Embark on an unforgettable photography adventure in Norway’s stunning Lofoten Islands! With dramatic peaks, fjords reflecting the Arctic sky, and charming fishing villages illuminated by the soft glow of light, Lofoten is a paradise for landscape photographers.
Tour Highlights:
📸Photographing the iconic red cabins of Reine and Hamnøy
🏔️ Exploring fjords, dramatic coastlines, and Arctic beaches
🦅 Photographing hunting Sea Eagles on a RIB boat
🌌 Chasing and shooting the Northern Lights daily
🎣 Experiencing traditional fishing villages and staying in your own Rorbu cabin
Temperature: In late September, Lofoten experiences brisk, unpredictable Arctic-autumn weather. Expect daily highs around 46°F to 54°F and overnight lows dropping to 40°F. Conditions are changeable, frequently swinging between sunny skies, strong winds, and rain.
At the time of our tour, we will be close to the equinox, meaning our days will be almost equally split between daylight and night. This allows us to comfortably explore towns during the day and chase auroras at night.
A Rorbu or fishermen’s cabin is a traditional Norwegian house used as a temporary home for fishermen when fishing along the coast of Lofoten during the cod (“skrei” in Norwegian) season (January – April). A rorbu in the old days contained bunk beds where the whole crew of one boat could sleep, a small kitchen area, and usually a table and some chairs.
Breakfast is not included. We will be stopping for groceries so that you will have your own foods to make breakfast or for snacks to bring along. We will stop at to-go locations for lunch or casual stops to pick up a sandwich. We will dine out each night for dinner.
Breakfast is not included. We will be stopping for groceries so that you will have your own foods to make breakfast or for snacks to bring along. We will stop at to-go locations for lunch or casual stops to pick up a sandwich. We will dine out each night for dinner.
There are many ways to get to the Lofoten Islands. They are really far up there on the map, and if you are coming from the United States you will want to give yourself plenty of time to arrive without rushing.
If you are coming from the US, we recommend flying to Oslo, with a connecting flight to Bodo. From here, you should fly on another airline (requiring another ticket) via Wideroe Airlines from Bodo to either Leknes or Svolvær Airport. We recommend flying to Leknes because it is much closer to where are staying and this is where we will pick up the group. This is the fastest way to get to Lofoten. There are several departures per day from both Bodo and Oslo. Do not fly into Harstad/Narvik, as this is located hours away and we will not be picking anyone up from here.
Getting here will take some patience. If something happens on your way over, if your flight is delayed or your ferry is cancelled due to a storm, you will be responsible for getting yourself to our accommodations.
We recommend staying at the Scandic Leknes Lofoten Hotel as it is 5 minutes from the airport.
We will pick up the group here and/or from the airport on September 23 in the afternoon at a time that makes the most sense for everyone's arrival.
We will pick you up either at Leknes Airport, or at Scandic Hotel in the afternoon. Check into our accommodations in the cabins right on the harbor.
This beach is a very pretty one, with a river that constantly changes its shape as it flows and carves through the sand.
Welcome to Lofoten! Get the lay of the land with your guides during dinner in town.
Every night of the tour, we will be checking the forecast for northern lights activity. If the forecast and weather is favorable, we can photograph them whereever we are, at one of the arctic beaches or nearby our cabins. This is never guaranteed.
Shoot the sunrise at one of the nearby beaches - Vik, Haukland or Uttakliev.
This may be the most photogenic of all of the beaches. Here you'll find round black stones, sometimes covered in snow or ice. It is also home to the "Dragon's Eye" a feature in the rocks that photographer's are drawn to. We will explore first in daylight, and possibly come back to shoot aurora if conditions are favorable.
Every night of the tour, we will be checking the forecast for northern lights activity. If the forecast and weather is favorable, we can photograph them whereever we are, at one of the arctic beaches or nearby our cabins. This is never guaranteed.
Svolvær is the largest town in Lofoten. We will be out for the entire day, so please bring everything you need with you. The drive is about one and a half hours from our cabins.
A Sea eagle safari takes you through the fjords of Lofoten, where you will have the opportunity to observe sea eagles soaring above you and diving down to catch fish. The area offers one of the largest populations in all of Europe, so the probability of seeing sea eagles is very high! This part of the trip is often described as a highlight.
Spend the rest of the afternoon in bustling Henningsvær, a cultural hub that has become popular for artists of all kinds, and rock climbers. This charming town is a prime place to explore with your camera, to shop for gifts, and explore galleries and cafes. You will have a few hours of free time here.
If you have a drone, this is also the location of one of the most famous football/soccer fields in the world. If you choose to fly, please abide by local laws and be respectful.
We will photograph sunset in Henningsvær. If you have a drone, this is the perfect place to use it.
Every night of the tour, we will be checking the forecast for northern lights activity. If the forecast and weather is favorable, we can photograph them whereever we are, at one of the arctic beaches or nearby our cabins. This is never guaranteed.
