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January/February 2025 Photography Expedition

with Anthony Lynch & Chris Percival
26 January - 2 February 2025

Join award-winning photographers Anthony Lynch & Chris Percival for a winter photography expedition, unveiling the enchantment of the Arctic Circle and the stunning Northern Lights in Norway.

We’ll split our time between The Lofoten Islands and Vesterålen, providing countless opportunities to capture the breathtaking beauty these areas offer during both daylight and nighttime.

Highlights of the trip include an eagle safari and an immersive experience at a Sami community, where you will be able to interact and photograph the reindeer.

Expect the temperature to average around -2ºC (28ºF). This period typically sees substantial snowfall and ice accumulation, with the landscape transforming into a winter wonderland of frozen lakes and fjords.

Included

Excluded

Arrival

Upon arrival at Harstad-Narvik (EVE) airport, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel for the evening.

If weather and aurora conditions are good then we may plan to chase the lights tonight. So be prepared to jump straight in when you have landed!

Please see the ‘How to Get Here’ tab above for information on the flights you can choose to arrive on.

Journey to The Lofoten Islands

After breakfast we will begin our journey south and into the famous Lofoten Islands. There are countless photo opportunities along the way at many locations we can choose to stop at. The distance to your hotel is around 230km (140 miles). In the early afternoon, we will likely stop in Lofoten’s largest town, Svolvær, which will allow you time to buy some lunch before we continue our journey on to the town of Leknes which will be our base for the next 3 days.

After dinner at your hotel as long as the weather conditions and solar activity are favourable, we will embark on the first aurora chase of the trip, departing at around 20:00. Return to the hotel will most likely be sometime after midnight.

Exploring the Lofoten Islands

The next two days will be devoted to day time excursions to some of the most picturesque places in the Lofoten Islands. The locations we visit will be selected by your guide based on the weather forecasts and the sunrise and sunset times. Amongst these locations you can expect to visit:-

  • boulder strewn, mountain-lined beaches along the west cost such as Haukland, Flakstad, Uttakleiv and Ramberg
  • tiny fishing villages and hamlets such as Henningsvær, Hamnøy, Nusfjord and Ballstad
  • stunning panoramic vistas,
  • the most famous Lofoten scenic views around the famous village of Reine

After dinner at your hotel we will again head out in search of the Northern Lights.

Journey to Vesterålen

Today we slowly make our way North, out of Lofoten and into Vesterålen. 

Weather permitting, we will plan to do many photo stops along the way today including a visit to the fishing village of Henningsvær out on the east coast of Lofoten.

We will arrive at our new hotel in Sortland with time for you to settle in and have dinner before we will plan again to head out aurora chasing.

Reindeer & Sami Experience

The Sami are the only indigineous people recognised by the European Union. Having their own language, culture and customs, we’ll enjoy a snapshot of their traditional lifestyle; whilst glimpsing the unique relationship between them and their most cherished resource – the reindeer. There will be many opportunities to photograph the Sami and the reindeer during this visit.

All of this activity will most likely make you hungry. A traditional Sami lunch is included for this tour.

Sea Eagle & Wildlife Safari

The incredibly photogenic white-tailed sea eagles are an absolute highlight of this trip.

Departing early in the morning, we’ll climb aboard the generous sized RIB and cruise around the islands searching for the majestic birds. However, be prepared and keep your cameras close to hand. These giants of the sky come very close as they search for a bite to eat and are a treat to photograph.

Expert guidance will be available before boarding the boat to ensure that you maximise the photo opportunities from our safari.

Upon returning to the harbour you will enjoy a tasty hot soup lunch before we make our way back to the hotel for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

After dinner back at the hotel, this is our last opportunity of seeing the Northern Lights again so we will plan to go out once more.

Return Journey

After an early breakfast we will travel back to Harstad-Narvik airport, arriving in time for you to meet your flight home.

Sortland’s newest hotel with 128 modern rooms, opened in 2021 has a unique harbourside location right in the heart of the town. It offers panoramic views of the sea and scenic mountains of Vesterålen.

