• start here
  • about
  • itineraries

  • brooke beyond

  • hiking guides
  • outdoor gear
    • hiking boots
    • hiking backpacks
    • cold-weather layers
    • backpacking tent
    • outdoor sleep system
    • backcountry food
    • day-hike packing list
    • hut-to-hut packing list
    • via ferrata packing list
    • backpacking packing list
    • mountaineering packing list

brooke beyond

the category

Africa
Africa / South Africa

Driving the Garden Route Day 4: Wine tasting & ostriches in Oudtshoorn

23 December 2017
Africa / South Africa

Driving the Garden Route Day 3: Hiking through Robberg Nature Reserve

22 December 2017
Africa / South Africa

Driving the Garden Route Day 2: Visiting big cats at Tenikwa Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre

21 December 2017
Africa / South Africa

Driving the Garden Route Day 1: Addo Elephant National Park

20 December 2017
Africa / South Africa

What to do in Durban, South Africa

19 December 2017
Africa / South Africa

South African Safari Day 5: Our last day in Sabi Sands

17 December 2017
Africa / South Africa

South African Safari Day 4: Arathusa Safari Lodge, Sabi Sands

16 December 2017
Africa / South Africa

South African Safari Day 3: From Kruger National Park to Sabi Sands Game Reserve

15 December 2017
Africa / South Africa

South African Safari Day 2: Satara Rest Camp, Kruger National Park

14 December 2017
Africa / South Africa

South African Safari Day 1: Blyde River Canyon & Kruger National Park

13 December 2017
Africa / South Africa

Top 5 things to do in Johannesburg

12 December 2017
Africa / South Africa

Celebrating 21 years of democracy: Visiting Johannesburg’s Constitutional Court

11 December 2017
Africa / South Africa

Visiting Number Four Prison in Johannesburg

10 December 2017
Africa / Morocco

Where to find the best views & photo spots in Chefchaouen, Morocco’s Blue City

14 August 2017
Africa / Morocco

On the beach in Oued Laou

11 August 2017
Africa / Morocco

A very sweaty hike to Akchour Waterfall and God’s Bridge

9 August 2017
Africa / Morocco

Visiting my sister city, Chefchaouen, Morocco

7 August 2017
Africa / Morocco

A guide to booking the best Sahara Desert Tour

6 August 2017
Africa / Morocco

Monkeys & Dates: Merzouga to Fes through the Middle Atlas Mountains

5 August 2017
Africa / Morocco

Camels & Tajine: Desert adventures from Marrakech to Merzouga

3 August 2017
Previous
Next

hi, I’m brooke!

I'm obsessed with getting off the beaten path, exploring backcountry gems & travelling beyond the ordinary! I left Australia 6 years ago after finishing a PhD in Biomechanics & have been travelling the world full-time ever since (now joined by my husband/climbing partner, James). I hope this blog will inspire your future adventures & help you find wonder in every corner of the globe. xx bb

