The winter snows provide fantastic opportunities – along with a number of technical challenges – to photograph golden eagles in their natural setting in the coniferous forest.
Arguably Europe’s most impressive and majestic bird, the golden eagle epitomises wilderness areas and the freedom of vast open skies. In the UK, the population is restricted largely to the Scottish Highlands and Western Isles, and while these birds constitute one of the most robust populations in Europe (there are around 450 pairs), seeing them at close quarters and photographing them is extremely difficult. As such, most golden eagle photography tends to be of captive birds in controlled conditions.
You will travel north of Stockholm to a remote and rustic, but nonetheless comfortable, forest lodge, which acts as a warm and welcoming base for daytime photography of golden eagles from a hide deep in the winter wonderland.
On arrival make your way to the railway station (not included) and transfer by train to Bollnäs via Gävle, and then continue by road to the lodge (approximately three hours overall).
Accommodation: Vargas Wilderness Lodge, 3 nights
Take a short early morning transfer by snowmobile and sled to a photographic hide, where you can spend the full day photographing golden eagles and other birds. Late afternoon transfer back to lodge.
Early morning photography from hides around the lodge to spot Siberian jays, bullfinches and woodpeckers. Transfer late morning back to Stockholm Arlanda Airport for your return flight.
This historic province of central Sweden lies three hours drive north of Stockholm. The rocky, mountainous terrain slopes gently from a maximum altitude of 600 metres down to the Baltic coastline, and is covered largely with dense forest – a perfect habitat for brown bears! Find Out More about {acc:title}
This small and rustic, but comfortable and well-appointed wilderness lodge lies deep in the forests of Hälsingland, beside Lake Stora Öjungen, which freezes over completely in winter. Owned by a nature photographer, the lodge has a self-contained photographic hide standing on one side of a forest clearing. Find Out More about Vargas Wilderness Lodge
