SVALBARD (SPITSBERGEN): WINTER – Polar Bears, Walruses and Winter light and landscapes

Additional Departures (with the same group size limit):

Thursday 30th March – Friday 7th April 2023
Friday 7th April – Saturday 15th April 2023
Saturday 15th April – Sunday 23rd April 2023

SVALBARD WINTER PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS WITH WILD IMAGES

Our previous winter expeditions to Svalbard March were successful, and we are now offering departures on our expedition ship MS Origo. If you are looking for a different and exciting photo expedition, this is the expedition for you.

The main focus on this expedition will be Arctic winter light, landscapes and wildlife. In March and April the light conditions in Svalbard are truly magical, and we really looking forward to visit the western and northern areas of the island of Spitsbergen at this time of the year. Usually winter trips to Svalbard are limited to snowmobile trips quite close to Longyearbyen. With our expedition ship we will explore a much bigger area, which nobody has done before. Are you ready to join our partners in the Wildphoto team on a real expedition?

We expect to meet wildlife like Polar bears, Walruses, seals and Reindeer. Polar Bears and Walrus are not as numerous as in the summer time, mostly because there is more ice to hide among in winter, but we have had some great encounters on our past winter expeditions. The seabirds are getting back to their breeding grounds as well, adding to the diversity.

The group size on this expedition is limited to 12 participants, giving us plenty of space and time to explore and to photograph the magical Arctic winter.

As much of the sailing as possible is done during the night, thus maximizing opportunities for finding Polar Bears and other interesting wildlife, and enjoying the beautiful arctic landscape to the full. Cruises and any possible landings are carried out by means of zodiacs, the rugged, fast-moving inflatables developed by Jacques Cousteau for expedition work which allow safe travel in all types of conditions. The sheer speed and efficiency with which the crew and expedition staff carry out these expeditions, coupled with the small complement of passengers split over two zodiacs, allows everyone plenty of room for photography, a key factor when considering any cruise of this type.

The great advantage of taking this particular Svalbard (Spitsbergen) cruise, if you are especially interested in seeing and photographing Arctic wildlife and scenery in all its glory, is that the itinerary and day to day schedule are determined by us and entirely wildlife-photography-orientated. In addition the group will also benefit by having our extremely experienced photographic guide and expedition leader on board who know exactly where and when to go and how to do so, in order to get group members into position for superb images of Polar Bears, Walruses, seals and other wildlife.

The photographic guide on board will be Roy Mangersnes, Ole Liodden or another member of their team.

The charismatic MS Origo is perfect for dedicated photographic expeditions  (Image by Roy Mangersnes)

Our Ship

We shall be sailing on the MS Origo (capacity 12 passengers), a lovely small ship operated by our well-respected partners at Wildphoto. She is spacious and well-suited to specialist photography cruises. Origo has two zodiacs (inflatables), two expedition staff (an expert expedition leader and an expert photographer guide) and four crew. Ships of this class are great favourites with wildlife photographers due to their small size, their ability to go almost anywhere and their friendly and decidedly ‘family’ atmosphere.

Cabins are available for both twin and single occupancy, and unlike on many ships, single occupancy cabins are available at much the same cost as for twins! Most cabins are furnished with upper and lower berths. Cabins also have a porthole or window view, a cupboard and a washbasin with hot and cold water. Some cabins have private bathrooms, others share bathrooms. The beds are made ready and bed linen and towels are provided. There is a spacious saloon for meals and any leisure time indoors. Food service will be at a designated time, but we intend to be flexible, according to the needs of wildlife photography. The chef has a varied and tasty menu.

Zodiac Excursions
Zodiac embarkation and disembarkation are superbly handled by the crew and expedition staff, making this reasonably straightforward for even elderly or less fit participants.

 Owing to the very cold water at this season, all participants will need to wear a provided immersion suit during zodiac excursions. No one has ever gone into the water on such an outing, but your health and safety is our prime concern and risks cannot be taken.

Climate
Cold at this time of year. Temperatures average around -10 to -15°C (second half of March) or -5 to -10°C (April) during daytime, although it can feel much warmer on still, sunny days and around 5°C colder on breezy days and at night. There is usually little snowfall or rainfall and sunny periods are interspersed with overcast weather. Some fog is possible.

Photographic Equipment
For Polar Bear photography and some birds, the ideal lenses with a DSLR are usually a 500mm or 600mm prime, often with converters. 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 will be excellent and there may even be opportunities for wide-angle shots.

For many other photography subjects, including some scenic shots, a telephoto in the 200-300mm range will often be useful. Svalbard (Spitsbergen) is full of panoramic views and a wide-angle in the 16-28mm range is ideal.

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.

Itinerary
You need to bear in mind that circumstances may be encountered during the voyage which will make it necessary or desirable to deviate from the planned itinerary. These circumstances include poor weather conditions and in particular unexpectedly heavy drift ice. The expedition leader will provide more information at the start of the voyage and keep you fully informed throughout. You should not be concerned that such changes will prevent you from experiencing Spitsbergen (Svalbard) at its best: there are always alternative areas with excellent scenery and wildlife to visit if the ship is thwarted getting to a particular place.

Arriving before the cruise
Owing to the possibility, however small, of a severe airline delay, we would recommend that all participants have at least one hotel night in Longyearbyen at the cruise start point prior to the cruise. Kindly note that in the event you do not arrive in time, the ship will not wait and we cannot make a refund in such circumstances. Arriving early also has the advantage that your luggage could still catch up with you, should it go astray. We can make hotel bookings in Longyearbyen for you on request.