Description of the photo workshop
Duration
7 days
Country
Iceland
Dates
March 30 to April 05, 2026
Workshop
Wildlife / landscape photography
Participants
6 to 10
Join us for a week-long expedition to the heart of the Hornstrandir nature reserve, a region with the highest density of polar foxes in the world. This Arctic fox winter photo tour in Iceland gives you the opportunity to see these animals during the mating season, in their most extreme environment.
There are no roads leading to the Hornstrandir reserve, especially not in winter. To reach the area, we privatize a boat for a crossing from the port of Ísafjörður to the reserve. We regularly spot humpback and minke whales on this crossing.
There are daily flights to Ísafjörður from the capital Reykjavik.
The ban on hunting in Hornstrandir makes this reserve a haven for Arctic foxes and a paradise for anyone who loves wildlife photography and Arctic landscapes. The area is also one of Europe’s most important refuges for seabirds.
Samy and Urip will be your guides on this photo tour of the Icelandic winter. They will share with you their experience of polar foxes, the Arctic climate in winter and guide you through the Hornstrandir nature reserve.
Accommodation during this photo workshop is an Icelandic family home owned by a family of sailors from Ísafjörður. The house is equipped with all amenities and allows us to offer this workshop in good conditions, given Iceland’s extreme climate. The house will be our base camp during this expedition.
What’s included in the photo tour :
- Boat transport to Hornstrandir nature reserve
- Accommodation in a house with all facilities
- 3 meals / day throughout your stay
- Wildlife and landscape photography workshops during the trip (in English, French and German)
- Optional online post-processing workshop after the trip
- Management fees
What is not included in the photo tour :
- Personal travel insurance
- Transport to and from Isafjördur
- Accommodation in Isafjördur
- Visa fees (if applicable)
- Photo equipment
- Snacks
Workshop program
30/03/2026
Day 1: Departure for Hornstrandir
We take the boat at Ísafjörður for a 2-hour trip to the Hornstrandir nature reserve, where our Arctic fox winter photo tour takes place. We land in Hornvik Bay and join our house.<br /> For the rest of the day, we settle in and get our bearings. It's not unusual to see an Arctic fox as soon as we arrive.
03/31/2026 to 04/04/2026
Day 2-6: Stay in Hornstrandir
It's the beginning of our 5-day winter immersion in Iceland's best Arctic fox territories. In Hornstrandir, winter is harsh, Arctic harsh! We help you manage your equipment and the extreme conditions.<br /> Every day, we organize working groups and go out to meet polar foxes in breathtaking landscapes.
05/04/2026
Day 7: Departure for Ísafjörður
It's the last day of our Arctic Fox winter photo tour. We leave Hornvik Bay and the Hornstrandir reserve to reach the port of Ísafjörður by boat. As on the outward journey, the return trip takes around 2 hours. In the evening, we enjoy a final meal to reminisce about this photo tour.
Arctic foxes in winter
Our Arctic fox winter photo workshop is an opportunity to observe this emblematic Arctic and tundra animal in its extreme environment.
Late winter is mating season. Foxes are therefore very active. After reducing their activity over the winter months, they are once again defending their territory and looking for a mate.
During this photo workshop, we’ll have the opportunity to observe polar foxes in different environments. First, we can see them foraging on beaches at low tide. As winter is difficult, they use whatever the ocean throws up, including seals and dolphins, to survive.
Next, we can observe Icelandic foxes on high ground, inland and on cliffs. These are ideal conditions for photographing Arctic foxes in extreme conditions. The wind sweeping the snow, the frost and the cold winter colors make this environment a wildlife photographer’s paradise.
Finally, the species we’ll be photographing is the Icelandic Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus fuliginosus). This is a subspecies endemic to Iceland. It’s a privilege to be able to observe it in its thick winter coat.
Icelandic biodiversity
While the focus of this photo workshop in Iceland is on the Arctic fox, given the richness of the reserve, there’s a good chance we’ll see other animals too. First of all, there are the cetaceans, led by the humpback whales. It’s worth noting that we regularly come across small groups in the fjords during our boat crossings. When we do, we stop for a while to let the participants enjoy the show and take a few whale photos.
The other marine mammal widely present in Hornstrandir is the harbor seal. They regularly come ashore, driven by curiosity or the desire to rest on a rock.
Finally, although the vast majority of seabirds leave the reserve in winter, in March and April we observe some of the birds that winter in the area. The most common are the common eider, purple sandpiper, harlequin duck, great cormorant and several species of gull. But the two species we see most rarely are the white-tailed eagle and the mythical gyrfalcon. Bird watching and whale watching is the added bonus of this photo tour.
Hornstrandir landscapes in winter
Hornstrandir Nature Reserve is a lost territory on the edge of Iceland’s Westfjords. The reserve is only accessible by boat in summer. It’s here that we’re fortunate and privileged to offer this Arctic Fox photo workshop.
In winter, snow cover in Hornstrandir is superior to that in other parts of Iceland. In fact, its north-north-west exposure makes it a natural barrier against wind and precipitation. So it’s in snowy, windy conditions that we’ll be photographing the Arctic fox.
But Hornstrandir has much more to offer. The Hornbjarg cliffs, the Hornvik peninsula and the surrounding mountains offer one of the most beautiful panoramas in Iceland. Not to mention the frozen lakes and waterfalls that form a prime foreground.
It’s also possible to take advantage of this photo workshop to learn and practice landscape photography with our two guides, Urip and Samy.
Finally, even though it’s the end of the season, it’s still possible to see and photograph the Northern Lights. The nights are less dark, but the aurora are still visible at this time of year.
The territory
Located in the extreme north-west of Iceland, a few kilometers from the Arctic Circle and only 290 km from Greenland (which you can actually see on a clear day), the Hornstrandir nature reserve is a biodiversity gem, and the kingdom of the Arctic foxes.
Hornstrandir is a region of mountains 300 m to 600 m high, deep fjords once carved by glaciers and steep cliffs plunging into the ocean. The landscapes are typical of glacial regions. Inland, conditions are such that even the polar foxes don’t venture out. On the coast, black sand beaches are punctuated by small waterfalls, rocky peaks and occasional strips of grass.
The reserve was deserted in the early 1950s. Until then, a few farmers tried to survive in this environment by fishing, as Icelandic waters are very rich. Since then, humans have deserted Hornstrandir and only a few people, mainly experienced hikers, venture here in summer.
March and April mark the end of winter in Iceland. But snowstorms are still frequent. Temperatures fluctuate between -10° and 8°, but are usually close to 0°. Our team, specialized in extreme climates, will help you choose your equipment and learn how to behave in this environment.
The Arctic fox winter photo tour
This winter photo tour in Iceland has a lot to offer participants. It is at once a photo workshop for amateur and professional photographers, a unique naturalist experience in a wilderness where humans are absent, and a human adventure. Our two guides, Urip Dunker and Samy Berkani, will share their expertise in all areas of photography (settings, light management, framing, etc.), as well as their knowledge of the Arctic fox and the Arctic tundra biome, and their many anecdotes and stories about the Hornstrandir reserve.
Over the course of a week, we create small thematic working groups so that everyone can make the most of this Arctic fox winter photo tour, while limiting disturbance to the animals.
Finally, back at home, those who wish can take advantage of a free post-production workshop. The aim of this workshop is to help you make the most of your polar fox photos in Iceland.