I have been many times to Scandinavia; Finland, Sweden and Norway have all been much enjoyed photography destinations in the past years. However all these trips have been in the winter and a trip to Varangerfjord in the spring has been on my to do list for some time.
Lee O’Dwyer, an excellent bird photographer, suggested I join him and his friend Ian Brown in 2025 for a spring trip there. He has been many times and knows the area very well. Within no time 4 more photographers wanted to join me in June 2025. However, its the end of May 2024 and I have decided to take on a scouting trip to the area myself.
So here I am writing my latest blog for my website while on my flight to Helsinki. From Helsinki I will fly to Ivalo, above the Arctic Circle, where I will stay in a hotel for one night, before driving up to Vestre Jakobselv, where I will stay for the week.
Varanger in early June is teeming with birds. It’s a great place to photograph waders, Skuas, passerines, ducks and perhaps mammals like the Arctic Red Fox.
A welcome change is that I don’t need to spend the days in hides! I will use the car as a hide and perhaps do a little stalking. 24 hours daylight will give me plenty of time to get some nice images and, if all goes to plan, a new affordable photo tour for nature photographers could be on the cards.
31st of May
My usual driver, Raz, picks me up at 08.15 to take me to T3 Heathrow. I am in the terminal building in no time, where I am flying Finnair business class (service is extremely good, British Airways take note!).
A smooth flight and I arrive in Helsinki around 15.00. I now have to wait for 4 hours and I make myself comfortable in the business lounge (with a glass of wine of course).
The flight to Ivalo will take 1 1/2 hours. I pick up the rental car from the airport for the 10 minutes drive to the hotel, arriving at around 22.00. It’s been a long day.
1st of June
By 8.30 I’m on the road to Vestre Jakobselv. It should take me around 4 hours. The drive is rather dull. I make a stop at Kaamanen where I stayed in the inn “Neljan Tuulen Tupa” many years ago, famous for the feeders that attract birds like Siberian Tit and Pine Grosbeak. The feeders are no longer free of charge, you need to pay for the pleasure of taking images! You can thank Skua nature for that.
Before crossing into Norway I fill up the car at Utsjoki and on I go. By 13.30 I arrive in Jakobselv. Lovely hotel. Room is quite small but comfortable. The room isn’t ready so I decide to go to Vadso for some lunch and to visit a supermarket for some supplies. The weather isn’t the best; rather cloudy and rainy but the forecast is better. Besides that, I have 24 hours daylight! What’s to stop me going out at 3 am?
Late afternoon I decide to drive up the gravel track behind the hotel along the Vestre river but it’s very quiet. Next I drive to Vadso, across the bridge towards Vadsoya island. There is a small pond and there are a lot of Red necked Phalaropes as well as Ruff but the light is poor. I decide to drive on a bit and end up in Ekkeroy. I will be staying here in June 2025 with 5 other photographers. It’s a lovely small fishing village with the famous cliff full of breeding Kittiwakes. On the way back I see 3 White Tailed Eagles and I manage to photograph a juvenile bird. I decide to head back to the hotel. It has been a long day and my batteries need charging.
2nd of June
Awake several times during the night! 24 hours daylight affects the way I sleep. I am out and about by 06.30 and decide to drive around Jakobselv. Not an awful lot of activity and the weather isn’t too good either. Back at the hotel I spot a Mountain Hare and a Red Fox in the garden!
After a delicious breakfast I decide to head to a dirt track recommended by Lee. It’s a good 45 minute drive towards Vardo. The dirt trail will take me 7 kilometres into the Varanger National Park. The road is very bumpy and you need to drive slowly but It has a lot of potential. I photograph Golden Plover, displaying Willow Grouse and see many other birds like Arctic and Long tailed Skuas, Whooper Swans and a nice small pond with a few Phalaropes.
It takes me a good 3 hours covering the dirt track both ways. Definitely worth going back to and I can recommend it to anyone interested in visiting Varanger. I decide to drive onwards to Vardo but the closer I get, the foggier it gets and, once I hit the hills just before Vardo, it almost looks like the road has disappeared!
Not much happening in Vardo. After a bit of lunch I decide to drive back and stop along the way. Once I arrive in Vadso, I check out the pond but again no light for any kind of decent pictures. Plenty of Ruff and Phalaropes around. It stays on my to do list. Back to the hotel for an absolutely superb dinner!
3rd of June
Better night. Up at the usual time and I see another greyish sky when I open the curtains. Nevertheless I decide to have a little drive through the area. I would like to photograph Mountain Hare and it must be the easiest mammal to photograph here! There are many around in the village, just starting to lose their white winter coat. I manage to get some nice images and return to the hotel for breakfast.
