We’ll capture the dramatic landscapes of fire and ice under the fleeting shadow of a total solar eclipse. This once-in-a-lifetime journey will take us through some of Iceland’s most breathtaking locations, from rugged volcanic terrain to towering waterfalls, all under the golden glow of the midnight sun—until totality turns day into night.
This trip is perfect to add on a day or two to explore more of the Golden Circle, The many lagoons, or the south coast on either end.
Visit the Westman Islands, where in summer you can photograph thousands of puffins
Photograph the Golden Circle (Geysers & Waterfalls)
Explore Snaefellsnes Peninsula, the Black church, and Kirkjufell
Experience the midnight sun and a total solar eclipse, where we will guide you every step of the way
🖼️Making Impactful Landscapes
✔️Using Tripods Properly
📷 Concepts in Composition
🎨 White Balance & Color
🗻 Depth, Compression of Perspective & Scale
🔘 Using ND filters
🪽 Settings for Birds (Puffins)
🔭 Everything you need to know about photographing the Eclipse
💻 Post-processing & compositing Eclipse photos (on zoom after the tour)
We will advise you on the recommended route / our route.
Eat lunch in the nearby cafe at Strokkur Geyser.
This is one of Iceland's most iconic waterfalls. Explore the falls from every angle, including the rare opportunity to walk behind the cascading water - make sure to bring waterproof clothing - you will get wet!
Don't forget to walk down the road and visit Gljúfrabúi - another falls located inside a narrow canyon.
We will take a 30 minute ferry to Vestmannaeyjar (The Westman Islands). Check into the Inn and take a break.
A natural rock formation made of mainly basalt - so named because it looks like an elephant!
GOTT is a healthy and creative family restaurant in the Westman Islands that uses only fresh and healthy ingredients. All sauces, stews, soups and cakes are prepared from scratch on site. The head chef Sigurður Gíslason, a former member of the Icelandic national team of chefs and his wife Berglind Sigmarsdóttir run and own the restaurant GOTT. They have also published two best-selling cookbooks in Iceland.
Optional. It is a long day and understand if you need rest! For those who still have energy, we'll take you to the famous lookout where you can see the Puffin colony. We will have many opportunities to see them during our time in the Westman Islands.
The Westman Islands hosts one of the largest Atlantic puffin colonies on Earth.
The main island becomes a puffin paradise from late April to early September, when over a million puffins arrive to nest in the sea cliffs and grassy burrows.
The lookout we will be taking you to is considered one of the windiest spots in Europe and offers incredible puffin watching.
Welcome to the World’s First Beluga Whale Sanctuary!
Meet Little Grey and Little White, 12-year-old female beluga whales who were taken into captivity at a young age. They were a prominent feature of Shanghai’s Changfeng Ocean World Zoo, until their retirement.
Klettsvík bay in the Westman Islands was chosen as the location for this new beluga whale sanctuary because of its rich marine wildlife and its cold coastal waters. These naturally colder waters much better resemble their native sub-Arctic habitat, and getting accustomed to colder waters of a natural sea environment was considered a huge priority for their wellbeing.
Break for lunch downtown.
This is a 3.2-mile loop trail around the Eldfjell Volcano. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 19 min to complete. Afterward, we can visit the museum built on the ruins of the Eldfell eruption - the "Pompeii of the North."
Eldfell is one of Iceland's youngest volcanos, forming only in 1973.
Wood-fired pizza & beer!
Get up and photograph the puffins again in the morning hours.
Hike up a massive rock with sweeping views of the fishing port below, as well as a bird's eye view of the famous volcano, Eldfell, that last erupted in 1973. In the summer time you can see Puffins and Sheeps all around. Stunning views of the whole iceland at the top. There are really steep sections.
We will bring lunch with us to eat at the top.
Take a 1 hour scenic boat trip around the island, and gain a new perspective on this this unique place from the sea.
We will have a formal presentation to go over everything you wanted to know, or need to know about photographing a total solar eclipse. We will include tips and helpful strategies to ensure you make all of the shots you want.
A family-run restaurant in the Westman Islands that emphasizes a varied and high-quality menu, a pleasant environment and good service.
The restaurant is in a unique location by the lively harbour view.
Take a morning ferry back to the mainland and head back towards Reykjavik. We will try to check in early, otherwise we can drop off our luggage and continue onward.
It is a 2 hour ride from Reykjavik to Snæfellsnes Peninsula. This area is known for its rugged landscapes, which we will have plenty of time to explore over the next couple of days. Visit Búðir, the black church, a sea arch and other lava formations, and of course - Kirkjufell.