read my story
currently exploring

currently exploring

finland

read our gear guides

🥾 hiking boots

🎒 hiking backpacks

🌨️ cold-weather layers

⛺️ backpacking & alpine tents

🛌 sleeping bag & pads

🍪 backcountry food

📸 travel camera gear

trail guides

summit guides

itineraries

outdoor gear

GPS maps

recent posts

  • Swimming in the Dead Sea, Jordan

    2-week Jordan road trip itinerary: highlights & hidden gems

    14 April 2026

  • Amman city guide: what to do + where to stay in Jordan’s captivating capital

    5 April 2026
  • Little Bridge, Wadi Rum

    Wadi Rum adventure guide: how to plan an epic trip to Jordan’s red desert

    2 April 2026

  • 2-week Norway winter itinerary: Arctic Circle to southern fjords

    20 February 2026
  • Tjeldbergtind winter hike

    Complete Lofoten winter packing list: what to wear for hiking in Arctic Norway

    8 February 2026

@brookebeyond_
brooke ✨travel & mountain gal

@brookebeyond_

  • I always thought I was a summer gal… but we spent 3 months in Scandinavia this winter and it was, without question, one of the BEST trips I’ve done in nearly 6 years of full-time travel. Turns out, winter is MAGICAL!!! We hiked popular summits without a single other person, saw Northern Lights on more than 30 different nights, made friends with local reindeer (then ate their friends & family for dinner, very sorry), witnessed midday sunsets and complete polar night, and spent literally hundreds of hours in the sauna. It’s hard to even describe how amazing this trip was, but we’re already booked to go back to Norway & Sweden for 3 months next winter to do it all over again 😅 — #norway #lofoten #sweden #winterinnorway
  • Over a year since I’ve been able to climb in ANY capacity (since my very dramatic knee surgery last April), so I can’t tell you how sweet it was to go ice climbing in Sweden & Finland this winter. Like an enormous leap back to myself 🥰 Not setting any speed records or impressing anyone with my technique lol but just genuinely happy to be able to move my body again, to be outside, to spend even a few minutes focused on something other than the pain. Grateful for the progress I’ve made & hopefully for the progress still to come— we’ve got some big goals this year, an ice wall is only the beginning 🏔️⛏️ — #iceclimbing #finland #finnishlapland #pyhä
  • 6 years of full-time travel and still not smart enough to correctly count 90 days within a 180-day period 😅 (also an unsponsored ad for 🔗 schengensimple.com which we downloaded PROMPTLY to avoid any future miscalculations) This story is definitely part of a larger conversation about passport privilege— because I’m sure if we were holding a different country’s passport, we would have had a VASTLY different experience with this accidental overstay. All in all, I feel insanely fortunate to have only gotten a fine and I’m eager not to test the system a 2nd time 😳 — #schengen #eu #travelstories #travelmistakes @schengen_simple
  • Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
  • sincerest apologies to the people of Norway for my pronunciation 😂 . ABOUT THE FLÅM WINTER MAGIC PACKAGE ☃️✨ . Several local companies have teamed up to offer the perfect bundle of winter activities: - RIB boat adventure with @fjordsafari - 1.5hr slot in the floating @fjordsauna - Viking Plank dinner + beer pairing at @aegirbrewco . It was the perfect way to experience charming little Flåm and its beautiful fjord setting in a single day— easily accessible by scenic train from Bergen or Oslo! . Contact @fjordsafari to book — #flåm #norway #winterinnorway #flåmsbana #wintermagic
  • A few snapshots from one of our most unique adventures: a 4-day dogsledding trip through Sámi country (Sápmi) in Northern Sweden ❄️ For thousands of years, dogsledding has been an essential form of Arctic transport for Indigenous communities, used to travel, hunt, and survive in some of the harshest conditions on earth. Huskies are bred specifically for this environment, capable of running for hours across frozen landscapes + hauling several hundred kilos as a team. To experience it for ourselves, we took a 15hr train from Stockholm to Kiruna, drove 2hrs deep into the wilderness, and then caught a snowmobile the final kilometres to reach a remote kennel with about 50 dogs. Our first day was spent learning the basics: how to harness the huskies, attach them to the sled, and steer + brake properly. And then, we set off into the wilderness with our team of 6 dogs, travelling through snowy forests + across frozen lakes. James + I shared the sled, taking turns driving while the other sat bundled up inside, eyelashes freezing into icicles in the -30°C (-22°F) chill for hours at a time. It was unbelievably remote, the conditions were challenging, and the cold was brutal, but through it all, we formed a real bond with our team— particularly surprising given that I’m usually very scared of dogs (pictured several times here is my beloved Reisling, the best doggie 🐕🖤) It was a surprising + unexpected adventure, but such a special way to experience wild + beautiful Sápmi* *we learned that Sápmi is the traditional + often preferred term (over “Lapland”) for the region of northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia inhabited by the Indigenous Sámi people — #sweden #kiruna #dogsledding #sápmi #lapland
  • magical winter lighting delivering midday sunrises and northern lights before dinner ✨ — #lofoten #winter #norway #northernlights #polarnight
  • With sufficient outdoor experience, sound judgement, and reasonable conditions, these 10 hikes are an excellent choice for safe winter hiking in Lofoten! We personally completed all of these hikes in January 2026 with just microspikes + trekking poles (and no other technical climbing equipment), though it should be noted that conditions vary winter to winter— and even week to week. In the event of heavy snowfall, some trails may become impassable without snowshoes or simply unsafe altogether. **It should ALSO go without saying that you are responsible for yourself in the outdoors; this list is based on our own personal experience and must be interpreted within the bounds of your own experience and current winter conditions. For more on winter hiking safety and details on these 10 amazing winter hikes, check out my post 🔗 brookebeyond.com/lofoten-winter-hiking
  • a collection of some mind-blowing aurora moments from our 5 weeks in Norway 🤯 *watch the videos with sound to hear me & @flyingcrepes screaming like it’s our first day on earth lol — #norway #northernlights #aurora #northernlightsphotos
follow @brookebeyond_

