Embark on a remote expedition with us to the virtually untouched island of Uoleva, Tonga. During this trip, we’ll have the rare opportunity to swim with humpback whales by day and photograph the Southern Hemisphere Milky Way by night.
We are running this Whales of Tonga Photo Tour in September, during the dry season. This time of year offers clear skies for astrophotography and ideal conditions for spotting whales, especially playful calves.
Every year, humpback whales travel thousands of miles from the icy waters of Antarctica to the warm, calm seas of Tonga. They choose this remote archipelago for a reason: shallow lagoons with no predators, water temperatures that are perfect for newborn calves, and a peaceful sanctuary where mothers can nurse their young before making the long journey south again.
We’re running our photo tour in September, one of the best months to encounter mother whales and their curious calves. During the day, we’ll set out on the boat to snorkel with the whales, following our local guides’ protocols. Tonga has strict whale-swim regulations, so we’ll use a rotation system to enter and exit the boat.
At night, we’ll shift our focus to astrophotography and show you the best techniques to shoot the Southern Hemisphere Milky Way. Light pollution here is minimal, so on clear nights, you can capture the bright Milky Way core.
This “Milky Whales” adventure is a unique off-grid experience. This is not a luxury resort trip; it’s a rare wildlife and astro expedition in one of the most remote island nations in the world.
We’ll stay in a small, eco-style beach resort in Uoleva. This island is almost completely uninhabited, making it one of those rare places where you can totally disconnect. Uoleva lacks many conveniences, such as roads and infrastructure, relying instead on small-scale solar power and rainwater collection. The eco-resort is a very rustic accommodation with no electricity in the rooms and solar-heated garden showers, but it’s a piece of paradise on Earth.
Before you continue reading, it’s important to note that the whale-swim activities on this tour require a certain level of fitness. You should be in reasonably good health, especially to swim in open water. Getting into and out of the boat is easy since the boat has an attached metal ladder. However, you’ll need to be able to swim as your whale guide directs you.
All the activities on land, such as the landscape and Milky Way sessions, are suitable for all fitness levels.
If you don’t want to take part in the whale-swim/snorkeling activities, you are still more than welcome to join us on the boat for a unique perspective and to photograph the whales and landscapes.
Most importantly, keep in mind that this is a one-of-a-kind tour on a remote island with no roads and no electricity except for solar power. The rooms don’t have electricity and rely on solar lights. There’s also no hot running water, just a private solar garden shower outside your room. While the common area has internet, it’s spotty at best and is only available for about 4 hours during the day.
We want to be clear that this hotel is very basic, so if you don’t think you can be comfortable without modern amenities, this isn’t the tour for you. However, it’s one of the few options on this remote island, and we believe it’s worth it for the unforgettable experience to swim with whales!
Like any wildlife activity, sightings are not guaranteed. Of course, our guides and skippers have years of experience and will be on the constant lookout for whales, and they’ll do their best so we can enjoy memorable encounters.
The Milky Way sessions also depend on the clouds. Uoleva is one of the best places in the world for astrophotography, thanks to its remoteness and minimal light pollution.
After arrival day, we’ll spend the next six days (with the exception of Sunday) taking the boat out to sea for potential whale sightings. It’s impossible to predict the movement of wild animals, so each day will bring something different and an entirely new encounter with these gentle giants.
On Sunday, we’ll have a mandatory rest day. It’s against the law in Tonga to provide any commercial services on Sunday, but the resort will still serve meals, and you’re welcome to join us for a walk around the island or go snorkeling on the reef in front where you can spot turtles and blacktip reef sharks.
The process of getting to Uoleva is tedious. First, you’ll fly into Fuaʻamotu International Airport in Nuku’alofa on Tonga’s main island, Tongatapu. From there, you’ll take a domestic flight to Salote Pilolevu Airport on Lifuka, one of the Ha’apai Islands. From there, a staff member from the resort will meet the group and together, you’ll take a boat transfer to nearby Uoleva Island.
At the resort, the staff member will show you around and take you to your room so you can settle in and get all your gear ready for the following day. Then, we’ll meet up as a group for our onboarding talk and first safety briefing (we’ll go over the whale-swim regulations the following day on the boat).
We’ll take a break for dinner, then head out for our first Astro session if weather cooperates.
