Vancouver Photo Workshops has partnered with Silkway Travel & Cruise to bring you this exclusive winter photo tour to Iceland.

From autumn to spring, during clear and cold dark nights, it’s possible to witness one of nature’s most incredible displays: the Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis.

This December tour is the ideal time to travel to Iceland to photograph the northern lights, star trails and spectacular winter landscapes.

It should be noted that the average temperature in Reykjavik (the capitol of Iceland) is around zero degrees Celsius to minus two degrees Celsius in December, making it a much more desirable location for photographing the northern lights than the frigid temperatures in Whitehorse and Yellowknife.

Our focus will be on capturing the northern lights, so we’ve included plenty of evening shoots to maximize our chances of getting great pictures.

The best time of year for photographing the northern lights in Iceland is from October to March, but please remember that the northern lights are a natural phenomenon, so we cannot guarantee their appearance.

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Package Price:

CAD $3,500.00 per person for a twin share, plus airline tax & fuel surcharge ($398.00 – subject to change). Single supplement is available for an additional $199.00. This tour is designed for a small travel group. There will be a maximum of 13 seats available for this tour.

Package Price Includes:

• Return economy class air ticket from Seattle to Rekjavik by Iceland Air
• Return bus transfer from Vancouver to Seattle International Airport (pick-­‐up from Vancouver Photo Workshops)
• 5 nights hotel accommodation twin share at 4-­‐star Icelandair Reykjavik Natura Hotel
• Daily breakfast and one lobster soup dinner
• Professional photographer on-­‐hand daily for instruction and guidance
• Sightseeing tours with English speaking guide with admission to the National Museum (include 5 evening photo shoots for northern lights and star trails)
• Admission to Fontana Bath and Blue Lagoon
• Glacier gear and safety equipment for glacier walk

Package Price Excludes:

• Lunches and dinners (except lobster soup dinner)
• Expenses of personal nature such as drinks, laundry bills, telephone charges, travel insurance, etc.
• Any medical expenses
• Optional tours
• Traveller’s Visa Fees (if applicable)
• Any other expenses not mentioned above
• Tips and gratuity to guide and driver, approximately USD $10 per person per day

Please Note:

• Tours and hotels are subject to availability
• Itinerary is subject to change according to time constraints, light, weather and other emergency situations
• The northern lights are a natural phenomenon that Silkway Travel and Vancouver Photo Workshops cannot guarantee
• Departure cities other than Vancouver are available (please contact Silkway Travel & Cruise for details)
• A non-­‐refundable deposit of $1,500.00 will be required to register
• American Express, Visa and Mastercard are accepted for payment
• Visa requirements will be fully explained by Silkway Travel & Cruise
• Travel insurance is available for purchase through Silkway Travel & Cruise

Day 1 December 2 Vancouver to Seattle to Reykjavik, Iceland

We’ll leave from Vancouver and travel by bus to Seattle International Airport to connect with our flight to Reykjavik, Iceland.

Day 2 December 3 Reykjavik City Tour

We’ll arrive in Reykjavik at 6:45 in the morning and be transferred to the Icelandair Reykjavik Natura Hotel (subject to availability). The morning will be free for your leisure and relaxation. In the late afternoon, we’ll take a city tour that will take us to the old town centre, the Parliament, the Cathedral, the harbor, the Pearl, the National Museum and Höfoi house -­‐ the site of the 1986 Reykjavik Summit. We’ll drive past the city's salmon river, which is an outstanding testament to Reykjavik’s status as a pollution-­‐free capital, and the Árbæjarsafn Open Air Folk Museum, which offers an interesting contrast to the modern buildings of Reykjavik. The drive continues past Reykjavik's largest outdoor swimming pool in Laugardalur, which is heated with water from natural hot springs under the city, the Ásmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum and Hallgrímskirkja Church, whose steeple is a Reykjavik landmark. If the weather is good and we’re feeling rested, we’ll have the option of an evening tour out of the city to glimpse the northern lights.

Day 3 December 4 Reykjavik (breakfast & dinner)

On this amazing Iceland day tour you will be guided through the labyrinth of a glacier tongue, have a delicious lobster soup for dinner and look for the northern lights all in the same day. This tour includes some amazing winter highlights of the region. We’ll drive to the south shore of Iceland towards Mýrdalsjökull, Iceland´s fourth largest glacier. As we drive along the south coast of Iceland we pass two impressive waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss and Skógarfoss, as well as the world famous volcano, Eyjafjallajökull. A safe and easy glacier walk on crampons will take you up on to the ice field of Sólheimajökull where you will discover a wonderland of ice sculptures, ridges and deep crevasses. After the glacier, we head towards one of Iceland’s most renowned seafood restaurants for an unforgettable lobster soup dinner. After dinner, as we head back to Reykjavik, we will drive into the night looking out for those mysterious northern lights.

