In this episode:
- Saga’s path from reluctant hiker to founding Viking Woman
- The Laugavegur Trail, and why women-only groups click fast
- Who actually shows up, and who this trip is for
- Beyond hiking: wellness tours, the Knitting Tour, and new guides
- This year’s firsts: Greenland, and the total solar eclipse
You don’t need to call yourself “a hiker” to do this. Saga didn’t, either, the first time — she was 20, wearing sweatpants, carrying a backpack from when she was 13.
Nika sits down with Saga, founder of Viking Woman, to talk about what actually happens on a women-only hiking trip in Iceland: strangers who become friends within a day, the six-day Laugavegur trail from the Highlands to Þórsmörk, and the moment Iceland’s first female president told her, hand on her arm, to start her own company and never work under a man. It’s a conversation about nature, community, and the version of yourself that shows up when you stop overthinking it and just go.
If you’ve been curious about traveling to Iceland but weren’t sure a women-only group was the right call, or whether you’re “fit enough” for it, this is the episode to watch first
Podcast hosts
A self-described nature addict, Saga has always been drawn to the beauty of Iceland’s natural world. She became a guide to help other women unleash their inner Valkyries and make meaningful connections through awe-inspiring adventures. Saga is the CEO and trekking guide of a company that focuses on all-women trips in Iceland and Greenland, sometimes combining wellness with the counties’ otherworldly landscapes.
Nika Marohnić leads the company’s adventure travel partnerships. She’s been part of 57hours since its founding — working closely with guides around the world to build the kind of experiences that are hard to find anywhere else. Based in New York, she hosts After Hours because she believes the people behind these adventures have stories worth telling properly, not just in a booking description.