Explore Northern Norway by ferry, kayak, and foot. Chasing auroras and last light, we’ll capture fishing villages and iconic vistas of mountains and fjords.
The Lofoten Islands are a once in a lifetime location to visit and shoot. Small fishing villages, tucked in on the northwestern coastline of Norway, iconic red cabins, and sweeping vistas are a photographer’s dream. From hiking to kayaking to ferry rides, we’ll be shooting snowy villages in the winter and enjoying that creamy Norwegian light in the autumn. Keep your camera prepped at night too, because if the weather's clear, we'll chase the Aurora Borealis.
During this trip we’ll be staying around Lofoten’s most western three islands; Vestvagøy, Flakstadøya and Moskenesøya. All three offer not only stunning scenery that is hard to find anywhere else on earth, but also sufficient infrastructure to experience all of it by foot, boat or even from the air. Our main focus to see the most scenic places up close is hiking up to them. Taking in the lush natural environment and diverse colors of the landscape. Especially sunrise and sunset will have our priority, for the hues they emit are of extraordinary level to the eye, and our cameras!
Lofoten has had a broad history centered around connection with the sea, and this is still the case nowadays. The ocean brings life in so many different ways that it is highly valued in Norwegian culture. We’ll see it from our kayaks and ferry rides, the transparent waters of Reine Fjord being the absolute highlight.
Local red fisherman’s cabins and a cozy hotel on the last island of Moskenesøya will be our base for the week, allowing us all to utilize them as our creative space where the work from the field livens up through editing, organizing and distributing our newly shot pictures and videos. The feeling of these places is, like most places in Norway, integrated into the natural environment and a constant stimulant to go outside and explore even more.
Whatever the weather, this trip is going to blow your mind!
Bodø is the start of our trip, where you’ll have a chance to get to know the group. We’ll meet at the ferry terminal at noon and will hop on the early afternoon ferry from Bodø to Moskenes, taking in the sights of the beautiful light and Norwegian fjords upon arrival. In Moskenes, we’ll be picked up and transferred to the nearby town of Sørvagen, our base for the week. We will introduce the group and take some time to take you through the trip before heading out for a tasty dinner at Maren Anna, sampling the catch of the day or enjoying a delightful vegetarian/vegan option. After dinner, we’ll go for an evening jaunt, perhaps even glimpsing the northern lights above the village.
Ferry ride Sørvagen
Standard: Double occupancy rooms at basecamp
We'll enjoy the catch of the day (fish) or the many vegetarian/vegan options at Maren Anna, a warm and cozy local spot, for dinner.
Today we'll take in our first Norwegian early sunrise over Sakrisøy and Hamnøy, two authentic and historical fishing villages in the Reine fjord. The light at this period of the year is magical and we’ll be able to capture it from different perspectives on the little islands. Later, we'll visit the town of Å to enjoy a plentiful meal and walk to one of the furthest accessible points with views onto the southern tip of the Lofoten islands. We will be picked up in the afternoon at the port in Å for a sea safari experience, from where we will be able to enjoy stunning sunset views. Back at the base camp we will claim the kitchen and teach you how to make some amazing pancakes, which we will then enjoy at dinner.
Sakrisøy Hamnøy Å views from the waters of Malstrøem
Standard: Double occupancy rooms at basecamp
breakfast in Hamnøy, lunch in Å, dinner at base camp
This morning we will have an editing session to go through the first pictures of the trip; we’ll learn how to use different editing platforms and get fast results. Soon we’ll pack up for a day hike up to the scenic Munkebu hut, from where we will enjoy a pleasant picnic. This is a moderately long hike with some steep sections but brings spectacular views and hey - it starts just in the backyard of our base camp! We’ll catch sunset at our return over Stuvdalsvatnet as we head back to a very well deserved meal. After dinner at the base camp, we’ll have a short session about the best settings to use for shooting at night, and then, depending on the weather, we’ll head out to chase the Aurora Borealis.
Munkebu Hut Stuvdalsvatnet
Standard: Double occupancy rooms at basecamp
Breakfast at base camp, picnic Lunch, dinner at base camp
Today we drive out to the iconic Nusfjord village and will go see the ‘Glasshytta’, a beautiful workshop space where a generation-old family blows glass into all shapes and sizes. We follow with a hike to Mannen, and a sunset over Uttakleiv beach - one of the Lofoten’s most beautiful beaches. After dinner in Leknes, we enjoy a traditional Norwegian sauna from which we might get sight of the Northern Lights, and if the lake isn’t frozen over, we can jump in to cool off!
