Evening kayaking at Omberg
Evenings to rememenber
Where Omberg meets lake Vättern
In the evenings, Lake Vättern is at its calmest and the mountain at its most beautiful, making it the perfect time for an evening paddle. We paddle together in stable double kayaks from the cozy Hästholmen Harbor up towards Omberg, aiming for the caves. During the tour, we make a stop at one of the stone beaches or cliffs to enjoy the evening sun, the view of Vättern, a packed picnic, good conversations, and great company with like-minded people. You don’t need any previous experience with kayaking – just join us!
Kayaking at Omberg is an extraordinary natural experience that truly stands out! There are few places that can match the mystique and beauty we navigate through, paddling along the border between the dramatic mountain and the vast Lake Vättern. When the lake is still, even the lakebed becomes part of the experience, as you can clearly see all the stones several meters deep through the clear waters of Vättern. With kayaks, we get close—close to the water's surface and the mountain's cliffs. Close to Omberg. Close to Vättern.
With us, the experience is safe—you can relax and enjoy the paddling while we take care of everything else you need to think about. Most of those who join us are beginners, and many have never sat in a kayak before. However, experienced paddlers also join our tours to partake in our stories about the soul of Omberg and its significance to those who have lived here through years.
We start at the kayak base in Hästholmen Harbor, just south of Omberg, and paddle northward, past islets and skerries, passing ruins from the Alvastra monastery era and continuing past the home of author and legend Ellen Key. We proceed to Rödgavel's Cave, the largest and most famous of all the caves along the mountain. The weather will determine how far north we paddle and how many caves we visit.
On our way back, we stop at one of the beaches where we enjoy the evening sun and some treats (everyone brings their own)
When?
Daily at 5:15 PM from June 15 to August 16. There are no evening paddling sessions from August 17 to 25. Daily at 4:00 PM from August 26 to September 8 (time changed due to earlier sunset)
Included:
Rental of kayak, paddle, spray skirt, and life jacket
Local guide and kayak instructor accompanying the tour. Take the opportunity to learn more about paddling while exploring new places and their history.
What to bring?
Picnic/snacks - we will stop to enjoy our own packed snacks or evening tea.
A change of clothes packed in a waterproof bag.
Where?
Start and Finish: Hästholmen Harbor, just south of Omberg
The start and end times of the tour are coordinated with the bus schedule from Hästholmen to Mjölby Central to facilitate travel here by bus and train. (See Östgötatrafiken for bus schedules to Hästholmen).
Parking is available approximately 300 meters before the harbor, which is located at the end of the road in the small fishing community. There is a service house with restrooms available.
For whom?
This tour works well even for those who have never kayaked before. We paddle together at a leisurely pace to Omberg. Participants should be able to swim 200 meters, and it is not suitable to bring children under 10 years old on the tour.
During the paddling, we will stop as best we can on the rolling waves of Vättern to hear the guide's stories about the area's past, present, and future—often with a touch of mythology. This is a legendary and magical place that we want to preserve for future generations!
Pris?
For scheduled tours: 1250 SEK per person for a double kayak. There are a few single kayaks available - if you would like a single kayak, please email us in advance and we will try to accommodate your request.
For groups and private parties: Minimum charge: 5000 SEK.
Number of participants
Maximum of 8 participants per tour on the open trips; for private groups, we can accommodate more. We paddle in small groups to enhance the experience and ensure safety
Good to know
Winds
The winds, and therefore the waves, can pick up quickly on Lake Vättern, and we may need to cancel paddling at short notice. We typically do not go out with groups for this type of paddling if the winds exceed 5-6 m/s from the southwest. If we have to cancel the entire tour from the start due to winds, you will receive a full refund, but that decision is made based on our safety plan. A little wind and rain are no problem! In that case, we paddle as planned! We cannot guarantee that you will be able to paddle into the caves - the winds and waves at the moment will decide.
Double Kayaks and Single Kayaks
We primarily use double kayaks - we have a few single kayaks available for these tours, and they are primarily used when we have an odd number of participants in the group. This means that if there is an odd number of people, you may have to share a double kayak with another participant. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that those who wish to have single kayaks will get them. Double kayaks are significantly more stable than single kayaks, which is why the allocation looks like this. Omberg is exposed to wind and waves, which is how the caves were formed originally
Online booking
First, select your desired arrival date, then enter the number of participants and proceed to fill in your details. Finally, you pay with a credit card. If you are a larger group wishing to book, or would like to pay by invoice, please contact us!
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Guide on the tour
Most likely, it will be Linda you'll be paddling alongside during the kayak tour. She has been leading the kayak tours here since 2010 and is still as passionate as ever! Linda has lived in the area almost her entire life and is very familiar with its nature, essence, and history.
The reason the company exists, and why Linda leads the tours, is because she wants to facilitate positive and balancing interactions between the local community/nature and visitors. Everyone should benefit from meeting and sharing a place. To truly experience the area beyond what the eye can see, a local guide who feels for, and knows, the place is essential.
CANCELLATIONS
Cancellations up to 7 days before the start of the activity: 90% of the total amount will be refunded.
Cancellations 2 - 7 days before the start of the activity: 50% of the total amount will be refunded.
Cancellations less than 48 hours before the start of the activity - no refund will be given.
We recommend that you contact your insurance company for possible compensation.