Arctic Wildlife Tours is happy to announce that we will be able to offer another Polar Bear photography workshop in Churchill, Canada in 2023. We did a great trip in…
Svalbard photo tours - one story.
In mid August 2015 Arctic Wildlife Tours did a photo expedition for Chinese customers around Spitsbergen and up to the Seven Islands, sailing with the MS Malmö. We were 12 passengers, myself as a travel leader, one extra guide and two travel leaders from China. Interesting ice conditions and good weather made this expedition into an exciting one.
Starting by exploring the west coast of Spitsbergen close to glaziers and spectacular landscapes. We found Arctic Foxes, Bearded Seals, Walruses and some birdlife during the first two days. Our focus was to arrive up by the Seven Islands as soon as possible. There was still some drifting ice and fjord ice in Rijpfjorden and Brennevinsfjorden. The drifting ice was still close to the Seven Islands.
Zodiac cruise in Krossfjorden on the way to the north.
We had beautiful light.
And wildlife like this Arctic Fox.
During different Svalbard photo tours we experience light and weather as the surrounding elements that gives us the title extra we need for our pictures. In the fog we slowly sailed into Brennevinsfjorden, one of the fjords on the north side of Nordaustlandet. Big ice was still drifting around in the fjords and the weather was good except of the dense fog we had for a moment.
After a while when we came closer to land, the fog started to disappear and our visibility improved. It was one of those moments I will always remember as if taken right out of a fairytale. I was almost expecting to see a Polar Bear appear in the fog when I suddenly discovered this beautiful female Polar Bear and her cub on a drifting ice flake. MS Malmö was at almost no speed and the Polar Bears were not scared from us. On the contrary, they were interested in us instead.
The seven Islands when fog clears.
Polar Bear mother and cub coming closer when the fog starts to clear.
Mother and cub connection - the cub is totally depending on its mother.
For about one hour, we had a fantastic moment there watching and photographing the Polar Bears. They had a fresh, half eaten, seal kill on the ice and continued eating as we watched them. A very nice and yellow light enhanced the photographic opportunities when the fog slowly but surely cleared. I consider this situation in the fjord one of the most spectacular moments I ever have had in the Arctic waters around Svalbard. Especially I liked the situations where we could watch the cub being so close attached to its mother. The images we captured illustrate this close relationship between mother and cub. I have never seen a situation like this which illustrated the relationship between mother and cub so beautiful as I did on this Svalbard photo tours.
Close relation between mother and cub.
We had one more fantastic encounter with Polar Bears during this expedition in Liefdefjord on the way back to Longyearbyen. Two-three animals there posed against the sunset several times for us. Among other situations on the way back to Longyearbyen with different wildlife we had a nice trip back. I choose to close this blog post with one image of a Polar Bear in silhouette against the red and orange sky in the late August evening.
I hereby invite you that is reading this story to join one of the Svalbard photo tours we arrange coming years!
Polar Bear and Arctic Tern.
Upcoming Svalbard tours
4 SPOT AVAILABLE
Snow Leopard photography expedition 2024
Arctic Wildlife Tours announces a new expedition. This time to Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary into the Tibetan mountains. We will search for these big cats living in these mountains.
2 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Svalbard winter expedition 2023 by snowmobile
Join Arctic Wildlife Tours for this winter expedition out in the wilderness of Svalbard. The magic light and landscapes are stunning at this time of the year.
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Svalbard July 17 – 26 expedition 2023 MS Origo
Svalbard photo tours and small vessel cruises in mid summer to photograph and experience the wildlife in typically warmer weather with lengthy daylight hours, providing great opportunities to see Svalbard's…
1 SPOT AVAILABLE
Svalbard expedition July-August 2023 MS Origo
Arctic polar bear cruises in late summer to enjoy the wildlife in typically warmer weather with lengthy daylight hours but also sunsets and sunrises, providing more opportunities to see Svalbard's…
SOLD OUT
Svalbard expedition August 5 – 15 2023 MS Origo
Svalbard wildlife photography tours in the early autumn to enjoy the wildlife in typically warmer weather with lengthy daylight hours but also sunsets and sunrises.
