Hike and Wild Swim the Stockholm Archipelago

There’s one guide for groups of up to 10 guests and two guides for groups of 11 to 14. All group leaders are certified wilderness guides trained in wilderness first aid, and many spend their summers guiding hikes in the archipelago and their winters leading expeditions in the Scandinavian fells. As well as sharing what they know about the islands and the outdoors, they’ll keep you safe and handle anything unexpected, so you can focus on the hiking.

Travel in wild places always comes with a little unpredictability. Weather, sea conditions or other local factors may mean your guides need to adjust the itinerary. Safety is always the priority, and your guides know the archipelago inside out. In practice, this might mean changing some hiking routes, switching to more sheltered spots or adjusting the planned distances slightly. Swim spots may also change, and if the sea is particularly rough, you might not be able to get in the water on a given day. The weather is generally stable during the season this trip runs, so severe conditions are unlikely to disrupt the whole itinerary. It’s worth coming with a flexible mindset – the unplanned moments often make the best stories.

Yes. You can store anything you don’t need on the trip, including extra luggage, safely and free of charge at your host’s basecamp. Your belongings will be locked in insurance-grade containers marked with your name, ready for you when you get back.

The tap water in the archipelago is perfectly safe to drink. You will fill up at your hostel each morning, with refill opportunities during the hikes pointed out by your guides. Please bring a reusable water bottle to carry your own water each day.

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.

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.

The swims on this trip aren’t about covering distance – think of them as short dips in brisk water along a wild stretch of coastline. The idea is to get out among nature and have a refreshing swim each day. They’re completely optional, so you’re welcome to stay on dry land if you’re here purely for the hiking. Your guides will choose safe spots to get in the water, and some of the hostels have their own direct water access for extra swims or a cold plunge between sauna sessions.

Between May and September, the sea temperature in the Stockholm archipelago ranges from 5°C to 18°C, peaking in July and August. May is especially cold and June is still firmly cold-water territory, so if you feel the cold, you may want to bring neoprene gloves, socks and a rash vest.

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 (opens in new tab). 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 (opens in new tab), 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 (opens in new tab) 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 (opens in new tab) – 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 (opens in new tab) for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

This trip runs from May to late September, when the weather in the Stockholm Archipelago is at its best. Daytime temperatures typically range from 20–27°C/68-80°F, and the sea sits between 16–20°C/61-68°F – fresh, but ideal for wild swims.

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. 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.