travel beyond the ordinary

Explore my travel guides, custom itineraries & blog posts with an interactive world map ✨

all destinations

  • I always thought I was a summer gal… but we spent 3 months in Scandinavia this winter and it was, without question, one of the BEST trips I’ve done in nearly 6 years of full-time travel. Turns out, winter is MAGICAL!!! We hiked popular summits without a single other person, saw Northern Lights on more than 30 different nights, made friends with local reindeer (then ate their friends & family for dinner, very sorry), witnessed midday sunsets and complete polar night, and spent literally hundreds of hours in the sauna. It’s hard to even describe how amazing this trip was, but we’re already booked to go back to Norway & Sweden for 3 months next winter to do it all over again 😅 — #norway #lofoten #sweden #winterinnorway
  • Over a year since I’ve been able to climb in ANY capacity (since my very dramatic knee surgery last April), so I can’t tell you how sweet it was to go ice climbing in Sweden & Finland this winter. Like an enormous leap back to myself 🥰 Not setting any speed records or impressing anyone with my technique lol but just genuinely happy to be able to move my body again, to be outside, to spend even a few minutes focused on something other than the pain. Grateful for the progress I’ve made & hopefully for the progress still to come— we’ve got some big goals this year, an ice wall is only the beginning 🏔️⛏️ — #iceclimbing #finland #finnishlapland #pyhä
  • 6 years of full-time travel and still not smart enough to correctly count 90 days within a 180-day period 😅 (also an unsponsored ad for 🔗 schengensimple.com which we downloaded PROMPTLY to avoid any future miscalculations) This story is definitely part of a larger conversation about passport privilege— because I’m sure if we were holding a different country’s passport, we would have had a VASTLY different experience with this accidental overstay. All in all, I feel insanely fortunate to have only gotten a fine and I’m eager not to test the system a 2nd time 😳 — #schengen #eu #travelstories #travelmistakes @schengen_simple
  • Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
  • sincerest apologies to the people of Norway for my pronunciation 😂 . ABOUT THE FLÅM WINTER MAGIC PACKAGE ☃️✨ . Several local companies have teamed up to offer the perfect bundle of winter activities: - RIB boat adventure with @fjordsafari - 1.5hr slot in the floating @fjordsauna - Viking Plank dinner + beer pairing at @aegirbrewco . It was the perfect way to experience charming little Flåm and its beautiful fjord setting in a single day— easily accessible by scenic train from Bergen or Oslo! . Contact @fjordsafari to book — #flåm #norway #winterinnorway #flåmsbana #wintermagic
@brookebeyond_
@brookebeyond_
•
Follow
I always thought I was a summer gal… but we spent 3 months in Scandinavia this winter and it was, without question, one of the BEST trips I’ve done in nearly 6 years of full-time travel. Turns out, winter is MAGICAL!!! We hiked popular summits without a single other person, saw Northern Lights on more than 30 different nights, made friends with local reindeer (then ate their friends & family for dinner, very sorry), witnessed midday sunsets and complete polar night, and spent literally hundreds of hours in the sauna. It’s hard to even describe how amazing this trip was, but we’re already booked to go back to Norway & Sweden for 3 months next winter to do it all over again 😅 — #norway #lofoten #sweden #winterinnorway
6 days ago
View on Instagram |
1/5
Over a year since I’ve been able to climb in ANY capacity (since my very dramatic knee surgery last April), so I can’t tell you how sweet it was to go ice climbing in Sweden & Finland this winter. Like an enormous leap back to myself 🥰 Not setting any speed records or impressing anyone with my technique lol but just genuinely happy to be able to move my body again, to be outside, to spend even a few minutes focused on something other than the pain. Grateful for the progress I’ve made & hopefully for the progress still to come— we’ve got some big goals this year, an ice wall is only the beginning 🏔️⛏️ — #iceclimbing #finland #finnishlapland #pyhä
Over a year since I’ve been able to climb in ANY capacity (since my very dramatic knee surgery last April), so I can’t tell you how sweet it was to go ice climbing in Sweden & Finland this winter. Like an enormous leap back to myself 🥰 Not setting any speed records or impressing anyone with my technique lol but just genuinely happy to be able to move my body again, to be outside, to spend even a few minutes focused on something other than the pain. Grateful for the progress I’ve made & hopefully for the progress still to come— we’ve got some big goals this year, an ice wall is only the beginning 🏔️⛏️ — #iceclimbing #finland #finnishlapland #pyhä