The ground floor restaurant serves continental buffet breakfasts and dinners with locally sourced ingredients. The restaurant is surrounded with a monumental glass facade giving stunning views across the water.

Rooms are modern and comfortable and available as

  • Standard single or twin/double rooms
  • Standard family of 3 room with twin/double bed and sofa bed
  • Standard family of 4 room with twin/double bed and 2 bunk beds
  • Family suite for 5 with twin/double bed, queen size sofa bed and extra sofa bed space for a child up to age 12.

 

Your hotel in Leknes is situated in the heart of Lofoten and in a perfect location for us to explore the most dramatic and picturesque locations with travel time between locations kept to a minimum.

Enjoy a good nights sleep in the hotels quiet and newly renovated rooms, and start the day with a continental  breakfast.

All hotel rooms were renovated in 2017 and have now a contemporary and delicate look.

Dinner is served every evening in in the hotel restaurant. The menu is composed of local ingredients and the dishes are inspired by both local and international cuisine.

The airport hotel is located less than a kilometer from the airport and serves as a convenient and comfortable location which we often use at the beginning or end of a trip.

Enjoy a good nights sleep in basic but cosy rooms and start the day with a buffet breakfast.

The hotel was built in 2021 and the rooms are modern and clean.

The hotel restaurant is able to serve hot meals on request and hosts the included breakfast buffet every morning.

We collect and drop off guests at our local airport, Harstad-Narvik. The airport code is EVE.

To arrive at Harstad-Narvik you will need to take a flight from Oslo Gardemoen (OSL) which is Norway’s international airport. There are several daily flights between Oslo Gardemoen (OSL) and Harstad-Narvik (EVE). These flights are operated by Norwegian and SAS. The flight time is approximately 1h 40m.

PICK UP

Harstad-Narvik (EVE)

January 26, 2025
23:20

DROP OFF

Harstad-Narvik (EVE)
February 2, 2025
12:00

We recommend you arrive and depart on one of the flights listed below.

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Arrival at Harstad-Narvik (EVE) from Oslo (OSL) on 26 January 2025
SAS SK4098Depart OSL: 20:25Arrive EVE: 22:10
Norwegian DY368Depart OSL: 21:40Arrive EVE: 23:20
Departure from Harstad-Narvik (EVE) to Oslo (OSL) on 2 February  2025
SAS SK4087Depart EVE: 13:30Arrive OSL: 15:20
Norwegian DY363Depart EVE: 15:40Arrive OSL: 17:25

Use the flight buttons to view these recommended flights from Oslo.

Coming from the UK or Ireland?

Connecting flights can be taken with Norwegian and SAS from several UK and Ireland airports.

Coming from Elsewhere?

There are many international airlines that fly to Oslo (OSL). Please contact us or chat to us now for advice about flying to Norway from your country.

If you are flying from outside of Europe then generally we recommend you arrive in Oslo at least one night before your internal flight to Harstad-Narvik.

Trip Leaders

Anthony Lynch

Anthony Lynch

Anthony Lynch is an award winning photographer from Dublin, Ireland with a passion for night sky photography. He has a wealth of knowledge about the cosmos and teaches workshops on aurora chasing and capturing meteors as well as the milky way and anything else in the sky.

Anthony gives talks all around the country and has been published in print and on TV and loves to teach people about the things that most never get to see. A seasoned aurora chaser, he has travelled to many countries just to photograph the stars and lights in perfect conditions. He also runs one of Ireland’s biggest online astronomy communities to teach people about the night sky.

Chris Percival

Chris Percival

Chris has over 15 years experience in chasing and photographing the Northern Lights.

A seasoned traveler around Norway, Sweden and Finland, he is an expert in logistics, planning and manoeuvring around the often unpredictable weather.

Committed to exploring the green night sky, many of his award winning photographs have been used online, in print and TV, including the Brian Cox science documentary ‘Forces of Nature’ which aired on BBC1, PBS and ABC1.

Price per person

£3149
US$3999 / €3699
Based on twin occupancy
Single traveller + £350
+ US$450 / €410

This trip has no remaining places. 

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