It can be hard to put this wild and otherworldly place into words. So, you’ll definitely want to capture it on camera. Here, expert tips and tricks for shooting in the land of fire and ice.
Director of Expedition Photography and geologist Ralph Lee Hopkins is reporting from Iceland. Check out these jaw-dropping photos and video clips from the Fagradalsfjall volcano which has been erupting since March 2021.
Can you imagine being close to an active volcano? Geologist Ralph Lee Hopkins just returned from several weeks in Iceland where he got up-close views and jaw-dropping photos. See what he had to say about this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
A jubilant Lindblad Expeditions team welcomed National Geographic Endurance's first-ever guests and celebrated with time-honored ship christening traditions. Here’s a taste of what it felt like to be there.
Small but mighty, puffins can dive to depths of 200 feet and fly as fast as 55 miles per hour. Get to know the unofficial bird of Iceland, everyone’s favorite “parrot of the sea.”
There’s no better way to experience the unspoiled corners of Iceland than on a small-ship expedition. Discover why this subarctic island is even more compelling when seen by sea.
You could easily fall in love with Iceland having seen only Reykjavík and wonders of the Golden Circle. But these are truly just the tip of the iceberg.
This morning, National Geographic Orion cleared into Vanuatu, more specifically, the surreal island of Tanna. Tanna is home to Mt. Yasur, an active volcano containing one of the world’s very few lava lakes. Even driving the road to get to the base of the volcano is no small feat. Heavy rains render the muddy, ash covered roads sometimes useless on the best of days, but conditions were perfect for us! After the fleet of pickup trucks got us to the base of the volcano, we were able to hike up the rest of the way. Sulphur, water vapors, and ash greeted us as we looked down the throat of the active volcano. Grumbles from the belly of the beast thundered through to the air as we cautiously observed.
The morning sun found a few early risers scanning the sea for birds as National Geographic Venture made its way up Johnstone Strait towards Alert Bay. The first sighting of marine mammals occurred just before breakfast as a trio of sea otters were relaxing together midwater. We noted that these otters were surprisingly south of their expected location. At Alert Bay, our guests were shuttled to the cultural center and given a tour of sacred artifacts, which we weren’t allowed to photograph. Later, we were welcomed into the Big House for an inspired ceremony featuring traditional music and dance. At the request of the performers, no photos have been shared. You will have to take my word for it that it was a truly spectacular experience.
Our first day aboard National Geographic Sea Lion started with a lovely hike at Lake Eva on Chichagof Island. We took in beautiful vistas as we learned about the wonders of Alaska’s temperate rainforest. The afternoon was spent searching for wildlife in Chatham Strait, and while cruising along the coast, we saw a mother and calf humpback pair. After a few sightings together, it seemed like the mother took a deeper dive to forage, leaving the calf at the surface. Once left to its own devices the baby humpback breached not once, but four times out of the water! But the show was not over because the mother was not going to be outdone as she launched herself out of the water, staying near the surface pectoral slapping. After surfacing, both whales moved toward each other and became reunited after their aerial acrobatics. It was a lovely way to start our first full day of the trip.
We awoke at sunrise and observed the majestic Bartolomé Island showered by the first sunrays of the morning. Our first hike of the day was invigorating, almost 400 steps to the summit of Bartolomé to appreciate the astonishing beauty of the surroundings. What an amazing view! We saw several parasitic volcanoes, an underwater crater, golden sandy beach, and the many shades of blue of the ocean. On our way back to National Geographic Endeavour II, we took a detour to search for the iconic Galapagos penguins and we found them. Yay! Our afternoon destination was Chinese Hat, a small island surrounded by lava fields, fine white sand, and crystal-clear waters. We went snorkeling and swimming and had more encounters with Galapagos penguins. They’re so fast, they look like they’re flying under the water. The day wouldn’t have been complete without a sunset exploration by Zodiac to explore the coasts of Santiago Island and Chinese Hat. Some friendly sea lions greeted us with their spectacular, playful behavior. Soon, we found ourselves riding back under the light of the sunset with the impressive volcanic background of the Galapagos.
Today’s scenic highlight was a visit to Capelinhos, the site of a massive series of volcanic eruptions on Faial in 1957-58. Villages were buried in ash and over 2 kilometers of new land were added to the island. Miraculously, no one was killed. The views over the towering bluffs of ash and pumice were dramatic, as were videos of the eruptions presented in the nearby volcano museum. The museum is creatively built underground at the base of the historic lighthouse, which somehow escaped destruction during the eruptions. Another highlight of the day was the whaling museum in the town of Horta. This museum is located in the former whaling factory, “Fabrica da Baleia de Porto Pim,” where sperm whales were rendered into oil and “meal” – ground bones and meat that were used for cattle feed and agricultural fertilizer on the islands. Whaling officially ended in the Azores in 1987, though it had ceased to be a major activity by the 1970s. We’re pleased that whale-watching is now one of the major tourist attractions of the islands.