SUP Touring: Best Paddleboard Routes 2026

Updated for 2026 — Accurate as of February 2026.

Stand-up paddleboarding has evolved far beyond its origins as a casual beach activity. SUP touring, the practice of covering long distances on a paddleboard with gear strapped to the deck, has become one of the fastest-growing adventure sports in the world. It combines the meditative rhythm of paddling with the freedom of carrying everything you need for multi-day exploration of lakes, rivers, coastlines, and canals.

The appeal is straightforward. A touring SUP is simpler than a kayak (no cockpit, no spray skirt, no complicated rescue procedures), more versatile than a canoe (you can carry it on a bus or check it as luggage if it is inflatable), and more immersive than a motorboat (you are standing at eye level with the landscape, propelled by your own effort, moving at a pace that allows you to notice everything). The learning curve is gentle. If you can stand and paddle in a straight line, you can tour.

I have paddled touring SUPs on three continents over the past three years, from the lakes of Sweden to the coastline of Croatia to the rivers of British Columbia. This guide covers the best SUP touring routes in the world and everything you need to know to plan your first multi-day paddleboard trip.

Lake District, England (2-4 Days)

The English Lake District’s interconnected lakes and rivers offer some of the best inland SUP touring in Europe. Windermere, England’s largest natural lake at 17 km long, is the classic introductory tour: you can paddle the full length in a long day or take two to three days, camping at wild spots along the shore and stopping at lakeside pubs for lunch.

For a more ambitious route, the Four Lakes Tour connects Windermere, Ambleside, Rydal Water, and Grasmere through a combination of paddling and short portages (carrying your board overland between lakes). The scenery is quintessentially English: green fells, dry stone walls, sheep pastures, and Victorian boathouses.

I paddled the length of Windermere in October, starting at Lakeside in the south and finishing at Ambleside in the north. The morning was glassy calm, the autumn colors were extraordinary, and I had long stretches of the lake entirely to myself. The Lake District in shoulder season is SUP touring paradise.

Distance: 17 km (Windermere length), 30+ km (Four Lakes Tour) Duration: 1-4 days Difficulty: Beginner-friendly (flat water, sheltered, multiple access points) Water temperature: 10-18 degrees Celsius (May-September) Best season: May through October Board rental: 40-60 GBP per day for touring SUP with dry bags Where to stay: Wild camping is not legal in England (except with landowner permission, per Natural England guidelines), but there are campsites along the lakes from 10 GBP per night. Hostels from 20 GBP. Getting there: Train to Windermere station from London (3.5 hours) or Manchester (2 hours).

Pro Tip: Paddle early morning. The Lake District’s fells create thermal winds that typically pick up by late morning and can make paddling on the larger lakes challenging in the afternoon. A 6 AM start gets you the glassy conditions that make SUP touring magical.

Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden (3-7 Days)

The Stockholm Archipelago consists of approximately 30,000 islands stretching 80 km from the Swedish capital into the Baltic Sea. Most of these islands are uninhabited, many are accessible only by boat, and Sweden’s Right of Public Access (allemansratten) allows you to camp on any undeveloped island. This is arguably the world’s greatest SUP touring playground.

The paddling is sheltered (the islands break up any Baltic Sea swell), the distances between islands are short (often less than 1 km), and the conditions are manageable for intermediate paddlers. You hop from island to island, camping on smooth rock slabs overlooking the sea, swimming in the clean Baltic water, picking wild berries for breakfast, and enjoying the extraordinary quality of Scandinavian summer light.

Distance: Variable (plan 10-20 km per day between islands) Duration: 3-7 days Difficulty: Intermediate (some open crossings require navigation skills and weather judgment) Water temperature: 16-22 degrees Celsius (June-August) Best season: June through August (long daylight, warmest water) Board rental: Available in Stockholm from 500 SEK per day Where to stay: Wild camping on uninhabited islands (free, legal). Bring all food and water. Getting there: Fly to Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Ferry or bus to the outer archipelago launch points.

Photo credit on Pexels

Soca River, Slovenia (1-2 Days)

The Soca River in western Slovenia is one of the most beautiful rivers in Europe, famous for its emerald-green water, narrow gorges, and crystal clarity. While the upper Soca is too turbulent for SUP (it is a world-class whitewater destination), the lower sections from Tolmin downstream offer gentle current, deep pools, and gorge scenery that is spectacular from a paddleboard.

