No Destination Is Too Untamed or Distant for Maggie Shipstead

Revenge travel is a thing of the past (it never really resonated with us anyway). This year, we’re focusing on reconnection travel, which is emerging as the primary motivation for post-pandemic journeys. After facing difficult years, people are venturing into the world once more with genuine enthusiasm and intent. To explore the meaning of “reconnection,” we spoke with 11 globe-trotting celebrities about their experiences, whether it involves solo adventures, savoring Italian cuisine, reconnecting with old friends, honoring loved ones who’ve passed, or making essential visits to family.

New York Times–bestselling novelist Maggie Shipstead drew inspiration for her book The Great Circle while aboard a vessel in the Arctic, finding comfort in solitude during a lengthy trip through Sweden. Here, she shares her travel experiences and the destinations that are currently calling her back.

Which destination is beckoning you to return?

I visited Africa for the first time just before the pandemic—a desert lodge in Namibia and a horseback sMytouri in Botswana—and I’ve been eager to go back ever since. My longing to observe wild animals seems insatiable, and there is an abundance of experiences to be had on that vast and incredibly diverse continent.

Which place feels like home, even if it’s not your birthplace?

I truly feel at home in Scandinavia. My grandfather on my father’s side was born to Norwegian immigrants, and those traits resonate strongly within my brother and me. We are drawn to organized cities, rugged terrains, and chilly weather.

Are you organizing trips to reconnect? If so, how will you do it?

In August and September of 2022, shortly after my mother passed away, I hiked 220 miles solo along the Kungsleden trail in northern Sweden. This journey allowed me to rediscover myself, both through my experience of grief and after a tumultuous period in my life. Now, a part of me is constantly contemplating how and where I can return to the trails. Living in Los Angeles, I hope to carve out a few days soon to hike the 40 miles of Catalina Island.

—Maggie Shipstead, author of works like The Great Circle (Knopf, 2021) and the short-story collection You Have a Friend in 10A (Knopf, 2022). She has also appeared on Dinogo’s Travel Tales podcast, in the episode “Searching for Inspiration in the Norwegian Arctic.”

Discover more in our Reconnection Travel series.