Over a year since I’ve been able to climb in ANY capacity (since my very dramatic knee surgery last April), so I can’t tell you how sweet it was to go ice climbing in Sweden & Finland this winter. Like an enormous leap back to myself 🥰 Not setting any speed records or impressing anyone with my technique lol but just genuinely happy to be able to move my body again, to be outside, to spend even a few minutes focused on something other than the pain. Grateful for the progress I’ve made & hopefully for the progress still to come— we’ve got some big goals this year, an ice wall is only the beginning 🏔️⛏️ — #iceclimbing #finland #finnishlapland #pyhä
Over a year since I’ve been able to climb in ANY capacity (since my very dramatic knee surgery last April), so I can’t tell you how sweet it was to go ice climbing in Sweden & Finland this winter. Like an enormous leap back to myself 🥰 Not setting any speed records or impressing anyone with my technique lol but just genuinely happy to be able to move my body again, to be outside, to spend even a few minutes focused on something other than the pain. Grateful for the progress I’ve made & hopefully for the progress still to come— we’ve got some big goals this year, an ice wall is only the beginning 🏔️⛏️ — #iceclimbing #finland #finnishlapland #pyhä
@brookebeyond_
@brookebeyond_
•
Follow
Over a year since I’ve been able to climb in ANY capacity (since my very dramatic knee surgery last April), so I can’t tell you how sweet it was to go ice climbing in Sweden & Finland this winter. Like an enormous leap back to myself 🥰 Not setting any speed records or impressing anyone with my technique lol but just genuinely happy to be able to move my body again, to be outside, to spend even a few minutes focused on something other than the pain. Grateful for the progress I’ve made & hopefully for the progress still to come— we’ve got some big goals this year, an ice wall is only the beginning 🏔️⛏️ — #iceclimbing #finland #finnishlapland #pyhä
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
2/5
@brookebeyond_
@brookebeyond_
•
Follow
6 years of full-time travel and still not smart enough to correctly count 90 days within a 180-day period 😅 (also an unsponsored ad for 🔗 schengensimple.com which we downloaded PROMPTLY to avoid any future miscalculations) This story is definitely part of a larger conversation about passport privilege— because I’m sure if we were holding a different country’s passport, we would have had a VASTLY different experience with this accidental overstay. All in all, I feel insanely fortunate to have only gotten a fine and I’m eager not to test the system a 2nd time 😳 — #schengen #eu #travelstories #travelmistakes @schengen_simple
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
3/5
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
@brookebeyond_
@brookebeyond_
•
Follow
Finland photo dump 🇫🇮✨ We spent 5 weeks in Finland as part of our Nordic adventure this winter, and what a JOY it was to experience the beautiful north as it transitioned from -30C days where our eyelashes froze… all the way to the very beginnings of spring 🌸☀️ Thanks for all the sweet memories, the auroras, the moments of sisu, the tasty buns, and the friends we got to share it with! — #finland #finnishlapland #lapland #winterinfinland
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
4/5
@brookebeyond_
@brookebeyond_
•
Follow
sincerest apologies to the people of Norway for my pronunciation 😂 . ABOUT THE FLÅM WINTER MAGIC PACKAGE ☃️✨ . Several local companies have teamed up to offer the perfect bundle of winter activities: - RIB boat adventure with @fjordsafari - 1.5hr slot in the floating @fjordsauna - Viking Plank dinner + beer pairing at @aegirbrewco . It was the perfect way to experience charming little Flåm and its beautiful fjord setting in a single day— easily accessible by scenic train from Bergen or Oslo! . Contact @fjordsafari to book — #flåm #norway #winterinnorway #flåmsbana #wintermagic
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
5/5

  • start here
  • about
  • group trips
  • destinations
  • hiking guides
  • outdoor gear
  • custom GPS maps
  • privacy
  • contact

COPYRIGHT © 2025 BROOKE BEYOND. TRAVEL BEYOND THE ORDINARY. Site Powered by Pix & Hue.