Iceland Bird Photography Tour
Dates: July 6 - July 17, 2024
Fee: $7,995 - double occupancy (single supplement $1,000*)
Limit: 4 participants
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Join Nikhil for a small group field-intensive bird photography tour. While the main focus of this trip will be the birds, we will not pass up some opportunities to photography Icelands abundant and photogenic waterfalls. After a night in Keflavik we make our way North to Lake Myvatn where the tour begins in ernest. Be prepared for plenty of bird photography opportunities all along the way, these oppotunities will peak when we visit Grimsey island off the north coast of Iceland.
Grimsey island is 2 square miles and on the edge of the Arctic Circle. It is home to about 60 people and a million seabirds including one of Iceland’s largest atlantic puffin colonies. This is a GREAT location for bird photography with large numbers of nesting birds, including Atlantic puffins, razorbills, common murres, black guillemots, Arctic terns, black-legged kittiwakes, northern fulmars, golden plovers, snow buntings, white wagtails, red-necked phalaropes, common snipe, common redshank, Eurasian oystercatcher, ringed plovers, purple sandpipers, dunlin, black-tailed godwits and more. There is also a picturesque lighthouse and church, distant snow-covered mountain backdrops, a group of photogenic Icelandic horses, and landscape opportunities with basalt columns, sea stacks, and dramatic views of the rocky cliffs and coastline.
We will spend 4 days on the island, after which we make our way back towards Reykjavik. On our last stop we will photograph red-throated loons.
At your disposal you will have all of the expertise that Nikhil has garnered over his years of experience to consistently capture dramatic and out of the box images of Iceland in all its glory. Nikhil’s extensive bird and landscape photography experience and knowledge of the area, you will be presented with the absolute best opportunities at every turn.
Itinerary
This itinerary is subject to changes based on weather conditions, bird activity and other factors out of our control. We will always keep your interests first and try an get you to the best locations at the right time to maximize your photographic opportunities. The weather in Iceland can be a big factor!
July 6
Arrive around 9am in Iceland. We will stay at a hotel close to the airport just in case there are any delays. This will also allow us to get some rest from our overnight journey. That evening we may visit a site that offers some birding opportunities and spend some time on the peninsula. At sunset we will photograph a field of lupins close to our hotel.
View photographs from this location
July 7
We will drive North stopping to photograph, if the weather cooperates. We plan to cover a fair bit of ground but we will get to our hotel close to Lake Myvatn. After dinner we may head out to photograph a waterfal (Godafoss), depending on conditions. Overnight near Lake Myvatn.
July 8
We will spend most of the day in the field exploring the area around Lake Myvatyn. On our agenda will be waterfowl, a large waterfall (Dettifoss) and a thermal area. The order of when we visit each location will depend on the weather. Overnight near Lake Myvatn. View photographs from this location
July 9
This morning we head North of Akureyri where we take a ferry to visit Hrisey island that has birds like Mallards, Teals, and Wigeons, as well as waders like Godwits, Redshanks, and Snipes. Greylag Geese and Ptarmigans are abundant and there is a large Arctic Tern and Common Eider colony on the island. Overnight on Hrisey island.
July 10
We spend the morning photographing near the harbor and any other location we would like to return to. After check out we will photograph a little more (weather permitting). Then have lunch on the island before taking the ferry back to the mainland. Overnight near Dalvik.
July 11
We get up early to take the ferry to Grimsey island where a million seabirds await us! The ferry ride is about 2.5-3 hours. On arrival we meet our host and enjoy a local meal for lunch. We will set our own schedule in terms of photography after that. With birds in the front and back yard and cliffs full of birds less than 50 yards away from the front foor of the guest house, we will never be short of photographic opportunities! Overnight on Grimsey island. View photographs from this location
July 12-14
While we will make plans based on weather conditions, you can expect to get up around 6-7am to photograph birds. We will return for breakfast around 8:30am. During the middle of the day the plan is to rest and look at photos but this plan could change based on conditions. With the proximity to bird life, you can go out to take photographs any time of day. We will plan for an afternoon shoot around 4-5pm retunring for dinner around 7pm. It is very likely we will be out after dinner. If it is clear, we will want to take advantage of the best light. There is a reason Iceland is called "the land of the midnight sun". We get to photograph the profilic birds life for 3 full days taking advantage of the best locations and conditions. You will need a lot of hard drive space for the images! Overnight at Grimsey island.
July 15
After a morning shoot and breakfast, we check out late morning and take the ferry back to the mainland in the afternoon. The ferry ride is about 2.5-3 hours. Overnight in Dalvik. View photographs from this location
July 16
After breakfast we head out on our drive to Southern Iceland. We may make a few stops along the way for photography but this is essentially a travel day. After arriving at our hotel, checking in and freshing up we will have dinner. After dinner the plan is to visit a bird reserve where our target species will be the red-throated loons. Overnight near Selfoss.
July 17
We will return to photograph the red-throated loons around 6am. This depends on conditions and how we made out the previous evening. We then return to the hotel, check out and make our way towards the ariport, stopping for lunch along the way. We fly out of Keflavik this afternoon (flights should be after 4pm).
Itinerary Includes:
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Lodging throughout (double occupancy) - Single supplement $1,000. *
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All transportation, once in Iceland.
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Professional photography guide.
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Detailed documents will be provided to help you prepare for the tour.
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Entrance fees at applicatble locations for all described activities.
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Breakfast (where included with hotels).
* A single room supplement at an additional cost of $1,000 is available on a first-request first-served basis. Due to the limited number of spaces available if we are unable to match a solo guest with another guest of the same gender in a “double” room, then the single supplement charge will be required.
Traveling to Iceland
Please check in with us before making your final travel plans with regards to your arrival and departure.
Arrival
Participants should plan to arrive at Keflavík International Airport (KEF) on or before July 6. Most flights to Iceland arrive early in the morning (between 6-9am). Since arrival times will vary we have no activities planned until the afternoon/evening of July 6.
Departure
We will arrange your transfer back to Keflavík International Airport (KEF) on July 17. Please look at flights that depart after 4pm.
Airport
Keflavík International Airport (KEF)
Keflavíkurflugvöllur
Keflavík 235
Website: www.kefairport.is
Telephone: +354 425 6000