Take part in real rewilding in northern Sweden
Spend four days with WildSweden and Rewilding Sweden, helping restore a living river while exploring the landscape by packraft and looking for beavers, moose and birdlife. This is not a demonstration — the work you do is part of real, practical restoration work that helps the river become wilder, richer and more alive.
WHEN
Early June
RATE
XX,XXX SEK ≈ XXXX EUR
MEETING POINT / WHERE
Umeå, Northern Sweden
GROUP SIZE
Max 10 guests. Private groups on request
DURATION
4 days / 3 nights
ACCOMMODATION
3 nights at a guesthouse
ACTIVITY LEVEL
Moderate. General fitness is required
FOR WHO
Adults, couples, solo travellers. 15+
Highlights
Do real rewilding work
This is not a symbolic taster. You join work that Rewilding Sweden is doing, helping a damaged river become healthier and wilder.
Packraft and watch for wildlife
Travel quietly through the river landscape, including a late evening paddle with chances to see beavers, moose and birdlife.
Discover how a river comes back to life
Be in the water, explore the river ecosystem and see what has been changed, what is recovering and what still needs to be restored.
Join the rewilding movement
Spend time with people actively working to make Sweden wilder and become part of a growing European movement for nature recovery.
Meet the people behind the rewilding
Travel with Marcus and Dan and meet Rewilding Sweden biologists and rewilders working directly with restoration in the landscape.
How this journey supports nature
You are not only visiting a rewilding landscape. You are helping restore it.
During the journey, we work alongside Rewilding Sweden on real restoration tasks that are part of their ongoing work in the river system. The exact work depends on what the river needs at the time, but may include restoring spawning habitat, returning gravel and structure to the river, or other practical restoration.
Rewilding Sweden is a non-profit organisation whose work relies on donations and partnerships. You can also add a donation to support their work.
Your connection to the river continues after the journey. We’ll share updates so you can follow how the places you worked on recover over time.
Book your spot
Only 10 places available. Click the “Rates & Dates” button, choose your date and send your request. We’ll review and confirm by email.
💳 20% deposit – Book now, pay the rest later.
↩️ 80% refund – Cancel up to 30 days before arrival.
🔁 Change dates – Move your trip up to 30 days before arrival.
🛡️ Protected booking – Covered by Swedish travel guarantee protection.
Meet your guides
This journey is led by people who know both the guest experience and the restoration work on the ground. You’ll travel with Marcus from WildSweden and Dan from Rewilding Sweden, and meet with biologists and rewilders along the way.
Dan Allen-Hörnfeldt – Rewilding Sweden
Dan leads operations at Rewilding Sweden and is closely involved in the practical restoration work in the area. He brings first-hand knowledge of the river landscape, the local rewilding projects and the people helping nature recover.
A World Cup-winning ice swimmer, channel swimmer and co-founder of Umeå Kallbad, northern Sweden’s largest outdoor swimming community, Dan is especially at home in wild water, rivers and the communities that gather around them.
Marcus Eldh – WildSweden
Marcus founded WildSweden in 2003 and has spent more than 20 years creating and guiding small-group wildlife journeys across Sweden.
He brings the travel, wildlife and guiding side of the trip, with a focus on authentic experiences, close encounters with nature and making people feel part of the landscape rather than just visitors.
Accommodation
You’ll stay for three nights at Kronlund Kursgård, a historic former forest school from 1905 in Bergnäs, Västerbotten. The rooms are simple and comfortable, with the choice of single or double rooms.
Kronlund is our base for the journey, strategically located within the rewilding area and close to the river, restoration sites and surrounding forests. Breakfast is served at the guesthouse before we head out for the day’s excursions.
The program
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Meet in Umeå after lunch and travel together to Kronlund Kursgård. Settle in, meet the others over dinner and get an introduction to the river landscape and the rewilding work.
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Meet the river, journey through it, restore it.
We start by stepping into the river with Rewilding Sweden to discover what lives beneath the surface and what makes a healthy river ecosystem. We then travel through the landscape by packraft before spending part of the afternoon on practical river restoration. Later, we head out again for a late wildlife paddle.
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We spend the day exploring more of the rewilding landscape and working alongside the Rewilding Sweden team on practical restoration.
The exact work depends on what the river needs at the time. If conditions and ecology allow, this may also include taking part in a trout release.
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We leave Kronlund and travel back towards Umeå. We finish the journey with a final reflection and a shared lunch before departure.
Created together with Rewilding Sweden
This journey is developed together with Rewilding Sweden, the Swedish partner of Rewilding Europe.
Rewilding Sweden works across the Nordic Taiga to restore rivers, wetlands and forests, helping natural processes return and making landscapes healthier, richer and wilder.
But rewilding is not only ecological work. It is also about people: building relationships between local communities, landowners, associations, contractors and partners, and creating the conditions for more people to take part in the future of the landscapes around them.
This journey is part of that wider work. WildSweden brings the small-group travel, wildlife and guiding experience; Rewilding Sweden brings the landscape, the restoration work and the relationships with the people doing it on the ground.
Together, we want guests to leave with more than memories from Sweden. We want you to leave knowing that you helped make one small part of it wilder.
LOCATION & HOW TO GET HERE
Meeting point: Umeå Central Station — 14:00 (Day 1) >> Link to Google Maps
Our guide meets you at the station. From there, we travel together by minivan to Kronlund Kursgård.
At the end of the adventure we take you back to Umeå Central Station — 12:00 (Day 4).
