Kayak & Wild Camp the Saint Anna Archipelago — Self-Launched
6 days · Saint Anna Archipelago, Sweden
Do the North charges £750
No-markup version: ~£415 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Do the North's 5-day kayak-and-wild-camp loop through the Saint Anna and Missjö archipelagos on Sweden's Baltic coast. Instead of paying an operator to hand you a pre-packed kit, you rent a sea kayak (with dry bags, tent, stove and PFD) directly from a local outfitter in Saint Anna/Fyrudden or Norrköping, paddle out with a safety briefing and chart, and camp for free under Sweden's allemansrätten (right to roam) on granite islands. Days link Saint Anna → Uggelholmarna → the outer skerries and Missjö → Harstena and Torrön → Ämtö and Håskö → Gubbö and Häradskär lighthouse, then back to the mainland. Costs assume 2 people sharing a double kayak; solo paddlers pay more per head. Estimates are approximate and exclude flights.
Day-by-day
Norrköping to Saint Anna — collect kayak and paddle out
Norrköping / Saint Anna
Arrive Norrköping by train (SJ from Stockholm ~1h45, ~£20-30; from Copenhagen via Malmö ~£60-80). Stock up on food at a Norrköping supermarket (ICA/Coop) — budget ~£25-30 for 5 days of camp meals — then take bus 430/440 towards Fyrudden (or the local bus to Saint Anna's outfitters/boat hire, ~£8-10, 1h15). Collect your pre-booked sea kayak, paddle, PFD, spray deck, pump and dry bags; ask for a 1-hour navigation and safety briefing and a laminated chart of the archipelago. Paddle 2-3 hours southwest into the Saint Anna archipelago and camp on a granite skerry — no facilities, so bring a stove and pack out all waste.
🚌Train to Norrköping (~£20-30 from Stockholm), local bus to Saint Anna (~£9), rented sea kayak
🛏Wild camp on a Saint Anna island (tent from kayak rental package)
- →Train journey to Norrköping
- →Supermarket food shop for the paddle
- →Kayak and camping kit handover with navigation briefing
- →First paddle into Saint Anna Archipelago
- →Wild camp and campfire (check local fire bans)
Saint Anna and Uggelholmarna Nature Reserve
Saint Anna Archipelago / Uggelholmarna
Break camp, pack the kayak properly (heavy items low and central) and paddle north-east through the sheltered inner channels towards Uggelholmarna Nature Reserve. Short crossings between islands make this a good day to build confidence — watch for white-tailed eagles, herons, swans and ducks in the reeds. Take a short wander on Uggelholmarna's trails, then find a camp on Aspöja or a nearby islet. Boil water from the lake-free Baltic — bring a filter or purification tablets, or carry water from the last tap.
🚌Sea kayak (4-6 hours paddling, ~12-15 km)
🛏Wild camp on Aspöja or nearby islet
- →Paddle through Saint Anna's inner channels
- →Uggelholmarna Nature Reserve wander
- →Wildlife spotting: white-tailed eagles, herons, swans
- →Wild camping on Aspöja
Outer archipelago — Missjö, Torrskär and the bird sanctuaries
Outer Archipelago / Missjö
A bigger day out into the exposed outer skerries — check the SMHI forecast and wind direction before launching, and hug the lee side of islands. Paddle via Torrskär and Stångklabben, through bird sanctuaries (keep a respectful distance during nesting season, May-July) and around Kupa Klint and Norbådarna into the Missjö archipelago. Grey seals, ospreys, cormorants and arctic skuas are all possible here. In the evening, treat yourself to a meal at the rustic pub on Missjö if it's open (seasonal, ~£18-25).
🚌Sea kayak (5-6 hours paddling, ~18-22 km)
🛏Wild camp on Missjö or Ådskar
- →Outer-archipelago crossing conditions dependent
- →Bird sanctuary paddling (nesting-season aware)
- →Seal, osprey and skua spotting
- →Optional meal at the Missjö pub
Harstena and Torrön
Harstena / Torrön
Paddle across to Harstena, the archipelago's best-known island village — visit the small museum in the old school, buy fresh bread and cinnamon buns at the bakery, and have lunch at the waterside restaurant if it's open (seasonal; ~£15-20). Top up water here. Then paddle the Torrön waters for a swim and a sunbathe on the smooth rocks, and camp on Torrön or a neighbouring islet. Bear in mind Harstena and Håskö are inhabited — pitch away from houses and jetties.
🚌Sea kayak (4-5 hours paddling, ~14-18 km)
🛏Wild camp on Torrön
- →Paddle to Harstena village
- →Harstena schoolhouse museum and bakery
- →Swim and sunbathe on Torrön's granite slabs
- →Water resupply at Harstena
Väggö, Ämtö Nature Reserve and Håskö sauna
Ämtö / Håskö
Paddle to Väggö, then through the Ämtö Nature Reserve with a short hike on its trails, and on to Håskö, where the village homestead sells simple meals in season and rents a wood-fired sauna and hot tub (pay the villagers a small fee, roughly £8-15, for camping/sauna). This is the classic Do the North highlight — a log-fired sauna followed by a plunge in the Baltic. Alternatively camp free on a quiet island nearby.
🚌Sea kayak (4-5 hours paddling, ~15 km)
🛏Camp on Håskö (small village fee) or free wild camp nearby
- →Paddle to Väggö
- →Hiking trails in Ämtö Nature Reserve
- →Håskö homestead meal (seasonal)
- →Self-served wood-fired sauna and hot tub
Gubbö, Häradskär lighthouse and return to Norrköping
Gubbö / Häradskär / Norrköping
Walk the hiking trail on Gubbö in the morning, then paddle out towards Häradskär lighthouse — Sweden's oldest iron lighthouse — if the weather allows, keeping an eye out for white-tailed eagles. Turn back south-west past the abandoned copper mine on Fångö for a quick explore and swim, then paddle the final leg to the mainland at Fyrudden, where you return the kayak and kit. Take the local bus back to Norrköping (or stay a night in the station hostel, ~£30-40) before onward trains.
🚌Sea kayak (5-6 hours, ~18-22 km), local bus to Norrköping (~£9), onward train
🛏None included — optional Norrköping hostel (~£30-40) before onward travel
- →Gubbö hiking trail
- →Paddle to Häradskär lighthouse (conditions permitting)
- →Fångö abandoned copper mine
- →Final swim and kit return at Fyrudden
Self-launched vs. Do the North
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Do the North | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£415 | £750 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £335 per person (45%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Do the North-style trips? Check them out here.~£415
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Kayak & Wild Camp the Saint Anna Archipelago — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £415 per person for 6 days in Saint Anna Archipelago, Sweden. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Do the North?+
Yes — Do the North charges around £750 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £415 — a saving of roughly £335 (45%) per person.
How long is the Saint Anna Archipelago, Sweden trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Saint Anna Archipelago, Sweden.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, budget trip through Saint Anna Archipelago, Sweden, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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