Iceland- Northern Lights Tour, March 19-26, 2013 (Sold Out)

Iceland and the Northern Lights with Lance Keimig and Tim Vollmer
New Dates, second tour added!

Dates: March 19- 26, 2013 This Tour Is Sold Out- Please see the March 29 to April 6 tour page

Location: Iceland
Price: $3995 based on shared accommodation, plus international airfare*
Couple’s Price: $7595 ($400 savings) plus international airfare
Small Group surcharge for 6 or 7 travelers- $400
Single Room Supplement- $300

Iceland:

Iceland has been a popular destination for photographers for the last ten years or so, but with my focus on Scotland and Ireland, I haven’t been able to offer a trip to Iceland until now. The first trip filled in less than a month, so I’ve added a second trip from March 29 to April 6. This trip will be special in that it comes at the end of winter at what is essentially the best time to photograph the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis in the next decade. We’ll have 8 days and 7 nights to explore and photograph this amazingly beautiful country, and all expenses except international airfare, gratuities, and alcohol are included. The trip will be co-led with Tim Vollmer, whose photographs illustrate this page.

Northern Lights:

If you have ever wanted to see or photograph the northern lights, this is your last best chance for the next 11 years. This winter is the period of Solar Maximum, or greatest solar activity in the Sun’s 11 year cycle. This year is predicted to be great for viewing the Aurora, and there are already great reports of almost nightly sightings in Iceland. The best time for viewing them is at night from October to April.

Itinerary:

Our itinerary will focus on the south of Iceland, and we’ll make the most of our time with a balance between seeing as much as we can, and not being constantly on the move. The proposed itineray below will be modified to fit the weather and interests of the group.

March 18-19: Overnight flight to Reykjavik.
Leave from the US on a short overnight flight to Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital city. Our guide will meet us at the airport and get us checked in to our guest house, and then give us a walking tour of the capital city. Overnight in Reykjavik.

March 20-21: Reykjavik – Höfn – Vatnajökull glacier
We start the morning by taking a one hour flight to Höfn, a small fishing village in the southeast of Iceland. The contrast in the nature of the Southeast is breathtaking, with spectacular black beaches and dominating white glacier Vatnajökull. We will spend the day exploring the region and if we are fortunate, we will see the Northern Lights dancing above the glacier.

March 22: Vatnajökull glacier – Jökulsárlón lagoon – Skaftafell
Today we will visit many of Vatnajökull glacier’s outlets and outwash areas and the Jökulsárlón, a famous glacial lagoon full of huge icebergs were we can take a short boat tour and sail among the icebergs. The glacial scenery continues with a visit to the stunning Skaftafell, Iceland’s second largest national park.

March 23: Vík – Geysir – Gullfoss
We leave Klaustur and drive towards the coast to the basalt caves of Reynisfjara and walk on the black beach with a view towards Dyrhólaey. We drive to waterfall Seljalandsfoss and walk the path behind it. Next, we’ll explore the world famous Geysir region, with it’s abundance of hot springs. We will see one of the most active geysers in the area which spouts up to 30 meters. From Geysir we drive to Gullfoss, the Golden waterfall, one of the most impressive waterfalls in Europe. Here you can see thousands of tons of icy water thunder majestically down in a double-fall into a deep gorge.

March 24: Þingvellir –Reykjanes peninsula–Blue Lagoon
We leave the Geysir area and drive to Þingvellir national park . Þingvellir is a remarkable geological site, and the most historic place on the island, where the world’s oldest democratic parliament was founded in 930. We continue to the Nesjavellir geothermal area and Hengill mountain.

March 25: Reykjanes peninsula – Blue Lagoon
Today we’ll head to the lava fields of the Reykjanes peninsula. More then half of the peninsula is covered with lava flows. We will walk where the mid Atlantic ridge rises from the ocean and head for the lighthouse on the westernmost tip of the peninsula, and continue to the small fishing village of Grindavík and end in the Blue Lagoon, for a relaxing dip in the therapeutic geothermal water.
March 26: Reykjanes peninsula- Home
Our last day in Iceland will bring us back to Reykjavik for our late afternoon flight back to the U.S. after having some free time to explore in the morning.

What To Expect:

This photo tour will feature long days and nights with intense periods of photography. It’s not a workshop- there is no formal instruction, lectures or critiques. There won’t be time, as we’ll be photographing day and night. This is not to say that it won’t be a learning experience, but the first and foremost goal of this trip is to provide you with a comfortable and organized opprotunity to create images of the dramatic landscapes of iceland and of the Aurora. You’ll be working closely with people of varying levels of photographic experience, and we’ll all learn from each other and making friends along the way. Tim and I will be available to work with you in the field offering both creative and technical advice, but again this is primarily a working tour, not a workshop. There may be time for casual sharing and review of images, especially if there is some weather.

Weather:

Details coming soon, but expect similar temperatures to New England in mid to late March- just above or near freezing day and night.

Meals, Accommodations, and What To Bring:

I’ll be adding details soon, but know that we will be staying in guest houses and hotels that are simple, but absolutely clean and comfortable, and used by photo tour groups led by Tim and others. All meals except breakfast and lunch on the first day, and lunch on the last will be included during the tour, with breakfast and evening meals generally being taken at our hotel or guest house, and lunches being mostly packed lunch picnics on the go. There will be lots of seafood- but other choices as well.

Fine Print:

The price of this trip includes:
* Transfer from/to airport upon arrival and departure
* 4 nights in a hotel in the country
* 3 nights in a hotel in Reykjavik
* Full board from dinner on day one to breakfast on day 8
* Flight from Reykjavík to Höfn
* Boat trip on the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon
* Entrance to the Blue Lagoon and towel
* One on one time with professional photographers Lance Keimig and Tim Vollmer
* Day and night photography
* With a little luck, the Aurora Borealis

The price of this trip does not include:
* International airfare from your home city
* Travel insurance
* Equipment insurance
* Alcoholic beverages

The minimum group size is six, the maximum is ten.
The base price of the trip is $3995 based on two people sharing a room.
The supplement for a single room is $300. If you wish to share your room, but we cannot find a suitable roommate, you will be required to pay the supplement.
With a group size of six or seven, there will be a small group surcharge of $400.

Your deposit of $300 guarantees you a spot on the tour.

Deposits are due at registration.

A payment of $1000 is due December 1, 2012

A payment of $2000 is due January 1, 2013

A final payment of $695 + $400 small group supplement, and $300 single supplement (if applicable) are Due February 1, 2013.

Credit card deposits are accepted for the initial deposit. Further payments are requested to be paid by check. Credit cards will be accepted for any balance due, but subject to a 3.5% credit card transaction fee.

Photos on this page are ©2012 Tim Vollmer