Description of the package Timber raft 5 days
Day 1: Meeting and information
Assembly at 5 pm in Gunnerud (assembly is the same as starting day, which is the date you have on your confirmation). You will be issued with the equipment you have booked for your tour. Later, we will provide information about building the raft, the route on the river and the Swedish right of public access. The first night you spend in your tent in our wilderness camp in Gunnerud.
Day 2: In the morning
Early in the morning (around 8 AM), we will drive you to the raft building site in Branäs, which is about 1.5 hours north of Gunnerud. If you arrive by car, one person will need to drive to Björkebo, the endpoint of your timber raft trip. This person can then join our transport to the building site.
Day 2: At the building site
At the building site on the riverbank, there will be a good supply of 3-meter-long logs and rope, which are all you need to construct a stable timber raft. You will either roll or carry the logs down to the river, as your raft—which, when completed, will weigh between 1.5 and 2 tonnes—must be built in the water. An experienced instructor will be present at the building site to assist you.
Day 2: Start of tour
Sometime in the afternoon, you will be ready to cast off. For the next few days, this 18 m² timber raft will be your home. (If you are planning on taking this trip as just two persons, you also have the possibility to build a smaller, half size, raft – 9 m².) The canoe, which is included in the basic equipment, simplifies making land, looking for a campsite for the night or making a stop at one of the local convenience stores.
Day 2-5: Camping/Accommodation
You plan the daily distances for the trip on your own, depending on the circumstances at the time. During the timber raft tour, you spend the night under canvas on your well-moored raft or on land in a tent. The suitable spots for the night are your individual choice according to the Swedish right of public access. Along the river, there are a couple of campsites towards the end of the tour, giving you the possibility to spend a night for a fee at a well-equipped campsite – either in your own tent or in a small cabin. If you choose to stay at Klarälvens Camping, you get one night in your own tent free of charge.
Day 2-5: Adventures on the tour
The evenly repeating bends of the river Klarälven are unique. As you let your timber raft float downstream from one bend to the next, you are being part of an amazing nature experience. The river Klarälven, being full of sand, offers you a lot of good swimming opportunities, while at the same time challenging the rafters with tricky sandbanks, difficult to spot just below the water surface. To get stuck upon a sandbank is part of a rafter’s daily work, unless the water level is unusually high. Stones and eddies are other challenges you surely will face during your timber raft tour.
Day 2-5: The river and the wildlife
With the current as the engine of the timber raft, you will travel completely silently. This enables the sighting of wild animals, although you should not forget that the cultural surroundings in the valley have been populated for centuries. From a historical point of view, the agricultural exploitation of the soil has been very profitable over the years. When floating down the river, you will still experience cultivated land and pastures. The wild animal you are most likely to see is the beaver, mainly living in – and close to – the river. The riverside is also full of other small, interesting animals, such as an almost extinct bug, dependent on open sandy areas to survive.
Day 2-5: Fish for dinner?
For many people traveling down the river, it’s a dream to catch their own supper with a fishing rod. You can purchase a fishing permit in Gunnerud and try your luck – though, to be on the safe side, it’s best not to rely on catching your supper from the river every evening. Instead, you might take the opportunity to visit one of the small local convenience stores, supporting the local residents of the valley.
Day 5: Finish
At your destination in Björkebo, you will return your rented equipment and dismantle your raft by 5 PM.