I decide to go to Vardo to photograph the Ruff and Phalaropes by the pond but the heavens open up and I decide to abandon that plan. Instead I park up on a parking lot and wait for the weather to improve. After an hour or so I hit the road in the direction of Ekkeroy and by the time I arrive the weather has improved . I notice a number of Godwits in the surf at Ekkeroy beach and I manage to get some really nice images of these great looking birds. All these small beaches in the fishing villages dotted along the coastline are worth checking out.
I drive on and decide again to drive the dirt track but this time it is very quiet and I return to the main road. As I am not far from Vardo I decide to drive on. I see Temminck Stint displaying but out of reach of my lens, many White Tailed eagles, Dunlin…you name it!
Upon arriving in Vardo I notice a photographer standing by the small harbour as you drive through the tunnel that connects Vardo with the mainland. Much to my surprise he is photographing a White Billed Loon. I park up my car and manage to get a few images of this fantastic bird.
I have a sandwich and head back to Vadso. I spot 8 White tailed eagles all flying together and I find a Ruff lek by the side of the road. It is a bit tricky to park (the E75 is the main road and although not busy, it is often used by heavy traffic). I manage to get some nice images of the displaying Ruff.
The weather has now completely cleared up and it is sunny. I try another dirt track recommended by Lee and Ian but it is pretty dead. I return to the hotel, shower and a beer.
4th of June
Out and about by 04.30! I drive to Vadso and head towards the island. I want to photograph the Phalaropes but when I arrive I soon discover that the light is in the wrong corner! Nevertheless I am able to get some reasonable images. I decide to move to the other side of the pond so I‘ll have the sun coming over my shoulder. It is the right decision, some really nice images of flying Ruff.
I head back to the hotel, have breakfast and decide to head over to Vardo again. The drive is well over an hour but while getting closer and closer to Vardo the weather changes, becoming foggy. I photograph a nice Willow grouse sitting and displaying in a low shrub.
Much to my surprise, when I arrive in Vardo, the Yellow Billed diver was present again. Light isn’t too bad and I get some really nice images of this rarity.
I decide to head down the dirt track that runs towards the lighthouse but it is very quiet. No Bluethroats or anything else of note. Near the fort of Vardo I find a group of Ruff lekking . A great opportunity! I park at my car and get some really nice images.
I decide to drive down the road to Hamningberg but the fog is now quite dense so I turn around. Near Svartnes are a number of small pools . Again a small group of Ruff, as well as 4 Phalaropes and a displaying Temminck stint. Park up and manage to get some nice images. But the Temminck don’t play ball unfortunately.
I head back to Vadso. Lunch at Komagvaer and a last stop at Vekkeroy before driving back to the hotel.
The sky has turned very dark and I’m feeling pretty tired after a long day.
5th of June
Today I decide to try a short dirt track not far from Ekkeroy. Unfortunately nothing shows so I decide to head again to Vardo. The Yellow Billed diver is still here . I head for the track running to the lighthouse but again no Bluethroats show. Instead I get some nice images of Arctic skua.
I head to the abandoned fishing village of Hamningberg. A very scenic road . I stop to take some images of a couple of Arctic skuas and press on. It is absolutely stunning but if you are only interested in bird photography, I wouldn’t bother!
I drive back the single track road and head home. On the way I try the Komagvaer track again but it’s quiet. I run into a Dutch couple who have been here for a month and they agree it’s fairly quiet everywhere. They suggest I head for the Batsfjord / Berlevag road on the high plateau of Varanger. Apparently it’s teeming with birds on the higher slopes. I might go there tomorrow, stay overnight in a hotel and drive back on Friday. All in all not a fantastic day but you can’t always get what you want!
6th of June
Today I decided to drive up to Batsfjord. The high plateau is a magnet for all kind of birds. Be prepared if you decide to go to the Varanger peninsula: it involves a lot of driving. Being on my own doesn’t make things easier as well, as I need to pay attention to the road and can’t just look left and right to see if there’s anything of interest to photograph.
The drive from Jakobselv takes around 1 1/2 hours. The drive to the plateau is really stunning and as you start to climb up to the plateau, the landscape changes completely. No trees but instead a lot of snow, small pools of water and of course many birds. Once I arrive at the junction of Batsfjord and Berlevag I look for subjects. Soon I spot Scaup, Red throated divers, Ptarmigan, Bluethroat, Merganser, Long tailed duck…….. the list goes on!
I take some really nice images of a singing Lapland bunting, as well as Phalaropes, Redpoll, Long tailed duck and Bluethroat. This location should be on the list of anyone visiting Varanger. For me the highlight of the week and I could easily spend longer but I need to head back.
