Lake Vänern by boat: Mariestad, Djurö and Karlstad

Lake Vänern is the EU's largest lake, with Europe's largest freshwater archipelago. In a day you can run from Mariestad to Djurö National Park in the middle of the lake, swim off the sandy beaches of the Brommö archipelago, watch boats lock through at Sjötorp where the Göta Canal begins, or cruise the Klarälven delta at Karlstad. But Vänern behaves more like a sea than a lake, so the weather decides where you go.

Where can you rent a boat near Lake Vänern?

On the south-east shore, Mariestad is the natural base. You can rent a boat in Mariestad and have both the archipelago and Sjötorp within easy reach. Further north along the east shore there are boats to rent in Otterbäcken, and on the Värmland side you can rent a boat in Karlstad with the Klarälven delta and Hammarö right outside town. The boats belong to private owners, and each owner sets their own requirements for experience or certificates. Some owners can also come along as skipper.

5 boat trips on Lake Vänern

Distances are rough map estimates in nautical miles (M). Always plan with a chart or chart app, and be ready to postpone open-water trips.

Mariestad to the Brommö archipelago

Approx. 10 M from Mariestad guest harbour, 45–60 minutes each way. North of Mariestad, beyond Torsö, lies the Brommö skärgård nature reserve: Västra Brommö, Hovden, Bockön, Lindökroken and Klypholmen. Expect shingle fields, wind-blown sand dunes, rocky pine forest and beaches such as Rövarsand. A shallow sandy passage lets you wade between Brommö and Hovden.

• Stop: the naturhamn (natural harbour, an anchorage or mooring spot without a marina) on the east side of Lindökroken, with toilets and a waste station.
• Tip: the reserve has five bird sanctuaries where you may not go ashore from 1 April to 31 July. Check the signs and the chart before you nose in to a skerry.

Mariestad to Djurö National Park

Approx. 15 M from Mariestad (approx. 5–6 M from Brommö), 1–1.5 hours each way. Djurö National Park is some thirty islands and skerries in mid-lake, and no archipelago in Sweden is as isolated. The main island was inhabited from the 1600s until the last lighthouse keeper left in 1969, and fallow deer from its hunting-park days remain. Expect bare rock, shingle beaches and ospreys.

• Stop: Malbergshamn is the islands' best harbour, and three marked trails start there. There are toilets, bins and fireplaces at Malbergshamn, Tribergs ö, Långön and Dunderkarlarna, and in places mooring rings in the rock.
• Tip: approach from the north or west, because the east side is shallow. The bird sanctuaries are on the east and south sides and are closed from 1 April to 31 July.

Mariestad to Sjötorp and the Göta Canal

Approx. 10–12 M from Mariestad, just under an hour each way. Sjötorp sits where the Göta Canal meets Lake Vänern, with centuries of boatbuilding and fishing history. Eight locks lie within walking distance, and a lockage takes about 7–10 minutes. The whole canal has 58 locks and runs to Mem on the Baltic.

• Stop: there is a canal office at the canal entrance in Sjötorp. Ask there where visiting boats from the lake may moor, as the canal's guest harbours are primarily for boats with a canal ticket.
• Tip: in high season, from mid-June to mid-August, the canal is open daily, with boats locking through all day. Before and after high season boats travel in convoys, so there are fewer lockages to watch.

Otterbäcken to Sjötorp along the east shore

Approx. 7 M from Otterbäcken guest harbour to Sjötorp, just over half an hour each way. Otterbäcken, in Gullspång municipality, is both a commercial port and a friendly gästhamn (guest harbour, a marina with berths for visiting boats). Head south along the shore to Sjötorp and back for a relaxed half day.

• Stop: Otterbäcken guest harbour has 2 m of water at the guest jetty, fuel, fresh water, toilet pump-out, and a restaurant and small grocery nearby. The railway museum and maritime museum are a stone's throw away.
• Tip: Otterbäcken handles cargo ships. Keep a lookout at the harbour entrance and give them room.

Karlstad, the Klarälven delta and Västra Söön

Approx. 6 M from Karlstad guest harbour in Inre hamn to Västra Söön, about 30 minutes each way. The Klarälven delta is Sweden's largest freshwater delta outside the mountains and has been building up for about 3,600 years. Between Karlstad and Skoghall you pass wet meadows and marshes where white-tailed eagles and marsh harriers hunt. Kaplansholmen, about 4 km east of the centre, can only be reached by boat. South of Hammarö lies the Värmlandsskärgården nature reserve.

• Stop: Västra Söön has a sandy beach, and Västra Söön, Västra Långholmen and Östra Söön all have jetties for smaller boats. Karlstad guest harbour is five minutes from the centre, with a free visitor jetty (up to eight hours) and restaurants and cafés along the quays.
• Tip: to reach Inre hamn you pass Våghusbron, and larger boats may have to wait for a bridge opening. Mooring at restaurant terraces is not allowed.