For the next few days, we’ll do daily boat trips to go snorkeling and capture whale photos. After breakfast, we’ll board the boat in groups of 8 and set out. Our resort has access to both sides of the shoreline, and our local guides will decide which side to depart from for the best conditions that day.
On the first day our local guides will give a brief overview, explaining the whale-swim regulation system. Groups of no more than 4 swimmers can be in the water at any given time, and group swims are limited to 90 minutes. The guides will search the horizon for a blow, signaling that humpback whales are nearby. Some days, we may just get a glimpse, while others, we’ll spend more time with the whales.
Part of the fun is waiting to see what kind of encounter we’ll have that day. A curious juvenile could be waiting under the water, or perhaps a mother whale supervising or nursing her calf. Another rare phenomenon you can be lucky to witness is a “heat run,” in which multiple males pursue a female at high speed. Not the easier moment to photograph, but for sure one that will leave you speechless.
Even from the boat, we can spot different whale behaviors like calf breaching (launching its body into the air), spyhopping (raising its head above the surface to have a peer), fluking (lifting its tail out of the water), or lobtailing (slapping its tail on the surface). The older the calves are, the more playful and curious they become. That’s why September has historically offered a high concentration of whales, with calves at an age when mothers feel more confident letting them approach swimmers more closely.
Photographing these mammoth creatures is both a privilege and a challenge. Sometimes it requires a lot of patience, but the result is a special moment. Watching these wild whales in the clear turquoise waters of a remote tropical island is something you’ll never forget.
Our whale-swim guides will get the boat as close as possible, so we’ll have the best photo opportunities. Sometimes, we’ll spot pods of humpback whales circling our group; other times, we may catch a whale breaching. One of the most breathtaking moments is seeing a mother whale closely watch her calf as it practices its first dives.
You’re always free to decide if you want to take part in the swimming activities or not. If you choose not to snorkel, you’ll still have the opportunity to photograph the whales from the boat at a very close distance. We’ll also capture beautiful images of the pristine shoreline in the distance.
We’ll have lunch during the tour – either on the boat or on one of the tiny uninhabited islands nearby. After a few hours, we’ll head back to shore and return to the hotel for showers and some downtime. This is the perfect time to check your email and leave your electronic charging.
We’ll have an early dinner at the hotel before embarking on our Milky Way session. Uoleva is one of the most ideal locations in the world for astrophotography. With almost no light pollution, there are plenty of opportunities to photograph the Milky Way arching across the sky.
We’ll help you find stunning compositions, work with the tide conditions, and capture panoramas so you return home with incredible images.
Tongan law requires that all non-essential businesses close on Sunday. That means many activities are off-limits, including our boat and whale-swim tours. The Serenity resort will still provide meals for us.
We’ll spend this quiet day enjoying leisurely walks along the beach and naps in the hammock. You may also go snorkeling around the coral reef in front of the property where some days you can spot turtles and blacktip reef sharks. Most importantly, we’ll rest up so we’re prepared for the next few days of whale swims.
After breakfast at 8:00 AM, we’ll pack up and bid farewell to the group. You can fly back home at any time or extend your stay in Tongatapu or one of the other islands in Tonga. We’ll coordinate with the rest of the tour participants to determine what time we need to be at the Ha’apai airport, and we’ll arrange a group transfer off the island.
Deposit: $3,000 USD
A non-refundable deposit of $3,000 USD is required to reserve your spot for this tour. You can also pay in full at any time. The remaining balance is due 4 months before the start of the tour. If the remaining balance is not paid in full by the due date, you will lose your spot.
If you’re booking the No-Wait upgrade, the deposit is $5,000.
This trip is focused on wildlife, underwater, and Milky Way photography.
What you learn during the workshop will vary according to your goals and skills. Your instructors are professional photographers with extensive experience who will help you take your photography to the next level.
During the tour you’ll have the opportunity to learn:
Dan Zafra is a professional landscape and astrophotographer based in the Southwest desert of the United States. Renowned for his mastery of wide-field nightscapes and Milky Way photography, Dan blends artistic vision with cutting-edge technical skills.
Dan will ensure you get the most out of this retreat, guiding you through editing techniques and offering personalized one-on-one support to bring your astrophotography to life. With a passion for teaching, he’ll help you refine your creative process and master post-processing workflows tailored to your images.
