Northern Lights Tour
Chase the Northern Lights and embrace the enchantment of the night sky.
Activity provider: Reykjavik Excursions by Icelandia
See the majestic northern lights in Iceland! The Aurora Borealis is a spectacular phenomenon of solar activity that results in lights dancing, changing shape and moving across the Arctic night sky. This tour is a must for guests traveling in Iceland during the winter!
About this tour
Watch the otherworldly northern lights light up the dark skies over Reykjavík! The Aurora Borealis is a spectacular phenomenon that can only be seen in a handful of countries in the northern hemisphere. You will be delighted seeing the lights dance and move across the Arctic night sky, in colours of green and white, and sometimes hues of red or blue if the solar activity is high. This tour is a must for winter travellers! Please be advised to dress appropriately for cold weather.
Tour Description: Catching a glimpse of the northern lights is a once-in-lifetime, bucket-list experience for many. The Aurora Borealis attracts people from around the world, whether it’s a family holiday or a professional photographer waiting for the perfect shot. In Iceland, you have the best chance of seeing the night lights when it’s cold and dark outside, in areas with no cloud cover, and when solar activity is high.
Northern lights, which can be seen in Iceland from September to March, are caused by solar winds that push electronic particles to collide with molecules of atmospheric gases that cause the emission of bright light. It’s a breathtakingly beautiful example of science.
While some tourists try to view the northern lights on their own, choosing a guided tour increases the chances of seeing the northern lights in Iceland. Instead of it coming down to luck, a team of experts review the weather conditions, monitor the aurora forecast and finds the best locations to spot auroras. That knowledge and experience really pays off! Also, the guide will help you find the best camera settings to capture photos during your tour. They are also on hand to take photos of you and your travel companions!
Please be advised the operation of this tour is dependent on solar activity, cloud cover and weather conditions. The tour may be cancelled if conditions aren’t favourable. Also, if you don’t see any auroras during the tour, you will be issued another ticket for a tour, free of charge, that can be used up to two years after the original tour date.
BSÍ Bus Terminal - City center
Tour overview
- Availability
- Summer, Fall, Winter & Spring
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Meeting Point
- BSÍ Bus Terminal - City center
Need to know
Warm clothes, a waterproof jacket, and sturdy shoes are recommended. We recommend bringing thermal layers, a winter hat, a scarf, gloves, and warm socks for colder days. Camera or a mobile phone with a camera, and you won't regret bringing a tripod either.
Indicated return times can vary. Once you have joined a departure, the tour is non-refundable regardless if the lights are visible or not.
If you don‘t see any lights, you can re-book again for another
- Flexible Cancellation
- No Booking Fees
Do you have questions about reserving online? Contact us and we’ll help you with your booking.
Tour itinerary
What’s included and what to bring on this tour
It’s important to always be prepared for your next adventure in Iceland. See our list of what’s included, and what you should bring or add to your trip
Included
- Bus Fare
- Free Wi-Fi
- Professional Local Guidance
Are you wondering about something?
If you're planning a trip to Iceland, it's important to be prepared with the right information. Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help you plan your trip
- Warm, wind & waterproof jacket
- Three layers of clothes as the weather can change quickly
- Warm sweater, fleece and thermal layer
- Warm trousers – waterproof and breathable
- Sturdy water-resistant footwear/boots
- Woollen socks
- Warm hat and scarf
- Warm and waterproof gloves
- Crampons (advisable during winter) – can be bought on the spot. Some of our beautiful places in nature are protected and cannot be salted to protect nature. That is why it can get quite icy at Gullfoss and Geysir, so we recommend wearing crampons there.
All admission to sites, museums or exhibitions visited are included, unless otherwise stated in tour description.
Reykjavik Excursions offers guidance in most of the tours. Guidance is in English. Some tours are additionally guided in German, French or Scandinavian (maximum 2 languages per tour).
Our tour guides are professionals with degrees in various languages and/or subjects relating to Icelandic tourism. Your guide tells you about the area you are visiting and leads the way throughout the tour. He will also be able to answer your questions, if you have any. Our aim is to offer quality tours that feature the different aspects of Iceland's nature, history, culture and modern living.
Passengers with reduced mobility and using a manual wheelchair are more than welcome to join our day tours. Please advise your reduced mobility when booking a day tour in order for us to be able to make appropriate measures. Our staff assists as much as possible in moving to/from or within the bus.
Guidance is in English.
Some tours are additionally guided in German, French or Scandinavian (maximum 2 languages per tour). Further information and details are listed with each tour.
Similar tours

Blue Lagoon & Northern Lights
Enjoy a perfect winter day in Iceland! Experience the best of Iceland with this package of two of the island’s most popular tours in one day! Soak in the milky blue healing water of the Blue Lagoon, which is one of Iceland's most famous tourist attractions and is considered by many to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and an unmissable part of a visit to Iceland. After your return to Reykjavík, a guide will lead you on a search for the elusive northern lights! Watching the lights dance and flicker in the sky, changing shape and colour, is incredible. Prepare to be dazzled!

The Golden Circle & Northern Lights - Combo Deal
Want to see the sites of the Golden Circle and hunt for the northern lights but have a limited amount of time? Consider this express Golden Circle/Northern Lights tour! Experience the landmarks of the classic Golden Circle in South Iceland on this unforgettable day tour. The Golden Circle encompasses the must-see sights of Thingvellir National Park, the golden Gullfoss waterfall, and the bubbling geothermal region of Geysir. After your return to Reykjavík, a guide will lead you on a search for the elusive northern lights!

Northern Lights - Small Group Tour
See the majestic northern lights in Iceland! The Aurora Borealis is a spectacular phenomenon of solar activity that results in lights dancing, changing shape and moving across the Arctic night sky. In Iceland, the northern lights are visible during the winter months, from late August to early April, and appear in many different forms and colours, although light green and pink are the most common. This small group tour is a must for guests in Iceland during the winter! The smaller group means you get more time with your expert guide for facts about auroras and assistance with taking photographs of the phenomenon.