Iceland’s Arctic Fox Delight

After flying out to Iceland and landing at Keflavik Airport, we enjoyed a relaxed evening meal in the capital, Reykjavik, before an early start for our flight up to Ísafjörður. This is the largest town in the country’s Westfjords region and the departure point for the boat trip across to Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. We encountered a slight issue upon arrival at the domestic airport in Reykjavik – the flights were cancelled for the next two days due to extreme weather.

Now, just imagine, well over a metre of snow had fallen in around 24 hours. And so, we had a day to explore Reykjavik and make a plan. With the excellent help from our local team, we organised a vehicle which would drive us up to the small village of Hólmavík the following day, before a second driver would come to meet us and drive us the final leg.

What an incredible drive. Through blizzards, deep snow and ice, with the most incredible drivers, we eventually made it to Ísafjörður and enjoyed a deserved sleep before our boat across to Kviar Lodge the following morning.

An adventure to remember, and we were only just starting our stay at Kviar and the remarkable snow that covered this magical landscape. Drifts over six metres high greeted us upon arrival, as did a pair of Arctic foxes. What more can you ask for?

The next few days were filled with countless opportunities with our vulpine friends, including a white individual on the first afternoon which made a fleeting but beautiful appearance. The resident male kept his distance, but on the first afternoon, we enjoyed photographing the two different females who were fully habituated. There is nowhere quite like Kviar for world-class photographic opportunities of this iconic species. Whether you are looking to capture intimate portraits, the foxes in the snow-laden landscape or impactful high-key shots, there are near-limitless options available.

As long as you can brave the cold (you’re able to retreat into the warmth of the house whenever you need to warm up), then the foxes will provide you with a photographic trip of a lifetime. A young resident female, who I was very familiar with from the previous year, was undoubtedly the star of the show. She slept right outside the house and spoiled the group as she posed perfectly in this idyllic, icy world. With some spindrift snow, the deep blue of the fjord’s frigid waters, and the ice-white of the snow fields, we were blessed time and time again with memorable imagery.

If you’re looking for a wildlife photographic adventure with a sought-after subject, magnificent wilderness and unique surrounds, then look no further than our Iceland – Arctic Fox Photography tour in 2025 and 2026. I’m sure you will fall in love with this rarely-visited part of Iceland just as I have.
 

Learn more about our Arctic Fox Photography trip, or contact our friendly team to discussing booking today.