Questions and answers – FAQ

Our tour suggestions are rather easy to moderately difficult in terms of difficulty, therefore almost all canoe tours are well suited for beginners. The only requirement: responsible action, physical fitness, normal condition and no alcohol or other drugs. Wearing life jackets is mandatory in Sweden. Adult canoeists must be able to swim at least 200 meters at a time….

Where. Of course at Canoe Center Svanskog!

Our unique selling points:

• family run small canoe rental (32 canoes, 10 kayaks, 6 motor boats)
• individual best advice
• flexible starting times, basically every tour can be started on every day (usually between 8 and 12 o’clock)
• no mass starts
• wide range of touring possibilities
• detailed information material, tour descriptions and many photos
• transparent and fair pricing (the prices in the canoe tour proposals are always for 2 persons, with complete canoe base package, etc.)
• all tour suggestions can be viewed in detail on GoogleMaps
• we have been paddling in Sweden for more than 25 years and know one or two insider tips for you.

How?
In the menu item“Canoe tours in Sweden” you will find the button booking request in the respective description. Please fill in the form fields carefully and within a short time you will receive a comprehensive offer by e-mail. If you like the offer, just let us know and we will confirm your reservation.

Over the phone you can get individual advice at any time:

Germany: +49 5041 711 9999
Sweden: +46 7776 290 44

The tour description contains all the information about the paddling routes: length, difficulty, GPS tracks, degree of remoteness and even more. The tours can be designed very individually, the route guidance, the tour length, the overnight accommodation and the daily stages you can plan yourself or spontaneously determine during the tour.

For canoe trips up to 7 days, children (up to about 12 years) can join as a third person, the luggage should be well organized and somewhat limited.

For a short canoe trip up to 3 days, one adult person can ride in the canoe. However, this means a significant baggage restriction.

For longer canoe trips with three or five people, we provide a single kayak for the third or fifth person for an extra charge (from 500 SEK).

Yes, your dog is welcome. During the stay in the canoe center leash is compulsory all year round.

You can find more information “with the dog to Sweden here

In principle, canoe tours are possible from mid-April to the end of October. Special attention should be paid to the safety and functionality of the equipment in April and October. Temperatures can drop below zero at night, so a good quality sleeping bag and tent are your best friends. Especially in April, the water temperatures are dangerous, so a wetsuit or water suit is highly recommended. In order to protect each other, we recommend a canoe trip with at least 4 people/2 canoes during this time. These months are not suitable for beginners or for inexperienced paddlers.

For people who value  solitude and real “trapper feeling”, the best season for a canoe trip in Sweden is from the beginning of May to the end of June and from mid-August to the end of September. There are very few people on the lakes. During these periods, the weather is often surprisingly stable and already or still quite mild, warm and even suitable for swimming. In the months of May-June, continental guests have the opportunity to experience their “second spring”. There is nothing better than being right in the middle of it all when Scandinavian nature awakens from hibernation. Moreover, the days are already very long and midsummer is not far. September in Sweden likes to surprise with spectacular sunsets in the most contrasting colors. Deep silent morning fogs over the islands and lakes let the sun penetrate only slowly and give the landscapes unforgettable, mystical and atmospheric views. The nights are really dark again, and what could be better than enjoying the starry night sky with a few friends around the campfire….

For sun worshippers and bathing freaks the midsummer from the beginning of July to the end of August is the most beautiful time. Summer days can get so hot that some swimming and bathing days have to be preferred to paddling. In the high season, even in the vast expansive canoeing areas in Sweden, you may encounter many canoeists and kayakers from time to time. Most people in Sweden and Europe have just in this time summer vacations and vacation. Especially in the central locations where the big canoe operators have their headquarters and the continental big operators pour out their full omnibuses, some overnight places are then well occupied. But outside the main routes, in the many bays and on alternative routes you can still find them, the secluded places where you can experience the solitude and the beautiful nature…

What is good and bad weather is usually in the eye of the beholder. Weatherproof clothing and rain protection should always be with you. Throughout the canoeing season there are good and bad weather situations, it is always a bit of a gamble and unfortunately can never be predicted. Bad weather is in principle no reason to cancel a booked canoe tour.  It may also happen that a weather-related break must be taken during the tour. Paddling is prohibited in the event of persistent strong winds or during storms.

On many tours there are possibilities to buy food on the way, you can find the information about it in the respective description. On some tours, there are no shopping opportunities along the way.

Every lake has an end and in order to reach the next fairway, some tours require a transfer or land transport. Short obstacles in rough terrain are usually carried around, longer distances require land transport, for this purpose a canoe trolley (foldable) is always included in the basic package. With the extremely stable canoe trolley, the canoe is converted into a smooth-running hand trolley in no time. Through these “land bridges” connect many small and large paddling areas and allow beautiful huge round trips and the combination of a wide variety of canoe routes. In the respective tour description you will find exact information about the number and length of land transports and transfers. As a rule, these portages are marked with the blue and white canoe symbol. Every now and then you have to improvise a little. It makes sense to explore unclear portages on foot first. And remember: when the unexpected happens – the adventure begins!

On the western canoe trips Dalsland-Nordmarken there are few to no portages, but there are locks. (
see Dalsland Canal
).

