Svalbard Photo Tour - By Astrid Bluemel

MS Stockholm

We’ve arrived in Longyearben on Svalbard. This island, which is about the size of Ireland, and at latitude 78°N, is only 1338km from the North Pole! We are here to photograph polar bears.

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Svalbard Trip Review, September 2014

20 days in one of the last true wildernesses of the world is quite a sensation. When was the last time you travelled out and saw no other person other than your small group for more than 10 days?

This is one of the overwhelming emotions that hit you when you depart to the northern reaches of Svalbard. Here you are on the edge of the world at the mercy of nature, the ocean and the weather in a small vessel. Luckily that small vessel is one of the strongest kinds in the archipelago and can take you almost anywhere.

This is the nature of Svalbard and why we run our voyages here as "expedition style cruising". We go where we want to, exploring the many faces of this wonderful land searching for landscapes, glaciers and of course, polar bears and other wildlife. This was C4's third trip to Svalbard and once again it did not disappoint. Walruses, foxes, bears and magical landscapes all were part of the magic that was lit up by the arctic light. 

Svalbard grips you with a polar bug that is hard to shake off. I will be hosting our 5th voyage to Svalbard in May 2015. Unfortunately there are other clients who also have the polar bear bug; the voyage is already sold out with all berths filled.

 

If you would like to join us on a future voyage to Svalbard please contact us and we will put you on the wait list for 2016.

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Svalbard Client feedback

Below is a collection of images and feedback by C4 clients, Peter Farmer and Maggie Manson, who was on the Svalbard Photo Tour in September with us. There is only one cabin left for our 2013 Svalbard tour, to read more about it or book your place see here.

"Even before our flight landed in Longyearbyen close to midnight, we were treated to a spectacular sunset over Spitzbergen. This set the scene for a truly magical 10 days on board the MS Stockholm as we cruised north and east around the Svalbard archipelago and then up to 82 degrees north to find the pack-ice. This C4 tour has to rate as one of the very best we have enjoyed and they have all been excellent. The Swedish captain and crew of the ship were wonderful, as was the delicious food, produced with imagination and flair. Even after 10 days at sea in one of the remotest destinations on earth, the two girls were still producing fresh salads and wonderfully tempting dishes. The trip was also greatly enhanced by our guides – Shem with his enthusiasm for this new destination and his tips for wildlife and landscape photography and our polar guide, Ronald Visser, who shared his extensive local knowledge and expertly took charge of our numerous zodiac excursions.

The scenery and light were constantly changing and often astoundingly beautiful. We visited fjords, glaciers, remote research settlements, tiny islands and the pack-ice. We photographed fulmars, terns, kittiwakes, ivory and glaucous gulls, seals, walrus, reindeer, arctic fox and polar bears, as well as plants, landscapes and icebergs galore. We ventured out on the zodiac whenever conditions would allow, sometimes landing for short hikes. Every day was different and there was never a shortage of subjects to focus our cameras on.

The most magical 24 hours was spent in the pack-ice, where we were visited on three occasions by polar bears. The first to arrive were a mother and cub at around 3.30am in the most perfect light. They were followed by an adult female and just before lunch another mother and cub with bloody faces who had been feeding on a seal. Each of them came very close to the ship and provided a multitude of photographic opportunities. Later that day a storm blew up from the south pushing us closer to the North Pole before we eventually escaped from the pack- ice. Then it was time to slowly retrace our “steps” and set sail back towards Longyearbyen, dipping in and out of fjords on the way and taking our total bear count to 18. One of the final delights was a close encounter with an arctic fox in its beautiful winter coat. When can we go back?"

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Svalbard Client Images

Below are a collection of images by C4 client, Jamie van Zyl, who was on the Svalbard Photo Tour in September with us. Read more about our 2013 Svalbard tour here:6-16 September 2013

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Svalbard Client Feedback

"Once again C4 Images and Safaris delivers a photographic trip beyond belief! Polar Bears, walruses, seals and Arctic foxes in their natural environment in one of the most beautiful regions on Earth. Great light, sightings, information, both about the environment/wildlife and how to photograph it - what an awesome trip! Topped up with great company and superb organisation - I am very lucky to have been on this trip, thank you again Shem and the team at C4". Words and images by Cristine Chong.

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