Mercedes Benz Sprinter 46″ – Our new vehicle for winter tours starting in January 2016.
16 seats + driver
Specially modified 4×4 vehicle for our Icelandic winter and higland tours.
With years of experience leading photography tours and workshops in the Arctic, we have learned to prepare our participants as much as possible before their arctic adventure. Packing the right equipment and clothing for the tour will make your experience much more pleasant and your photography more successful. Please read through our packing list and make sure you bring the “Must have” on the tour.
Even though our transportation is spacious we kindly ask you to pack light as it will make everyone’s life on the tour easier. Fitting your luggage in 1 suit case or duffel bag per person plus camera gear bag will be greatly appreciated. During the days when we travel between hotels your suit case will not be easily accessible in the trunk. Before we head out each day we kindly ask you to pack so that the things you need during the day like extra clothing is with you inside the bus, or in your camera bag. Such as warm hat, gloves, extra socks, tripod etc.
CAMERA EQUIPMENT
DSLR or SLR camera
Mininum 2 spare batteries and wall charger
Euro outlet adapter
Your essential 1st lens: Zoom lens, for example wide angle 16-35 mm. On aurora workshops we suggest fast wide angle lenses, such as f2.8
2nd lens for example zoom lens 24-105 mm, or 70-2oo mm.
Shutter release cable (or remote)
Sturdy tripod and ball head with quick release. We highly suggest www.reallyrightstuff.com
Filters 0.6 and 0.9 Graduated Neutral Density filters soft edge (nice to have hard edge as well)
Filter holder with adapter ring which fits your lens (82mm and 77mm very common)
3 or 6 stop filters, for example the Lee small stopper.
Polarizer filter.
We higly suggest the Lee Filter System. Check out www.leefilters.com
Microfiber lens cloth. Good to have both large and small cloths, we need large when photographing waterfalls with spray
Mininum 32 GB of memory cards
Medium/large size camera bag which holds all your camera gear during the tour
Laptop to download images for review and/or processing during down time
Back up camera body
Panoramic tripod head
Hoodman (specially during winter tours, night photography)
Rain cover for camera & lens
GENERAL TRIP GEAR
Wool base layer top and bottom (merino wool does not smell unlike synthetic fibers after several days’ use).
2 fleeces (thick and thin)
Insulated waterresistant softshell jacket/parka
Waterproof shell pants, like gore-tex
Quick drying travel towel (only in summer, if you prefer to bath in the geothermal hot springs)
Personal bathroom items
Personal medications/vitamins
Waterproof trail shoes or hiking shoes
Headlight or flashlight (only on winter tours, and you’ll need light when out capturing the aurora borealis)
Overshoes. We highly suggest the N.E.O.S
Wool socks & reg socks
Underwear & wool or fleece underwear
Warm pair glowes
Warm hat
Passport (Please check if you need visa to travel into Iceland)
Credit cards
Pair street clothes
Icelandic handmade wool sweater (you can buy in Iceland)
Ear plugs. When lodging in hotels with “normal” tourists we often rest in the mid day when light is harsh, and stay out when the light is soft (or aurora is dancing)
Sunglasses
Sunscreen (only during summer)
Trip insurance
Your happy mood and passion for photography
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT ICELAND
Safety
Iceland can be a dangerous country to travel in, and we’ll need to be cautious of various things on our tour, such as weather, wind and snow, big waves on the coastline, ice and slippery surface. On the first day of the tour your guide will go through basic parts of safety rules you’ll need to undergo on your tour, and on each location we’ll have a safety share and point out the dangers. On the tour we will provide spikes under your shoes and also helmets when needed. (such as for ice caves)
Meals
Breakfast will be served by each place of accommodation, a buffet.
Lunches will mostly be picknick style in the field, as the days are short (in winter). In some locations we’ll prepare sandwiches from the breakfast buffet. This way, we are much more flexible during the day.
Dinners will be served at our place of accommodation or at a local restaurant.
Local currency
The local currency is ISK and is about $USD 1 = 130 ISK. Due to capital controls in Iceland this currency is not traded outside of Iceland. You dont have to bring large sums of cash as credit cards are accepted everywhere in Iceland and local ATM´s will provide you with cash if needed. If you use a credit card it is a good idea to let your bank know that you will be traveling as in some cases they do block credit cards when transaction appear from a different corner of the world.
Voltage
Iceland uses 220V, 50Hz AC. Most modern chargers accept both 110V and 220V. Make sure yours does and remember to bring outlet adapters if needed. Iceland uses the two round pole outlets common in Europe.
Cellphone
You can purchase prepaid sim card on Icelandair flights, or you can purchase in the airport on arrival. If using your home service, be sure to check for deals for using data and voice while in Iceland.
Wifi
All of the places we stay at have wifi internet access. Couple of places might charge for internet access but otherwise it is free.
Timezone
Iceland is all year on GMT.