The standard SUP touring route follows the river from Tolmin to Most na Soci (approximately 15 km), passing through a gorge where the river flows between smooth limestone walls. The water is translucent green and so clear that you can see every stone on the riverbed from your board. The current does much of the work, so this is a relaxed, scenic paddle rather than a fitness challenge.

Distance: 15 km (Tolmin to Most na Soci) Duration: 1 day (or 2 with camping) Difficulty: Beginner-friendly (gentle current, no rapids on the touring section) Water temperature: 10-16 degrees Celsius (the Soca is glacially fed and always cold) Best season: May through September Board rental: 30-50 EUR per day in Tolmin or Bovec Where to stay: Tolmin has hostels from 15 EUR and campsites from 10 EUR Getting there: Fly to Ljubljana. Drive to Tolmin (2 hours).

Dalmatian Islands, Croatia (3-5 Days)

The Croatian coast offers warm-water SUP touring through some of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean. The standard route follows a chain of islands from Split southward through Brac, Hvar, and Vis, paddling between islands with distances of 3-8 km and stopping at beaches, harbors, and coastal villages along the way.

The Adriatic is warm (22-26 degrees in summer), the islands provide sheltered paddling in all but the worst weather, and the combination of turquoise water, medieval stone villages, and excellent seafood restaurants makes this a SUP tour that appeals to comfort-loving adventurers as much as hardcore paddlers.

Distance: 50-100 km (depending on route and island selection) Duration: 3-5 days Difficulty: Intermediate (some open crossings between islands) Water temperature: 22-26 degrees Celsius (June-September) Best season: May through October (June and September for fewer crowds) Board rental: 30-50 EUR per day in Split, Hvar, or Bol Guided tours: From 600 EUR for 4 days including board, accommodation, and guide Where to stay: Mix of camping and village accommodation (rooms from 25 EUR) Getting there: Fly to Split Airport (SPU).

Yukon River, Canada (7-14 Days)

The Yukon River offers expedition-level SUP touring through the Canadian wilderness. The classic route follows the river from Whitehorse to Dawson City (740 km), the same route paddled by gold rush prospectors in 1898, now within the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve region. The river is wide, gentle (Class I-II), and flows through boreal forest, mountain valleys, and some of the most remote wilderness in North America.

This is a serious expedition. You are days from the nearest road for much of the route, wildlife (moose, bears, eagles) is abundant, and you need to be fully self-sufficient. But the river does the work of carrying you downstream, the daylight in June and July is nearly 24 hours, and the experience of paddling through true wilderness for weeks is transformative.

Distance: 740 km (Whitehorse to Dawson City) Duration: 10-14 days (average paddling pace with the current) Difficulty: Advanced (remote wilderness, self-sufficiency required, cold water) Water temperature: 8-14 degrees Celsius Best season: June through August (ice-free, longest daylight) Board rental: Available in Whitehorse. Expect 50-80 CAD per day. Most paddlers bring their own inflatable touring board. Getting there: Fly to Whitehorse (YXY). Shuttle from Dawson City back to Whitehorse after the trip.

Essential SUP Touring Gear

Category	Item	Estimated Cost
Board	Touring/expedition inflatable SUP (12’6”-14’)	800-1500 USD (purchase) / 40-80 USD/day (rental)
Paddle	3-piece carbon or fiberglass paddle	100-300 USD
PFD	Low-profile touring PFD with pockets	60-150 USD
Dry bags	Multiple sizes (20L, 40L, 60L)	50-150 USD total
Leash	Coiled ankle or calf leash (flat water) or quick-release belt leash (river)	25-50 USD
Fin	Touring fin (longer than surf fin for tracking)	20-50 USD
Pump	High-pressure dual-action pump or electric pump	30-100 USD
Safety	Whistle, light, VHF radio (coastal), PLB (remote areas)	50-400 USD

Choosing the Right SUP Touring Board

The board you ride makes an enormous difference on a multi-day tour. Here is what to look for:

Length: 12’6” to 14’ for touring. Longer boards are faster and track better (go straighter) but are harder to turn and less maneuverable.