Dan has led countless workshops and tours for Capture the Atlas in iconic locations like Death Valley, Utah, Monument Valley, and beyond. His work has been celebrated by NASA, National Geographic, and Forbes, earning him the People’s Choice Award in the 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. He’s also a sought-after speaker, sharing expertise at events like the Nightscaper Photo Conference and Night Photo Summit, and curates resources like the Capture the Atlas Milky Way Calendars to inspire photographers worldwide.
Ascen will be the co-leader on this whale-swimming in Tonga photo tour.
Her main passion is wildlife photography, and her dream since she was a kid has been to swim with wild whales, a dream that she’ll help you fulfill on this tour! She has experience swimming with whales in Tonga and other destinations, and she will provide constant tips and instruction so you can capture the best possible images.
She also specializes in landscape photography and astrophotography, using advanced techniques such as the use of star trackers to extract all the details of the Milky Way. Ascen will provide the best settings and methods to help you capture all the action on the tour.
You will receive a complete list of everything that we recommend for this workshop upon completing your registration for the trip. Below, you can find a summary of things you might need:
We also recommend a fast prime lens for Northern Light photography. Some of the best lenses in this range are:
This prime can also be a substitute for your wide-angle zoom for daytime images. You can see our full list of recommendations in our “Best Lenses for Northern Lights guide“.
The weather in the Kuusamo area during January is severely cold, with very low temperatures ranging from 14°F to -13°F (-10°C to -25°C). However, during winter, there can be spells of extreme cold in the area, occasionally dropping to as low as -31ºF or -40ºF (-35º or -40º).
As the sun barely rises a few degrees above the horizon, the temperature remains very stable throughout the 24 hours of the day, and there are no major fluctuations between night and day, making it easier for the body to acclimatize. This is why it is extremely important to dress warmly for both daytime and nighttime sessions.
For this reason, you should come prepared and wear the right clothing and trekking gear. Below is our list of recommendations for this Finnish Lapland tour:
Some optional items that are highly recommended are:
You will receive a list with everything that you need and we recommend with links and examples once you complete the tour registration.
We will also organize a pre-tour online meeting where we’ll explain the different clothing and gear recommendations and reply to your questions.
As the weather in Lapland can be extremely cold, we have arranged the option to get back to the bus accompanied by a guide in one of the rounds to the bus that will be planned.
However, we highly recommend making the most of the scarce six hours of constant golden light that the day offers, as returning to the bus will mean losing part of the short hours of daylight.
The currency in Finland is the Euro (EUR). Credit and debit cards are widely accepted everywhere in Finland. You can exchange some cash if you like before the trip.
Finland follows the visa regulations of the Schengen Area. Depending on your nationality and duration of stay, a visa may be necessary. We are here to assist you with the visa application process and provide guidance. It’s essential to verify the specific visa requirements for your country of residence prior to your trip.
Most countries (Such as the United States and Canada) don’t need a visa to visit Finland for less than 90 days. Remember to consult the official embassy or consulate of Finland for the most up-to-date and accurate visa information based on your nationality and circumstances.
Update on ETIAS:
A new travel authorization system called ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) is expected to launch in the last quarter of 2026. Once implemented, travelers from many countries — including those who currently do not require a visa, such as the United States and Canada — will need to apply for ETIAS before entering the EU.
Since this requirement won’t be in effect during our tour, no ETIAS application is needed at this time, but we encourage you to stay informed about future travel requirements for upcoming trips. You can find more details on the official ETIAS website.
During this Finnish Lapland photo tour, we’ll stay in a top-rated hotel in the village of Ruka, in shared rooms for two people, with a private bathroom + private sauna.
This is one of the best hotels in the perfect spot to reach all our photography locations and host the photography presentations and classes we’ll run during the tour.
We will be staying at this hotel for the entire trip. You can also request a private room for an additional fee of $850. Private rooms are limited and subject to availability.
During this Finnish Lapland Photo Tour, we’ll travel in a minibus with ample space for all participants to comfortably move from one spot to another.
We’ll have a professional and accredited driver who is experienced in navigating the roads in Finland.
To reach Ruka, you should book your flight to Kuusamo Airport (KAO). The price of round-trip flights to Kuusamo from Europe ranges approximately from $450 to $700, and from the US, it is approximately $900 to $1,100.
