Geraldine Westrupp, 3. April 2026
Varanger Arctic Norway – Birds, Landscapes & Northern Lights with leaders Geraldine & Martin
We are not long back from the Varanger Peninsula in Norway which is located in Finnmark the most northeastern part of Norway. Arctic landscapes and incredible birdlife is what our group of 10 lovely guests were hoping for, they were not disappointed. We set off from Kirkenes on a white sparkling day to drive over the mountains to Båtsfjord which is famed for the large numbers of Arctic birds that reside or winter there. These include Long Tail Duck, King and Steller’s Eider (birds in make-up!) which we viewed from a combination floating hides and harbour boat rides. Hosted by the lovely Monica and her husband Frodø, nothing seems too much trouble for this hardworking couple who over the years have totally renovated a working fisherman’s Brygge into the stylish & comfortable hotel, Båtsfjord Brygge all of this while bringing up a young family!
Our next location for two nights was the tranquil, ‘lost in time’ Veines village, Kongsfjord, where our accommodation is a beautifully restored fishing village comprising a group of colourful wooden houses dotted along the seashore. Led by a Norwegian woman Åsa, this restoration initiative repurposed old structures including a former fish wholesalers, a general store, and a postal service centre thus preserving some of the area’s rich coastal and cultural heritage. Our guests Janet and Brian were so impressed by this area the first time they came with WPH that they were back enjoying this trip for a second time!! The wild beaches and landscapes along this most northerly coast of Norway are truly remarkable. On our second night here we were treated to a wonderful show of aurora over the most lovely and remote of the areas beaches, Sandstrønd. Vince, Kah, Dot and myself stood atop a sand-dune close to the waves in total darkness, what an experience.
Our third location Vardø is an Island connected to the Varanger Peninsula by a tunnel. This peninsula is so far East that if one drew a line south it would go through a point somewhere in the vicinity of Istanbul. Our comfortable harbour hotel is in the centre of all the interest and just a couple of minutes walk to where we catch the boat to photograph the seabird colonies on the tiny island of Hornøya. Once a thriving fishing town, the collapse of the industry in 2002 has left Vardø with an air of interesting and photogenic arctic abandonment. The island of Hornøya is home to a massive sea bird colony that includes Guillemot, Razor Bill, Cormorant, Eurasian Shag, Puffin, Kittiwake, Eider, Herring and Black Backed Gulls. Ravens and Gyr Falcon are the main predators and their presence often prompts a temporary mass exodus of thousands of squawking seabirds, an incredible sight to behold. There was less snow than usual this year but nevertheless the sheer spectacle, noise, smell and sheer close up movement of the birds was phenomenal.
The last location en route back to Kirkenes was the esoteric community of Ekkerøy where we encountered some fine local coastal architecture, Reindeer and one of the largest Kittiwake nesting cliffs in Europe. The enclosed gallery is a credited collection of images taken by our group, they were first shown at our mid-trip presentation in Kongsfjord. Thanks to all guests for your wonderful company, resilience, enthusiasm and humour!
If this has sparked your interest, check out our Varanger Arctic Norway – Birds, Landscapes & Northern Lights, running again in 2027.
Geraldine & Martin
