Map of Spitsbergen Photography: Under the Midnight Sun including Finland, Norway and Svalbard And Jan Mayen Islands

Dive into an arctic photography adventure with award-winning photography expert by your side

Take your photography skills to the next level and explore one of Noway’s most pristine island’s on this 11-day arctic cruising adventure. Explore the unspoiled beauty of Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, and discover its coastal fjords, towering mountainous terrain and smaller, surrounding islands. Travel with onboard expert, award-winning guest photographer Chris Linder, who’ll give presentations and hands-on learning opportunities that will help you to perfect your lens choices, perspective, composition, and how to make the most of various lighting and weather situations. Plus, share your adventure with countless arctic wildlife that call this area home, with plenty of opportunity to practice your newly found photography skills on them. This cruise combines nature, wildlife, action and photography to make the perfect trip for the creative adventurer who’s ready to return home with just as many incredible photos as incredible memories.


Start
Helsinki, Finland
Finish
Helsinki, Finland
Destinations
Finland, Norway, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Style
Comfort
Theme
Polar, Wildlife
Code
BQMPM
Physical rating
Ages
Min 8
Group size
Min 1, Max 128

Why you'll love this trip

  • Discover the unspoiled beauty of Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, as you cruise the arctic waters and explore this pristine place, the coastal fjords and smaller, surrounding islands

  • Take your photography skills to a whole new level with the help of onboard expert, award- winning guest photographer Chris Linder, who’ll give presentations and hands-on learning opportunities

  • Practice your landscape photography with hiking adventures (optional) and Zodiac excursions into the colourful tundra. With 60% of Spitsbergen covered in glaciers and much of the terrain blanketed by towering mountains, you’ll be awe-struck by the natural beauty here.

  • Learn the secret sauce to wildlife to photography and practice on incredible arctic life like polar bears, arctic foxes, Svalbard rock ptarmigan and Svalbard reindeer.

  • Learn more about how to help preserve this pristine environment for generations to come with onboard presentations on marine biology, ornithology, glaciology and history to will complement the photography sessions and help prepare you for the adventures that await.

Is this trip right for you?

  • As you’d expect, temperatures in the Arctic are very cold. A warm parka will be provided along with waterproof boots and unlimited hot drinks, but you should also bring base layers and lots of warm clothing. Please see the trip notes for further important information about what to bring.

  • Weather depending, you will be making regular excursions in a Zodiac boat to explore the local area and look for wildlife. It can get very cold and wet on the Zodiac, so make sure you are dressed appropriately and that you keep your camera safe and dry. Sturdy sea legs are needed as you make wet and dry landings from the boat, and on steep terrain, snow and other uneven surfaces. Some ships have a lot of stairs, so please hold on to the handrails if seas are rough.

  • The weather plays a pivotal part in this adventure and although there’s an itinerary in place, there are no guarantees that you’ll be able to do everything that is planned for. A level of flexibility and openness to embracing the unexpected are important in expedition travel, especially to such a remote area.

  • This trip takes places during the time of year that Spitsbergen enjoys 24-hour daylight. Just one of the benefits of this is that incredible wildlife can be seen at any time of the day – be prepared to be woken at any time so as to not miss out on exciting animal sightings.

  • Polar bears are one of the most incredible and appealing animals on the planet, but they are also powerful predators with little fear of humans. Therefore it’s necessary to be aware of the guidelines surrounding any contact with Polar bears. Follow your leader’s instructions and do not stray from your group – your leader carries equipment to protect you.

Boats

Polar tours in Ocean Adventurer boat

Ocean Adventurer

This sturdy expedition ship was built in 1975 and underwent an $8 million refurbishment in 2017 which included new engines and refurbished cabins...

Itinerary

Your Arctic adventure begins in Helsinki, renowned for its extraordinary architecture and intriguing mix of eastern and western influences. If you arrive early, explore the many museums, galleries and restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District before retiring at your included hotel.
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
This morning, the group will transfer to the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and board our private charter flight to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement, where you’ll have time to explore before embarkation. As your ship sets sail, enjoy your first view of the island’s rugged, glacier-topped mountains rising majestically from the frigid waters.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
The unspoiled beauty of Spitsbergen is the focus of this one-of-a-kind voyage along the west coast of the island, which is the largest in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. Each day will be a photographic surprise as we explore the costal fjords and smaller, outlying islands, and venture into the colorful tundra during shore and Zodiac excursions. The weather and, at this time of year, the melting ice will influence our route and shore landings, where you’ll be able to photograph stunning scenery, wildlife, birds and historical sites. And, of course, magnificent landscape shots are just at your fingertips as 60 percent of Spitsbergen (which means “pointed mountains”) is covered in glaciers and much of the terrain is mountainous.

