Kayaking the Łupawa River: a wild Pomeranian waterway for beginners and experienced paddlers
A few hundred metres from Różane Domki, just beyond the village of Smołdzino, among dense pine forests and alder riparian groves, flows a river that is often called one of the last truly wild rivers of Pomerania. The Łupawa has no promenades or piers here. There are no riverside cafés or tourist information boards. What it does have is something increasingly rare — silence, a winding current, bank-side floodplain forest that smells of water and moss, and grey herons wading in the shallows with a dignity that suggests time simply does not apply to them. A kayaking trip down the Łupawa is one of the most beautiful ways to get to know this area from an angle that no road can offer. In this guide we want to tell you about the river, its character and its different sections, about how to plan a kayak trip from Smołdzino, what to expect on the water, what to pack, and how to get safely back to Różane Domki in time to tell the other guests at the dinner table how many quiet and extraordinary things you saw from the cockpit of a kayak that day.
The Łupawa — character of the river
The Łupawa rises near Borzytuchom in the Bytów Lake District, in a landscape of glacial hills and hollows that make up the Kashubian Upland. It is a quiet, unassuming river that nonetheless changes its character several times over the course of its more than one hundred kilometres northward through Pomerania, arriving at its outflow into Lake Gardno almost transformed from its gravelly Kashubian headwaters. The total length of the Łupawa is around 104 kilometres, and its catchment covers wide stretches of the Kashubian and Eastern Pomeranian lake districts. Throughout its entire course the river retains an exceptional, wild character — and it is precisely this quality that makes it so valuable both to naturalists and to kayakers looking for something authentic.
The upper reaches of the Łupawa have a more energetic character than you might expect from a river in Central Europe: a distinct current, a stony or gravelly bed, and rapids interspersed with calmer stretches. It is here that the river earns its reputation as a route worthy of experienced paddlers who are comfortable with portages and sudden changes in the pace of the water. As the Łupawa approaches Smołdzino and the lower part of its course, it grows calmer — flowing in a wider channel through alder and riparian forests, meandering ever more gently towards the lake waters of Gardno.
This lower section of the river — covering the area around Smołdzino, Gardna Mała and the outflow into Gardno — is what our guests can explore by kayak, setting out almost directly from Różane Domki. The river in this section is accessible and readable even for people with limited kayaking experience, though like any wild river it demands attentiveness and respect for its changing conditions.
What makes the Łupawa exceptional among Pomeranian rivers? Above all, its naturalness. The river has largely escaped the hydraulic engineering that stripped many Polish rivers of their natural meanders, riparian forests and biological diversity over the past decades. The Łupawa has retained many of its bends, oxbow lakes and flood meadows that are home to beavers, river otters, sea trout and more than two hundred bird species. The riverside alder and willow floodplain forests — habitat for endemic orchids and rare ferns — stretch for kilometres along the banks, creating a green tunnel over the water in which a kayaker feels transported into a completely different world from the one a few kilometres away at the Baltic beach.
The river near Smołdzino flows through Słowiński National Park or its buffer zone, which means that conservation considerations carry particular weight here. It is worth knowing that not all sections of the Łupawa are open to kayakers throughout the year — certain stretches may be subject to seasonal restrictions due to the protection of bird nesting sites or areas of special ecological value. Before your trip, check the current information at the Natural History Museum of Słowiński National Park in Smołdzino or on the park's website at spn.gov.pl. Park staff are always happy to answer questions about which sections are accessible and what seasonal restrictions may apply.
The very name Łupawa has Slavic roots suggesting speed or force of current — though in the lower reaches that quality is long gone. The river carries water gathered from its extensive catchment, tinted slightly brown by the peat and humus of the forest soils it seeps through before reaching the main channel. This natural colouring is not a sign of pollution but of contact with the living, biodiverse soils of the riverside forests.
The mouth of the Łupawa at Lake Gardno is one of those places that stays with everyone who reaches it by kayak. The river does not rush into the lake abruptly — it slows, widens and almost stills among the reed beds and sedge marshes before its waters merge with the broad expanse of Gardno. On clear mornings a light mist hangs over these places, and the sun breaking through the branches of the alders and ash trees creates shimmering ribbons of light on the water. To arrive here by kayak — after several hours of quiet paddling through the forest — is an experience that is difficult to compare with anything else.