1 spot Available
Svalbard August Expedition 2023 MS Origo
Arctic polar bear cruises in the early autumn to enjoy the wildlife in typically warmer weather with lengthy daylight hours but also sunsets and sunrises, providing more opportunities to see…
3 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Svalbard Masterclass on board 2023
Join our photography masterclass onboard hosted by Nat Geo photographer Stefano Unterthiner and Arctic Wildlife Tours
5 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Svalbard September 04 – 14 2023 Expedition MS Origo
In September we expect to spend days into the drift ice far north and east of Svalbard. We expect to find polar bears and other wildlife close to the ship.
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Svalbard September 14 – 24 2023 Expedition MS Origo
We do the second "Autumn light expedition" in mid September and we expect to spend days into the drift ice far north and east of Svalbard.
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Svalbard April expedition 2023 onboard MS Freya
Svalbard travel photography on Svalbard, every day is different, and every year is different. Arctic Wildlife Tours guides leads this August expedition to Svalbard, a remote area we know well…
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Early spring Svalbard expedition May 15 – 22 2023
Arctic Wildlife Tours, May expedition on Svalbard in 2023. This will be an early spring expedition with lot of snow and ice still. The landscapes will still be covered by…
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Svalbard June 02 – 11 expedition 2023 MS Origo
Arctic polar bear cruises in early summer to enjoy the wildlife in typically warmer weather with lengthy daylight hours, providing more opportunities to see Svalbard's unique landscapes and wildlife.
SOLD OUT!
Svalbard June 05 – 15 2023 expedition onboard MS Malmö
June is an opportunity for good ice conditions in milder weather. 24 hour daylight makes for many hours of possible wildlife sightings. Fjords are opening up and we can get…
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Svalbard June 20 – 29 expedition 2023 MS Origo
Arctic polar bear cruises in the early summer to enjoy the wildlife in typically warmer weather with lengthy daylight hours, providing more opportunities to see Svalbard's unique landscapes and wildlife.
SOLD OUT
Svalbard June-July expedition 2023 MS Origo
Arctic polar bear cruises in the early autumn to enjoy the wildlife in typically warmer weather with lengthy daylight hours but also sunsets and sunrises, providing more opportunities to see…
SOLD OUT
Svalbard July expedition 2023 onboard MS Freya
Svalbard travel photography on Svalbard, every day is different, and every year is different. Arctic Wildlife Tours guides leads this August expedition to Svalbard, a remote area we know well…
14 SPOTS AVAILABLE
From Svalbard to North East Greenland cruise
Join us for this Arctic adventure from Svalbard to North East Greenland onboard the Polar Pioner. Experience the best from two great destinations with wildlife and landscapes.
8 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Svalbard Winter expedition 2024 onboard MS Origo
Svalbard travel photography on Svalbard, every day is different, and every year is different. Arctic Wildlife Tours guides leads this winter expedition on Svalbard, a remote area we know well…
NEW! 12 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Early season May 1 – 9 expedition 2024 MS Virgo
Arctic Wildlife Tours do this early May expedition on Svalbard in 2022. We will be using the expedition ship MS Virgo for this wildlife expedition, which is a recently refurbished…
4 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Peak Wildlife season Svalbard June 10 – 19 2024
Svalbard photo tour onboard a small ship in early summer to enjoy the wildlife in typically lot of drift ice and lengthy daylight hours, providing more opportunities to see Svalbard's…
4 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Peak Wildlife season Svalbard June 28 – July 07 2024
Svalbard photo tour onboard a small ship in early summer to enjoy the wildlife in typically lot of drift ice and lengthy daylight hours, providing more opportunities to see Svalbard's…
12 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Main Season Svalbard July 17 – 27 2024
Svalbard photo tours and small vessel cruises in mid summer to photograph and experience the wildlife in typically warmer weather with lengthy daylight hours, providing great opportunities to see Svalbard's…
4 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Iberian Lynx photography tour
In December 2023 we will do a photography tour to Spain for the Iberian Lynx. After a long time without any tours we are up to do something. Join us…
9 SPOTS AVAILABLE
South Georgia photography expedition 2023
Join Arctic Wildlife Tours guides Svein and Jens onboard the M/V Sea Spirit and visit South Georgia. As it is the first trip for Arctic Wildlife Tours visiting these parts…
6 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Iceland photography tour autumn 2023
Arctic Wildlife Tours will do their first tour in Iceland in September 2021. We have planned this tour to give travellers and photographers the best possibilities to experience and photograph…
