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Some highlights

  • Special expedition with photo focus, where we search for polar bears
  • The photographic leader on this tour is the nature photographer Jan Gyllensten with experience from a number of expeditions around Svalbard
  • Expedition leader on the tour is the experienced polar researcher Bjørn Anders Nymoen, formerly at the Norwegian Polar Institute
  • A great chance to see Polar Bears in a magnificent landscape
  • Visit to Walrus colonies
  • Arctic foxes and Svalbard Reindeer
  • Ivory Gulls and other exciting birds
  • The use of Zodiacs for going ashore and for getting better angles of photography
  • Glaciers and pack-ice
  • Midnight sun
  • Small group, only 12 participants
  • The tour leader will show you their best sites and provide photographic advice to a small like-minded group
  • We travel on board the traditional m/s Origo, perhaps the most charming ship up here and at the same time rebuilt for the best comfort

SVALBARD
Geographically, Svalbard belongs to Europe, but hardly resembles any other part of the continent. An arctic area, between 74 and 80 degrees north and only 600 km from the North Pole. Svalbard has fantastic environments with glaciers, icebergs and pointy mountains – which have given Svalbard it’s other name – Spetsbergen.

Apart from ice, glaciers and mountains, Svalbard also has arctic tundra, where arctic flowers bloom during the short summer. Despite it’s isolated location, Svalbard is one of the most accessible arctic regions in the World. This is thanks to the infrastructure developed by Norway around Longyearbyen.

The archipelago has fantastic glaciers, glittering in the sunlight, midnight sun from mid April until the end of the summer, and an interesting wildlife. Svalbard is mostly known for it’s Polar Bears, but also has Walruses, seals, reindeer, arctic foxes and Whales. Arriving in May, when the landscape is still white is a great experience. Most of the snow and ice melts in the summer.

The Svalbard Reindeer roams here. It is a subspecies, adapted to the harsh winter environments. In the summer, the Arctic Fox hunts for birds, whilst in the winter it follows the Polar Bears. The impressive avian fauna is full of arctic gull species and auks, such as the Thick-billed Murre and Little Auk. All nest during the hectic summer months and the cliffs teem with the noise and movement. Walruses search for mussels along the beaches, whilst baleen and toothed whales feed in the rich sea currents. Polar Bears and Walruses can be quite curious and come close. You can never be sure with wild animals, which is important to be aware of. The chance of coming across Polar Bears is good, and the backgrounds for Polar Bear photography are unique.

Our route is not set from start. As we have the use of the whole boat, we also have the freedom to plan depending on weather, ice and animal reports. The boat has Zodiacs for landing, but also for photography from low angles.

Nature and wildlife are the focus of this tour.

Crew, captain and guides all have extensive experience of the arctic, and photography in these special conditions. The crew speak Swedish and English

M / S Origo is the perfect vessel for photography, with good opportunities to get into the ice.

The ship offers six rooms with its own shower/WC. An additional room has a toilet and shared shower. Other rooms have a shared shower and WC right next to the cabins. The beds are made and the rooms are cleaned daily or as often as possible. The chef usually offers exciting and very good food. No one goes hungry on these boats.

Lectures and workshops will be given by the tour guide. We will look at the participants’ photos during our days in Svalbard and come up with positive image reviews. And we who are guides will of course assist the participants with all the necessary help.

Main deck

1 superior double cabin up on deck with private WC / shower. (FULLY BOOKED!)

5 double cabins with private WC / shower.

1 double cabin with private WC and shared shower. (FULLY BOOKED!)

2 double cabins with shared shower / WC. (FULLY BOOKED!)

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Price
From 54 900 SEK
See more information below.

Single room supplement
See more information below.

Included in the price
See more information about what is included in the price below.

Date
1-8 May 2023

Number of days
8 days

Last day for registration
31 December 2022

Tour leader
Jan Gyllensten

Number of participants
Min 12
Max 12

Spots available 
FULLY BOOKED!

Itinerary

Day 1  (1/5) (Dinner)
We will meet at Longyearbyen harbour and head out from Adventfjorden at about 4 o’clock, probably heading north via Isfjorden unless anything indicates that it is better to see Polar Bears on the east side. Welcome dinner in the evening.

Day 2-7 (2-7/5) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Cruising, with a schedule updated daily if necessary. We are likely to head through the drift ice on the north side of Spetsbergen and Nordaustlandet, going into various fiords. Apart from Polar Bears, we hope to see Walrus and seals. The landscape will be very wintery and white. Photography takes place around the clock, we have good light 24 hours a day.

