Worldwide Photographic Journeys

Europe (including Svalbard)

NORWAY: WINTER MUSK OX

NORWAY: WINTER MUSK OX PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS WITH WILD IMAGES

Come and join us on a 5 nights, 6 days unforgettable tour into Dovrefjell National Park. Situated in mid-Norway, this is the best location in the world to see and photograph the ancient Musk Ox amidst stunning mountain scenery.

Dovrefjell National Park is situated at approximately 1000 metres (3300ft) above sea level. It will be winter in Norway and the landscape will be coloured in shades of white. In this vast and open landscape, we will hike for the Musk Ox and other wildlife for 4 full days.

In winter you can expect everything from sunny and calm but cold days to wild and windy days with snow and ‘white-out’ conditions. As weather in the mountains of Norway can be rough, we need a flexible itinerary and be able to change plans according to the weather conditions. If we have days with a lot of wind and “whiteout” conditions, we may not be able to reach the Musk Oxen if they are far away, but we will do our best so you can maximize your opportunities.

Our accommodation during the tour will be at the town of Oppdal, a 20-30 minutes drive from the national park. Here we will stay at the Skifer Hotel. The hotel has a high standard and all rooms have private bathrooms.

The mountains of Dovrefjell will offer us some amazing scenery. During these days in the mountains, you must expect relatively long days out in the field and, over the course of our stay, many kilometres of walking (often with snowshoes, which will be provided). We strongly recommend you be in good shape before signing up for this tour. We assure you though, if you come and join us, we will take you to the best spots and this will give you amazing photo opportunities as well as a beautiful area to hike in.

Our days will start with a fantastic breakfast buffet at our hotel, where we will also obtain our packed lunch and some hot drinks before we go out in the field. We will do our best to take advantage of the good light in the early morning and late afternoon, and we will spend as much time as possible outside in the field. After a day out we will return to the hotel for a warm shower and dinner at the restaurant.

Staying in a comfortable hotel avoids the need to stay in shared tents with temperatures down to -15 to -20°C!

Dovrefjell has a ‘real’ winter. Expect everything down to -20°C and snowstorms. We therefore strongly recommend you to dress in layers, use good winter clothes, and especially good footwear.

 

WHITE-TAILED EAGLE PHOTOGRAPHY OPTION

For those of you who want to join us for a few more days, we invite you to do some White-tailed Eagle photography at the island of Smøla. See our Norway: Winter Eagles tour for a flavour of what is available. Please contact our office for price details.

 

Accommodation

The hotel in Oppdal is of a good standard.

 

Transport

Car or minibus (passenger van).

 

Climate

Generally cold to very cold at this time of year. Temperatures typically range between around 0°C (32°F) and about -20°C (-4°F) during daytime, although it can be warmer on still, sunny days and seem older on windy days. There may well be some snow, and sunny periods are interspersed with overcast weather. Dovrefjell is unpredictable. Conditions can change in minutes, so be prepared for everything!

 

Clothing

We will provide detailed information in the pre-tour information pack.

 

Photographic Equipment

For Musk Ox photography, the ideal lenses for longer range subjects, or head shots, on this particular tour when using a DSLR are usually a 500mm or 600mm prime, with or without a converter. If your budget does not run to big prime lenses, a high quality 400mm f5.6 or a 100-400mm or similar zoom with a converter on a crop-sensor body can be a very viable alternative. For closer individuals a shorter telephoto around 200-300mm will be excellent. The mountain scenery is splendid so a wide-angle is also recommended.

You can also get wonderful results with many photography subjects with a high quality bridge camera with an 18-20x or higher optical zoom. If you have questions about what equipment you ought to bring, please contact us.

Photographic Highlights

  • Splendid encounters with the ancient, prehistoric-looking Musk Ox at one of its most accessible locations
  • The magnificent scenery of Norway's Dovrefjell National Park
  • Wonderful winter scenes enhancing what is already a very photogenic landscape
  • A chance to photograph Musk Ox amidst the snow

PRICE INFORMATION

Wild Images Inclusions: Our tour prices include surface transportation, accommodations, meals and entrance fees.

Tips/Gratuities at the hotel are not included.

Deposit: US$850 or equivalent. Our office will let you know what deposit amount is due, in order to confirm your booking, following receipt of your online booking form.

TO BOOK THIS TOUR: Click here (you will need the tour dates)




Single Room Supplement: No additional charge.

This tour is priced in US Dollars. Amounts shown in other currencies are indicative.

Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency will be pleased to arrange your air travel on request, or you may arrange this yourself if you prefer.

NORWAY: WINTER MUSK OX PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR: DETAILED ITINERARY

 

Day 1

Our Norway: Winter Musk Ox wildlife photography tour starts today at Kristiansund airport, from where you will be transferred by road to the town of Oppdal for a five nights stay at the Skifer Hotel. Dinner and tuition in the evenings.

Days 2-5

Four full day of Musk Ox photography, during which we focus on working in the best possible light with different subjects.

Day 6

After breakfast we return from Oppdal to Kristiansund airport, where the tour ends.

Extension: An optional White-tailed Eagle photography extension to the island of Smøla is available. Please contact us for information.


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