S.JOA The Pearl of Norway

A little over four hours from Oslo, Norway, lies the Sjoa Valley. In a country known as one of the world’s premium destinations for steep, clean whitewater, the Sjoa Valley and the river that lends its name stand out as time-tested classics. Paddler-approved, generation after generation, no matter your skill level. "It’s not the biggest, the hardest, or the steepest," writes Jakub Sedivy, but it has a magic and a beauty all its own. Spring and summer on the Sjoa have something for everyone—plus a little something extra—that will keep you coming back time and time again.

Words: Jakub Sedivy

"The holes will mostly flush you out, but it’s common to get flushed from the Main straight into the Rinser without much of a breath and your eyelids inside out." Nestled between the two national parks of Jotunheimen and Rondane lies Heidal. This side valley of Gudbransdalen, and town of the same name, boasts some of the oldest and most beautiful farms and historical buildings in Norway. The old wooden houses assembled into the traditional tunnets of old Norwegian aristocracy are some of the biggest and best-preserved anywhere in Norway. Heidal might be famous in Norway for its culture, nature, history, and beauty, but what attracts paddlers is the river threading through the valley: The Sjoa, arguably the most famous river in Norway. It’s not the hardest, the steepest, or…

You're reading a preview of

Kayak Session (Digital) - 1 Issue, Summer 2022

DiscountMags is a licensed distributor (not a publisher) of the above content and Publication through Zinio LLC. Accordingly, we have no editorial control over the Publications. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including those made in Publications offered on our website, are those of the respective author(s) or publisher(s) and not of DiscountMags. DiscountMags does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness, or usefulness of all or any portion of any publication or any services or offers made by third parties, nor will we be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information contained in any Publication, or your use of services offered, or your acceptance of any offers made through the Service or the Publications. For content removal requests, please contact Zinio.