Sections for beginners
The lower part of the Łupawa, flowing through the area around Smołdzino and joining Lake Gardno, is by far the gentlest in terms of paddling requirements. The current is calm, the river flows in a wide, clearly legible channel, and any potential obstacles — fallen trees, clusters of reeds, low-hanging branches — are typically visible at sufficient distance to allow an unhurried decision about how to manoeuvre. These are the sections we recommend to people sitting in a kayak for the first time or those with little open-water experience.
A trip covering a few to a dozen or so kilometres of the lower Łupawa typically takes between two and four hours — depending on your pace, the number of stops, and how long you spend sitting still in the current watching birds. This is an ideal amount of time for people without much experience who want to get to know the river without excessive physical effort, while still enjoying its full range of natural attractions.
On the calm stretches of the lower Łupawa, the pace of paddling is comfortable and allows you to look around properly. You can let go of the paddle for a moment and simply drift — the current will guide you through the meanders while you take in the banks. The riverside alders form a green canopy overhead through which shafts of sunlight filter. In the silence you catch unexpected sounds: the splash of a fish jumping, the rush of wings as a heron takes flight, the characteristic low whistle of a kingfisher skimming the surface, or the short alarm call of a sedge warbler from the bank-side thickets.
It is worth heading out for a trip on the calmer sections in the morning, when mist still lingers over the water and there is no other movement on the river. The Łupawa in the morning hours feels entirely unclaimed — entirely yours. The wild life of the river is at its most active at this hour: beavers return to their lodges after a night's foraging, kingfishers dart low over the water, and birds sing in dense choruses from the riverside scrub. This contact with nature in the early morning, from a kayak's perspective, is completely different from a walk in a park or observation from the shore — you are inside that world rather than an observer from outside it.
The length of a trip can be adjusted to suit your own fitness and the day's plans. We generally recommend stretches of 8 to 14 kilometres per day — enough to feel the rhythm of the river and see its various faces, but not so much that you return to Różane Domki tired rather than refreshed. Return transport needs to be planned in advance (see the section on planning a trip), since the river flows in one direction and getting back by bicycle or car is a different matter from the way you came.
On the calmer stretches of the Łupawa there is also the possibility of spontaneous breaks on the bank — pulling the kayak up onto a sandy bar or resting it against the roots of an alder for a while, sitting at the water's edge, listening to the river and eating a sandwich from your dry bag. These picnic-style pauses are one of the great pleasures of a kayaking trip — spontaneous, impossible to plan, always in a different place and at a different time of day. Some of our most treasured memories of this area involve exactly those unplanned moments when a brief rest by the river turned into half an hour of quiet sitting and watching the water, with the feeling that this moment was precisely what a holiday should be.
Paddling in a loose group on the calmer sections of the lower Łupawa is very comfortable — some paddle faster, some slower, but the current is gentle enough that even if someone stops to photograph a kingfisher or observe a beaver lodge, the rest of the group can wait without risk of losing each other in the meanders. This is essential when planning family trips where the difference in pace between adults and children can be considerable, and where the need for flexibility is very real.
For experienced paddlers — rapids and challenges
The upper and middle sections of the Łupawa are an entirely different river from the gentle lower reaches. Anyone used to the quiet meanders near Smołdzino may be surprised by the energy and pace of the water upstream. Here the current is more pronounced, the bed stony or gravelly, and in places rapids appear — short accelerations of the water between rocky narrows or just around a tight bend in the channel. The rapids of the Łupawa are not dramatic on the scale of Alpine rivers, but they require focus, confidence in the kayak, and the ability to react quickly to changes in the direction of the current.
The upper reaches in particular, south of Smołdzino, attract kayakers who have several seasons of active paddling behind them. Here you may encounter places requiring a portage — a carry around an obstacle that cannot be safely paddled through. Fallen trees lodged across the channel are a frequent feature of the Łupawa, since it is a wild, unregulated river and the forest on its banks lives its own life — trees grow, fall and decay in the rhythm of nature, not tourism. Under no circumstances should you attempt to pass under a trunk with a strong current pressing against it — even an apparently calm flow at such an obstacle can pin a kayak and its paddler against the tree with a force that no strong swimmer could overcome. A portage is the only correct response in such a situation, and an experienced kayaker always treats it as a natural part of the trip, not a failure.