After 3 nights, it is time to move West! We will settle into some of the most famous red cabins in all of Norway, on the little island of Hamnøy.
Spend this day exploring the in's and out's of Lofoten's most photographed fishing villages. Dotted with red rorbuer cabins and nestled beside the domineering Mount Olstiden, Reine is simply breathtaking.
Try out Lofoten’s most famous fishburger! Or, how about some sashimi? All prepared with local ingredients.
Photograph sunset either by the harbor, Sakrisøy or Hamnøy.
Every night of the tour, we will be checking the forecast for northern lights activity. If the forecast and weather is favorable, we can photograph them whereever we are, at one of the arctic beaches or nearby our cabins. This is never guaranteed.
With only 123 inhabitants (as of 2016), Å is the southernmost village in Lofoten. It is Northern Norway’s best-preserved traditional fishing village with roots dating back to the early 1800s.
Visit the Tørrfiskmuseum to learn about production of Norwegian stockfish, one of Norway's oldest export commodities.
Stockfish is a world class delicacy and an important part of Norway’s cultural heritage. The climate in Northern Norway is perfect for creating stockfish – with temperatures of around 0°C and just the right balance of wind, sun and rain. You will see racks loaded with fish out to dry throughout all of the islands.
Take a short drive to Ramberg Beach, one of Lofoten’s longest and most beautiful beaches. After photographing the beach, and the iconic 'red shed' we will continue to Nusfjord, one of the cutest fishing ports, located in a narrow fjord between tall mountains.
Every night of the tour, we will be checking the forecast for northern lights activity. If the forecast and weather is favorable, we can photograph them whereever we are, at one of the arctic beaches or nearby our cabins. This is never guaranteed.
We will keep this day open to allow for repeat stops, or rescheduling due to weather.
Gammelbua is located in Reine, and prepares food in both traditional and international styles, offering dishes based on local ingredients. Fresh fish and meat dishes are adjusted according to the season.
Every night of the tour, we will be checking the forecast for northern lights activity. If the forecast and weather is favorable, we can photograph them whereever we are, at one of the arctic beaches or nearby our cabins. This is never guaranteed.
Depending on what we do the night before, we may get up one last time for sunrise for a shoot at one of our favorite beaches, or we may opt to shoot close to our cabins.
After checking out, we will head back to the airport at Leknes. If you are taking the ferry back to Bodø, please know the departure time is at 7 AM. You will be responsible for hiring transport to take you there for 6:30 AM.
Have a safe return and we will see you on the next one! When booking flights, please make sure your departure is leaving from Leknes no earlier than 11:45 AM.
If your flight home requires an overnight stay in Bodo - we recommend staying the Raddison Blu in Bodo.
We will be in touch some time after the tour to organize an optional Zoom session to review our images together and offer critique.
This tour involves little physical activity, but requires participants to have a reasonable level of fitness. While we won’t be doing any climbs or hikes, expect the following conditions:
Weather: In late September, Lofoten experiences brisk, unpredictable Arctic-autumn weather. In late September, Lofoten experiences brisk, unpredictable Arctic-autumn weather. Expect daily highs around 46°F to 54°F and overnight lows dropping to 40°F. Conditions are notoriously changeable, frequently swinging between crisp, sunny skies, strong winds, and heavy rain.
Uneven Terrain: We will be walking on a variety of surfaces including rocky shorelines, and possibly some short, steep paths.
Long Days/Nights: To maximize our chances for dramatic light and auroras, days can start early and end late. A flexible attitude and endurance for being active over extended hours are essential.
✅ All overnight accommodations
✅ Ground transportation with Local Guide
✅ RIB Boat Tour to visit the Sea Eagles
✅ Admission to Tørrfiskmuseum
✅ Photography guidance & instruction
✅ Pre-Tour & Optional Post-Tour Zoom Session for Feedback & Critique
❌ Flights
❌ Alcohol, Meals
❌ Groceries/Snacks
❌ Any tips or gratuities
❌ Visa(s)
❌ Travel Insurance
Cody Duncan was born and raised in California, but has lived full time on the Lofoten islands since March 2016.
Beyond photography, writing about the places he visits has taken a central role in his life, with 7 photography and hiking ebooks published about Lofoten and northern Sweden, and several magazine articles.
Cody is one of the best photo and hiking guides when it comes to Lofoten, and has a knack for chasing and capturing it's beautiful light.
His work has been published throughout the world in magazines, catalogs, calendars, newspapers, travel guides, brochures, websites, etc., including National Geographic Traveler, Sunset Magazine, Lonely Planet Traveller, Men’s Journal, BBC Country File, GEO Saison, British Airways High Life, X Journey, and more. He is the the name and face behind 68 North - a website that is a treasure trove of information for all things Lofoten.
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.