Our nimble expedition ship allows us to navigate shallower waters and tighter spaces, so we expect to explore the more hard-to reach areas and hike wherever possible.

After the long cold winter, Spitsbergen is virtually invaded by birds which migrate here in vast numbers to nest. The waters surrounding the archipelago, a rich food source for marine life, attract walruses, seals and whales. As with many regions of the world, summertime offers a greater diversity of land-dwelling wildlife to photograph, including polar bears, arctic foxes, Svalbard rock ptarmigan and Svalbard reindeer. Summertime visitors will be surprised to find themselves photographing what’s at their feet—
a palette of brightly colored wildflowers that grace the summer tundra.

One of the main features of Spitsbergen Photography: Under the Midnight Sun will be the presentations and hands-on learning opportunities with award- winning guest photographer Chris Linder, whose expertise extends to science and conservation. You’ll be able to learn from Chris about the two most important aspects of photography—composition and light—as he covers lens choices, perspective, composition, and how to make the most of various lighting and weather situations. You’ll gain insight on photographing popular polar subjects such as polar bears—as well as unique polar landscapes, flora and lesser-known species. The goal is for all guests—regardless of skill level or equipment—to expand on and improve their photography on the voyage.

Chris will also demonstrate how photographers of all levels can use photo storytelling to advance conservation goals and polar ambassadorship. In addition to presentations titled Composition and Light, and Journeys of a Science Photographer, Chris will present Science on Ice and the Big Thaw, using images from his book of the same name. “My goal for the guests on this expedition is to not only help everyone return home with great photographs,” says Chris, “but also to improve their photography skills. Through lectures and hands-on lessons, I will explain how perspective, light, composition, and story work together to make compelling images. My focus will be on artistic considerations more than technical ones, in the hope that photographers of all skill levels can benefit.”

Presentations by other onboard experts, who specialize in marine biology, ornithology, glaciology and history, will complement the photography sessions and help prepare you for the adventures that await.

In addition to photography, optional hiking and Zodiac excursions get you up close—though never obtrusively— to the incredible wildlife. At day’s end, you’ll have plenty of prized photographs and exciting stories to share with your shipmates.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast (8)
  • Lunch (8)
  • Dinner (8)
Special Information
Important reminder: Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy – and excitement – of expedition travel. There are no guarantees that we can achieve everything we set out to accomplish. A measure of flexibility is something all of us must bring to a voyage. There are nearly 200 recognized sites in the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetlands and the places mentioned above may be changed to others equally as interesting.
Your adventure ends in the frontier style settlement of Longyearbyen. From here, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your return group charter flight to Helsinki, included in the transfer package.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
The group charter flight will arrive in Helsinki by 6pm on this day. Please allow plenty of time for transit if booking onwards flight on this day. We recommend booking an additional nights accommodation in Helsinki in case of unexpected delays.

Meals

10 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 9 dinners

Transport

Expedition Cruise Ship, Zodiac

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night), Expedition Cruise Ship (9 nights)

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our Spitsbergen Photography: Under the Midnight Sun trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

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Important notes

This trip starts and finishes in Helsinki, Finland

Your voyage is operated by our sister company, Quark Expeditions. All accommodation and transfer arrangements as listed in the itinerary are also operated by Quark Expeditions or their local representatives.

BOOKING CONDITIONS
To confirm your reservation, a deposit of 25% (unless indicated otherwise at time of booking) of the total invoice amount is required at time of booking. Balances are due 120 days prior to departure.
Please refer to our "Booking terms and conditions" page on our website for all Quark Expedition terms and conditions. www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-intrepid/booking-conditions

COVID 19 VACCINATION
All customers must be vaccinated against covid 19 to join this voyage. You must present a copy of your Covid 19 proof of vaccination record from your government’s health authority prior to embarkation.

ADVENTURE OPTIONS
Explore the ocean from a more intimate vantage point on a sit-on-top kayak. No experience is required to manoeuvre these very stable kayaks, allowing you to enjoy an unforgettable experience on the water, taking in breathtaking landscapes and wildlife. Kayaking must be booked prior to departure and incurs an additional cost. Spaces are limited so please enquire at time of booking. Hiking is also offered on some itineraries. This activity is at no additional cost and do not need to be pre-booked. See the itinerary for Adventure options available on this voyage.

Essential trip information

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