Two years ago, a colleague of mine went on an inspiring canoe trip that he later described as something very tough and extreme. Huge, 2+ metre high obstacles, old trees on the way, miles from people and roads. A river part that never sees tourist groups. He was full of life, and I was instantly interested. In a way it was contagious and I sensed the positive impact it can have on me as well.

Last summer, together with friends, we felt called to go on that adventure. So, I got in touch with my colleague – former colleague by then actually – and told him that we were planning on doing the very same canoe trip with kids. He thought we were nuts! This is not for kids, he said. He had been there, done it. Surely he must know, I thought. One of my fellow adventurers who has small twins said the kids will be fine, we will have our challenges, but we can do it. Supported by beautiful summer weather and one of the lowest water levels, which made it even harder as there were more obstacles, we headed to the Soomaa National Park in South-Western Estonia. In the end everyone was happy with a few scratches and memories with the potential to last a lifetime, especially the kids, who had a very different experience compared to a usual summer vacation.

Here’s a short video recap of the 4-day journey. Enjoy! I hope it inspires you to spend more time in nature and do something that pushes the boundaries of your comfort zone. 

Time to expand!