Scandi-River: The Timber Raft Expedition

By Tom Williams, winner of Channel 4’s Alone

Build your own vessel from raw logs, handle the Swedish wilderness, and master the art of riverborne survival.

From:

£1,950

Duration:

8 days

Date:

VARIOUS

Max People:

60

Min Age:

12+

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Step Into the Adventure

Our adventures follow a simple arc:
Learn → Survive → Celebrate.

Learn

Arrive in the heart of the Scandinavian wild. For the first two days, you’ll undergo an intensive crash course in bushcraft and river survival. Our experts teach you the core pillars: knife safety, water purification, and the “Forager’s Eye.” You’ll head into the brush to identify golden chanterelles and blueberries to supplement your catch. Then the real work begins: The Big Build. Using massive timber logs and traditional lashings, you and your tribe will engineer a 3x6m raft complete with an on-deck cabin. Once launched, the safety net is gone.

Survive

You’ll spend the next four days handling 50 kilometres of winding river. You’ll manage the current, forage along the banks, and secure your own riverbank camps as the sun stays high until midnight.

Celebrate

Finally, the experience concludes at the extraction point. After dismantling your timber home, we return to civilisation for a traditional Swedish barbecue. Resilience, shared stories, and the bond of the river mark the close of your expedition and the beginning of a new chapter of confidence.

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Key Facts

Location

The Klarälven river system, Sweden. A deep wilderness drive from Oslo Airport.

Length

8 days / 7 nights. a high-intensity transition into the wild.

Group Size

Attend solo or get your mates together for a raft of up to 6

Who It’s For

Adventurers ready to trade the modern world for a primitive rhythm. Physically demanding during the build, but rewarding for anyone with a sense of grit.

Remarkable Moments

Lash together a multi-ton raft that actually floats.

Learn to Forage for golden chanterelles and wild berries for a riverside feast.

Handle a wide, glassy river through Scandinavian forests.

Sleep on your raft or a wild riverbank to the sound of the passing river.

Master fire-lighting skills to cook your fresh river catch.

All upcoming departures

7-Day Cool Off

Flexibility

Safety

More Info

Trip Summary

Imagine building a massive timber raft with your friends to gently bimble down a glassy river in the heart of Scandinavia. Fishing, swimming, and foraging along the way. This is your chance to live out that “Huckleberry Finn” fantasy, but with our signature Bushcraft survival twist.

For the first 36 hours, you’ll be under the wing of our expert instructors, learning to forage for wild edibles so you can pair your fresh catch with roasted chanterelle mushrooms and fear not, we provide the salt, butter, and garlic to transform forage to feast. Then, the real work begins: using massive logs and traditional lashings, you and your crew will construct a 3x6m timber raft, complete with its own on-deck cabin.

Once your “home on the water” is launched, you’ll set off in groups of two to six. Whether you bring your own mates or join a crew of like-minded survivors, you’ll spend the next few days handling a wide, slow-moving river for 50 kilometres, one of the few places on Earth where this type of expedition is even possible. You’ll change gears to the pace of the river, fully disconnect, and watch the sun set over the water in a land where it doesn’t get dark until midnight.

Day 1: Arrival in Oslo, Norway & drive to the wilderness base camp in Sweden.
Day 2: Survival training, foraging for mushrooms/berries, and tool mastery.
Day 3: The Big Build. Constructing the 3x6m raft and launching into the current.
Day 4-6: River Survival. 50km of drifting, fishing, and wild camping.
Day 7: Extraction, raft dismantling, and a celebratory Swedish BBQ feast.
Day 8: Return transfer to Oslo Airport.

Raft Building: Traditional log construction, knots, and lashings.
Foraging: Identifying August’s bounty (berries, mushrooms, and pine tea).
Fishing: Hand-line and primitive techniques to supplement your diet.
Whittling: Creating your own essential camp utensils, such as spoons and spatulas, for your riverbank cooking.
Fire & Cooking: Primitive fire-making and riverbank culinary skills.
Navigation: Reading the river’s flow and maneuvering a heavy timber craft.
Safety: Knife handling, water purification, and survival psychology.

The Klarälven, or “The Clear River,” is a historic waterway winding through the Värmland region of west-central Sweden. Once a major artery for the timber industry, it is now a pristine wilderness corridor.

The Terrain You will find yourself surrounded by densely forested banks of pine and birch. The forest floor in August is rich with chanterelles, which we will be foraging to supplement our river catch.