The level of difficulty on the upper sections changes seasonally and can be unpredictable. In spring, after snowmelt or sustained rainfall, the Łupawa carries considerably more water than in summer. A stronger current, a higher water level that covers the usual visual cues on the banks, and a greater number of floating obstacles — branches, drifting trunks — create conditions in which the river becomes more demanding and potentially hazardous for those without experience. In summer, low water levels may conversely require towing the kayak on foot through shallow gravelly sections. Always check the current water level before setting out — the Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) publishes flow data on its websites and mobile applications — and talk to local operators who know the Łupawa across many seasons and can assess current conditions.
Experienced kayakers value the Łupawa precisely for its wildness and unpredictability. On the upper sections you can paddle for kilometres with no trace of human presence — just forest, river and sky. The occasional beaver lodge or otter track on the sandy bank serves as a reminder that this river is someone's home, not just a sports route. This calls for a certain attitude: minimising noise, not disturbing wildlife, and manoeuvring carefully around natural obstacles without damaging the bank-side vegetation. A kayaker on the Łupawa is a guest in someone else's home — it is worth behaving accordingly.
Before a trip on a more demanding section, it is strongly advisable to discuss the route with someone who knows the river well — a local operator or a WOPR water rescue officer. Do not paddle alone on unfamiliar, more challenging sections. Two kayaks are the absolute minimum for safety, and the group should include at least one person with real kayaking or rescue experience. The Łupawa rewards respect — experienced paddlers are drawn back by the unpredictability and beauty of its upper reaches year after year.
Paddling equipment for more demanding sections should include a safety helmet, a kayaking-specific buoyancy aid, and the kayak should have proper grab handles for manoeuvring during portages. A cockpit spray deck keeps the inside of the kayak dry in rapids and can prove invaluable in the event of a capsize — it is worth investing in this piece of kit, particularly for trips in early spring when the water is still cold.
Wildlife on the water
The Łupawa is a river you can read like a book about nature. Every kilometre of paddling brings new observations — provided you have the time and inclination to look. Let us start with birds, because it is the birdlife of the Łupawa that is one of the main reasons the river enjoys a reputation as an ecologically outstanding habitat.
The kingfisher — a bird of such vivid blue that a first encounter on the river always provokes surprise — is relatively common on the Łupawa. It nests in clay banks above the water and hunts small fish, making repeated low-level dashes just above the surface. From a kayak you see it far better than from the shore, because you are sitting at water level and observe its flashes without the elevated angle that would otherwise obscure it. The grey heron is the Łupawa's almost constant companion on every trip — standing motionless in the shallows, hunting or simply watching the passing kayak with philosophical composure.
Both the yellow wagtail and the grey wagtail can be found along the river, tripping quickly across stones and bank-side logs. Reed warblers and sedge warblers sing from the reed beds in surprisingly loud and persistent voices, while the white stork, nesting in the nearby villages, regularly forages on the riverside meadows and shallow flood areas. And if you were lucky — as some of our guests have been — you might spot an osprey circling above the river in search of fish. These large birds of prey snatch their catch with their talons, plunging into the water's surface with impressive precision. The white-tailed eagle — Europe's largest eagle — is rarer but also recorded in the Gardno and Łebsko area. For more about birdwatching in this area, including species found around Lake Gardno and Lake Łebsko, visit our article on birdwatching at Gardno and Łebsko.
Beavers are permanent residents of the Łupawa, though the animals themselves are mostly active at night and in the early hours before dawn. During the day you will see their signs: lodges at the bank — mounded structures of branches right at the waterline — characteristically gnawed tree stumps at water level, and traces of their foraging canals. Do not approach a lodge too closely or enter the water in its immediate vicinity — beavers have a strong territorial instinct and can react aggressively if they sense a threat to the nest or offspring. Keeping a respectful distance and observing from the kayak is the best approach.
The fish of the Łupawa, especially in the cleaner upper sections, testify to the high quality of the aquatic environment. Sea trout, grayling and brown trout — species that prefer cold, well-oxygenated, clean water — live here. These fish cannot survive in heavily polluted or severely regulated rivers, so their presence is evidence that the Łupawa remains an ecologically healthy waterway. If you want to fish on the Łupawa, remember that a valid permit is required: the river is divided into fishing districts managed by the Polish Angling Association and requires the appropriate licence cards as well as observance of closed seasons for protected species.