Width: 30-32 inches for touring. Narrower is faster but less stable. If you are new to SUP, stay at 31-32 inches.

Inflatable vs. rigid: For travel, inflatable boards are the clear winner. They pack into a backpack, can be checked on flights, and are nearly as fast as rigid boards in the latest generation. The Starboard Touring Zen, Red Paddle Co Voyager, and Bluefin Cruise Carbon are all excellent touring inflatables in 2026.

Deck attachments: Bungee cords, D-rings, and tie-down points for securing dry bags and gear. More attachment points mean more flexibility in loading.

Volume: Should be at least 2x your body weight in kilograms plus the weight of your gear. For a 80 kg paddler with 15 kg of gear, you want at least 190 liters of volume, ideally more.

SUP Touring Technique Tips

Efficient technique is the difference between covering 25 km comfortably and being destroyed by noon. Key principles:

1. Engage your core, not your arms. The power in a paddle stroke comes from rotating your torso, not pulling with your arms. If your arms are tired, you are paddling wrong.

2. Paddle on one side for 3-5 strokes, then switch. Do not J-stroke or sweep constantly to stay straight. Put in 3-5 clean forward strokes on one side, then switch. A longer board with a touring fin will track well enough to go straight for 3-5 strokes.

3. Maintain a high cadence. Short, frequent strokes are more efficient than long, slow ones. Aim for 40-50 strokes per minute.

4. Stand slightly behind center. On a loaded touring board, your weight position affects speed and stability. Standing slightly behind the center handle lifts the nose and helps the board cut through chop.

5. Use the wind. A following wind is free speed. An inflatable SUP loaded with gear can sail downwind at a surprising pace. A headwind is exhausting. Plan your route so you paddle into the wind in the morning (when it is usually lighter) and have the wind behind you in the afternoon.

6. Take breaks. On a multi-day tour, take a 10-minute break every 90 minutes. Stretch your back, hydrate, and eat a snack. Trying to power through without breaks leads to fatigue and injury.

Planning Your First Multi-Day SUP Tour

If you have never done a multi-day SUP tour, here is my recommended approach:

1. Start with a 2-day overnight trip. Choose a flat-water destination (a lake, a calm river, or a sheltered coast) with a distance of 15-25 km total. Camp one night, paddle back the next day. This lets you test your packing system, your fitness, and your comfort level on the board without committing to a week-long expedition.

2. Practice loading and unloading your board. A loaded touring SUP handles differently than an unloaded one. Practice paddling with weight on the board before your trip.

3. Waterproof everything. Assume you will fall in. Assume your board will flip. Pack everything in dry bags, including your sleeping bag, clothes, and electronics. A wet sleeping bag on night one of a three-day tour is a trip-ender.

4. Check the weather obsessively. Wind is the SUP tourer’s primary concern. Anything over 15 knots makes paddling on open water difficult and potentially dangerous. Plan your route with wind shelters and be prepared to wait out bad weather.

5. Tell someone your plan. Leave your route, timing, and check-in schedule with someone who is not on the trip.

The Lake District in England, the Soca River in Slovenia, or the sheltered bays of the Croatian coast are all excellent first multi-day SUP touring destinations. They offer manageable distances, shelter from wind, warm-season water temperatures that are comfortable, and multiple exit points if you need to cut the trip short.

The Growing World of SUP Touring Events

Organized SUP touring events have exploded in recent years. These guided group tours combine paddling with social atmosphere and logistical support, making them a great way to try SUP touring without the planning burden of an independent trip. Notable events in 2026 include:

• 11 Cities SUP Tour (Netherlands): 220 km through 11 Frisian cities over 5 days. The SUP equivalent of the legendary ice skating race. From 350 EUR.
• SUP Alps Trophy (Austria): Multi-day lake touring through the Austrian Alps. From 200 EUR.
• Yukon River Quest (Canada): 740 km from Whitehorse to Dawson City. The world’s longest paddling race, open to SUPs. Free entry but self-supported.
• GlaGla Race (France): Winter SUP race on Lake Annecy in the French Alps. 1400+ participants. From 50 EUR.

These events often sell out months in advance, so plan accordingly.

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