The Water This is a wide, slow-moving river with a gentle current. It is the perfect environment for a “gentle bimble” on a heavy timber craft, giving you the headspace to focus on camp craft and navigation between high-intensity tasks.

Access We have designed this to be seamless. We provide transfers from Oslo Airport (Norway) directly across the border into the heart of the Swedish wild. It is a deep wilderness drive that sets the tone for the week ahead.

Expert Instruction: 36 hours of intensive bushcraft from our world-class instructors and raft training from the local best raft instructors.
Equipment: All logs, lashings, camping kit (tents/sleeping pads), and a scout kayak.
The “Survival Supply”: A base food kit and seasonings (Fruit snacks, nuts carbs, seasoning and a bottle of tipple).
The Finale: Traditional Swedish BBQ celebration and shared accommodation on the final night.
Logistics: All transfers to and from Oslo Airport.

International flights
Visas, if required
Personal travel insurance
Personal expenses

During the training phase (Days 1-2), we stay in a base camp using expedition tents. Once the rafts are launched, you will camp on remote, wild riverbanks in the same tents (or just a tarp if you want to really push it). If you are a small group you have the option of sleeping in your on-deck cabin. On the final night, we provide shared accommodation in little lodges for a comfortable transition back to civilisation.

We provide all the specialised “heavy” gear: logs, ropes, kayaks, tents, a cooking pot, and water purification. You are responsible for your personal “First Line” gear: sturdy waterproof hiking boots, high-quality outdoor clothing (layers are key.), a sleeping bag rated for 5°C, and your personal hygiene items. We will send out a detailed kit list upon booking.

The “Big Build” on Day 3 is physically demanding; you’ll be moving logs and tightening lashings. However, the river adventure itself is a “gentle bimble.” The water is slow-moving, and while you’ll need some muscle to manoeuvre the raft into the banks, it is accessible to anyone with a moderate level of fitness and a sense of adventure.

It’s the Scandinavian wild, so they are definitely invited. However, being out on the moving river usually provides a nice breeze that keeps them away. We recommend bringing repellent. August is generally better than June/July, but come prepared.

Arrival & Departure The expedition begins and ends at Oslo Airport (OSL), Norway.

Arrival: Please ensure you land no later than 13:00 on Day 1 to meet the group transfer.
Departure: We will have you back at Oslo Airport by 12:00 on Day 8. Please book your return flight for 14:00 or later.

Entry Requirements The expedition takes place in Sweden, but we enter via Norway.

Most travelers (UK, USA, EU, CAN, AUS) do not require a visa for short stays in the Schengen Area.
Ensure your passport has at least six months’ validity from your date of entry.

Travel Insurance Specialist travel insurance is mandatory for all our expeditions. Your policy must specifically cover “bushcraft,” “rafting,” and “remote wilderness travel.” We recommend World Nomads or Campbell Irvine, as they understand the nature of our “Learn, Survive, Celebrate” model.

Health & Fitness No specific vaccinations are required for Sweden or Norway, but you should be up to date with your Tetanus booster. This trip requires a moderate level of fitness; you must be capable of lifting logs and spending 8 days outdoors in variable weather conditions.

The Environment August is the prime window for Scandinavia. Expect temperatures between 15°C and 22°C during the day, dropping to 8°C to 12°C at night. Rain is always a possibility in the wilderness, so high-quality waterproofs are essential.Currency & Communication We will be moving between Norway (NOK) and Sweden (SEK). However, once we leave the airport, you will have very little need for cash. Most of the experience is spent in “black zones” with limited to no phone signal, welcome the disconnect.

Check out our Sweden Travel Guide for more information about the destination or check out our blog for Sweden related articles.

Sweden Travel Guide

Sweden Blog Posts

Only 5-Star Reviews

“I’m not sure where to start, this was one of the best trips I’ve ever done. I learnt invaluable skills, reconnected to nature, reassessed whats really important to me, and made some new friends along the way…”
Thomas Nicholls
“There are experiences that are memorable and there are experiences that are life altering, Desert Island Survival was certainly the latter for me and it happened in the exact right moment in life when I desperately needed to reset, heal and regroup….”
Oleg Ravnushkin
“Amazing! ☀️ This trip was incredible, and I am so glad I did it! I would 100% recommended this company, they are great. They offer consistent communication and support from booking to preparing for your trip, and look after you well during it…”
Ciara Rooney

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