Everyone captures their travels differently, and that’s the beauty of Polarsteps. Whether you’re a daily updater or a post‑trip storyteller, you get to decide what your story looks like and how you share it.

The key is finding a style that feels natural — one that helps you focus on what matters most and enjoy the ride as it happens.

First things first, let's talk about Steps

The building blocks of every Polarsteps trip, each Step is a blank canvas pinned to a time and place on the map. It's where you can add photos, videos, text, and tips for the places you visited, building a layered story as your journey unfolds.

Some travelers use Steps like a journal, others more like a photo album — and most land somewhere in between. Some post a Step each day, others for every new destination. How often and how much you share is totally up to you.

Find your storytelling style

Steps are flexible by design, which means your approach can be too. For a little inspiration, here are a few sharing styles from our travel-loving team at Polarsteps.

The everyday explorer

Short thoughts, quick edits, live updates. You’re sharing as you go, staying present while still capturing memories — a handful of favorite photos and a few lines about the day’s highlights.

“I like to share just one thought or a short summary and a few favorite images each day. I try not to overthink it so I can stay in the flow and capture my memories while they’re fresh.” — Claire Bissell, Senior Travel Editor

The visual storyteller

Big image energy, text is optional. Your photos and videos do the real talking.

“I like to start each Step with a compilation video. It’s a bit of work up front, but later it brings the day back in such a vivid way that it’s always worth the effort.”  — Job Harmsen, Founder and Head of Design

While some are focused on capturing the energy of the day, others are already preparing for the big print moment: your Travel Book.

“With Travel Books in mind, Yannis and I ensure the photos we add to our Steps have a high resolution, and Yannis edits for things like color enhancements and ratios that fit well on an A4-landscape format.” Eline van Delft, Community & Support Specialist, and Yannis Abelas, Product Designer

The reflective journaler

This style is all about thoughtful entries, sometimes added post-trip. You take the time to write — after the dust has settled. 

“I like to write stories for each place I'm in, but I often don’t have time before moving on, so I keep bullet points of what we did to remind myself later.” — Dan Hodkinson, Head of Engineering

One approach is to jot down quick notes to revisit later. Another begins with the intention of capturing moments as they happen — but sometimes you get swept up in them instead…

“My favourite part of using Polarsteps is capturing all the tiny details that really make a trip what it was. Which is why I always try to write about my day in full — not just ‘went on a hike,’ but the sweaty climb in the Brazilian sun, the wine headache still lingering from the night before, and the couple arguing at the top. It’s these seaminingly inconsequential happenings that bring everything back. It does mean I fall behind sometimes, but finishing up my trip then becomes a happy task for when I am back home and missing life on the road.” — Lottie Coltman, Copy Writer and Concept Developer

The perfectionist

You’re curating every detail — editing each image, polishing captions, and keeping the vibes consistent. You don’t hit “Publish” until your update feels 100% complete.

“I’m big on consistency — short paragraphs, spell-checked, and tidy formatting. If I decide to use emojis, I commit to them all the way through. I try to leave out the small stuff and focus on the details that make it interesting for the reader.” — Nicky Evans, Senior Travel Editor

And then there are those who take it to the next level, with carefully chosen photos, daily writing habits, and a routine that makes the rest of us look like we're winging it.

"I like to place a Step every day when I'm traveling, so I've developed some good habits to keep the process quick and easy. I take a lot of photos, but select a favorite right away (and delete the others) so I know which one to upload later, and I take notes throughout the day to help with writing the step text — keeping track of small observations and passing thoughts can add a lot of interest to your story." — Matt Bainbridge, Senior Travel Editor

The co-creator

Divide and conquer. Each person brings their own voice to the story in a team effort that captures not just the trip, but the dynamics of traveling together.

“When I travel with my wife, she usually handles the writing and I take care of the photos. I’m more into editing visuals, and she loves writing longer texts. We just play to our strengths, so it feels easy and always comes together as a nice team effort.”  — Jim van der Waal, Head of Product

The long-hauler

Big-picture storytelling across longer stretches of time. You zoom out and tell your story in chunks, keeping the focus on highlights, and making it easier for friends and family back home to follow along without being swamped by details.

“When I’m on a long trip, I prefer to write summaries of a few days or even a whole week of adventures, to keep the writing manageable (and not spam everyone with an update every day). I like that when I look back, I’ve got a good sense of where I went and but I did but it’s more distilled.” — Sara, Project Manager

Make it personal: The details that matter

Whatever your style, it’s the small moments that make a trip unforgettable. Here are some quick storytelling tips from our Editorial team to help bring your Steps to life:

Share the unexpected: Getting lost and finding a hidden market, missing a bus and discovering something better — the detours often make the best stories.

Set the scene: Note details like the sticky heat, the quiet of the city at dawn, or the way your stomach lurched on the winding mountain road. A few sensory details can put readers right in the moment with you.

Keep it real: Share the messy moments too — the bad meal, the emotional meltdown, the awkward silence. They’re the stories you’ll laugh about later and the ones others will relate to most.

Add insider tips: Future you (and fellow travelers) will appreciate knowing the rooftop bar with the best sunset view but questionable cocktails, or the 7am passenger ferry that’s half the price and twice as scenic as the tourist boats.

Include the food: Even if you're not a foodie, meals are memory anchors. That suspicious fish you (shouldn’t have) tried or the perfect pasta pick-me-up can take you right back to the moment.

Remember the people: The chatty taxi driver, the hostel roommate with great tips, the elderly man who taught you three words in his language while waiting for the bus — people make places stick.

Tie it all together

By the end of your trip, you’ve captured more than just a route in the app — you’ve built a story that’s uniquely yours. And when it’s time to look back, Polarsteps makes it easy to bring that story full circle with: 

• Trip Reel: A dynamic video recap of your journey — perfect for sharing with friends or just rewatching on a humdrum day.

• Map and stats: Scroll through your route on the map and check your traveler stats to see how far you’ve come — literally. Share it all with friends, or download the full details of your trip to your device.

• Travel Books: Beautifully printed keepsakes that turn your journey into a tangible story (and a perfect gift) — map route, stats, and Steps included!

Cover image: DavideAngelini/Shutterstock