The Polar Travel Company

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Duration: 8 days
Starts: Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
Ends: Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
Language: English speaking voyage

* We always recommend arriving in Svalbard at least 24 hours before departure.

Included

Optional

Early spring season is hands down the best time to visit if you�re a photographer, as Svalbard presents its wildest side as the archipelago emerges from the depths of winter. Picture snow-capped mountains, fjords filled with sea ice, and a soft, elusive light so picturesque you�ll find yourself captivated to return time after time. Very few places in the world can match this unique allure!

With acclaimed nature photographer Lana Tannir, set sail on a springtime photo tour of Svalbard and capture the Arctic landscape at its very best. The wildlife is waking up and the sun has reintroduced itself following the long, dark winter. The light it casts as it rises and sets is deliciously soft and beguilingly coloured, adding an otherworldly glow to the snow-wrapped land and frozen seascape.

Photographer Lana Tannir has captured the world�s attention with her thought-provoking images of humanity, nature, and the places they meet. Specialising in Arctic and marine environments, her images balance intimacy and strength, mirroring perfectly the dichotomous fragility and power of Svalbard�s landscape and wildlife. Spring is the season to photograph Svalbard at its most compelling, smothered in an unbroken blanket of snow, hemmed in by splintering sea ice, and awakened by wonderfully soft light. Photographing wildlife requires patience, but there�s nothing like capturing Arctic animals � reindeer, walruses, Arctic foxes, polar bears � against the springtime backdrop.

Svalbard Photography Tour Highlights
� We only work with award-winning legends of polar photography who are in-field tuition experts � you�re learning from the very best
� Capture splintering sea ice and snow-blanketed landscapes in soft-hued light � spring is the perfect time for Svalbard landscape photography
� A chance to photograph wildlife, including whales, Arctic foxes, Svalbard reindeer, walruses, seals, and polar bears, against the quintessential Arctic backdrop
� We have the best guest-to-guide ratio, with two expedition guides and your photography leader available at all times to enhance your experience and develop your skills
� We use two Zodiacs for 12 guests, meaning the whole team can explore off-ship together, experiencing the frozen fairytale landscape and seeking out truly up-close wildlife photo opportunities
� We have no fixed itinerary, meaning we can take our time and make the most of the opportunities nature presents us with � a nature photographer�s dream

Meet Your Svalbard Photography Guide
Lana Tannir
Photography Expert
Lana specialises in landscape and wildlife photography, focusing on the connection between humanity and nature in the Arctic over the past decade. Her passion for marine wildlife and conservation is evident in her work as a biologist.

Secret Atlas is founded, led, and made for explorers by explorers. We understand that every expedition is unique, so we don�t follow a fixed itinerary. We believe that real expeditions should follow the opportunities that the wilderness offers and our expert guides know exactly how to maximise your experience.

The following Svalbard Photography Tour itinerary is an example. The expedition is flexible and its course will be defined on daily basis sustained by the opportunities presented by weather, ice and wildlife.

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Day 1 Welcome aboard! Embarkation in Longyearbyen at 16:00
Our Svalbard Photo Expedition departs from Longyearbyen. Upon leaving the port, we will say goodbye to civilisation for the next eight days to explore the breathtaking Arctic as it emerges from winter. During this time of year, our route will be determined by the sea ice. We will either sail north or south depending on the conditions. This expedition offers a chance to encounter the coast of Svalbard as it is rarely seen. We will launch the Zodiacs daily to search for the best landscape and wildlife photography opportunities every day.

Day 2 Prins Karls Forland
In Isfjord in April and Early May, fjord ice from the winter lines the coast. This is a great place to start scouting for polar bears that move from the land to the sea ice during this time. If conditions allow, it is a great place to use the Zodiacs to explore the ice edge and open up close-up photography opportunities of wildlife.

After leaving Isfjord, our plan is to sail north, passing Prins Karls Foreland. As the ice recedes from the winter, this area is home to walrus haul-outs.

Day 3 Ice Edge
The Northwest coast of Spitsbergen has many highlights and places to photograph, including countless glaciers and snow-covered peaks. We will launch the Zodiacs daily to open up photography opportunities. We may land on the heavily frozen shores on the huge rafts of fjord ice where possible. If the conditions allow, we will plan to venture up to the edge of the sea ice and spend some time searching for polar bears that use the ice to hunt. The sea ice is a mesmerising photography subject in calm conditions, it can be possible to launch the landing craft to cruise between the ice.

Day 4 � 7 Exploring North West Spitsbergen / Sailing South
If the time and conditions allow, we will attempt to sail south to visit Hornsund or Belsund. In late April, there is usually still a great deal of ice blocking the deep fjords, which offers excellent scenery for landscape photography. It is possible to encounter polar bears hunting along the ice edge of the fjord ice with some terrific scenery for a background.

Day 8 Disembarkation in Longyearbyen at 09:00
Either late the previous evening or early in the morning we will arrive back at the port of Longyearbyen. Today our Svalbard photo expedition ends. After breakfast when we say our goodbyes after making new friends and sharing a wonderful adventure.

The above itinerary is a guide only. Part of any Arctic adventure is the flexibility to take advantage of the weather and ice conditions. Our expedition leader will make sure you see as much as possible.