NOLS Scandinavian Sea Kayaking and Backpacking

Spend your days exploring paddling or hiking to new places and your evenings savoring meals cooked on a camp stove.

On this course, you’ll split your time between sea kayaking and backpacking—during both sections, you’ll focus on minimum-impact camping and living comfortably in the quickly-changing environment of Scandinavia. On the backpacking section, you’ll learn to navigate the Arctic tundra and peaks with and without a trail. While sea kayaking, you’ll paddle through Norway’s ocean fjords and tiny islands, starting with the basics, like paddle technique, and progressing to more advanced skills, like self-rescue.

In addition to outdoor skills, leadership will be a key part of this course. You’ll learn about group dynamics as you live in a small community in the mountains. You’ll practice communication and decision making as you find routes through high passes and lush valleys. Paddling a sea kayak during challenging weather offers opportunities to learn tolerance for adversity. Each day you’ll fill a different leadership role, honing your personal leadership style. You’ll go home ready to be a leader in your community and continue exploring the outdoors for the rest of your life.