Your photo guide will be Dr. Robert Berdan. Robert is a professional nature photographer with numerous photos published in books and magazines (e.g. Outdoor Photography Canada, Photo Life, Canadian Geographic). Robert has been involved with photography for over 35 years and teaching workshops for the past 20 years. Robert's background also includes degrees in biology and is a professed photo-geek with a passion for sharing his information with others. Robert will cover topics on macro-photography and wildlife photography.
Day 1: September 5
Upon arrival in Yellowknife you will be greeted at the airport by our friendly staff. After claiming your baggage you will be driven to the hotel. Evening activities include aurora photography in and/or out of the City.
Day 2: September 6
Morning activities will vary pending evening photography activities from the night before. Tour & photography possibilities include local historic sites, Giant Mine & Cameron Falls as well as aurora viewing in the evening.
Day 3: September 7
Peterson's staff will pick you up at the hotel early morning (8:30 am) and will take you to the Air Tindi float base for your flight to the lodge (9:30 a.m.). At the float base, we celebrate the start of your adventure with homemade bannock and preserves, accompanied by a cheese and fruit platter. A toast to your trip with sparkling wine and orange juice while overlooking Great Slave Lake sets the tone before you board the float plane for your one hour and thirty minute flight. This flight is approximately one hour and thirty minutes and brings you over 200 miles north of Yellowknife, over the treeline and to the barrens. Upon arrival Chad Peterson, lodge owner and guide will be there to welcome you, assign cabins and introduce the Lodge staff. You will be given a tour of the lodge and have time to get unpacked and settled into your cabin. Over lunch there is a brief orientation and Chad and Robert will answer any questions you may have.
Day 4/5/6: September 8-10
You can expect to begin your day with a nourishing breakfast. Our cook will have an assortment of choices including fresh coffee, tea, juice, muffins, toast and fruit preserves, Red River cereal and main course, be it eggs, pancakes or French toast. Breakfast is a great time to discuss the days' activities; each day at Point Lake is unique, as insects and weather will influence the day's activities. Over the course of the four days & nights at the lodge Robert will cover topics on macro-photography and wildlife photography. The tundra offers a wide variety of plants and lichens many of which will be brightly colored in September. This is a superb time of year to capture northern lights (aurora borealis), migratory wildlife & birds, including barrenground caribou, grizzly bears, tundra swans and peregrine falcons. There will be time to view photos for discussion on composition, etcetera.
Throughout the four days you will also learn about the exciting history of early explorers, including Sir John Franklin and Samuel Hearne as well as the aboriginal people who travelled through this area. Dinner is served in the main lodge.
Day 7: September 11
On your last day you will depart for Yellowknife at approximately 11:00 am, arrival time in Yellowknife: approximately 12:30 pm. You will be met at the float base and after loading your gear you will be driven to the airport or hotel to check-in. There may be time for lunch at one of the local restaurants as well as gift/souvenir shopping. Please note: We do our utmost to stay within the scheduled dates/times however there is the possibility of delays due to uncontrollable factors such as inclement weather and other reasons beyond our control.
