Arctic Wildlife of Svalbard - £4249 per participant
- When
- 11th - 18th July 2023
- Cost
- £4249 per participant
- Availability
- places available.
2023 – The Arctic Wildlife of Svalbard
July 11, 2023 - July 18, 2023
£4249
Lying midway between Norway & the North Pole, Svalbard is a wildland of glaciers & tundra, making it a compelling destination for wildlife photographers. Unlike our boat-based tour, for this trip, you will be based for the duration in just one place, Longyearbyen. We will be making the most of the long hours offered by the Midnight Sun season to capture photographs of the unique landscapes & wildlife, including many types of seabirds &, of course, the fabulous arctic foxes!
Photographing the wildlife of the Svalbard archipelago doesn’t always mean taking a multi-day boat cruise; there is plenty of nature that can be viewed & photographed without taking to the seas for a week or more.
The itinerary for this trip is not fixed, meaning that Paul will revise it daily to make the most of the opportunities available; this is dictated by whatever animals are active. Over breakfast, before starting each day, Paul will present options on how best to maximise opportunities for the day, taking into account weather & light conditions &, of course, guest input.
Svalbard is home to a plethora of arctic wildlife on land, all of which make great photographic subjects. It is possible to encounter the Svalbard reindeer & Arctic foxes that are commonly sighted.
With the midnight sun happening throughout our trip, 24 hours of daylight will be the norm; you will make repeat visits to sites to get the best images possible. You will have plentiful opportunities to capture images of an astonishing variety of birds on the tundra lakes during the daytime & under the midnight sun. You can be assured that Paul will encourage you to make the most of these golden hours of the day to offer you creative possibilities for fantastic portraits.
We have planned elements of this itinerary to allow you to capture stunning bird portraits or images of birds in flight or even at water level, coupled with a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, & the opportunity to fill your portfolio should be brilliant.
We have planned elements of this itinerary to allow you to capture stunning bird portraits or images of birds in flight or even at water level, coupled with a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, & the opportunity to fill your portfolio should be brilliant.
You will have your heart stolen when you visit the Little Auk Colony; these bold, charismatic little birds are fearless & will stand their ground & squawk just a few feet away from you. As with all the locations, Paul will get you into the most suitable spots to capture the very best images you can. Paul will guide you to capture close-up photographs, portraits & flight shots as they fly overhead in their thousands at this colony.
For many, the star of the show is the Arctic Fox & so we offer an outing every evening, at least, to see the arctic foxes; we time these outings to coincide with when the Arctic Foxes are most active hunting. In the past, Paul has had luck on his side, seeing foxes take eggs & show their opportunistic personalities; as many as a handful of individual Arctic Foxes can be seen in a single outing. Paul will ensure that you spend as much time as possible getting to know their personalities & capturing their behaviours.
You will take several days out on the water; during two of these, we will travel to a large walrus colony; you will travel through fjords & pass beneath glaciers. Icebergs of most azure colour imaginable are home to seals & a variety of seabirds. There is a high probability of locating a Blue Whale or spotting the tail fluke of a Humpback. On previous trips, Paul has observed pods of up to 60 Belugas. You will either land at a beach colony or a glacial walrus territory, depending on weather conditions. There will be the chance for close encounters at both sites, with walruses often getting into the water to check the visitors to their realm out. The pair of days should present you with a fantastic experience & some of the best opportunities for walrus images imaginable.
The third day on the water takes the form of an excursion to the town of Pyramiden; this trip will also be the best chance you will have of spotting Polar Bear on the glaciers, although they may be a distance away, so long focal length lenses at the ready. Pyramiden is one of the world’s most captivating ghost towns, according to National Geographic! This part of our tour will take you from the Advent fjord outside of Longyearbyen towards Pyramiden. Its residents left the old Soviet town in 1998. Now, a small group of people live there & maintain what used to be the Soviet pride in the Arctic. After visiting Pyramiden, the trip continues towards the glacier Nordenskiöld. Nordenskiöld is a large glacier calving into the ocean, & the blue-coloured glacier front is a fantastic sight.
Paul will be on hand to ensure that should you want to take photographs showing off the splendid landscape of the area, but with animals within the photo, you will have suitable guidance.
A couple of visits to the mountains to spot ptarmigan in the snow will be in the schedule, these are found on a short journey outside of town, but it is easy to head up into the lower peaks at short notice; this is due to their proximity & the fact that we will have our transport available at all hours of the day. The male ptarmigan look fabulous with their red eyebrows & white coats, whilst the softly patterned females allow for a more subtle photography approach.
Highlights of our stay in Longyearbyen will include:
Paul kindly provided all images on this page.
Unfortunately, it’s unattainable to say the most promising time to spot polar bears. Polar bears wander freely throughout the Svalbard archipelago with no limitations & can cover extended distances in just a few days. It’s tough to predict the best locations to see them, but the longer you spend in Svalbard, the more likely you will see polar bears.
- Staying in a traditional cabin, overlooking the historic mining town of Longyearbyen, with reindeer & Arctic foxes as our neighbours.
- 2 Boat-trips & landings at a Walrus colony.
- Whale watching in the fjords – with high chances of Blue Whale, Beluga & rarer whales.
- Close encounters with Arctic Foxes.
- Photograph Red-Throated Divers & tundra birds at nest & with chicks.
- Photographing red-throated divers, phalaropes & king eiders courtship, at nest & with chicks.
- Visits to nesting seabird colonies of Little Auk & Brunnich’s Guillemot.
- Excursion to the town of Pyramiden, with good chance of Polar Bear on the glaciers.
The Arctic Wildlife of Svalbard Itinerary
day 1
arrive longyearbyen - evening seeking wildlife in longyearbyen - overnight in longyearbyen
day 2
day seeking wildlife in longyearbyen - evening seeking wildlife in longyearbyen - overnight in longyearbyen
day 3
day seeking wildlife in longyearbyen - evening seeking wildlife in longyearbyen - overnight in longyearbyen
day 4
day seeking wildlife in longyearbyen - evening seeking wildlife in longyearbyen - overnight in longyearbyen
day 5
day seeking wildlife in longyearbyen - evening seeking wildlife in longyearbyen - overnight in longyearbyen
day 6
day seeking wildlife in longyearbyen - evening seeking wildlife in longyearbyen - overnight in longyearbyen
day 7
day seeking wildlife in longyearbyen - evening seeking wildlife in longyearbyen - overnight in longyearbyen
day 8
transfer to longyearbyen airport - flight to home location
Why we do not offer specific Polar Bear Safaris on the Svalbard archipelago?
Polar bears are an endangered species & are protected by law. There are no polar bear safaris, pursuits or similar trips in Svalbard. Nonetheless, polar bears can be anywhere in Svalbard. In winter, polar bears can be found throughout the whole archipelago, while in summer, they typically follow the sea ice & migrate north-eastwards.Unfortunately, it’s unattainable to say the most promising time to spot polar bears. Polar bears wander freely throughout the Svalbard archipelago with no limitations & can cover extended distances in just a few days. It’s tough to predict the best locations to see them, but the longer you spend in Svalbard, the more likely you will see polar bears.
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