Our Trip Leaders - Wilderness Travel

Ragnar Jonsson

dev@829llc.com — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:19:15 +0000

Ragnar grew up on Iceland’s west coast, spending his childhood exploring the countryside with his family. After earning an MSc in Business and a BA in political science, philosophy, and economics, he spent a decade in business management and marketing—often gazing from his office toward the mountains he missed. Three years ago, he followed his heart into guiding. He now thrives on deepening his knowledge of Iceland and sharing the mountains, valleys, and coastal legends of his youth with travelers. “The best part of being a guide,” he says, “is meeting people and creating memories that will never fade—what those moments are, we discover together.” Ragnar lives with his family in Flúðir on Iceland’s south coast.

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Åshild Skallebø

dev@829llc.com — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 22:33:02 +0000

Åshild grew up on an island in northern Norway where wild coastlines and rugged mountains were as familiar as her own backyard. As she got older, her curiosity for the outdoors grew into a deep passion for exploring remote landscapes and sharing those experiences with others. That drive led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Outdoor Education and Nature Guiding, setting the foundation for a career built on adventure. Since then, Åshild has worked across the guiding and tourism world in a wide range of roles—from hands-on fieldwork to behind-the-scenes operations. She has spent several winters as a ski guide and instructor in Japan and Canada, and is now training toward the prestigious IFMGA ski guide certification. When not leading others into the mountains, you’ll find her chasing her own adventures—skiing, running wild trails, or climbing high above the valleys.

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Graham Abbott

dev@829llc.com — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 22:12:13 +0000

Graham’s fascination with the ocean began in his English childhood, exploring tide pools along the local coast. After becoming a certified scuba diver, he moved to Indonesia in 1997, drawn by its extraordinary marine biodiversity. He went on to found a dive business, guiding many of the world’s leading underwater photographers and helping discover and name numerous Indonesian dive sites. Known for identifying new marine species and for promoting culturally immersive experiences, Graham is dedicated to connecting visitors with Indonesia’s rich heritage and its remarkable shallow-water ecosystems.

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Julius Abigaba

dev@829llc.com — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 23:38:17 +0000

With a certificate in tropical agriculture from Ssese Agro Vet College, Julius has a deep understanding of the local flora and fauna, enhancing every guest’s safari experience. Before becoming a guide, he worked at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC), where he was responsible for the training, enrichment, and welfare of various ungulates, primates, birds, and reptiles. In addition, he led conservation education to raise awareness among local schools, communities, and international visitors.

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Stine Rindal

dev@829llc.com — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 22:08:41 +0000

Stine grew up in Norway, spending time in nature since she was a young adventurer. Her love and curiosity about the mountains have taken her far and wide—from the snowy peaks of Canada to the rugged trails of Nepal and the wild landscapes of New Zealand. Along the way, she's explored her passion for skiing, alpine climbing, and glacier trekking. Stine holds a bachelor's degree in nature guiding from the University of Volda and is currently living in Oslo to pursue another bachelor's degree in paramedicine at Oslo Metropolitan University. She has also served as an Arctic Ranger in the Norwegian Armed Forces. Since 2020, Stine has worked as a guide in Norway, and says, “I am passionate about creating meaningful and memorable experiences in nature for those who want to explore the beauty of Norwegian landscapes and culture.”

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Sunay Ethemoglu

dev@829llc.com — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 20:01:17 +0000

Originally from Germany, Sunay has lived in Turkey since she was 13. Her fascination with ancient cultures and natural history led her to a career as a guide more than 20 years ago, and she's been sharing her passion for Turkey's culture with travelers ever since. She now lives in Antalya, the Pearl of Turkey, with her husband and two children. When she's not introducing guests to the wonders of Turkey's treasures, she enjoys gardening, swimming, and yoga.

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Giuseppe Di Giorgio

dev@829llc.com — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 20:00:47 +0000

With a PhD in the biodiversity of Mediterranean ecosystems and a green thumb for cultivating organic vegetables—a skill passed down from his grandfather—Giuseppe Di Giorgio applies the farm-to-table concept to his guided trips. “I love to show my Wilderness Travel guests Italy’s biodiversity from the Mediterranean to the Alps, and at home,” he says, “my favorite place is the kitchen, where I prepare traditional Sicilian and Mediterranean dishes while sipping on a good local wine.” During the year, Giuseppe teaches natural sciences in secondary schools, volunteers for an NGO with active projects in Tanzania, and produces extra virgin olive oil and organic cherries.

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Emmi Kauppinen

dev@829llc.com — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 20:43:59 +0000

Originally from Finland, Emmi guides tours in Norway, Thailand, and beyond. An avid world traveler, she’s done everything from picking fruit in Australia to leading snowshoeing tours in Lapland to waiting tables in Banff. She often leads Thailand snorkeling tours in the winter, and after studying wilderness guiding for a year, she began guiding in Norway where she fell in love with the country’s rugged mountains and fjords. “I love guiding, not only for the nature, but for the social connections we make from day to day,” she says, adding that she never tires of helping a traveler experience something for the first time—petting a horse on the hiking trail, learning new lichen species, or seeing the northern lights.

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Fia Lindstedt

dev@829llc.com — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 15:41:29 +0000

After a career in education, Fia changed paths to pursue a degree in Tourism and certification for Wilderness First Responder, kick starting a new life chapter of guiding in the wilds of northern Sweden and the fjords of Norway. Originally from Sweden, she has a passion for learning from new people she meets from around the world while showing them what she loves most about her native Scandinavia. Her life of adventure has led her to hike the entirety of the Camino de Santiago, spend a year in New Zealand and Southeast Asia, and her latest trip—bike-packing through Patagonia.

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Samia Asindamu

dev@829llc.com — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 17:34:36 +0000

Samia Asindamu, born and raised on the southwest slopes of Kilimanjaro, lives in Arusha, Tanzania, with his family. A professional mountain guide since 1993, Samia is a veteran of many Kili climbs—he has summited Kili more than 300 times and knows all of Kili’s routes. His training includes National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) courses in Advanced Technical Climbing and Wilderness First Aid Response, and he has studied ornithology, botany, and mammalogy. In 1999, Samia won first prize in a Kilimanjaro summit race: he ran from the trailhead at Lemosho (7,500′) to the summit of Kili (Uhuru Peak, 19,340′) and back down to Mweka Gate (5,600′) in just 18 hours! Samia has a great sense of humor and loves sharing stories, watching wildlife, playing soccer, and listening to music. He speaks English, Swahili, and his mother tongue, Chagga.

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