The riverside vegetation of the Łupawa creates its own botanical world. Riverside alders — trees whose roots reach directly into the water — form the characteristic arching canopy over the channel. Between their roots grow water forget-me-not, bogbean, bitter cress and various sedge species. In autumn, when the alder leaves turn yellow and fall onto the water, the river looks like a slowly flowing stream of gold. In May and June, when the forest is a vivid green and birds sing from every bush, a trip down the Łupawa is an absolute peak of nature experience.
A kayaker has one fundamental advantage over a walking observer of nature: silence and a low profile. In a kayak you move at water level without the crack of branches or the sound of footsteps. Animals that immediately flee from a walker on foot will often ignore a kayak or even approach closer — treating it as a harmless object floating on the water. That is precisely why wildlife observations from a kayak are often richer and more intimate than those from the bank. This is a privilege that should be respected: do not paddle too close to nests, do not push through a zone where a bird is clearly giving alarm calls, and never aim your kayak directly at a nesting site.
Planning your trip
A kayaking trip down the Łupawa requires some advance planning, particularly in terms of transport logistics. The river flows in one direction — from south to north towards Gardno — so a kayak starts at one point and finishes at another, often many kilometres away. This means you need to plan either transport to the starting point or a return from the finishing point, which usually involves either two vehicles or the services of a trip organiser.
Kayaking trip organisers operate in the area of the Łupawa seasonally — most commonly from May to September. Some offer a complete package: kayak rental, transport of equipment and paddler to the starting point, and collection from the finishing point. Prices and availability change from year to year, so we recommend checking current offers just before your arrival — look for information at the Natural History Museum of Słowiński National Park in Smołdzino, or ask us when you book your stay. We try to keep track of the seasonal offer and are happy to suggest current operators with whom our guests have had good experiences. As a rough guide, kayak rental costs around several dozen zlotys per person per day, but always check with the operator — the tourism services market in this area is seasonal and prices shift.
If you have your own equipment and car, the logistics become simpler but still require planning. The classic solution is to leave one car at the end point of the trip and drive to the starting point in a second vehicle. Alternatively, in smaller groups, a bicycle works well: leave the bike at the end of the route, drive to the start, and after the trip cycle back to the car. This is also a beautiful way of combining a kayak trip with a cycling ride through the forest roads — more on this in the section about combining activities.
A single day's trip typically covers 10 to 20 kilometres. At a gentle pace with breaks and wildlife watching, a 10-kilometre section takes a paddler around 3 to 4 hours on the water. Twenty kilometres makes for a full day with several pauses. For families with children or first-time paddlers, we suggest somewhere between 6 and 10 kilometres — enough to avoid finishing the day exhausted, and to return with the desire to do it again.
The best season for kayaking the Łupawa is late spring and summer: May, June, July and August. In spring the river runs high with water, the landscape is vividly green, and the birds are at the height of their breeding activity — the favourite time for birdwatchers and lovers of quiet. In summer the temperatures are more welcoming for the inevitable splashing that comes with kayaking, and the long days allow for a relaxed pace without pressure from the approaching dark. September can be magical in terms of the colours of the forest and the calm that follows the peak of the tourist season, though morning temperatures above the water may already be cool.
When planning, allow time for the drive to the starting point and the return from the finish, as well as packing equipment and resting after the trip. Breakfast, loading, transport — this easily takes an hour before getting on the water. Similarly after the trip: pulling out the kayak, showering, drying clothes. Plan so that you are not rushed on the water — the gentle pace of a Łupawa kayak trip and the absence of any hurry is its greatest value.
Safety and equipment
Kayaking is a safe sport — provided you take it seriously and follow a few basic rules. The most important of these is one and inviolable: a buoyancy aid is compulsory throughout the entire trip, from the moment you enter the kayak to the moment you leave it. This applies to both adults and children, without exception and regardless of how calm a given section may appear. On a river — even one flowing at the most peaceful pace — a capsize, an unexpected obstacle or a sudden change in conditions can always occur. The buoyancy aid must be properly fitted and fastened — a life jacket lying loose at the bottom of the kayak serves no protective function whatsoever.
