Sjoa

Norway's whitewater river, the Sjoa tumbles from the Jotunheimen mountains through a series of gorges in the Gudbrandsdalen region, long regarded as the country's premier rafting and kayaking destination.

The activity is whitewater rafting and kayaking. The Sjoa offers a full spread of water, from friendly grade two to three family runs to the demanding Åsengjuvet gorge with continuous grade four to five rapids for experienced paddlers. Commercial rafting suits beginners on the easier sections with guides and drysuits, while the river's steeper gorges and reliable summer flows have made it a magnet for kayakers and the home of a long-running paddling festival. Riverside camps and lodges cater specifically to the sport.

What gives it character is the setting: cold, clear mountain water carving through pine-clad gorges on the edge of Jotunheimen, Norway's highest range and a national park of glaciers and 2,000-metre peaks, with hiking and glacier trips close at hand for rest days.

Practical detail: the river lies in central Norway near Heidal, a few hours by road north of Oslo or Lillehammer, with operators strung along the valley. The season runs from late spring to early autumn, roughly May to September, when snowmelt and rainfall keep the river running well; early summer brings the highest, coldest and most powerful flows. Even in July the water is genuinely cold, so drysuits or thick wetsuits are standard kit.