Senja Island Photography Tour
24th to 28th February 2025 - Maximum 4 participants
NORWAY’S WILDEST LANDSCAPES & NORTHERN LIGHTS
Senja, Norway’s second largest island, is located in the mid-western part of Troms region 300 km north of the Arctic Circle. It is reachable from either the mainland or by ferry after one hour driving west of Tromsø.
This is an experience crafted for you nature and photography enthusiasts, both beginners or more experienced, to immerse yourself for a few days in some of the wildest landscapes of Scandinavia!
Despite not being a “secret” island anymore, in winter time Senja is still a very quiet area which leaves the masses of the busier Tromsø away. Perfect for landscape photography, which requires time and calm.
Nico, your guide, will assist you on your photography both in the field and in post production, teaching you techniques and tips to get the most out of the landscapes and light that Nature will throw at us.
Using a 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser, we will explore around the island and do some easy trekking, in order to reach secluded spots and visiting the tiny fishing villages which give life to the locals since hundreds of years.
The Northern Lights are often seen over the western fjords, but we will also actively chase clear skies around when needed, either on the island or on the mainland.
TOUR DETAILS
PRICE: 19.000 NOK
GROUP SIZE: max 4 participants
TOUR STARTS: February 24th, early morning
TOUR ENDS: February 28th, afternoon
TOUR TYPE: a normal level of fitness is required to join this multi day tour
ACTIVITIES: Landscape and night photography sessions, some light hiking involved, sightseeing, photography lessons
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Professional Photography Guide
All the excursions around Senja
Ice crampons / snow rackets / head lamps
Thermal suits, hand & foot warmers
Transport from/to Tromsø
Professional Camera Tripods
Our choosen accommodation will be booked directly by yourself - this means it is cheaper for you and at no surchage
WHAT TO BRING
Your camera and lenses (at least a wide angle and a zoom lens)
Adventure mood turned on!
Warm clothes, unsure how to dress?
Read “TOUR CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT”
Your personal travel insurance
If you have it, your laptop for post producting your photos
A backpack for your camera gear
On the island of Senja, being overlooked by the Arctic Ocean, the weather can change every 5 minutes. The persistent winds, together with the ice that covers it during the long winters, have elegantly shaped it and made it as diverse as fascinating. On its western coast it has peaks of 1000 meters elevation, a rugged coastline with sandy beaches, jagged peaks and breathtaking views over the sea. The eastern part of the island instead is much more similar to what other parts of Norway look like, with more forests and hills. There is a National Park as well, Ånderdalen, home to centuries-old pines, wetlands and moose.
During these five days, we will focus on what landscape photography is all about: being immersed in Nature, looking and waiting for the best light, learning to soak in the moments and made them ours.
Ready to capture Norway’s best landscapes?
SENJA PHOTO TOUR ITINERARY
During this photography workshop, we will study the different aspects related to landscape photography, from shooting theory to post-production, alternating photo sessions with theoretical sessions. Our guesthouse-base camp has a large living room where to do post productions lessons, share moments of leisure and cook&eat together delicious meals, but we will also eat outside on some days to maximize our time, either with packed food or at some local restaurants.
Every day we will analyse the weather forecast together, to find out which parts of the island will have the highest possibilities for dramatic skies during the day, brighter colours for sunrises and sunsets, and clearer skies at night for the aurora.
Day 1 - February 24th, Monday
The tour will start from Tromsø on Monday, February 24th in the morning, so you must arrive in Tromsø at least the day before (Sunday 23rd). You will be picked up at your accommodation (pick up time to be confirmed later). A short introduction of all the participants before heading West of Tromsø, for about one hour drive through some wonderful sceneries on Kvaløya island. A 40 minutes ferry crossing will take us to Senja, where we will eventually reach our guesthouse and undo our luggage. Quick lunch and then off for a first tour of the surroundings, hopefully catching our first sunset! If conditions allow, we might already do the hike to Hesten, possibly the most amazing view of Senja. Once the darkness will settle in, we will return to our accommodation and get some rest and dinner. If conditions are favourable, we may be lucky and experience the northern lights right away on the first night there, otherwise we will go out chasing clear skies around. Crossing fingers and toes!
Day 2
It is difficult to write an exact program due to the sudden weather changes in the Arctic, but we will adapt the program day by day to offer you the best experience. After breakfast, we will be setting off for the first day of exploration of Senja, driving along the frozen lake of Mefjordbotnvatnet and its stunning sceneries over Breitinden, Senja’s highest peak, eventually reaching the gorgeous fishing village of Husøy. Here, a first photography field lesson will take place. Once taken a lunch break, we will continue our journey back towards Mefjordvær, my favourite little fishing village of the island. The landscapes around are impressive, it will be hard to leave this area :D After some free time for rest and dinner, we will be on the lookout for auroras again!
Day 3
Beach time! On this day we will visit the best sandy Arctic beaches that Senja offers: Ersfjord, Steinfjord and Bøvær. Long exposures and waves will give us great subjects for our foregrounds, where the jagged peaks of Tungeneset and Husfjellet will make the best backgrounds one can ask for landscape photographs. Once returned from the excursion, we will go through the photos taken and do a shared post production lesson. Eyes open again in the evening for the auroras, but you’re also allowed to sleep after some time :)
Day 4
The central-western part of Senja island offers a wider variety of landscapes, from larger valleys to very narrow fjords, like Gryllefjord, as well as more Caribbean looking-like sandy beaches. Landscape photography allows to have a wonderful time out in Nature, sipping in every bit of our time and the views surrounding us, freezing them with our cameras. Once back at our accommodation, we will have dinner and later on head out for a night photography session. The northern lights are of course on the focus, bue let’s not forget the dark starry skies that less populated areas offer around here. A pure pleasure for the eyes!
Day 5 - February 28th, Friday
After breakfast and having packed our things up, we will head on the southern part of Senja, the least visited area of the island. The windy road to Sifjord and the peaks of Ånderdalen National Park seen from the pine forests will be our playground. After a packed lunch, we will slowly make our way back to Tromsø. Expected arrival time in town around late afternoon, where we will conclude the tour and you will be dropped off at your own accommodation so that you can fly back home over the weekend (Sunday is probably better for the return flight, in case of stormy weather there could be delays on the program, a bit of flexibility is needed up here)
IMPORTANT INFORMATIONS
This tour is intended for photography enthusiast (also beginners!), for a maximum of 4 participants.
This tour is not suitable for people with any injury, sickness, sea sickness, movement disability, wheelchairs, walkers etc.
You don’t need to have professional camera equipment, but a basic DSLR or mirrorless camera will do. Please get in touch if you are unsure about your equipment and would like to have more informations about it. Camera rental with a couple of lenses is also possible, for 2500 NOK extra, you’ll only need your own SD card.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
On this tour, Arctic Photo Guide offers the guiding and transportation services. You as the customer will book directly the accommodation (details will be provided by Arctic Photo Guide, so that you can easily make your own booking, at no extra surchage).
The payment of 19.000 NOK to Arctic Photo Guide is divided in two steps (but can also be paid all at once if preferred):
_30% deposit to be paid at reservation (5.700 NOK)
_70% remaining to be paid not later than January 17th (13.300 NOK)
If you need to cancel your reservation for a refund you can do that until January 17th, but the 30% deposit is not refundable.
If you cancel your reservation later than January 17th, you will not be entitled to any refund.
Looking forward to explore together!