Several airlines operate flights to Kuusamo, including Finnair, British Airways or Air France. Regardless of whether you fly from Europe or the United States, it is difficult to find direct flights to Kuusamo. The most direct route is usually to fly to Helsinki or Rovaniemi, and from there there are daily flights to Kuusamo.
We strongly recommend booking your flight to arrive one day before the start of the tour (Jan. 24th) in case there are flight cancelations because of bad weather.
We recommend this article to find the best way to get to Kuusamo Airport from your current location.
Meals except breakfasts are not included in the tour package. During daylight hours, we will be mostly engaged in photography sessions with some breaks in local cafeterias during some of the days.
We recommend bringing some snacks or a piece of fruit, which you can buy at the local supermarkets. Most days, we will return around 4:00 PM-5:00 PM, allowing you some rest time before our early evening classes, and we head out to dinner at a local restaurant.
You'll be absorbed by the magic of Finland and have an intense experience that is conducive to learning and taking the best images.
Our photo trek is limited to small groups with a ratio of no more than six students per instructor. This is also an important factor for providing the attentive instruction you need during the tour.
We will photograph some hidden gems that we have discovered while exploring in the past and include a visit to a reindeer farm, and a snowmobile tour. We'll be close to the best locations during the best moments of light.
We will discuss your goals before the tour so we can create a dedicated instruction plan for you. It doesn’t matter your age or skills; we will design your plan and provide you with materials before, during, and after the workshop so the learning process is not limited to just the tour.
We have spent years designing national and international photo tours with successful results, helping photographers with everything from the simple task of getting off Auto to the ambitious goal of capturing complex images. Dan’s online courses have also helped more than 800 photographers over the last few years.
Beyond the photography, our photography tours help build strong bonds that last forever. After our trip, you’ll feel like you have been with a group of friends rather than on a standard tour. We are thankful to have plenty of repeat clients who keep traveling and learning with us.
Whether you are experienced or just starting out in photography, you are welcome, and we are convinced that you will progress quickly. Together, we will get you back home with a greater and deeper knowledge in many photography topics.
We’ll also organize an online Zoom meeting with the instructors before the tour so we can give some recommendations and answer your questions.
This is not a hiking Photo tour; however, there are some moderate hikes that we’ll take and that you should consider. Also, conditions like snow or fog can make the hikes harder. None of the routes include extreme steep sections, and all of them are suitable for the general public.
However, snow and ice can make walking a lot harder than in normal conditions, and walking with snowshoes requires more effort than walking in normal boots, so don’t overestimate your capabilities. So we recommend being in good physical shape and prepared to be able to enjoy this experience.
There is no age limit. This trip is perfect for anyone over 18 years old who wants to photograph Finland with us.
Non-photographer companions are welcome to join the tour, and they need to book a spot under the same price and conditions as any other participant. (We don’t allow non-participant companions tagging along with the group). We have had plenty of non-photographer companions over the years and all of them enjoyed an amazing experience. As long as they enjoy nature, beautiful landscapes, and are a bit patient with the schedules of a photo tour, joining the trip can be a great experience regardless of the shooting.
Absolutely. We can assign you a shared room in the different accommodations. Please state that information on the registration form and we’ll take care of it.
Drones are permitted in some locations. However, the harsh conditions make operating the remote control with gloves quite uncomfortable and imprecise. Additionally, you should store the batteries inside your jacket for a while before flying it, because the cold weather may trigger the drone’s safety system and keep you from flying it.
Our guides will provide guidance on the specific places that drones can be flown and the height and distance restrictions at each location, ensuring a safe and responsible drone flying experience. However, we are not responsible for any accidental damage or fines during drone flights.
We’ve had the opportunity to work with and help countless photographers over the last years:
Join us on an unforgettable journey through Finnish Lapland’s snowy wonderland! This exclusive photo tour will offer you the chance to photograph surreal landscapes, from snow-sculpted trees to the magical Northern Lights.
In January, the sun barely rises, casting a golden light perfect for photography. We’ll explore stunning locations like Riisitunturi and Oulanka National Parks, with the opportunity to capture the Aurora Borealis dancing across the sky.
Enjoy cozy accommodations, professional photography guidance, and unique excursions like snowmobile rides to Mount Kuntivaara and visits to a reindeer farm. Embrace Finnish Lapland’s enchanting beauty and return home with a portfolio of breathtaking images and unforgettable memories!
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