Sign up by sending an email to: info@kajakknord.no or call me at +47 980 52 748.
ISKGA has developed a comprehensive series of training modules and enhancement courses designed to support and advance commercial sea kayak guides.
This is the most extensive program available on the market today, running over several weeks with scheduled rest days to support recovery and consolidation.
The ISKGA program in Norway, October 2026
The course is delivered in a dynamic coastal environment featuring surf, rock gardens, and a wide range of sea conditions—ideal for developing advanced guiding skills.
Coaching is led by some of the most experienced coaches in the field: Jeff Allen, Tim Vanhoutteghem, Matt Skuse, and Kristoffer Vandbakk, who is also the course organiser.
Dates: 2-26 October 2026
Price: 20,000 NOK (discounted rate if you attend all the modules in October, a discount of 4200 NOK).
This price does not include the Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course (13500 NOK).
Location: Ogna beach south of Stavanger and surrounding areas:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ekjQt57XWrhW8git6
Flexible Participation: Attend the full program or select individual modules.
Participants may choose to attend the entire course or individual modules. A discounted rate applies when registering for the full course.
Content:
2-4 October: Expedition Skills (4500 NOK)
Creating and maintaining a range of shelters, rescue strategies, fire-skills, hygiene, packing, group equipment, camp selection, foraging, drinking water, group dynamics.
5 October: Sea Survival (1700 NOK)
Cold water survival strategies, hypothermia, drowning, communication strategies, search and rescue, theory and practice.
6-8 October: Coastal Planning (navigation) (3000 NOK)
Navigation, meteorology, tidal planning, charts, maps, planning, practical training in daylight and in the dark.
10-11 October: Coastal Leadership (3000 NOK)
Converting leadership theory into practice as an expedition leader. Soft skills, group dynamics, expedition psychology, practical on the water leadership in surf, rock gardens and in the dark.
12 October: Long range planning and paddling, 50 km
A self led long paddle done as a group. Designed to give the candidate confidence and introspection.
14-17 October: Incident Management (4500 NOK)
A training course to help you manage a variety of incidents at sea safely & effectively.
18-19 October: Methods of Instruction (3000 NOK)
Coaching theory and practice
21 October: Coasteering and beach lifesaving
Leadership in surf and amongst the rocks while coasteering. Personal skills, swimming, rope access, safety, surf lifesaving
22 October: Mock observation
A day of preparation for the 3 day observation
24-26 October: Observation (4500 NOK)
3 days of observation. The goal is to observe the candidate leading from within his or hers comfort zone over several days
7-13 September: Wilderness First Responder, Tønsberg, Karlsvika Naturskole, Norway (13500 NOK)
If you do not have the opportunity to complete a Wilderness First Responder course before your ISKGA observation, you can still get a conditional pass. The condition will then be that you pass a Wildernerss First Responder course of atleast 60 hours duration.
For more information contact Kristoffer at info@kajakknord.no, (+47 980 52 748).
Read about ISKGA at www.iskga.com.
Accommodations: As a group we will benefit from renting a house through Airbnb. The price for this is around 35.000 NOK. Divided by 7-9 people, this comes to about 5000 NOK each.
Some nights will be spent wild camping along the coast.
Coaches:
Jeff Allen
Kristoffer Vandbakk
Matt Skuse
Tim Vanhoutteghem
Why ISKGA?
The ISKGA Sea Kayak Guide Program is built around the realities of commercial guiding in remote, dynamic environments, while most club-based leader courses are designed to prepare paddlers for recreational leadership within a familiar, local context. Although both pathways value safety, leadership, and seamanship, they diverge significantly in scope, depth, and purpose.
Professional Guiding vs Recreational Leadership
ISKGA focuses on developing professional guides who can lead paying clients safely in remote, multi-day, and often international environments. The training Includes modules on expedition skills, sea survival, night navigation, long distance paddling, wilderness first aid, gathering food on land and in the sea, bushcraft and survival skills. Client duty of care, group dynamics and expedition psychology are all key topics. The course participant will be well versed in what we call soft skills after this course.
