A WINTER WONDERLAND THAT DIDN’T DISAPPOINT - I’D DO IT AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT - MARC FREEBREY

When searching for the ultimate wildlife trip, it’s good to have a target list of multiple subjects just in case one doesn’t turn up. However, choosing a remote location at the northern tip of Iceland didn’t provide that luxury. Our destination was the Hornstrandir nature reserve in the Westfjords which has been uninhabited since the 1950s, and is the only place in Iceland where the Arctic fox is completely protected from hunting.

Travelling with Mike and others made the journey feel pretty painless. The excitement was infectious and everyone was full of hope. Spending time with the Arctic fox had always been a dream and I wasn’t going to miss this chance with Apex Adventures.

We flew into Reykjavik and had an internal flight scheduled to Ísafjörður from where we would take a boat to the Hornstrandir nature reserve. All of that felt like an adventure in itself, but the end result was well worth the effort. Base camp is the only property on the reserve with no other human around for 100’s of miles. You are dropped off at the shoreline and walk up to this amazing property surrounded by steep white mountains and the most incredible views. You instantly take photos but soon realise there is no rush as you’re here for many more days. The house was rustic, but immediately felt like home. One recent renovation is an amazing shower and sauna room with breath taking views over Hornvik bay. Waking up to that was always a delight!

There were six on the trip (3 from the UK, and 3 from Iceland), plus 2 from the family who owned the property who were our hosts, our cook, and our storytellers of Nordic legend.

After sorting rooms and unpacking, we were instantly on red alert with the cameras. You could hear the foxes calling and often see them running along the ridgelines or coming down onto the shore scavenging for fish. The hunting restrictions, and lack of other humans made the foxes less wary, and did provide opportunities for some close encounters with some well applied fieldcraft. You could choose to stay close to the property or walk further along the shoreline in search for that perfect shot. On one day, Mike and I walked for a number of hours around the bay hoping to get the white fox on the black sands, but sadly that didn’t happen. However, the conversation, tranquility, and views made it a special day.

What a special mammal the Arctic Fox is.

There was no formal timeline to the day, but freshly cooked breakfast was typically served around 7:00am and you were out for 8:00am. If you were close by the house at lunch time, there would always be amazing hot soup waiting for you. Snacks were available throughout the day and evening dinner was served around 7:30pm. The food was always fresh and high quality. This was always a great part of the day, sitting around the table, listening to each other’s stories and sharing our individual encounters. The property does not have power so the generator runs from 6:00pm – approx. 9:00pm to allow everyone to charge the equipment and do a little editing. There is no phone signal on the reserve, but Starlink internet is provided when the generator is on, so you are able to call home and check in. Even after dark, if you were lucky enough, there was often a special surprise waiting outside.

Fox highlights

Well, there were simply too many to mention. On average there were 4 or 5 good encounters with the foxes each day. It was mating season so you could often hear the males calling, constantly on the move in search of the females. After a few days you began to learn their movements and could predict where they would go, and get into position before their arrival. Oh boy, when you got this right, the encounters (and photography) were incredible. If you were calm and still, the foxes were unfazed by your presence and clearly felt safe in your company.

Myself, lay photographing one of the foxes.

On one occasion, I managed to get close to a sleeping female on a bit of exposed grass that had warmed up in the sun. When she woke up, she simply looked me up and down, groomed herself, and then just sat enjoying being the star of the show.

The farewell storm

The weather during our week was incredible (possibly too good as I hoped for a blizzard day). However we had to leave one day early as the storms were coming in and the boat would have been unable to coming the following morning to collect us and we would have been stranded until the storm passed.

No problem – the team managed to get us an incredible place back in Ísafjörður. A little bit of civilization meant we could catch up on editing, share workflow tips, and get a beer & kebab.

The following morning we travelled back to Reykjavik before heading home, full of memories that will last a lifetime.

This trip was unforgettable, the group were amazing, and Mike and the team were always attentive. Memories were made and I had so much fun. So much so, I have booked up again with Apex Adventures to go to Spain for the Iberian Lynx. If you are considering a trip like this one, stop thinking and just do it…. You will not regret it.

Marc Freebrey, 2025