By 18.00 I’m back in the Hotel. Download my images and have another fantastic dinner in the company of 3 musicians who are here in the far north to perform at the primary school. Tomorrow I intend to visit the island of Hornoya.
7th of June
Out and about by 04.30. I decide to visit the beach at Ekkeroy for waders. Little sting, Dunlin. Godwit, Ringed plover, they can all be photographed there at high tide. On arriving I spot many waders but unfortunately you’re working against the light. This beach would be better for photography in the afternoon.
After breakfast I drive up to Vardo to get the boat to Hornoya. The boat ride across the Barents Sea takes around 10 minutes but it’s pretty expensive (£55) and the sea is rather rough.
Another must if you are visiting Varanger. Guillemots, Puffins, Shags, Kittiwakes and much more can be photographed with ease. In my opinion the best location for bird photography is the area in front of where the boat lands but a walk higher up to the lighthouse can also be productive. One piece of advice: don’t wear trekking shoes but wellies. The track is very muddy.. It is excellent for flight shots as well when birds come in to land.
I return with the boat at 14.30. 4 hours is enough time to get good images and I need to drive back to Jakobselv. On the way back I decide to stop at Vadso and try my luck with the Phalaropes. There are at least 10 of these tiny birds as well as a lot of Ruff. Unfortunately there is so much wind that photographing them is very difficult. At the end I give up and head back to the hotel for a cup of coffee and, later on, a well deserved diner. No idea what I am going to do tomorrow. I was thinking of returning to Batsfjord but a Dutch guy told me today that it was fairly quiet.
8th of June
The final day! A leisurely breakfast with 3 Dutch photographers. We have a pleasant chat about Varanger and of course camera equipment. Funnily enough we all decide to visit the same place – the long dirt track at Komagvaer. I fill up the car with petrol and make my way to Komagvaer. Roughly a 45 minute drive towards Vardo.
The track is rough but totally ok to drive as long as you take it slowly. The road runs into the Varanger National Park. I must say, that just like previous trips to this dirt track, there is not an awful lot of bird activity. I see a couple of Long tailed skuas, Willow grouse, Lapland bunting and some other birds but all too far out to take any images.
At the end of the track I turn around and head back. I see a Long tailed skua close to the car and get some nice images of the bird taking off thanks to Sony’ pre capture. That’s it apart from a few images of reindeer.
Maarten, one of the Dutch photographers, suggests another dirt track towards Vadso. The track is as bad as the first one and nothing shows, except on the way back I see a Willow grouse. I turn on my pre capture in anticipation that the bird would take off….and it does!
I head back to the hotel. I have a lovely chat with the owner who very much likes the idea of the Affordable Photo Tours and is interested in putting something together for 2025. If you’d like to hear more about this trip in 2025, drop me an email and I will get back to you as soon as I can with all the details.
Tomorrow the long journey back to Ivalo. My flight back to Helsinki is scheduled at midnight! I have to find a comfy chair at Helsinki airport as the Heathrow flight doesn’t depart till 08.00 Monday morning. I have had a really nice week. Varanger is a fantastic location for bird photography and I can’t wait to return in 2025. If you need any advice or have questions, feel free to drop me an email.
Factsheet Varanger
Early June is the best time for bird photography in Varanger.
Breeding birds are active throughout as it’s light 24/7!
It is still possible that there is snow on higher elevations.
Endless possibilities for photography and very little sleep! Temperatures can still be low. Expect anything between 5-15 degrees celsius. Dressing up in layers is advisable. Wellington boots a must as well as proper walking shoes. Mosquitoes should not be too much of a problem but I did take an anti mosquito jacket with me.
I flew London-Helsinki-Ivalo with Finnair (Finnair.com). Business class on way out and economy on way back. Ticket worked out at around £600 return. Early booking is advisable. Superb service. I rented a Toyota Yaris for the week through Greenmotion Ivalo (greenmotion.com) and paid including a lower access of Euro 500, Euro 550 for the week. I decided to stay the night in Ivalo and booked hotel Kulahuppi in Ivalo for Euro 90 incl breakfast through Booking.com
I decided to book a hotel in a small village called Vestre Jakobselv. The hotel is called Varangertunet (varangertunet.no) and I paid for the week including breakfast £600 for a 2 bed room. It is also possible to have dinner , lunch or packed lunch. Vestre Jakobself is close to the main photography area where I spent most of the week .
In terms of equipment: I took with me 2 bodies, 300mm F2.8, 600mm F4.0, 20-70mm, 16mm, 1.4 and 2.0 converter. As well as a tripod, beanbag and ground tripod. A lot of photography was done from the car so a beanbag is an essential bit of kit to take with you.
