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polar bear shaking its head in the water

Svalbard Summer Photo Tour with Paul Goldstein

LONGYEARBYEN 78°22’N, 15°65’E

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Svalbard Summer Photo Tour with Paul Goldstein

Photography

Svalbard Summer Photo Tour with Paul Goldstein

Paul Goldstein

Nature Photographer

Rates from

€16,500 pp

Duration

10 days

Dates

Jun

Guests

Peak season means sailing and photographing under the midnight sun, when Svalbard’s wildlife comes out to play.

Paul is a wildlife photography heavyweight, with four decades of experience across all seven continents. To search for wildlife with Paul, on Svalbard’s shores and sea ice, is a dream come true for wildlife photographers new and pro.

A word from Paul Goldstein

"Spitsbergen has haunted me for 20 years. Its scenery is mesmerising: the snap crackle and pop of the sea ice, the artillery-like concussion of a calving glacier, the perfect arc a northern fulmar describes over a gunmetal ocean, or the impishness of an Arctic fox.

Then there are the walruses hauled out on cobalt blue sea ice and of course the graft spent gazing through precision optics, looking for a distant ivory blob – and indeed the thrill when one bear suddenly becomes a family.

Twenty charters in 20 years may seem like a lot, but once I saw this vessel twinned with the two guides (friends of almost 20 years), it was not a hard decision.

This is a brilliant ship for this sort of voyage, and John is precisely the sort of guy I like to work with. Both he and Mette have a nautical polar pedigree longer than almost anyone, so rest assured we will be working every hour to deliver some precious polar moments."

Expedition highlights

Summer is when Svalbard’s wildlife – from Arctic foxes to whales, migratory birds, and polar bears – is at its most abundant and most visible
The midnight sun provides 24 hours of daylight, perfect for photography
We only work with award-winning legends of polar photography who are in-field tuition experts – you’re learning from the very best

The Expedition Micro Cruise concept

Group photo of guests on deck of Vikingfjord in front of Brasvellbreen Glacier in Svalbard

Transformative small-group experience

Disconnect from modern life on a small-ship expedition. Just you, your crew, and the world at its wildest.

portrait of Virgil Reglioni a Secret Atlas guide and photographer

World-class expedition leaders and guides

Our polar superstars. Tap into their knowledge and passion, with the best guide-to-guest ratios in both polar regions.

Two zodiacs carrying guests passing through the Arctic sea

Exciting Zodiac cruises and shore landings

Out in the field is our happy place. We explore as one, with no queuing or waiting for excursions.

Zodiac cruise in Svalbard with guests photographing a bird as it flies over, Secret Atlas

Open-ended exploration

We prefer to embrace spontaneity and make the most of every opportunity nature presents us with.

Women enjoying beer whilst in hot tub onboard ship in Svalbard with Secret Atlas

Comfortable accommodations

Our fleet of ships are decked out to be your home-from-home. The biggest luxury we offer? The time and freedom to explore.

Transformative small-group experience

World-class expedition leaders and guides

Exciting Zodiac cruises and shore landings

Open-ended exploration

Comfortable accommodations

couple enjoying group experience Secret Atlas

guides teaching photography in the field

Group of people exploring ice in Svalbard with Secret Atlas

Hot tub experiences onboard with Secret Atlas

“Preposterously vivacious, a guide of almost psychotic gusto.”

— The Sunday Times on Paul

Svalbard Summer Map to plan your trip with Secret Atlas

About Paul

With 40 years of experience across all seven continents, Paul is a legend of wildlife photography. In particular, predators. And even more in particular, polar bears.

Meet Paul

Experiences

We don’t follow a fixed itinerary

We prefer to embrace spontaneity and make the most of every opportunity nature presents to us. This is how we believe a true, authentic expedition should run. After all, the thrill of adventuring into the unknown is more rewarding than a journey that runs on tracks!

So all our listed itineraries are for guidance only. The day-to-day activities may vary depending on the ice, the weather, and the wildlife. Landings are subject to site availability and permissions, and always in line with AECO regulations.

For even more flexibility, get in touch about making this a private yacht charter.

Depart

Day 01 78°22'N, 15°62'E

Mountain landscape greenery Alkhornet Svlalbard Secret Atlas

Depart Longyearbyen at 4pm.

Alkhornet, at the opening of Isfjorden, showcases the change in geology from plateau to edge-dominated, alpine mountainous landscape.

Days 02–07 78°44'N, 11°89'E

Zodiac cruise along the pack ice in Svalbard Zodiac Secret Atlas

Explore Poolepynten, a headland on Prins Karls Forland, home to a walrus colony and burial site.

Take a fjord cruise down Magdalenefjord, with its stunning natural architecture of pointed mountains.

Sail to Smeerenburg, a former whaling settlement and source of an enduring myth, now home to a walrus colony.

Possible landing in Virgohamna, a historical site, to learn about the attempts to reach the North Pole by air that departed from here and see remains of blubber ovens from the 1600s.

Landing and hike on Ytre Norskøya, up to bird cliff (little auk), arctic tern colony, and common eider and goose nesting area.

Sail along the continental shelf, scouting for fin and blue whales that gather in the upwelling zones.

Search the ice edge, a dynamic setting of texture and light, home to seals, seabirds, and polar bears.

Marvel at Alkefjellet, a stunning bird cliff, nesting location of Brünnich guillemots.

Take a Zodiac cruise to see Storisstraumen and a ship cruise to Bråsvellbreen of the Austfonna ice cap, Europe's third-largest glacier by volume and area.

Explore the island of Kvitøya, taking in the walrus colony and cultural remains of the Andreeneset headland.

Days 08–09 80°72'N, 20°50'E

Hike on an area of Sjuøyane, or “Seven Islands”, the northernmost part of Svalbard, home bird cliffs, overflowing in the summer with black guillemots, ivory gulls, and kittiwakes, cultural remains, and walrus haulouts.

Cruise down Liefdefjorden, standing in awe where the Monaco glacier meets the sea, and/or landing at Texas Bar, an historic trappers’ hut.

Land at Sallyhamna, a hut built in 1937, rich in history and cultural remains from the 1600s whaling period.

Take a Zodiac cruise of Fjortende Julbreen, a stunning glacier, and Fjortende Julibukta, a scenic bay in Krossfjord.

Return to Isfjorden and Longyearbyen.

Day 10 78°22'N, 15°62'E

Photographer with big lens and road traffic sign with Polar bear. “Gjelder Hele Svalbard” means “Over All of Svalbard (watch out for polar bears)”. Man on the road with snowy mountain, Svalbard. Secret Atlas

Disembark in Longyearbyen at 9am.

Return

Day 01 78°22'N, 15°62'E

Depart Longyearbyen at 4pm.

Alkhornet, at the opening of Isfjorden, showcases the change in geology from plateau to edge-dominated, alpine mountainous landscape.

Days 02–07 78°44'N, 11°89'E