Day 4 December 5 Reykjavik (breakfast)

This day is a great combination of history, natural phenomena and relaxation. Visit the majestic Gullfoss Waterfall as well as the famous Geysir Hot Springs, where the Geyser Strokkur is spouting at regular intervals up to 25 meters. In Laugarvatn we’ll stop at a small country gallery where you can have a taste of local Icelandic food like homemade rye bread with smoked trout. Afterwards, relax at Fontana Steam Bath with its recently renovated facilities, which include various types of steam baths, geothermal pools and hot tubs. We’ll continue to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its geological phenomena and rich history. We’ll have another opportunity for night photography in the evening.

Day 5 December 6 Reykjavik (breakfast)

Head to the Reykjanes Peninsula where you can see the mid-­‐Atlantic ridge rise from the ocean. This is where the tectonic plates of Europe and America are slowly drifting apart. More than half of the peninsula is covered with lava fields, some of which are only a few hundred years old. Continue to the old lighthouse on the westernmost tip of the peninsula. Pass through the fishing village Grindavík on the way to the Blue Lagoon. In the evening we’ll head out into the night for northern lights and star trails.

Day 6 December 7 Reykjavik (breakfast)

This day is yours for leisure, shopping or to join optional tours. We’ll have a photo session in the evening for our last chance to capture the northern lights.

Day 7 December 8 Reykjavik to Seattle to Vancouver (breakfast)

The morning is yours to explore Reykjavik for the last time before flying back to Seattle in the afternoon. The bus transfer from Seattle to Vancouver will have you arriving home in the late evening.

Level:

Beginner/Intermediate/Professional. Must be comfortable with personal camera operation.

Enrollment:

Maximum 13 participants.

Please see information provided above

Early-Bird Discount:

Most of our courses and workshops offer a 10% discount is applied automatically if you register before the Early-Bird Discount deadline date listed in the registration table below.

Some courses and workshops offer a discount if you're among the first 3 people who register. This discount will replace the 'standard' Early Bird Discount mentioned above, and will be applied automatically during the online registration process (as long as it is available). Check the course/workshop listing page for more details.

CAPIC & PPABC Members:

A 5% discount is available to CAPIC and PPABC members when registering online. Please be prepared to show your membership cards on the first day of your workshop.

Group Discount:

A 5% discount will be appplied if 3 or more people register at the same time for the same workshop. (All 3 tuitions must be paid for by one credit card to be considered a group registration.) Please follow the instructions on the online registration page.

In order to provide the best learning environment possible VPW keeps class and tour sizes limited to 10-15 people (depending on the workshop). This is but one reason that we count on you to attend your chosen class or tour, once you have registered for it.

If you must withdraw for any reason please be aware of our refund policy as follows:

For our Local Lectures, Seminars, and Workshops valued at or under $100, VPW is unable to provide a cash refund. Transfers are limited to one transfer to either the same event at a later date, or a different event of equal value. VPW requires 48 hours written notice in order to make such a transfer (email notice is acceptable). The event you are transferring to must occur within 6 months of the original event you registered for. A $15 fee will be applied to all transfers.

For our Local Workshops, 1 to 5 days in length and our Local 4 to 10 Week Courses, VPW requires 30 days written notice (before the event start date) of your withdrawal in order to provide a refund. (Email notice is acceptable.)

For our Master Photographer Series workshops, 1 to 5 days in length, VPW requires 60 days written notice (before the workshop start date) of your withdrawal in order to provide a refund. VPW may retain 15% of fees paid or $150 minimum in processing your refund. If the tuition is less than $500 the minimum fee drops to $75.

Within 45 days of the Master Photographer Series workshop date all fees paid are non-refundable.

Transfers (for all events over $100): If you wish to transfer to a different workshop date, VPW requires a minimum of 30 days written (email) notice. All transfers are based on availaibility, and subject to approval by VPW staff. For courses/workshops with tuition above $101, the transfer fee is $35.

Transfer Fees as based on event pricing:
Tuition of $100 and below, the transfer fee is $15
Tuition of $101 and above, the transfer fee is $35

VPW can give no refunds:

If you registered for any event valued at or under $100
If you do not show up for your registered course.
If you register for a course beyond or below your skill or ability level.

Refunds for all events valued at $101 and above (excluding Master Series Workshops):
If a student wishes to cancel their registration for any of VPW's events, and has provided written notice within the appropriate timeframe, a refund less a $50 administration fee will be provided.

Course Cancellation:

Occasionally, we may have to cancel a course due to low enrollment. In this case, we will issue a full refund of all monies paid to VPW up to that time.

Instructor Replacement:

In the event that a listed instructor is unable to participate because of a change in his or her professional schedule, we will replace the instructor with someone of equal or similar credentials. If we cannot find a replacement in due time before the course is about to start, a particular class may have to be rescheduled.

Liability

In the event that we cancel your course, for any reason, the extent of VPW's liability is limited to the return of all monies paid. We will do everything we can to register you in another equivalent course. VPW will not be responsible for reimbursement of travel expenses of any kind.

Please note: An administration charge of $50 applies to all refunds

Read complete refund and liability policy

This Photo Tour is taught by the following instructors:

 

 

 

See Marc's work by visiting his website here!