Rules and safety on Lake Vänern

Waves and weather. Vänern is an inland sea, and the lake's tourist board warns that the weather can change quickly and the waves can build within a couple of minutes. Check the SMHI forecast for Vänern (coastal areas Värmlandssjön and Dalbosjön) before you set out, wear a life jacket and stay close to shore if strong wind is possible. According to the national park, the trip to Djurö is very weather-dependent.

Commercial shipping. Cargo ships call at Karlstad, Skoghall, Kristinehamn, Otterbäcken, Lidköping and Hönsäter below Kinnekulle, among other ports (Swedish Maritime Administration). The international collision rules apply, and a small boat must not impede a vessel that can only navigate safely within the fairway. Stay out of the fairway when you can and cross it without lingering.

Djurö National Park. Among other rules (County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland):

• maximum 7 knots within 100 m of the shore, and no water-skiing or wakeboarding
• no mooring for more than two days in a row in the same place, and no camping for more than two nights in the same spot
• bird sanctuaries are closed from 1 April to 31 July
• fires only at designated sites (grills and camping stoves are fine), dogs on a lead, and fishing with hand tackle only (trolling is banned)

Bird sanctuaries. Around Mariestad most bird sanctuaries are closed from 1 April to 31 July, but a few, such as Stora Björkön with its skerries and outer Rammholmarna, are closed from 1 February to 15 August. Near Gullspång, Vallholmen is closed from 1 February to 15 August. In Värmlandsskärgården and the Lurö archipelago you may not land on, or stay on the water within 100 m of, a bird sanctuary from 1 April to 31 July. Sanctuaries are marked on the chart and with yellow or yellow-and-red signs. In the Brommö archipelago, the Klarälven delta and Värmlandsskärgården you may not moor in the same place for more than two days.

Right of public access. Under allemansrätten, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency says you may moor and spend a night or two on board. Jetties and boathouses that belong to a private garden are private, but you may briefly borrow a jetty outside private grounds as long as the owner is not prevented from using it.

Toilet waste. Since 1 April 2015 it has been illegal to discharge toilet waste from leisure boats, and the ban covers all Swedish lakes, including Vänern (Swedish Transport Agency). You can pump out in Mariestad, Karlstad and Otterbäcken.

Licence and alcohol. As our guide to boat licences in Sweden explains, no licence is needed for a leisure boat under 12 m long or under 4 m wide, whatever the engine. A boat of 12 m or more in length and 4 m or more in width requires a kustskepparintyg (coastal skipper certificate) or higher, and this applies to visitors too. The alcohol limit is 0.2 per mille on boats that can do 15 knots or more or are at least 10 m long.

Best time for a boat trip on Lake Vänern

High season runs from June to August. Mariestad guest harbour is staffed from 1 May to 30 September. Karlstad guest harbour is open all year but staffed from late May to late August. The Göta Canal is usually open from early May to late September, with high season from mid-June to mid-August. The current year's dates and opening hours are published on gotakanal.se.

Bird sanctuaries close through much of early and high summer, so August offers more landing spots. Take extra care on the way to Djurö in late autumn, winter and early spring.

FAQ

Can you see Kinnekulle and Hindens rev from the boat?

Yes. Kinnekulle is a flat-topped mountain south-west of Mariestad that rises 263 m above the lake, a clear landmark from the water. Hindens rev is a narrow glacial ridge that sticks out about 5 km into Vänern north-west of Lidköping. It is more than 30 M from Mariestad. Camping is banned in the reserve.

Can you get to the Lurö archipelago?

Lurö lies in the middle of Vänern in Säffle municipality, approx. 9 M west of Djurö. Stenstaka has a jetty, guest harbour, restaurant, hostel and toilet, and Bösshamn on Lurön is a natural harbour with a toilet. It is a crossing over open water that only suits settled weather and experienced skippers.

Can I take a rented boat into the Göta Canal?

You need a canal ticket, and boats may be no more than 30 m long and 7 m wide. Ask the owner first whether the boat may go through locks. Most day renters simply watch the locks at Sjötorp.

Do I need a boat licence on Lake Vänern?

No, not for an ordinary leisure boat under 12 m long or under 4 m wide. The owner may still ask for experience or a certificate.

Where can I swim from the boat?

The Brommö archipelago has several sandy beaches, including Rövarsand, and Västra Söön south of Hammarö has a sandy beach and a jetty. Keep away from skerries with yellow-and-red signs during the nesting season.

If you want to compare with another lake, read about boating on Lake Mälaren, or for salt water try the Gryt archipelago in Östergötland. Before you go, have a look at our packing list for a day trip.