During the tour you sleep according to the
Everyman’s right
in the open air in the tent you bring with you. And that is where you think it is good to camp for the night, on an island, peninsula or in the shore area. However, not within sight of inhabited houses or settlements. On the western tours (Danoland-Nordmarken) there are over 100 Dano sites with windbreaks and fireplaces, if you want to use these for camping/overnighting a Naturvårdkort (nature care card) must be purchased beforehand, either from us or directly on site – online. Canoe groups with more than 6 persons are allowed to camp and spend the night only on these places. Some tours lead through the nature reserve Glaskogen, also here there are many resting places, wind shelters and overnight cabins. To stay in the nature reserve you need a Glaskogskort, which entitles you to stay and use the rest areas and overnight cabins. The Glaskogenkort is obligatory, in the corresponding tour proposals the price for it is already included.

On the road in the Swedish wilderness, the principle of “dig and bury” basically applies. Our basic package always includes a small folding spade to dig your own toilet. The deeper the better! Please never do your “big business” on the islands, there is usually only a thin layer of humus and the ground is rocky. Always look for a place far from your camp, the best is a daily stop, combined with a small walk through the forest and a proper distance from the shore area (water protection).

In the canoeing area Dalsland-Nordmarken there are usually small toilet huts in addition to fireplaces and windbreaks at the paid rest areas. In the canoe areas to the east and north of us, there are only a few restroom stalls at irregular intervals.

On some tours there is the possibility to use the comfort of a campsite from time to time. You can find more details about campsites in the respective tour descriptions.

A very clear no!

In almost all of Europe, wild bonfires are now banned all year round.
Although the Swedish Everyman’s Right allows in principle to make a campfire in nature, it is considerably restricted in many places (e.g. in nature reserves etc.) and completely forbidden during dangerous dry periods.

Public fireplaces or those maintained (secured) by associations are sometimes exempt from the prohibitions, such as the fireplaces in the Dalsland-Nordmarken canoe area and the fireplaces in the Glaskogen Nature Reserve. But even there, fire making can be completely prohibited.

A total fire ban exists when you see this sign:      

We always try to provide canoe teams with the most current fire regulations, but do not assume liability or guarantee completeness.
You are responsible for providing information about fire bans and fire hazards.
Here is a very good brochure about
Fire and Everyman’s right
.
In Google Store you can find a good app about Brandrisko in Sweden –
BRANDRISK Ute

An informative page about the fire risk is also -.
Crisis information

In order to minimize the risk of an accident during a tour, we inform each canoe team in great detail about the safety behavior and regulations in the canoe, kayak and boat on the waters and in the Swedish wilderness.

However, the responsibility always lies with yourself. In the event of an emergency, serious injury or illness during the tour, you must contact an emergency or rescue service directly.

Emergency call: 112 (speak Swedish or English)

We recommend installing the app “SOS Alarm 112″ from Alarm Sverige AB. Available on
Google Play
– or
App Store
. In case of emergency, please call 112. The app then automatically sends the exact location of the cell phone to the emergency services. This enables very fast help, usually within a few minutes. With the help of this app you can also send us your current location!

In addition, you can also inform us. As far and as fast as it is possible for us we will of course do everything to support or help you in your need.

You should have an outdoor emergency kit with you for minor injuries.
If someone gets sick on the way and you have to cancel the tour because of that, please let us know via SMS/Whatapp. We will then arrange for pickup at a suitable location as soon as possible.

Paddling and fishing go well together and who wants to supply himself with fresh fish on the way needs only a Fiskekort and of course Petri Heil. Fishing permits can be purchased from us for many tour sections, prices range from 40,- SEK per day and up to 200,- SEK per week. A fishing license (exam) is not required in Sweden. On most waters, children up to 16 years old are allowed to fish for free. As a rule, fishing in flowing waters is strictly prohibited. Fishing equipment can be rented or purchased from us.

More information
Fishing in Sweden

We also arrange guided canoe tours. Our professional partners from the
Survival Center-Svanskog
take over the consultation, planning and the implementation. Only guided group tours are organized, minimum participation 4 persons. Please register at least 2 months before the planned start.

In the European Economic Area – EEA, insured persons are entitled to medically necessary benefits during temporary stays (e.g. vacation). The same conditions apply as for insured persons in the host country. With the “European Health Insurance Card” (EHIC), treatment costs in Sweden are settled directly with the patient’s own health insurance company.
More detailed information on the scope of benefits and on the special features when claiming medical services in the host country is provided by each health insurance company.
Insured persons for whom this insurance cover is not sufficient can take out additional private cover against possible illnesses or an accident.

If you want to cover yourself if, for example, a trip to Sweden is not possible due to illness, you should take out travel cancellation insurance.

In the case of lost rental items or a total loss, the replacement value must be replaced. In the case of damaged rental items, the repair costs must be reimbursed.

Liability insurances including “rented movables” usually cover such damages. Please check with your insurance company. Hanse-Merkur offers such liability insurance for less than 5 euros a month.

Luggage, suitcases and bags that are not needed during the tour can be safely stored with us.

Parking for cars and campers is plentiful. Parking during a canoe trip is free of charge.