We’ve conquered Antarctica and now it’s time to explore the Arctic! Join us in the realm of Polar Bears, Walruses, & the most beautiful ice in the world! By far the largest wilderness area in Europe, Svalbard offers some of the finest scenery and wildlife experiences in the polar regions. And well above the Arctic Circle at 77.8 degrees, the island “capital” of Longyearbyen rightfully claims the awesome title of “the northernmost town in the world”! Our travel club has partnered with the best-specialized operator in the industry taking groups to the Arctic and Antarctic for over 25 years. We expect this one to sell out soon so don’t hesitate to get your deposit in asap!
1. India Group 2 Release! Since our 2024 India adventure filled up in less than 2 days we’ve added a second departure next year. Is this one going to sell out in a few days too!?
2. A rare spot has opened up for a female sharing a room on our Madagascar Group 2 Adventure. Who’s it going to be?
3. Still a few spots left on our Fiji Adventure!
4. How we still have space on this year’s journey throughout Norway is anyone’s guess, but we do! If you want to capture the most stunning landscape photos in your life, sign up for this one…
Arctic Realms
June 24th – July 3rd, 2024
- 9 nights/10 days aboard a stunning icebreaker ship exploring the Arctic around Svalbard
- All Inclusive: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Everyday
- NOT your average cruise: Our expedition vessel is large and strong enough to withstand anything nature has to offer, while big enough to hold 100 passengers and expert captain & crew, but by no means a massive cruise ship (we don’t like those!)
- An abundance of open-deck spaces for 360° views and optional photography/video capturing
- Safe and well taken care of: 28+ highly experienced nautical crew members, 30+ hotel staff, 18+ expedition specialists (1 expedition leader, 1 assistant leader, and 16+ lecturer-guides certified for polar exploration), and 1 doctor. Did we forget to mention the 20 Zodiacs with 60hp Yamaha engines?
- Dining Room, Bar, Lounge, & Lecture Room
- Countless opportunities to spot and photograph an array of wildlife including polar bears and walruses*
- Pair of sturdy rubber boots to keep our feet warm and dry for all landings INCLUDED
- As always this entire trip will be amazing for photography. (PhotoFly Travel Club adventures are laid back when it comes to photography. They are not workshop-style based tours and you do not need to be an avid photographer to join. All are welcome!)
- Wildlife is wild and we can never control or guarantee any sightings. That said, the chance to see polar bears & walruses are very good on this expedition
Activities & Adventures
- Shore Excursions and Zodiac Cruises: Zodiac rides emphasize active wildlife and nature experiences. Guided shore excursions, walks, wildlife spotting, and Zodiacs to/from landings are all included!
- Hiking: Expand upon the normal shore walking program on optional easy, moderate, and more demanding hikes in the vicinity of the landing sites. Hiking is free of charge.
- Photography Walks, Tips & Tricks: Join our tour director for beginner & advanced photo walks during some of our zodiac landings. Onboard partake in photo reviews, tips & tricks, & “mini-lessons” to help capture your best possible images.
- Everybody is welcome to participate, no previous experience is required. While onboard the ship, we can learn more about objects, exposures, photo composition, and camera settings.
- Workshops/Lectures: As much of our time as possible will be spent experiencing & photographing the landscapes & wildlife of the Arctic, but while we are navigating from place to place a wide range of onboard interactive workshops & lectures are endlessly fascinating. Certain topics may include navigation, astronomy, geology, & botany along with in-depth presentations that explore the fascinating life of polar bears, walruses, marine mammals, birds, and the other animals that call these regions home. *Availability of particular lectures/workshops depends on the expertise and specialties of our amazing expedition team.
Svalbard: Gateway to the Arctic
“Svalbard is the Arctic North as you always dreamed it existed. This wondrous archipelago is a land of dramatic snow-drowned peaks and glaciers, vast ice fields, and forbidding icebergs, an elemental place where the seemingly endless Arctic night and the perpetual sunlight of summer carry a deeper kind of magic. One of Europe’s last great wildernesses, this is also the domain of more polar bears than people, a terrain rich in epic legends of polar exploration.” – Lonely Planet
Longyearbyen: The northernmost town in the world!
Well above the Arctic Circle at 77.8 degrees, the island “capital” of Longyearbyen rightfully claims the awesome title of “the northernmost town in the world”! A threshold to the magical polar world, just about every Svalbard experience begins here. “With easy access to nature–-the Longyear Glacier, for instance, can be found just outside the neighborhood of Nybyen and it’s not the only reason to explore Svalbard’s administrative center, research hub, and tourism magnet. This was a coal mining town until the industry moved to nearby Svea, but the old mines still exist and can be visited, as can historic structures like the Svalbard Church.” – Fodor’s
The Journey Begins…
Travel Club Update: COVID-19
PhotoFly Travel Club takes our current global pandemic extremely seriously. As such, a number of our 2020 and 2021 adventures have had to be cancelled & postponed like most in our travel industry. We want nothing more than all of our members to stay healthy & happy during these trying times. We hope everyone is playing their part by social distancing as much as possible. The more people who properly follow this crucial tactic in our country, and everyone around the world, the faster we will conquer and come out stronger & better prepared when this happens again.
As of today, we remain hopeful that travel will become feasible and safe again for most travelers early next year. In fact many countries, including most of Europe, have been on the decline for months now. It’s important to acknowledge that these are mainly countries that have enacted strict social distancing measures much sooner and in a more timely manner than the USA has been able to. Good news is most of the countries on our upcoming calendar fit this description! For more details about the predictions and scientific modeling in each state AND many countries around the world go here: https://covid19.healthdata.org/ (you can select any state or country for the location specific predictions)
Enhanced Procedures & Safety Measures
As we get ready to explore the world with you again soon, our travel club has begun to implement new guidelines and practices for the “Post-Covid World”. Some of them are listed below. Safety is #1 and the ability to experience a destination without limitations due to the pandemic is #2
b. Sanitizer available at all times/ Surface Cleanings done constantly
c. Social distancing practices as much as possible & no contact health/temperature checks
d. Small Groups Only = Lower Risk. Only time will tell and we’re following the situation very carefully. Our pledge is to share nothing but scientific evidence and advice given by the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO). We will base our decisions in the coming months solely on these two sources.
We know this is going to be a difficult time for all of us, in a myriad of ways. PhotoFly Travel Club is committed to building amazing experiences for years to come. We will get through this together and come out on the other side with even more amazing trips.
We wish everyone nothing but the best navigating this crisis. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all to remain healthy and persevere until we overcome.
Much love and gratitude to all of our members,
Steve, Andrew, Catalin, Michelle, Raya, & the rest of our PhotoFly Team!
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Any questions feel free to contact us anytime as always!
Travel Club Organizer: Steve Juba
978 479 4527
joinus@photoflytravel.com
*Please always review our cancellation and refund policy located at the bottom of every trip page before making payments. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
