Day 1: Individual Arrival
Arrive individually in Whitehorse, Yukon/Canada. Transfer to your reserved hotel in Whitehorse via shuttle bus or taxi.
Day 2: Welcome and Drive to Haines
You will be welcomed at the reception of your reserved hotel in the morning. Afterward, we will stop at a supermarket, giving you an opportunity to purchase your personal snacks (lunch) and drinks (not included in the tour price).
We then depart for Haines, with a brief stop at the Glanzmann Tours base near Kluane National Park (a 3-hour drive). Along the Alaska Highway and Takhini River, wildlife such as elk, moose, foxes, or ptarmigan can often be spotted. The stunning mountain and lake scenery provides exceptional opportunities for landscape photography, particularly in the late afternoon with favorable lighting conditions.
After the stop at the Glanzmann Tours Lodge, we continue on a two-hour drive over the Haines Pass to the “Valley of the Eagles” in Alaska, USA. This route, surrounded by the glacier-covered peaks of the St. Elias Mountain Range, is one of the most scenic drives in northern Canada. As we approach the Bald Eagle Preserve, the landscape becomes increasingly photogenic.
Upon arriving at the Valley of the Eagles, we witness a spectacular natural phenomenon. Up to twenty eagles can often be seen perched in a single tree, and the valley comes alive with the wild calls of hundreds of bald eagles feasting on spawning salmon. Eagles soar across the river delta, engage in fights for fish, and perform dramatic dives and high-altitude flights. This is an absolutely unique experience of nature. Some eagles rest on sandbanks or trees, digesting their meals against a majestic mountain backdrop.
The “eagle fever” captivates everyone. We will photograph the eagles in various settings and lighting conditions throughout our visit. These majestic and impressive birds can be captured in flight, while feeding, during aerial battles, or resting on trees and sandbanks. Participants will receive photographic guidance tailored to different approaches and techniques. We take great care to photograph the eagles up close (as close as 5 meters) without disturbing them.
At dusk, we continue directly to Haines (Alaska) and check into the most comfortable hotel in this romantic fishing village by the sea. Each room includes a small kitchenette. After settling in, we enjoy a group dinner at a local restaurant.
Days 3–7: Among the Eagles
Start your day with breakfast at a nearby coffee shop and bakery. We dedicate the entire day to this unparalleled photography experience. To capture the first light on the glacier-covered mountains and make the most of the eagles’ most active period, we head to the preserve early in the predawn darkness. Throughout the week, your guide tirelessly seeks the best possible locations, adapted to weather conditions, to provide you with optimal photography opportunities.
You can choose to photograph with the group or individually near the designated spots in search of your own compositions. Your guides will transport you to the best locations and assist with your photography equipment.
After dusk, you have time to relax at the hotel and explore the fishing village, coastline, harbor, or the local brewery next to the hotel before dinner. Optional photography seminars and workshops are held in the evenings at the hotel. These workshops, tailored to all experience levels, are designed to enhance your technical skills and creative vision. You will be amazed at how these sessions can improve the quality of your photographs!
Each evening, we review some of the images taken that day. Beat Glanzmann will share his expertise and proven techniques for action and portrait photography of eagles. Topics include exposure, composition, experimental long exposures, and planning for post-processing. You are welcome to showcase your best images of the day, which we will discuss and analyze in a relaxed atmosphere.
During these days, we also visit the nearby Chilkat River Valley. The journey along the picturesque fjord leads to the mystical Chilkoot Lake. This area offers a striking contrast of coastal forests, mossy landscapes, and expansive fern fields. Here, eagles and, with some luck, coastal brown bears (grizzlies) can also be observed.
Day 8: Return to Haines Junction / Glanzmann Tours Lodge
Enjoy breakfast at a nearby coffee shop. The return trip takes us once more through the open Chilkat Valley, offering a final opportunity to photograph eagles until the afternoon. As we ascend the mountain pass from the coast, the landscape becomes increasingly rugged and wild, culminating at the 1,300-meter-high pass summit. In the open tundra plateau, we keep an eye out for moose, foxes, and ptarmigan. In the evening, we arrive at the Glanzmann Tours base and conclude the day with a warm meal and relaxed camaraderie.
Each evening, we are prepared for northern lights photography, which can be captured in a breathtaking mountain and forest setting directly in front of your cabin by the national park.
Day 9: Kluane Lake – Day Trip
Early morning, we drive along the edge of Kluane National Park, heading north. The first light touches the glacier-covered peaks of the St. Elias Mountains. The magnificent and renowned Kluane Lake, spanning 81 kilometers, is one of the largest lakes in the Yukon. During this time of year, the lake’s shoreline features fascinating “ice waves” and ice structures, offering a wealth of unique photography opportunities. It’s the kind of place where photographers lose track of time, completely immersed in the moment and the abundance of incredible subjects.
Optional sauna and northern lights photography are available in the evening.
Day 10: Kathleen Lake
We begin the day at a forest fire site, where charred, blackened tree trunks create striking compositions with the Kluane Mountains in the background. Afterward, we visit Kathleen Lake, the most famous lake in Kluane National Park. Nestled in a stunning mountain landscape, it epitomizes Canadian wilderness. Ice formations along the shoreline, including ice floes, air bubbles, and crystals, create perfect foregrounds.
With clouds often rolling through the valley from the west, this area is ideal for capturing unique long exposures with neutral density filters. Before dinner, we host a post-processing workshop and offer a final relaxing sauna session.
The evenings are perfect for northern lights and astrophotography. Beat Glanzmann will demonstrate techniques such as lighting a cabin from inside and outside to naturally integrate it into a starry scene.
Day 11: Dezadeash Lake
Our journey today takes us to Dezadeash Lake, known in winter for its spectacular sastrugi – wind-sculpted snowdrifts resembling waves or dunes. These natural artworks provide extraordinary photography subjects. At sunrise, the frozen lake offers a stunning mountain panorama.
The clear winter air and soft daylight provide perfect conditions to capture this enchanting landscape in all its glory.
Day 12: Return to Whitehorse
After breakfast, we embark on the drive back to Whitehorse via the Alaska Highway, with more chances to spot wildlife. The tour ends in Whitehorse around midday. Individual return or onward travel begins from here. Additional hotel accommodations in Whitehorse can be arranged upon request.
Important: Plan your return flight no earlier than 1:00 PM.
All routes, activities, and schedules may vary depending on weather, road conditions, and wildlife activity. Flexibility is an essential part of this photography-focused wilderness journey.