Club Leader Courses: Typically aim to prepare leaders for club trips—shorter, familiar routes with known participants. Emphasis is on peer leadership rather than commercial responsibility.
Integrated, Multi-Module Structure
ISKGA has a comprehensive training system covering navigation, leadership, incident management, survival, first aid, and instructional methods — all interconnected. It is delivered as a continuous, multi-week course with progression, consolidation, and rest days.
The program builds toward ISKGA Coastal and Advanced Guide certifications, recognized internationally.
Club Leader Courses: Often modular but isolated (e.g., navigation day, leadership assessment, first aid). Training is generally spread over time and may lack the integrated, cumulative approach.
Dynamic and Demanding Environments
ISKGA training is conducted in challenging coastal conditions—surf, tidal races, rock gardens, caves, darkness, fjords, catabatic winds and open crossings. Participants are expected to perform under stress and fatigue, replicating real guiding scenarios.
Club Leader Courses: Commonly held in moderate, controlled environments suitable for learning core skills safely. Conditions are often limited to ensure accessibility for volunteers.
Expedition and Remote Operations
ISKGA training includes multi-day expeditions with wild camping, offshore travel, and remote group management. The student will learn self-sufficiency, logistics, and client experience management over extended journeys. The ISKGA coaches on this course have decades of experience from all over the world, including the Arctic, Antarctica, Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America.
Club Leader Courses: Focus primarily on day trips or short outings, typically within easy access to assistance. There is less emphasis on logistics, provisioning, or client care over multiple days.
Incident and Emergency Management
ISKGA incorporates incident management, sea survival, coasteering, and Wilderness First Responder training (minimum 60 hours duration). ISKGA set the industry standard for incident management for sea kayakers. Our methods will give you the understanding to make sense of seemingly chaotic situations with multiple stressors and limitations. Participants learn to manage complex emergencies, including medical, environmental, and interpersonal issues.
Club Leader Courses: Usually include basic rescue and first aid requirements, with incidents framed as short-term, local issues.
Instructional and Mentoring Component
ISKGA features a dedicated Methods of Instruction module — developing the ability to coach, brief, and debrief clients professionally. As a qualified ISKGA guide you will be part of a community sharing developments in our field and commercial cooperations across borders.
While club coaching courses generally dedicate more time to coaching methodology than ISKGA, our focus lies elsewhere. Nonetheless, as professional guides, we are expected to possess the skills necessary to coach clients effectively throughout expeditions.
Assessment Philosophy
The ISKGA assessment process is fully transparent. You will receive clear information about the requirements for passing the final observation. Your trainer will provide detailed written and verbal guidance to help you prepare.
The final observation will be conducted by an impartial ISKGA assessor who has not been your primary trainer, ensuring an objective evaluation. In addition to the three-day practical assessment, you will also complete a written home paper consisting of approximately 50 questions.
Club Leader Courses: Assessment is typically a single event, testing competence in a standard set of conditions. Some club organisations have a running assessment done by the trainer, others a final assessment after a period of training.
Professional Pathway and Employment Relevance
ISKGA acts as a career development route — a stepping stone toward paid work as a sea kayak guide, expedition leader, or instructor.
Club Leader Courses: Provide a volunteer leadership qualification within a club or association. Not typically linked to employment or insurance standards for guiding services. Focus is more on club and community development. All important in the greater context, but not directly relevant for the commercially oriented.
In summary:
The ISKGA Guide Program is the professional, expedition-grade evolution of sea kayaking leadership training — built for guides who want to work at a high level in challenging, remote environments.
Typical club leader courses are excellent preparation for leading friends or club members locally but don’t address the commercial, logistical, and human complexity that ISKGA training embraces.
