Iceland Ultimate Midsummer Landscape Workshop | Wild Photography Holidays - Photography & Adventure Travel

Iceland Ultimate Midsummer Landscape Workshop

Highlights include…

• Luminous icebergs floating in a surreal turquoise lagoon
• Game of Thrones Locations
• Stokksnes and Vestrahorn
• Skaftafell
• Vatnajökull glacial landscapes up close
• Sea washed ice on black volcanic sand
• Sunrises and sunsets in dramatic locations
• Hours of ambient light
• Purple lupin fields
• Vast lava fields and Grjótagjá
• Peak time for birds in Iceland
• Lake Mývatn
• Colourful geothermal areas
• Volcanic phenomena including Dimmuborgir
• Waterfalls Dettifoss, Selfoss, Goðafoss & Gullfoss
• Kerlingarfjöll and the Interior Highlands
• Iceland’s Golden Circle including Þingvellir

Locations

This remarkable summer workshop concentrates on three main locations.

Southeast and South Iceland

Photography against a backdrop of mountains, glaciers, icebergs and black sand beaches.

Mývatn

A remarkable area renowned for its dramatic geothermal and volcanic landscape, fabulous waterfalls and amazing birdlife.

Kerlingarfjöll

A wild landscape located in the very heart of Iceland’s remote Highlands which are only accessible for a couple of months a year.

General Summary

During the month of July it is light all day with the sun disappearing only briefly. There are several hours of ambient light with endless sunrises and sunsets, a superb time to be in Iceland! There are several hours of ambient light with endless sunrises and sunsets, a superb time to be in Iceland! For those who might be interested this trip takes in all of the locations that were used to film the latest Game of Thrones. Our locations are well chosen and photographically rewarding and they take us to three totally contrasting areas of Iceland. Down in the south east we will be central to some iconic locations such as Iceland’s huge Vatnajökull ice cap, Skaftafell National Park, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and the black beaches festooned with sparkling sea washed ice sculptures. In the North of Iceland we are based in one of North Iceland’s premier photographic locations, Mývatn. From desolate craters to bubbling mud pools and geothermal caves, the area around Lake Mývatn is a microcosm of all the natural wonders that Iceland has to offer. It is also a fabulous location for bird enthusiasts. Our last base is in the remote interior Highlands of Iceland the geothermal area around Kerlingarfjöll; this is where ice and fire meets. The massif Kerlingarfjöll, ‘Ogress Mountains’ is part of the Kjölur area. During our explorations here we will encounter geothermal phenomena such as bubbling mud pools, fumaroles, hissing fissures, snow and a landscape that is truly Tolkien. Several locations on this Ultimate Landscape trip are secret to us, a real advantage when travelling with guides who know the landscape intimately. Expect to return from this workshop with an understanding of modern image processing techniques, a portfolio of remarkable, creative images and a bunch of great memories!

Brief Itinerary

For full details please download the trip description PDF

Day 1: Arrive Reykjavík

Arrive at Keflavík, Reykjavík’s international airport. A Flybus transfer to our city centre hotel is included. If you arrive on an early flight you will have time to wander around the small but vibrantly buzzing city centre. We meet at 19:00 for introductions and a trip briefing before going out into town for dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel Reykjavík

Day 2–4: Southeast Iceland

This morning we drive to southeast Iceland. En route we will photograph several locations on Iceland’s south coast including waterfalls, basalt columns and sea stacks at Vik plus the gorgeous Lupin Fields that are famous on this drive. Our comfortable base is very well situated for many stunning locations. To get the best light for our subjects we have a flexible itinerary often revisiting worthwhile locations. These will include,
Stokksnes and Vestrahorn: The jagged rocks and ridges of Vestrahorn make a fine backdrop to a black sand beach.
Jökulsárlón: ethereal icebergs of all shapes and sizes float serenely in the turquoise waters of this world famous lagoon. There is a massive Arctic Tern colony here.
Breiðamerkursandur: a black sand beach with sparkling ice formations, a totally unique experience.
Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon: a remote less visited location combining lush green vegetation, silvery winding streams and black sands with a big sculptured glacier that catches the light in a surreal fashion.
Accommodation: Hotel

Day 5–8: Lake Mývatn, North Iceland

Today we make our way through an increasingly scenic and remote landscape skirting the vast interior Highlands to our comfortable accommodation located right by Lake Mývatn. Our journey will be punctuated by photography stops for we will travel through some very wild and attractive scenery. Over the next days we will make the most of the long hours of daylight by exploring the best of what this area has to offer both in terms of birdlife and the unique landscape. The area is starkly beautiful, an otherworldly landscape of spluttering mud pots, weird lava formations, steaming fumaroles, volcanic craters, serene pools, huge flat topped mountains, spring flowers and birds. For those of you requiring a little rest and relaxation there is the option of visiting the deliciously warm geothermal lagoon of Mývatn’s nature baths.

Accommodation: Cottages Lake Mývatn

Days 9,10: Kerlingarfjöll

Leaving Iceland’s number one road we head south. Now we are truly in the wilds travelling along the famous Kjölur highland route towards Kerlingarfjöll. En route we will explore and photograph the interesting geothermal ‘hot’ area of Hveravellir, a steamy and green oasis midst the vastness of Iceland’s interior Highlands. Here we will find interestingly shaped smoking fumaroles and sky blue, boiling water. Our next base for the next two nights is around one hour from here. The geothermal area around Kerlingarfjöll is where ice and fire meets. The massif Kerlingarfjöll, ‘Ogress Mountains’ is part of the Kjölur area. During our explorations here we will encounter geothermal phenomena such as bubbling mud pools, fumaroles, hissing fissures, waterfalls, snow and a landscape that is truly Tolkien.
Accommodation: Hotel

Day 11: Golden Circle and Reykjavík

Leaving Kerlingarfjöll we head back to Reykjavík taking in the national park of Þingvellir, Geysir and the magnificent waterfall of Gullfoss.
Accommodation: Hotel Reykjavík

Day 12: Homeward flights

Breakfast and transfer to the airport for homeward flights.
Accommodation: Hotel Reykjavík

Joining Arrangements and Transfers

The trip officially starts on Day 1 with a meeting at the first night hotel in Reykjavík for introductions and a trip briefing followed by dinner together. Wild Photography Holidays services finish after breakfast on the final day of the trip.

What’s included

• 11 nights accommodation
• Flybus transfers
• All meals
• All transport
• Photographic tutors/tuition

What’s not included

• International flights
• Alcoholic beverages
• Travel Insurance

Complete Itinerary and Full Details

This page is only a brief summary. A complete itinerary and more details can be found in our trip description PDF
It is important that you read this full day-to-day description and further information for this holiday before making your booking.