Fifteen years ago, I took a trip that changed everything.
I’ve always been an entrepreneur. Even as a kid, I was spotting gaps, testing ideas, and building things from scratch. The buzz of creating something new and seeing how it could impact people has always inspired me.
But I wasn’t expecting to have that feeling when I travelled north to see the Northern Lights.
The aurora was, of course, spectacular. But it wasn’t just the Lights that floored me. It was the environment itself. The deep snow. The biting cold. The mountains, silent and immense. I felt completely exposed, but also strangely connected. Small, vulnerable, and grounded. Like I’d stumbled into something far bigger than myself.
That feeling stayed with me.
And the entrepreneur in me knew this was something worth building around. Not a product, but a moment. A re-connection. That was the spark that became Off the Map Travel. I didn’t want to sell holidays. I wanted to create experiences that helped people feel what I had felt. The awe, the stillness, the sense of coming back to something essential.
A few years later, we made the leap as a family and moved to Sweden. I wanted to live closer to what had inspired it all. These days, I can step outside and see the aurora dancing across the sky from my own back garden. And it still stops me in my tracks.
The move opened up new doors too.
The next step came with acquiring Aurora Nights, a brand that shared our vision for transformational travel. It added fresh energy, new voices, and even more ways to help people connect with the magic of the Arctic.
And we’re just getting started.
There’s more to come. New brands. New destinations. New ways to deliver the kind of travel that leaves a lasting mark. But always grounded in the same belief. That real luxury is about feeling something. Connection. Stillness. Wonder. And that travel, when it’s done well, can wake us up in all the best ways.
Through Off the Map Travel and Aurora Nights, we’ve helped hundreds of people discover the Nordics in a meaningful way. With care, curiosity, and respect. Whether it’s wild swimming, snowmobiling across frozen landscapes, or dining in a Sami lavvu, every journey is designed to move people.
And at the heart of it all is sustainability. We work with local partners, source responsibly, and think long-term. These landscapes changed me. They deserve to be protected for the generations to come.
That one journey didn’t just inspire me. It reoriented me.
And now, everything I do is about helping others find their own version of that feeling.
I hope you’ll join us.
Jonny
Founder, Off the Map Travel & Owner of Aurora Nights
