Frans Lanting and Chris Eckstrom lead exclusive journeys to the world’s great wild places. They have traveled the world for more than 30 years, covering its wildlife and natural history for National Geographic, the World Wildlife Fund, and many other organizations. With their extensive travel experience and insights, Frans and Chris design customized itineraries for small groups or families, ensuring you a superlative wildlife and photography experience.
Costa Rica: Osa Peninsula
December 5–13, 2022
Join Frans and Chris for a winter escape to a tropical biodiversity hotspot—Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. We’ll immerse ourselves in photographing exotic wildlife from monkeys to macaws to sea turtles, and lush rainforest that extends down steep mountain slopes to a stunning Pacific beach.
You will learn creative approaches to photographing rainforest life with hands-on sessions in the field. Our base camp is a top-rated eco-lodge and an ideal setting for exploring the rich flora and fauna of Costa Rica’s rainforest. You can even bring a long lens to breakfast to photograph monkeys, macaws, and toucans feeding in nearby trees. Our group will be limited to 10 guests, offering an intimate experience. This is also a great trip for non-photographer spouses who can relax in the lodge with spa services and enjoy wonderful hiking trails—or they can join the photo group for outings.
For more information, please contact us.
Antarctica: Up Close and Personal
January 1–17, 2023
Frans and Chris will lead an exclusive, small-vessel expedition along the Antarctic Peninsula. We will fly in and out of King George Island— avoiding the waves and weather of the infamous Drake Passage and the 4 travel days needed to cross it. We will spend almost two weeks in Antarctica to photograph icebergs and monumental landscapes, as well as penguins, whales, and seabirds. Our sturdy ship, the Hans Hansson, will be able to get into locations that bigger ships can’t reach. Our group will be limited to 10 guests. We hope you will join us for this unusual opportunity to experience the wonders of Antarctica up close and personal.
For more information, please contact us.
Svalbard: Crown Jewel of the Arctic
June 26–July 8, 2023
Frans and Chris will lead a group of 10 guests on this unique Arctic expedition. Svalbard features a large population of polar bears, as well as arctic foxes, walrus colonies, and an abundance of bird life. The landscape features rugged snow-capped mountain ranges, spectacular glaciers, icebergs, and towering cliffs packed with seabirds.
Designed for photographers by photographers, our itinerary provides quality time for extended photo sessions in the best locations. We will take you to favorite places we visited during previous voyages, making the most of this great experience with wildlife, ice-scapes, and Arctic light.
Our home away from home during this 15-night private-charter expedition will be a luxurious vessel that provides an excellent platform for photography, with a spacious main deck low over the water, creating great vantage points if we are approached by polar bears on the ice or walruses in the water. Well-suited to expedition cruising among small islands, our ship can get into locations that larger ships cannot access.
For more information, please contact us.
ALASKA WILDLIFE
August 3–August 11, 2023
Join Frans and Chris for this rare opportunity aboard a privately-chartered Alaskan vessel, for a seven-day adventure that promises incredible views and jaw-dropping bear and wildlife viewing in Katmai National Park. Besides grizzly bears—including mothers and cubs— our photo opportunities will include other wildlife including bald eagles and marine mammals, and classic Alaskan scenery, from coastal mountains and massive glaciers to lush forests and rocky beaches. This intimate, small group expedition will get photographers up close to the heart of the action.
For more information, please contact us.