Before setting out, check the weather forecast. A thunderstorm on a river, among trees, is a seriously dangerous situation — lightning can strike a tree or hit a kayaker directly on open water. If storms are forecast, wait for safe weather or shorten your planned section so that you finish before the frontal system arrives. The maritime air of this area can bring rapidly changing conditions — a misty, calm morning can turn into a stormy afternoon. Do not underestimate this.
The water level of the river has an enormous bearing on safety. In spring, when snow is melting or after prolonged heavy rain, the Łupawa can carry significantly more water than in summer. A stronger current, a higher water level that obscures the usual bank-side visual markers, and a greater number of floating obstacles — branches, drifting trunks — create conditions in which the river becomes more demanding and potentially dangerous for those without experience. The Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) publishes water level data on its websites and mobile applications — check the evening before your planned trip.
Waterproof packing of your gear is an absolute necessity. Documents, phone, wallet, food — everything should be in waterproof bags or dedicated dry bags. Waterproof cases for phones allow you to take photographs from the kayak without the risk of damaging your electronics. Pack dry spare clothing in a waterproof stuff sack — when you end up in the river unexpectedly, even brief contact with the water will soak an ordinary rucksack through to its contents. A pair of dry socks and a warm jumper for the end of the trip is one of the best gifts you can give yourself before setting out.
A phone with a charged battery and offline maps is an essential piece of kit for any kayaking trip in this area. On the river, among the forest, mobile network coverage may be limited or non-existent — but GPS works independently of mobile signal and allows you to navigate. Save emergency numbers: 112 (ambulance, fire brigade, police), and the number of your trip organiser if you are using one. A power bank in a small waterproof pouch is a worthwhile investment for a longer day on the water.
Secure the kayak against drifting when you step ashore. A short length of rope to tie the bow to a root or branch is a simple measure that prevents your boat from floating away unplanned — and on a river with a current, this genuinely can happen. The banks of the Łupawa can be clayey and slippery — wear sandals with a good sole or lightweight waterproof shoes for getting in and out of the kayak, to avoid slipping on the wet bank.
With children and families
A kayaking trip with children can be an absolutely magical experience — provided you tailor the conditions carefully to the abilities and age of the youngest members of the party. The Łupawa on its calm lower sections is a family-friendly river, but every child is different and you as the adult know best how much physical activity your child can sustain with a smile rather than complaints.
As a general guide — not a hard rule — a kayaking trip in single or double kayaks suits children aged roughly eight to ten and above, who can paddle independently and understand the basic safety rules on water. Younger children can travel as passengers in a double kayak with an adult, or in a wide Canadian canoe — a stable craft in which one or two children sit safely between the adults. Kayaking trip operators in the Łupawa area often have family kayaks and Canadian canoes available — ask about this option when booking, giving the ages and number of children.
A buoyancy aid for a child must be correctly fitted for the child's weight and height, not bought "with room to grow" — an oversized life jacket will ride up on the child's body during a capsize and fail to perform its function. Equipment hire firms usually carry children's sizes in various ranges, but it is worth asking in advance.
The route should be proportionate to the capacity of the weakest member of the party. For a family with children aged five to eight we suggest sections of no more than five to eight kilometres with several stops ashore — the opportunity to get out, stretch their legs, eat a snack and play at the water's edge is as important to a small child as the paddle itself. The river will provide children with plenty of stimulation even on a short stretch — looking for frogs and dragonflies along the bank, watching fish through the hull of the kayak in shallow places, "discovering" each new bend — so there is no need to push the distance.
Watch carefully for overheating and dehydration. On the river, with sunlight reflected off the water, a child can easily become overheated even when the air temperature does not feel particularly high. A wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen and regular drinking are absolutely essential on a kayaking day. Drinking water should be stored in a place easily accessible from the kayak — ideally in bottles in a mesh holder on the side of the cockpit or in a bottle holder clipped to the deck. Do not wait for the child to ask for water — offer a sip every twenty to thirty minutes.
After the trip, children typically fall asleep in the car before you have even left the car park, worn out with the good tiredness of a day well spent and new knowledge about a river that lives its own life between the trees. That is a sign that it went splendidly — and that the Łupawa took them briefly into a completely different world.
