Iceland Landscapes and Aurora Photography Tour

After arriving at Keflavik airport, transfer to Reykjavik. At 6pm, the group will meet at the hotel for introductions and a tour briefing, followed by a welcome dinner. There will also be an opportunity for night-time photography at classic city sights, such as the Hallgrimskirkja cathedral and Sun Voyager Viking ship sculpture. Or, if there is ‘tourist-safe’ volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula, there may be a chance to arrange a night photography shoot of the eruption.

Early this morning, the local driver/guide will arrive in a minibus to collect the group from the hotel. Heading east, you will explore some of the lesser-known spots on the Golden Circle (such as Faxi and Bruarfoss) as well as more popular sites like Gullfoss. It’s the perfect introduction to photography in Iceland, allowing you to hone techniques for shooting waterfalls and volcanic landscapes. Lunch will be at one of the cafés in the area (own expense).

You will arrive at Hotel Ranga, near Hella, after sunset. Once you have settled into the comfortable riverside lodge, there will be a talk on the northern lights and technique briefing from Will before dinner, so that you are well prepared for photographing the aurora borealis if and when it appears during the week ahead. If conditions are good, you will get the chance to shoot the northern lights at every opportunity. After dinner at Ranga’s superb restaurant, you can also visit the hotel’s state-of-the-art observatory and learn about the night sky from the resident astronomy expert.

A fabulous chance to get a taste of the rugged scenery of Iceland’s interior, today’s 8-9hr, 4WD super jeep tour takes you deep into the Thorsmork valley. Exclusive to the group and tailored to suit photographers, with longer stops at each location, you will explore narrow canyons, ford shallow meltwater rivers and walk up to glaciers on the slopes of the infamous Eyjafjallajokull volcano. The photographic potential is superb. A light lunch is included in the tour at Volcano Huts and there will also be a dusk photography stop at Seljalandsfoss at the end of the tour so that you can tackle the classic shot of the sun setting behind the horsetail plume of the waterfall. After returning to Hotel Ranga, it’s around an hour’s drive to the coastal town of Vik.

Having spent the night in Vik, you will be in prime position this morning for a sunrise shoot at the famous black-sand beach of Reynisfjara, where sea stacks form a striking focal point. After returning to the hotel for breakfast and collecting pack lunches (included), it’s a two-hour drive east along the stunning south coast with stops to photograph the vast, moss-covered Eldhraun lava field and the extraordinary Fjadrargljufur canyon. The aim is to reach Svinafellsjokull (one of the outlet glaciers flowing from the Vatnajokull icecap) by late afternoon – perfect for photographing the rich colours of the tundra and deep blues of the ice.

Early wake-up and drive 40 minutes to Jokulsarlon for a sunrise shoot at Breidamerkursandur, the famed Diamond Beach where fragments of ice that have drifted out to sea from the glacial lagoon are washed onto a black-sand beach – often polished and sculpted into abstract shapes that catch the dawn sunlight beautifully. You will capture this natural spectacle using long exposures to accentuate movement in the waves. After breakfast at the Glacier Lagoon Café (own expense), you have several hours this morning to photograph the surreal landscapes at Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon (just across the road from Diamond Beach), plus details of icebergs and, if you are lucky, seals and seabirds.

In the afternoon, conditions and weather permitting, you’ll embark on a 3-4hr round-trip hike to the breathtaking and little-visited Mulagljufur Canyon. Returning to the hotel, we’ll have a Lightroom session before dinner and a chance to review images taken on the trip so far.

Another opportunity to photograph sunrise at Diamond Beach, making any tweaks to technique that you learned from the image review last night. You’ll then drive 60 minutes to Hofn, with a detour en route to Heinabergsjokull to photograph another glacial lake and search for wild reindeer. Continuing to Vestrahorn, you’ll scope out viewpoints and compositions, exploring the rich textures of black dunes crowned with golden grasses, and the wonderful reflections cast by the mountains on wet sand. With luck, sunset will reward you with ideal light. You’ll have a snack at the wonderful Viking Café at Vestrahorn (own expense) before venturing back outside at dark to try your luck with photographing the northern lights over the iconic dragon-back peaks. It could be a late drive back to the hotel, 30 minutes away – but well worth it if the aurora has put on a good display! Alternatively, depending on the aurora forecast, you will return to the hotel for dinner, then drive back to Vestrahorn for a late-night northern lights shoot.

By staying at Hotel Smyrlabjorg you’re half-way between Jokulsarlon and Vestrahorn, so we can decide, depending on weather conditions and the group’s preference, which to visit for your early morning photography today. After returning to the hotel for check-out, you’ll collect packed lunches (included) before driving 2hrs 45mins west, stopping at sites missed on the eastbound leg of the tour due to time or weather – such as Hofskirkja turf church and Lomagnupur mountain. Aiming to reach Vik in good time before sunset to photograph the seascapes at Reynisfjara and Dyrholaey. Final ‘farewell’ dinner and a chance to share and review your favourite images from the trip. If the aurora forecast is good, it’s a short drive (15 minutes) to Gigjagja (the ‘Yoda Cave’) for an interesting take on northern lights and astrophotography.

This morning, you’ll enjoy a photoshoot at Skogafoss, exploring the traditional viewpoint, as well as from the observation deck above the falls. Time permitting, you will also walk the easy 1.6km trail from Skogar Museum to Kvernufoss, a far less visited waterfall hidden in a ravine nearby. After a memorable week photographing Iceland’s dramatic south coast, the tour concludes with a drive to Keflavik airport in time for afternoon flights.

Depending on timings, there may be a chance for a detour to one or two interesting spots on the Reykjanes Peninsula.