Varanger & Pasvik National Park, Norway – July 2026

Photography Trip - Wildlife - Northern Norway

Idea & Planning
For a long time, I had been planning to visit the Varanger Peninsula in Northern Norway, an area famous for its rich Arctic wildlife and beautiful northern landscapes. I already knew Norway well from earlier trips to places such as Dovrefjell, Lofoten, Senja and Runde, but I had never travelled to the far north specifically for wildlife photography.
A friend and I started planning the trip in 2024, and at the end of June 2026 our plans finally became reality. We spent ten days exploring the region, with the first part of our journey focused on Varanger and the second on Pasvik National Park.
Our main target species were characteristic birds and mammals of the Arctic and sub-Arctic north, including Northern Hawk-Owl, Long-tailed Jaeger, White-tailed Eagle and Moose. However, rather than working through a species checklist, our main aim was simply to spend time outdoors, explore the region and make the most of whatever encounters came our way.

Equipment
For a dedicated wildlife photography trip like this, I travelled with two camera bodies, an OM SYSTEM OM-1 and OM-1 Mark II, together with the M.Zuiko 150–400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO as my main wildlife lens. I also brought the compact 40–150mm F4 PRO and 12–45mm F4 PRO, as well as the small Panasonic Leica 9mm F1.7 for wide-angle and landscape photography.
My Zeiss SFL 10×30 binoculars were also always close at hand. Everything fitted into a Think Tank DarkLight 25L backpack, with even a little space left for smaller items. I did not bring a tripod, and in retrospect this proved to be the perfect setup for the trip.
And, of course, several layers of clothing were essential to be prepared for the rapidly changing weather of the far north.

Travel diary
We started our journey in Kirkenes and first drove west to Varangerbotn, which served as our base for the first few days. From there, we explored the Varanger Peninsula several times, making numerous stops along the way.
The landscape itself was already worth the journey, but it did not take long before we encountered some of the wildlife we had hoped to see. Among our first sightings were Northern Hawk-Owls with chicks and various species of waders.
It turned out to be an excellent time for owls. We had several encounters with Short-eared Owls, including one individual very close to the road that provided a perfect opportunity for a few portrait photographs.

Further north, we encountered a Pallid Harrier, numerous Rough-legged Buzzards and White-tailed Eagles. One particular highlight was a rare Yellow-billed Loon with a juvenile in a coastal bay. Long-tailed Jaegers were also remarkably common close to the coast.
Red-throated Loons were somewhat less frequent than we had expected, although we still managed to observe them several times, both flying and resting on lakes. Further inland, Lapland Buntings and European Golden Plovers were relatively common.

A visit to the bird cliffs of Hornøya was, of course, also part of our trip. Here we encountered thousands of seabirds, particularly Razorbills and Black Guillemots, providing a completely different experience from the quieter landscapes elsewhere on the peninsula.

We returned to many locations along the coast several times, which proved very worthwhile. Changing weather and light could transform the same place completely, and repeated visits also allowed us to spend more time observing particular birds. Red-necked Phalaropes were a good example. They repeatedly returned to the same small ponds, giving us several opportunities to observe and photograph them under different conditions.

For the second part of our journey, we travelled to the wild forests and wetlands of Pasvik, close to the Russian border. Wildlife densities appeared lower than on the Varanger Peninsula, but the detour was nevertheless worthwhile.
We encountered several Moose, found signs of Brown Bears and saw numerous Bohemian Waxwings. The landscape itself was also fascinating: seemingly endless forests, remote wetlands and quiet bogs created an atmosphere very different from the open Arctic coastline of Varanger.

Conclusion
Unfortunately, every journey eventually comes to an end, and so did our time in Varanger and Pasvik. The trip was absolutely worth it. We experienced many unforgettable moments and returned home with photographs that will always remind me of this remarkable part of Northern Norway.
I have included some of my favourite impressions from the journey here. I would return to Varanger without hesitation and can wholeheartedly recommend the region to anyone interested in Arctic wildlife and northern landscapes. If time were limited, however, I would probably skip the detour to Pasvik. It is certainly worth visiting, but the additional driving takes up a considerable part of a relatively short trip.