Progressive and Dynamic - Norway
Norway, you can have it all: learn, paddle & enjoy. Famous for waterfalls, slides, and monster rapids, however, it is also home to more of the world’s finest Class III and IV intermediate water than you’ll find anywhere else. From the big and bouncy Sjoa to the steep and technical Store Ula and everything in between, the region has it all, and that’s why we run our progressive trips here.
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Elevate your paddling skills to new heights on the breathtaking Sjoa River in Norway!
Whether you’re aiming to master big-volume techniques, refine your creeking abilities, or enhance your river-running prowess, we offer individually tailored challenges in a low-consequence environment—the perfect setting to safely push your limits. Imagine styling your lines on one of the world’s most beautiful rivers, preparing you to step up to new whitewater adventures with confidence. Nestled in Norway’s historic heartland of Gudbrandsdalen, the Sjoa (pronounced “Shoo-ar”) is a paradise for any whitewater enthusiast.
As Gene17Kayaking’s summer home for over a decade, our guides know every eddy, wave, and ripple. They’ll lead you to the exact spots you need to develop and fine-tune your skills. From this ideal training ground, we’ll venture out to the surrounding national parks, where a variety of pristine whitewater awaits. Tackle everything from technical mountain streams to exhilarating big-volume wave trains—you’ll find all the excitement you could wish for.
Along the way, we’ll provide the opportunities and expert guidance to advance your paddling, plus chances to indulge in some of the world’s best baked goods. Join us for an unforgettable journey where adventure meets mastery. With Gene17Kayaking, you’re not just learning—you’re experiencing the thrill of Norway’s stunning waterways while immersing yourself in its rich culture. Don’t just dream about the ultimate kayaking adventure—live it with us on the Sjoa River!
Day 1: Arrival day. Settle into Sjoa and meet the rest of the team
Day 2: Hit the water! After a quick gear review and boat outfitting session, we’ll go for a chilled out paddle on the Sjoa. It’ll give us the chance to look at how you’re paddling and find out what you want to work on
Day 3: Today is a technical skill review and the chance to set some goals for the rest of the week. We’ll head to a more challenging section of the Sjoa and introduce you to some of the key concepts of dynamic river paddling.
Day 4: A day out in Lom, on the Lower Børve with a late afternoon stop at the famed Lom Bakery
Day 5: An all-day trip to the Lora. This classic run starting with alpine whitewater, that drops into a gorge of pool drop fun
Day 6: The big day out. We’ll head to a classic pool drop river and put your new skills to the test, whilst looking at group awareness and river running techniques
Day 7: Norwegian classic. We’ll head for something with fun drops, scenic surroundings and world class whitewater. The ideal finish to a perfect week
Day 8: Departure day: We'll give everybody an individual debrief before heading off.
What the price does include
- Guiding and Instruction†
- Location Transport & River shuttles
- Use of a full spec whitewater kayak** from a locally sourced fleet based on 35€ per day per kayak.
† Our Coaching/Guiding Only solution, is simply that, our first rate excellent Coaching & Guiding, and assistance with river shuttles.
* There is a frequent yet irregular bus and train service from Oslo to Otta. We collect from Otta Bus/Train Station from 1800-1900 on the day of arrival, and drop off for 1000 on the day of departure. An airport shuttle from Oslo to Sjoa is NOT included with ANY of our Norway Trips & Adventures, as the direct public transport link is straight forward and easy to undertake.
** Gene17 has a small yet excellent selection of kayaks for a range of different sized paddlers, & these are available on a first come, first served basis ONLY
What the price does not include
Accommodation
Visa fees
Flight
Airport Shuttle
Bar bills
Travel & Boat insurance
Tips
Can I rental a kayak & paddle in destination?
- In all out destinations we have developed great partnerships with local kayak rental outlets
- We will help you secure a kayak of your choice
- If you do not wish to travel with your own paddle, we have a handful of high end Werner Paddles all with straight shafts and 45ºR feather. We also have some breakdown split paddles that can be made into 0º & 45ºL feather,. All available upon request.
- Note all equipment whether from a rental station or Gene17Kayaking is offered on a first come first served basis.
Note: with good notice we attempt to secure the hire of a kayak from a local source. Still we can not guarantee the use of locally sourced kayak, which will in part depend of notification before booking and local availability at the time of booking.
FAQs
Your most import questions answered
- In all out destinations we have developed great partnerships with local kayak rental outlets
- We will help you secure a kayak of your choice
- If you do not wish to travel with your own paddle, we have a handful of high end Werner Paddles all with straight shafts and 45ºR feather. We also have some breakdown split paddles that can be made into 0º & 45ºL feather,. All available upon request.
- Note all equipment whether from a rental station or Gene17Kayaking is offered on a first come first served basis.
- A good semi-drytop or drytop or drysuit
- Whitewater PFD, spray deck and good helmet
- Solid footwear for bank support – no sandals
- Rescue gear, including a throwbag, knife, sling, and karabiner
The trip will be led by an experienced Gene17kayaking appointed trip leader.
In selecting suitable leaders, we not only look to ensure that they have the relevant qualifications but we also ensure that they have an excellent track record of white water paddling from around the world.
Whilst qualifications and experience are essential requirements, we also make sure that our leaders have the right temperament to lead a trip group comprised of individuals who have a range of previous experience and expectations.
The leader is a vital contributor to the enjoyment and well-being of the trip members and he or she will be there to deal with any unexpected problems. To that end, we aim to provide a leader who will make the trip both successful and enjoyable throughout.
Our leaders hold current wilderness first aid certificates and have experience of dealing with remote river related medical conditions.
We will take a maximum of 6 paddlers on each trip, although the number may well be less than this. With every 3 paddlers we have on the trip, we’ll have a highly experienced Gene17kayaking Teacher/Guide.
- We’ll help you figure out how to tackle complex rapids and we’ll give you some serious boofin’ practice
- We’ll work on reading water dynamically, with a focus on driving your boat through turns, arcs and drops
- We’ll look at understanding whitewater features and learning to use the water's features to your advantage
- We’ll help you develop tactics to take on steeper whitewater in safety
- WW safety and rescue skills workshop
- We’ll help you find where you are with your paddling and we’ll give you a progression plan to work to
Day 1 Arrival day. Settle into your accommodation and take in the village of Campertogno.
Day 2 Hit the water! After a quick gear review and boat outfitting session, we’ll go for a chilled out paddle on the Sesia. It’ll give us the chance to look at how you’re paddling and find out what you want to work on
Day 3 Today’s a technical skill review and the chance to set some goals for the rest of the week. We’ll head to a more challenging river section and introduce you to some of the key concepts of dynamic river paddling such as angulation, pro-active balance and driving your boat.
Day 4 Today we’ll look at your river awareness. We’ll focus on group dynamics and leadership principles on one of the classics.
Day 5 Boof! Our first real day on the bedrock steeps will give you a real chance to work on your essential techniques and the team’s group dynamics.
Day 6 More of the steeps: another classic pool-drop river and chance to get some photos.
Day 7 Piemonte classic. We’ll head for an all day trip with steep drops, scenic surroundings and world class whitewater. The ideal finish to a perfect week.
Day 8 Departure day: time for a debrief and the end of the course.