“It was incredible. A privilege.”
Anton Freyr Birgisson is no stranger to Iceland’s wildlife. As a nature photographer and wilderness guide for Geo Travel Iceland, he has spent years exploring remote landscapes and observing the animals that live there. Still, one recent encounter stood out from everything he had experienced before.
While traveling through a secluded area of northern Iceland, Birgisson set out to photograph a large group of wild reindeer. The herd numbered roughly 400 animals, and he deliberately stayed well back so he could observe them without disturbing them.
That distance suddenly disappeared when the herd changed direction and began running straight toward him.
According to Birgisson, something had apparently startled the animals, causing them to move rapidly in his direction. Wanting to avoid frightening them further, he quickly positioned himself behind a nearby rock and remained as still as possible.
Birgisson had previously seen reindeer at close range while traveling by car or snowmobile, but standing among them on foot was an entirely different experience.
He described the moment as extraordinary and said he felt fortunate to witness the animals from such a close distance. At one point, a young calf even approached him and sniffed him.
Although the reindeer seemed to notice his presence, Birgisson believed they may not have fully understood what he was because he remained completely motionless. Rather than reacting nervously, the animals stayed peaceful, calmly grazing around him.
For Birgisson, the encounter quickly became one of the most memorable wilderness experiences of his year.
The herd remained nearby for approximately 20 minutes before gradually moving on and disappearing into the Icelandic landscape.
The experience reinforced what Birgisson loves most about northern Iceland: its sense of genuine, untouched wilderness. Sharing landscapes and wildlife encounters like this with visitors from around the world is also a major part of what makes his work so meaningful.