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About Our Iceland Northern Lights Tours

Our Northern Lights tours are a memorable adventure for those looking to witness one of nature's most spectacular shows. Tours start from Reykjavík or North Iceland and take you into the remote Icelandic countryside, away from city lights, for optimal viewing of the Aurora Borealis. Enjoy convenient pick-up and drop-off, hot cocoa, and cozy blankets to keep you comfortable. You can also get free photos taken by your guide during the tour!

Man looking to sky with northern lights

Our 3 Best Northern Lights Tours

Discover the Aurora in Small Groups

We keep our group sizes small for a more personal experience. Our tours use minibusses for remote spots and Super Jeeps for fun adventures on rugged terrain. For a deeper understanding of the Northern Lights science, we offer combo tours that include admission to the Iceland Aurora Museum. We always do our best to help you see the Northern Lights. Yet, even if they are not visible at that time due to unpredictable weather, we have you covered! If the lights don’t appear on your tour, you can take another trip free of charge within three years. Join us and experience the magic of the Aurora Borealis!

Super jeeps with northern lights above

Top Tours to See the Northern Lights from Reykjavik

What Are the Northern Lights

Northern light above mountains in Mosfellsdalur

Creating memories beneath the magical Aurora. Source: Arctic Adventures

Northern Lights are nature’s most jaw-dropping spectacle to date. They appear naturally when the sun's electric particles interact with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. This collision causes the glow!

This phenomenon is most visible near the magnetic poles in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Known as Aurora Borealis in the Northern Hemisphere, they are called Aurora Australis in the Southern Hemisphere. Together, they are often referred to as the polar lights.

You’ll easily recognize them. The lights look like waves or ribbons waving in the sky. Aurora Borealis colors, mainly green, red, and purple, perfectly contrast against the dark black background of the sky. It makes the spectacle look like a work of art.

The lights’ appearance depends a lot on weather conditions, solar activity, darkness, and location. Luckily, it’s common to see colorful light displays in Iceland, especially from September to April. The nights are dark and long, and the island is in the ideal spot, near a magnetic pole. You can track weather and aurora forecasts online or join a tour with guides who have years of experience in chasing the Aurora!

Explore more about the magical Northern Lights in Iceland and the science behind them.

FAQS

Absolutely! Guided tours are led by expert guides who have experience looking for the auroras. They know the best places to visit and how to interpret forecast information accurately. On combo trips, you'll also enjoy some sightseeing along the way.

Our tours, designed to find the Northern Lights, start at just 12,990 ISK, or approximately 95 USD per person. For a unique experience, you can book a Super Jeep tour, which costs from 23,990 ISK or approximately 174 USD per person. We also offer more options to suit different budgets!

Yes, due to its proximity to the Arctic Circle, Iceland is the perfect destination to see the auroras. As Iceland is not densely populated, there is little light pollution. Even so, our tours always venture out from the cities to the countryside for optimal viewing.

Our most popular and highly rated Aurora tour is the Minibus Tour with Free Photos Included. You can also upgrade to a combo deal with the Aurora Museum, where you'll learn about the lights and get photography tips. Plus, you’ll save 10% when you book this combo and enjoy a convenient pick-up after the museum to chase the lights!

The easiest way to book a tour is through our website. Choose from our selection of tours and find the right one. Due to popularity, make sure to book your seat beforehand. Please remember that the Northern Lights appear from September to April. For a privately arranged Aurora tour or something more specific, please contact us directly.

Yes, the majority of our Northern Lights tours include pick-up and drop-off in the capital city. From there, you will be driven outside the urban area to see the lights. We also offer pick-ups from various locations in Iceland for private tours.

You can see Aurora Borealis in Iceland from September to April when the nights are darker and longer. The best chances are during December and January, when there are only four to five hours of sunlight each day. The best locations are outside of Reykjavik, such as Þingvellir National Park, Hvalfjörður, or the Reykjanes Peninsula, where you can escape artificial light.

Absolutely! The capital of North Iceland is ideal for viewing the ethereal glow. It’s not as developed as Reykjavik, so there won’t be a lot of light pollution. Our guided tour of Aurora in Akureyri will take you to the best viewpoints for the polar lights!

Since you’ll be chasing the Northern Lights at night in winter, it’s essential to dress warm. Make sure to wear comfortable layers, including an undershirt, a fleece sweater, and a jacket on top. Don’t forget to include thermal underwear or leggings for extra warmth!

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer since capturing the auroras takes some trial and error. Be ready to try different settings on your camera. Bring extra batteries, and consider using a tripod to stabilize your shots.

Yes, the guide will take a photo of you with the Northern Lights behind you. These can be single or group photos and are free of charge. They will be available online after the tour.

The Northern Lights are natural phenomena and we unfortunately cannot promise you will see them on our tours. Your chances of seeing them depend on a number of factors that are out of our control, including weather conditions and atmospheric factors.

You can check the Aurora activity predictions with information about the metrics that determine their visibility. If the activity level is high and the skies are clear, the tour is likely to go ahead. We will update our website’s tour departure information by 17:00 at the latest, and if your tour is canceled for any reason, you’ll receive an email notifying you of the details.

When Northern Lights tours are canceled, it’s usually due to unfavorable weather conditions.

In that case, your options will be to:

  1. Reschedule for another day.
  2. Find another tour to embark on and use the deposit for it.
  3. Get fully refunded.

Please contact our Customer Care team to re-book your tour.

A refund is not available if the Northern Lights tour goes ahead and none are seen. However, we offer the opportunity to join another Northern Lights minibus tour free of charge. This offer is valid for three years, giving you plenty of time to try again!

Please contact our Customer Care Team to re-book your tour.

Why Travel With Us?

  • Award-winning tours
  • Only small-groups
  • Trusted by travelers for 40+ years
  • Modern, comfortable vehicles
  • Expert local guides
  • Reliable 7-days-a-week support

 

Northern Lights Iceland Photos

Explore the Northern Lights photos from Arctic Adventures tours. Join one of the trips to capture your own aurora!

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