Nusfjord Haukland Beach Mannen Uttakleiv Beach
Standard: Double occupancy rooms at basecamp
Breakfast at basecamp, lunch on the road, dinner in Leknes
We’ll get an early start to Ramberg and Flakstad, stopping at the Fredvang Bridge for a chance to fly our drone and capture the bridges stunning backdrop of mountains and fjords. We’ll search for a hidden cabin close to Skagsanden beach, after which we sit down for lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon we will hike up Ryten, a moderately steep hike with a spectacular overview of Kvalvika Beach, to see the sun set and capture blue hour. We’ll have dinner in Ramberg and while driving back to base camp, we’ll keep our fingers crossed and continue to scout the northern lights.
Ramber and Flakstad Beach Mount Ryten Kvalvika Beach
Standard: Double occupancy rooms at basecamp
Breakfast at basecamp, lunch and dinner in Ramberg
Today is one of the highlights of the trip! We board a local boat in the early morning to the little town of Vinstad at the other side of the fjord and go over to Bunes beach from there, a massive beach with a lot of photography opportunities. We will go find the old fisherman cabin, still standing there after it’s tragic story, and will sit by the shore to enjoy a picnic lunch together. After boarding the return ferry, we will prepare ourselves for a little kayak adventure if the weather allows for it. It’s time to admire the mighty Reine fjord from the water! On our last evening together we’ll do one more workshop editing session and celebrate the success and anecdotes of our trip.
Bunes Beach Vinstad Reine Fjord
Standard: Double occupancy rooms at basecamp
Breakfast and dinner at basecamp, picnic lunch on Bunes Beach
It’s an early wake up call today as we drive to the ferry in Moskenes to head back to Bodø on this scenic ferry ride. In Bodø we say our final goodbyes.
Scenic ferry ride from Moskenes to Bodø
Picnic breakfast
Munkebu Hut - The longest hike of the trip during which we’ll experience a lesser known route and see mountain lakes. Here we shoot the mountainous atmosphere and in case of snow, teach you how to shoot in bright light. The destination offers two traditional mountain cabins (refuge for weather) which will be great for scale amongst the peaks.
Reine Fjord - What might be the most known fjord in Norway will surprise us with its many angels, atmospheres and different settings to shoot in. Whether shooting the shoreline, cabins for scale or the massive mountains that make this fjord so unique, we will have an amazing time here.
Hamnøy - This little island in the Reine Fjord is a great place to practice both our drone skills and shooting changing light conditions. The red cabins of the famous Eliassen Rorbuer resort are great subjects, and can be photographed iconically from the nearby bridge.
Flakstad - A little town, an arctic beach and a secret wooden cabin… pretty much great to capture candid atmosphere in every weather circumstance. Surfers often come to Skagsanden beach, which offers perspective and reality on Norway’s rough shoreline; the cabin a way to express sensible design integrated into nature.
Uttakleiv - This grass and sand covered beach in the west of Vestvagøy will help us experience Norway’s nature from up close; gorgeous hues for sunset cover the little hills here, and mountains in the back give it all the scale we’re looking for. Additionally we may spot a few locals or visitors to liven the photos we take here.
Bunes - Bunes beach is one of Lofoten’s locations that’s harder to reach, yet the ferry and the people steering it give a beautiful impression of local life. The beach itself is grand, surrounded by steep slabs of rock and it also contains a little cabin that gives scale. Overall, a sandbox for photography opportunities.
We've been where you are — in our time out in the field we’ve made so many friends with similar passions; resulting in photo trips to explore their favorite places, see their different styles, and learn from their photography expertise. This process has been so rewarding that we can’t wait to provide you with the same experience! Here are some things you'll learn:
Don't have a camera besides your smartphone? No problem. Shoot & edit on whatever device you want!
6 nights at Lofoten Planet Basecamp (price per person, based on double occupancy)
Entrance to all activities
Transportation to/from airport
Transportation around the Lofoten Islands
Photography and editing lessons
Discount on gear from the Moment shop
3 great meals per day (except breakfast/lunch on day 1, lunch/dinner on day 7)