We will cross our fingers for beautiful summer sunset light over the Kirkjufell, Iceland's most photographed 'mountain.'
2 hours drive back to Reykjavik.
Today we will hop into a 16-Passenger Sprinter van and head back to Snaefellsnes peninsula. Snaefellsnes offers some of the longest estimated time for the moon and sun to be in "totality" with over 2 minutes in darkness during the Eclipse.
We will spend the Eclipse in one of Iceland's first and oldest fishing villages.
If the weather takes a turn for the worse, we will have an alternative plan for this day.
After our return back to the hotel, we will take a break, and later convene for a post-processing session, specifcally as it pertains to the Eclipse.
A family-run gastropub, where authentic Icelandic home cooking meets modern twists.
Reward yourself with some relaxation with geothermal waters, a swim up bar, a cold plunge, saunas and more.
Depart for Keflavik airport for early evening flights.
This tour involves moderate physical activity and requires participants to have a reasonable level of fitness.
Even though it is summer, you should still be prepared with layers of clothing. You should plan and dress accordingly to be able to stand outdoors for up to 3 hours at a time. There will be some hiking on the Westman Islands.
Eldfjell Hike: a 3.2-mile loop trail around the Eldfjell Volcano. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 19 min to complete.
Heimaklettur Hike: a 1.1-mile out-and-back trail. Generally considered a challenging route. This is a popular trail for birding and for one of the best views of the entire islands. There are steep sections, ladders and some scrambling required.
✅ All overnight accommodations
✅ Breakfast at the hotel
✅ Ground transportation, including a private driver & Sprinter for Eclipse Day
✅ Ferry Rides to and from Westman Islands
✅ Bout Tour around the Islands
✅ Admissions to the Volcano Museum & Beluga Sanctuary
✅ Admission to one of Iceland's premier geothermal spas
✅ Photography guidance & instruction including Eclipse Presentation
✅ Pre-Tour & Optional Post-Tour Zoom Session for Feedback & Critique
❌ Flights
❌ Alcohol, Meals
❌ Groceries/Snacks
❌ Any tips or gratuities
❌ Visa(s)
❌ Travel Insurance
You will automatically receive information about travel insurance with our partner, Redpoint, a couple of days after your successful trip registration. You can take a peek here.
Both Hope & Paul have been to Iceland MANY times before. Paul has also lived with Puffins in Maine and is the perfect co-guide for this trip.
Hope Pashos has embraced the digital medium after shooting on film since she was a child. Her specialties are nature, landscapes, and astrophotography. She loves to photograph the world around her, but focuses on New England and its shores and abundant waterfalls and travels frequently to Iceland as well as many US National Parks.
Hope’s passion is to share her knowledge with others. A former Pro and Genius with Apple, Hope has been able to teach iPhoneography and develop techniques with the iPhone for both taking and editing photographs. She developed one of the first iPhone photography workshops, teaching her signature macro technique on an iPhone 4. As the iPhone camera developed, so too did her techniques. With the built-in capabilities of the newest iPhones and additional attachment lenses, Hope can now photograph any type of subject, under any conditions. And using a combination of the latest mobile editing apps, she is able to digitally process her images - both from her phone and from her full-sized Sony camera - while on the go.
Hope has had her collection ‘Boston After Dark’ displayed in a collective exhibition. She has also been exhibited in locations around the US, including an exhibit at the Griffin Museum of Photography, and printed in various publications.
Paul Nguyen has lived and worked from coast to coast across the U.S., and has over 35 years of experience in film and digital photography. He specializes in digital photography of natural landscapes and wildlife, and capturing the authentic experience of outdoor adventure and exploration through his video series.
In April 2017, he served in the prestigious National Park Artist in Residence program at Petrified Forest, Arizona, and continues to create programs for the National Park Service. His accomplishments also include an exclusive assignment as a photographer for the Boston Museum of Science, and a position as a program guide and brand ambassador for Swedish outfitter Fjällräven.
His noteworthy image-making and teaching in the realm of photography have gained him sponsorships from Tamron USA and Sun Surveyor, and his acclaimed adventure and overlanding videos have led to numerous outdoor equipment sponsorships.
Hailing from Massachusetts and now based out of Flagstaff, AZ, Paul spends most of the year exploring the western U.S. to research photo tour destinations and create video content. You may run into him, his Jeep, his trailer, and his cat somewhere along your own travels. Despite the distance, he maintains an active connection to New England camera clubs, and continues to serve as a remote lecturer and competition judge.
