Up Norway, Scandinavia’s premier sustainable luxury travel curator, unveils “Arctic Women, Blazing Trails: A Hosted Women’s Empowerment Trip”, a seven-day women’s expedition designed and hosted by two of Norway’s preeminent outdoor skillsmen. Limited to eight guests and departing March 25–April 1, 2026, the inaugural journey answers growing demand for transformative, skills-based, and community-driven travel, pairing practical Arctic know-how with moments of reflection, shared meals, and the kind of camaraderie that forms when women learn and move together in wild places. From a remote Arctic islet of icy sea dips to quiet national-park wilderness under polar skies, guests will learn tangible survival skills— fire-building, foraging and ice fishing, winter paddling, wilderness safety, and more —delivered the Up Norway way: expert-led and low-impact through the best of what the region has to offer.
The experience begins in Bodø, where guests will head by express boat to Naustholmen, a tiny islet in the Steigen archipelago off Nordland’s coast and the outpost of trip host Randi Skaug, the first Norwegian woman to summit Everest and complete the Seven Summits. Days here are spent outdoors with her, learning to layer and stay warm, build and cook over open fire, move safely along coastal trails, and rediscover sea-air mornings, cave walks, and sauna nights under vast Arctic skies, foundational skills to prepare for what’s ahead.
Mid-journey, travelers sail further north with Hurtigruten’s MS Vesterålen, a classic coastal vessel combining authentic heritage with cozy Scandinavian-style cabins, panoramic lounges, and seasonal Nordic menus. An atmospheric and comfortably luxe way to watch fjords and peaks slip by overnight.
The final chapter unfolds on Senja, Norway’s second-largest island above the arctic circle, known for its jagged peaks, storm-scoured beaches, and the quiet forests of Ånderdalen National Park. Guests settle into Norwegian Wild, a nature-based retreat led by founder Hege Enge Dekkerhus, whose approach to women’s health and resilience is shaped by her own years of struggles with illness and stress, centering her philosophy on what recovery truly looks like for her: time outdoors and purposeful, restorative practices. Here, skills deepen and confidence grows. Days take shape around snowshoe forays into birch forests and hands-on cooking over open flame. In and around Ånderdalen National Park, travelers will try ice fishing, slip into winter kayaks on sheltered coves, and head out with trusted partners for husky adventures when conditions align. Evenings wind down with sauna, jacuzzi sessions and stargazing. Stays are in cozy Nordic cabins—simple, warm, and close to the elements—with shared spaces for meal prep and gear. For those seeking an extra dose of immersion, a weather-permitting tented night can be arranged. The journey concludes with a shared transfer to Tromsø, sending guests home with Arctic quiet and new confidence they can carry into everyday life.
More than a group tour, Arctic Women, Blazing Trails is a seven-day conversation with women who have built their lives in the North. Skaug’s storytelling, equal parts grit and humor, sits in dialogue with Dekkerhus’s focus on presence and wellbeing, encouraging guests to practice tangible skills while exploring what strength can feel like in community. The result is a girls’ getaway with depth: active, intentional, and shaped by hosts who live what they teach.
