Mountain hare & ptarmigan photography tour at 71 degrees north
EXTRA! Location is perfect and have also great chances to photograph the northern light, both in October and March.
Included exclusive helicopter transport
– Unique and amazing photography opportunities, under the arctic light, on a remote island, at 71 degrees, in Northern Norway.
When?
March: 7th – 13th, 2025
October: 10th – 16th, 2025
We will photograph mountain hare, ptarmigan and northern light, in a unique and totally new location with different surroundings and great chances to photograph the northern light, at this time of the year.
Where?
North-Norway, remote island, on 71 degrees, north of Alta.
Your photo guide
Oddgeir Sagerup
Is an experience photographer and guide. Born and growing up in northern Norway, so our location is not so far from Oddgeir home place. Got his first camera when he was 15 years old, and have since 2016, worked full time as a wildlife photographer, based in Longyearbyen and Svalbard. He is an Authorized Svalbard Guide (unique program for Svalbard and arctic regions), and has 9 years experience, guiding photographers from all over the word, both amateur and professional.
You can see some of his picture on See&Explorés Instagram : @seeandexplore_
Ketil Olsen will also support as our local guide. Ketil knows our island as his own backyard, and he will be with us, som hours, every day. Ketil is also a great photographer.
Where we are staying
Weather and light conditions:
The program is dependent on the weather conditions, which is very unpredictable on an island at 71 degrees north. Therefore, both the Autumn and the winter tour, the weather conditions can be rough and unpredictable. But, for the October tour, the temperature can be between plus 10 and down to minus 10 Celsius and we can have changeable weather, from sunny, and plus degrees, and the next moment cold air is coming, wind increases, minus degrees and snow is coming. But on god days, when the sky brightens for a while in the middle of the day, we get a magical mix of dusk and dawn. It’s hard to beat the sight of a mountain hare or a ptarmigans in front of pink polar skies, or autumn colors, or blue winter colors surrounded by snow-capped mountains.
SUN CONDITION
Sunrises at our October tour : 07:15 am
Sunsets at our October tour : 05:15pm
Sunrise at our March tour : 06:15am
Sunset at our March tour : 04:55pm
“Mountain hare, northern light and Ptarmigans – This tour is just like a Kinder egg – you are getting 3 for one!”
For both tours, it’s perfect conditions for beautiful landscape photography and of course Aurora Photography.
How to travel
Fly directly from Oslo Airport Gardemoen to Alta Airport, with Norwegian or SAS, where our tour is starting and ending. Departure time with Norwegian, from Oslo is 09:30am, and arriving time Alta is 11:30am. With SAS the departure time from Oslo is 10:50am, and arriving time in Alta is 12:45pm.
The transport from Alta to our finally destination goes by helicopter 14:00 and we are arriving our magical island approximately 14:30.
On day 6, we are flying helicopter, directly from our magical island, 09am. You can fly back directly from Alta Airport to Oslo Airport, with Norwegian 12:15pm or SAS 14:00.
Conditions of the workshop
- The photo expedition starts end ends in Alta airport, and you can fly directly from Oslo Gardemoen airport, 2 hours flight.
- Workshop in small group of maximum 5 persons
- Personnalized technical support by our guide, so that everyone can improve his skills, whatever his initial level.
- Full board in singel bedrooms, several bathrooms, all placed on a fishing pier, on a historical place. The place will be for our exclusive, and we will probably not meet any other photographers in the area.
- Dificulty: Medium.
Program (may be subject to modifications)
- Day 1: At Alta Airport you will be meet by our partner Helitrans, and they will fly you directly to our island(30 min flight time), where i will welcome you, and where we will take you to your room, for the first night. If time, a short time out with the camera, before dinner and briefing.
- Day 2 to day 5: Every day we will go out afther breakfast and try to find mountain hare, ptarmigan and landscape. We will use a car, moving around, do hikes, moving etc. Some days we will be back for lunch around 13:00, but some days, we may bringing the lunch with us, en enjoy it outside. Afther lunch, we will go out again, and be back in time, for dinner around 19:30
- Day 6: We are saying goodbye and the helicopter will take us back to Alta Airport(30 min flight time).
What to bring and wear
• Your photo gear (recommended focal lenghts: 300 to 500mm plus 70-200mm, and a wide angle for northern lights (14 to 24mm).
• 3 or 4 batteries (can be charged at the house every night but not during the day).
• A tripod for landscapes and northern lights.
• A waterproof raincover for the camera and its longest lens (in case of snow or rain).
Warm and waterproof clothing:
- Two sets of warm long underwear (top and bottom, i.e. merino wool),
- Two insulation layers (2 fleeces or 1 fleece and one down jacket)
- One set of waterproof and warm trousers & jacket (i.e. goretex, parka or ski wear).
- Wool hat and/or balaclava.
- Mountain gloves and thin gloves (or photography combination gloves)
- Winter mountain/hiking boots (waterproof) with gaiters or
- winter boots (Sorel type) or winter wellies (Muck boots/Polyver type).
- Small crampons (elastic rubber mount) in case of ice.
- Sunglasses. Ski goggles can also be useful for snowstorm days.
- Several pairs of long wool socks.
- Sleepers shoes for inside the house.
- Hand/Feet warmers if you are sensible to cold.
We will supply you with bed linen and duvets, so you don’t have to take a sleeping bag in your luggage.
Important! Everything must be packed in one soft bag (no big hard case luggage). Only one travel softbag and one photo bag per person).
WHEN?
Autumn workshop tour: 10th of October to 16th of October, 2025
Winter Workshop tour: 07th of March to 13t of March, 2025
Duration: 6 days
Price: NOK 35.000,-
Number of participants: Max 5 persons
Level of difficulty: Middle – we will move around in a van, but do stops and do hikes, but not any extreme terrain, more middle hilly terrain, and often quite flat terrain.
Included: Helicopter transport from Alta Airport to our destination on 71 degrees north, and back to Alta Airport, with Helicopter.
Accommodation:in singel rooms, 4 bathrooms, all meals included (alcohol not included).
