with a waterproof kayak jacket, rain hat and neoprene gloves to stay comfortable in wind or rain. Your guides will share daily forecasts and help plan the best routes. Weather can shift quickly – a sunny morning might turn wet or windy, then clear again for a long Scandinavian sunset.