Travel options: Umeå is easy to reach by train from Stockholm and by domestic flight to Umeå Airport. Local buses and taxis connect the airport with central Umeå.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Included
Guides throughout the tour
3 nights’ accommodation at Kronlund Kursgård
All meals from dinner on Day 1 to lunch on Day 4
All activities described in the day-by-day program
Packraft, paddle and buoyancy vest
All transport from pickup in Umeå until drop-off in Umeå
Available options
Cancellation Protection
Not included
Travel to and from Umeå
Alcoholic drinks
Personal travel insurance
What to bring
You need clothing for active days outdoors in early summer, including rain gear and shoes that can get wet. No paddling equipment is needed.
For who
This journey is for adults who enjoy nature, wildlife and being active outdoors, and who are curious about rewilding and restoration.
You should be comfortable walking on uneven ground, spending full days outside and paddling a packraft. No previous packrafting experience is needed.
Minimum age: 15 years
REVIEWS
In June 2026, we tested this journey as a pilot together with a small group of invited participants. Here are some of their reflections:
“It felt momentarily like you were part of the team – helping to do something good. This is what will stay with me.”
— James Shooter
“It made me realise that I have the capacity to support other projects. As this was well guided and supported by the rewilding team, we became the added hands, legs and arms required. I feel inspired to do more of this type of work!”
— Kim Ross
“To be a credible rewilding experience you’re going to have to roll up your sleeves and get properly stuck into something. Physically changing the flow of the water and then building the spawning beds was very revelatory.”
— Toby Cowern
Frequently asked questions
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No. You do not need previous packrafting experience, and the paddling is designed to be beginner-friendly.
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The activity level is moderate. You need general fitness for walking, paddling and taking part in restoration work, but this is not an expedition.
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No. There are different ways to take part in the restoration work, and not everyone needs to do the heaviest jobs.
What matters most is that you are willing to get involved and spend time outdoors. We adapt tasks according to the group and the work taking place.
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Very likely.
Some restoration work takes place in or beside the river, and packrafting can also mean wet feet and splashes. You should be happy to wear outdoor clothing, step into shallow water and get your hands dirty.
That is part of the experience.
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You should be comfortable around water, but you do not need to be an expert swimmer.
We provide buoyancy vests and all necessary paddling safety equipment. The packrafting takes place on suitable stretches chosen according to the group and conditions.
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No previous experience is needed.
Packrafts are stable and relatively easy to learn, and we start with an introduction before getting on the water. The route is chosen to be suitable for beginners rather than technically demanding.
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Packrafting is an important part of the journey, but this is not a paddling expedition.
We plan one main paddling day, including a later evening paddle focused on wildlife. The rest of the trip combines walking, restoration work and time with the people involved in rewilding the area.
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We paddle late because beavers and moose are often more active in the evening.
In early June, the nights are very light in northern Sweden, so we can stay out until after midnight without paddling in darkness. Expect one late evening during the trip.
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We have good opportunities to look for beavers, moose and birdlife, especially during the evening paddle, but these are wild animals and sightings can never be guaranteed.
As on our other wildlife tours, the experience is about being in the right habitat at the right time and seeing what nature gives us.
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The exact work depends on what Rewilding Sweden is working on in the area at the time of the trip.
It may include improving spawning habitat, moving gravel or stones, monitoring or other practical river restoration work.
This is real ongoing restoration work — not an activity created only for visitors.
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No.
This is a guided nature journey where practical rewilding is one of the main experiences. You will also packraft, look for wildlife, walk through the landscape and spend time with people working with rewilding in Sweden.
The difference from a normal wildlife holiday is that you are not only observing the landscape — you get to contribute to its recovery.
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That is completely fine.
You do not need any previous knowledge. You will meet Marcus and Dan, as well as biologists and hands-on rewilders from Rewilding Sweden, and learn through conversations, field visits and practical work.
Curiosity matters more than prior knowledge.
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No, but you should be interested in nature recovery and open to taking part.
The trip is a good fit if you want to understand rewilding better, meet people doing the work and experience what restoration looks like on the ground.
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You stay indoors for all three nights at Kronlund Kursgård, in a single or double room.
There is no camping and you do not need to carry overnight equipment. Breakfast is served at the guesthouse, and we return there after most days outdoors.
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On Days 2 and 3, expect to spend much of the day outdoors.
We have packed lunches in the field and return to the accommodation later in the day. Day 1 and Day 4 are shorter and more relaxed.
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The programme may change depending on weather, water levels and the restoration work taking place.
We choose paddling routes and outdoor activities according to current conditions, and safety always comes first.
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Bring normal outdoor clothing for early summer in northern Sweden, including waterproofs, layers and shoes that can get wet.
You do not need specialist paddling equipment. We provide packrafts, paddles and life jackets.
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Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other common dietary requirements can usually be arranged if you tell us in advance.
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Yes. Many WildSweden guests travel alone.
The group is small, and much of the journey is built around shared activities, meals and restoration work, so it is easy to become part of the group.
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Yes, but like any outdoor activity it involves some risks such as uneven ground, slippery stones and using simple tools.
The work is supervised by experienced guides and Rewilding Sweden staff, and we adapt activities to current conditions and the group.
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The minimum age is 15.
Teenagers should be comfortable spending full days outdoors, paddling, walking on uneven ground and taking part in practical restoration work.
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Part of your booking fee goes directly to Rewilding Sweden's restoration work in the area.
You also contribute through the practical work carried out during the trip. The aim is that tourism should support nature recovery rather than simply visit it.
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Not always – and that is part of what makes this journey different. We join Rewilding Sweden’s ongoing work, so the exact task depends on what the river needs at the time. You may restore spawning habitat, move gravel and stones, monitor river life or help with another active restoration project.