Day 8 (8/5) (Breakfast)
Arrival back in Longyearbyen. The tour ends after breakfast.

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More information

As we will be able to photograph a range of different subjects, from landscape, plants, people, mammals and birds, we recommend a range of lenses from wide-angle to telephoto. A wide-angle zoom, e.g. 24-70 mm and a tele-zoom, e.g. 70-200 mm, 80-400 mm or 200-500 mm will give the best opportunity for a range of subjects.
A longer prime telephoto lens, e.g. 500 mm or 600 mm is very useful for bird and mammal photography. To ”increase” focal length, you might use a teleconverter, or a camera with a smaller sensor.

It is important to protect your gear from snow, rain and saltwater splashes. Good waterproof covers for your camera bag or rucksack. Maybe a waterproof sack for all your gear whilst on the zodiacs?

If you have two camera bodies, bring both. Tripods can be good for photography and film-making ashore. Bring plenty of memory cards and storage space, because more photos are taken on these tours than most people think.

Proper field clothing is necessary. Consider the conditions as similar to a Scandinavian winter. Hooded down-parkas are great. We will be borrowing insulated buoyancy overalls onboard, and these must be used when in the zodiacs. They are also great for watching from the ship, and everyone will have their overall hanging outside their cabin. Woolen sweaters (preferably) or fleece, with several layers (thin, mid and thick layer) will allow you to regulate your temperature. Large mittens, preferably with a woolen inner mitten are recommended. Warm, insulated boots (e.g. wool-lined Nokian boots), skidoo boots or warm winter-lined hiking boots (e.g. Sorel or Meindl) are great. Arctic boots can be purchased in Longyearbyen. Some landings can be so-called wet landings, stepping out of the zodiac into up to knee-deep water. A telescopic hiking pole can be useful ashore. A warm hat (or fur cap) and sun-glasses against the strong sunlight. Thermal underwear in merino wool are great and are strongly recommended. A double layer of woolen socks, one thick and one thin. No need for elegant clothing. Indoor shoes or slippers onboard. Swimwear – there might be an opportunity for an ice-bath!

Both the boat, use of zodiacs and the nature means that the nature of the trip is a bit limiting in the event of severely reduced mobility. Contact us at the slightest doubt.

Share in double cabin, shared shower / WC 54 900 SEK (FULLY BOOKED!)

Share in double cabin, own WC, shared shower 62 900 SEK (FULLY BOOKED!)

Share in double cabin with its own WC / shower 69 900 SEK

Share in superior cabin on main deck with its own WC / shower 79 900 SEK (FULLY BOOKED!)

Single cabin supplement, shared shower / WC 15 000 SEK

Single cabin supplement, with its own WC / shower 19 000 SEK

The availability of single cabins is limited. Contact us for information.

Share in double cabin according to booking, meals according to program, photo lessons, special lectures, cruise where the exact route depends on ice conditions and weather.

Return flights to Svalbard, tips, insurance, cancellation protection, drinks (other than those served with the food) and things of a personal nature.

Longyearbyen harbour. The journey begins and ends here. Exact time and place will be given before the tour.

The registration fee, 30 % of the total price of the tour, is paid via invoice in connection with registration. The remaining amount is paid no later than 100 days before the trip. The terms of this and our other voyages when we charter an entire ship deviate from our usual terms in that the registration fee is slightly higher than 20% and the date for final payment is a little earlier (normally we have 60 days before departure).

If you are an EU citizen travel within the EU or to the Schengen countries Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Lichtenstein, you must always bring your passport. When checking in for a flight, a passport is required. With reservation for that government decisions because of the somewhat unclear Covid-19 situation may mean various limitations that we do not know of today.

For citizens outside of the EU please check if you need a visa to enter Svalbard.

All travel regulations according to Covid-19 must be fulfilled.

Contact your insurance company to see that you are properly covered for travel insurance and cancellation protection.

Please check with your doctor.

Our tours are open to all nationalities, which means that the group is often international.

Our tour guides speak both Swedish and English, and sometimes also more languages.

By accepting the terms and conditions, I am aware that the payment terms differ for this trip from the normal, see above.

Terms and conditions

Fotoexpedition till isbjörnens rike, Svalbard. Fotoresa med Wild Nature fotoresor. Foto Staffan Widstrand
Fotoexpedition till isbjörnens rike, Svalbard. Fotoresa med Wild Nature fotoresor. Foto Staffan Widstrand

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