Combine with cycling and a lake cruise
Smołdzino and the surrounding area offer several activities that complement a kayaking trip beautifully and together create a multi-day programme of nature adventures. Two natural partnerships stand out: cycling and a cruise on Lake Łebsko — and both are worth knowing about when planning your stay at Różane Domki.
Cycling and kayaking are logistically very compatible, particularly in this area. If you are paddling a section of the river southward to northward, a bicycle can serve as your return transport along the course of the river. For example: leave your bike at the end point of the trip or at Lake Gardno, paddle down to the finish, and then cycle back to the starting point or directly to Różane Domki. The local network of forest and field tracks around Smołdzino makes such combinations very natural, and the distances are reasonable enough that a cycling return is a pleasure rather than a punishment. Alternatively, you can paddle in the morning and cycle in the afternoon — two activities in a single day, each at a different pace and rhythm, together giving the feeling of a full and richly spent day. Read more about cycling routes in this area in our article on cycling around Słowiński National Park.
A cruise on Lake Łebsko offers a completely different quality of water experience — calm, panoramic, with the perspective of a wide open surface instead of the forested banks of a river. After an active day on the kayak on the Łupawa, a cruise on Łebsko is a beautiful complement for the following day: passive rest on the water, a view of the dunes and the sandy spit from a different angle, birds circling above the vast mirror of the lake. Pairing these two water experiences — active (kayaking on the river) and passive (cruising on the lake) — is one of the favourite programmes among our guests who want to experience this area from every possible angle of water. Find out more about cruises on Łebsko in our article on a boat trip on Lake Łebsko.
A combination of these activities might look something like this: on Friday a full day kayaking the Łupawa, on Saturday a cycling trip to the moving dunes or a loop around Lake Gardno, and on Sunday a cruise on Łebsko before heading home. Three completely different faces of water and movement — kayak, bicycle, boat — combining into a multi-layered memory of Słowiński National Park from a perspective that no other holiday destination can offer.
All of these activities start from a single base: Różane Domki in Smołdzino. There is no need to pack your bags every day, find accommodation in a new village, or lose time commuting. This is precisely the value of our location — you are at the centre of all these possibilities, free to dedicate each day to something different and return each evening to the same warm cottage.
After the trip — back to Różane Domki
After several hours on the river — whether on the calm lower Łupawa or after a demanding middle section — Różane Domki welcome you in a very particular way. There is a hot shower that, after a day on the kayak, is genuinely one of the best showers of your life. There is a warm place to dry your equipment and clothing, a garden with sun loungers where you can sit for a while and watch the sky change colour above the pine tops before the setting sun finally slips below the horizon.
Our guests return from the Łupawa with different stories — and that is precisely what gives us, as hosts, the most pleasure. Someone spotted otters playing on the bank in the morning mist. Someone else had a spectacular capsize on an apparently calm section and laughs about it over dinner. A family discovered that their daughter is the best paddler in the group. A couple came back from the silence of the river with the feeling that that hour of quiet drifting through the forest was worth every bit of planning and every kilometre of the drive to get here.
If you would like to plan a stay in which kayaking the Łupawa is one of many adventures — alongside cycling excursions, birdwatching, a cruise on Łebsko or walks with your dog along the forest paths of Słowiński Park — we invite you to explore our cottages. The Red Cottage and the Green Cottage are two cosy, independent cottages in Smołdzino, each with its own garden, full kitchen facilities and direct access to the forest roads and trails of Słowiński National Park. Różane Domki is not a hotel — it is a place you arrive at as if coming to your own country house, with complete freedom to plan each day as you please and no pressure from a tour programme.
For availability and booking enquiries, write to us via the contact form — we are happy to answer any question about the kayaking trip, routes, seasonal operators and what works best at a particular time of year. And if this account of the Łupawa and kayaking has whetted your appetite for more about the area around Smołdzino, we invite you to read our guide to the Słowiński National Park area, where we have gathered everything worth knowing about this exceptional part of the Pomeranian map.
See you on the river — and at Różane Domki when you return from it. The water and forest of the Łupawa are waiting, and our cottages are ready to be the place you come back to at the end of a day spent well on the river.