The aurora belt · REYKJAVIK
Everything here leaves after dark from the same handful of downtown stops and comes back before midnight. These 15 differ on how far they drive, how big the group is and what happens when the sky stays shut, each priced per person.
Leave Reykjavik by bus with guides such as Barbara, Darren, Kristi, or Pierre, then follow the weather toward darker skies. Expect a four-hour search with several outdoor stops, aurora facts, photo help, and hot cocoa. If the lights stay hidden, you can join one free retry tour.
“Mesmerising! Very informative tour guide. We were very lucky to see such a brilliant show of the lights.”
Leave Reykjavik in a minibus of about 20 people and chase clear skies with guides such as Ody, JP, Michael, and Axel. Expect several dark-sky stops, aurora tips, photo help, hot chocolate, and a free retry on the Northern Lights Bus if the lights stay hidden.
“JP was the best guide we could've asked for! Informative, funny, kind, passionate, and determined. He really did an amazing job with taking us to places where the giant busses were not, and this gave the whole experience an even more premium and private feel. It was a super awesome experience!”
Leave Reykjavik with a local aurora guide such as Bjarni, BG, Johann, or Aegir, then follow the clearest forecast beyond the city lights. Expect a small-group search, possible location changes, hot chocolate and pastries, blankets, and professional photos. If the lights stay hidden, you may rebook free.
“This experience was awesome! Bjarni was great, very friendly and a great host. We tried a few spots and then he nailed the perfect spot. No other people, no city lights, just some beautiful northern lights.”
Leave Reykjavík by minibus with up to 19 people and chase clear skies using aurora and weather forecasts. Guides such as Baldvin, Michaela, Devin, and Simon combine folklore, science, photography, hot chocolate, Icelandic pastries, and wool blankets. Sightings are not guaranteed, but an unsuccessful tour can be repeated free when space allows.
“Our guide Devin was knowledgeable, entertaining and went above and beyond to ensure we had an opportunity to view the northern lights! He provided historical and cultural background about Iceland as well as scientific information concerning the Aurora as he drove us all over, north of Reykjavik, stopping several times at different spots, each time setting up his camera to try to find them. Finally, at around 1 AM, he said that it didn't look promising, and was time to turn back. We were advised to immediately email the tour company to reschedule a second trip, per the contract. As we drove back to Reykjavik, though, we couldn't help notice…”
Explore Perlan’s Wonders of Iceland museum in Reykjavik with admission to the ice cave, volcano exhibits, Áróra Northern Lights planetarium show, and 360-degree observation deck. Allow two to three hours, or longer if you want coffee, a meal, and time with every exhibit.
“Perlan is such a fantastic museum, full of information and very interactive. We loved the immersive experiences with the volcano being a real family favourite! The ice cave tunnels were great fun too, gives you a bit of a flavour of what they would be like for real. The Aurora planetarium was a great place to sit back and relax at the end of the visit. All in all it was a great place to visit and well worth the money, I would definitely recommend this as a place to visit if you have children. 🤩❤️”
Leave Reykjavik’s city glow behind on a 3 to 5-hour Gray Line Iceland coach tour. Guides explain the science and folklore of the aurora, choose the night’s best viewing area, offer camera tips, and provide a free repeat trip if no lights appear.
“We were originally booked on 9/26/24. The excursion was canceled due to weather conditions. We rescheduled for 9/27/24. This time the trip wasn't canceled even though it was 100% cloud cover. We didn't see the northern lights and we requested a refund...but no one responded to my request.”
Leave Reykjavik by bus with guides such as Darren, Simon, Eva, or Barbara, then chase clear skies around Thingvellir and nearby countryside. Expect about four hours, several possible stops, hot chocolate when conditions allow, and one free return trip if the aurora stays hidden.
“Although I didn’t get to see a lot of northern lights, the experience was amazing and the guide was lovely and very entertaining.”
Leave Reykjavik after dark on a three-hour Northern Lights hunt with a local English-speaking guide and multilingual app. Ride a warm coach with Wi-Fi and USB charging, stop at a dark viewing site, learn camera tricks, and return free if the aurora stays hidden.
“The tour was amazing! We got to see the lights twice, the second time they came back even brighter and there was some red in them. Thor (our guide) was great, she knew her stuff and was a lovely person, great driver too!”
Sail from Reykjavík’s Old Harbor into Faxaflói Bay for two hours of aurora watching. Your English-speaking guide points out the lights, stars, and photo settings, while three decks, blankets, Wi-Fi, and a full bar help you stay comfortable. Hotel pickup is optional.
“Was an incredible evening seeing the Northern Lights whilst in the sea. Could see the Northern lights within 5 minutes of sailing. Initially not to dissimilar to seeing them in the UK (faint green) however after about 30 minutes then lights came alive and illuminated the sky. Dancing across they looked incredible, even seeing a meteor during the spectacle. Reduced my mother to tears! Incredible evening experienced by the whole family.”
Leave Reykjavik by bus in search of the aurora with a local English-speaking guide. You’ll learn the science behind the lights, use Wi-Fi on board, and stop at a weather-selected viewing site. Tours run from September to April, last about 3 to 5 hours, and include free rebooking if poor weather cancels the outing.
“It was canceled by company and I’ve continued to write for a refund and I still have no response please”
Travel from Reykjavík in a small minibus while guides such as Siggi and Tomas track clouds and aurora conditions. You may visit several dark sites, learn the science behind the lights, enjoy hot chocolate, and receive professional photos. If the lights do not appear, you can rebook free.
“Guide (patrick) had the most amazing knowledge of northern lights - learnt so much. His photography is wonderful. A small company that should be fully supported”
Travel by bus from Reykjavik’s BSI terminal into darker countryside to seek the Aurora Borealis. Your English-speaking guide explains the lights, helps with camera settings, and may keep you waiting for a late show. If clouds win, you can join again free.
“lights were absolutely amazing they danced the sky for over an hour...This is a spectacular event. just wow”
Leave Reykjavik’s city lights behind and search for the Aurora Borealis with an English-speaking guide such as Atli or Rachel. Expect a warm coach, several possible photo stops, practical camera tips, hot chocolate, and a free retry or reschedule when conditions prevent a sighting.
“Beautiful aurora❤️ We had a wonderful time taking many photos while the shape changes. Actually the activity of aurora was low on the day we saw it and at times it was cloudy. But we still saw it because the guide found a good place with good timing. We had a very good experience. It contrasted with what I saw at Rovaniemi, where there were high activities of aurora when I went there. They were just different, which increases my experience and knowledge. The only thing is that we went to 3 spots, and the last 2 we didn't see anything. We wanna return and got to bed earlier as…”
Join David the Guide Iceland for a five-hour Northern Lights hunt from Reykjavik. Guides such as Christian and Ania track clouds and aurora activity, stop where conditions look best, serve hot drinks, and photograph you beneath the lights.
“How was the trip? Simply fantastic. The Northern Lights hunt was beautiful, and the guide was excellent very knowledgeable and super charismatic. Finding the Northern Lights isn’t easy, but they really give it their all, and the places you visit are amazing. I would definitely do this experience again and again and again”
Leave Reykjavik by bus with an English-speaking guide such as Arman, Rene, or Kat, then follow cloud and aurora forecasts into the countryside. Expect several dark-sky stops, time outdoors, photo help, and a free retry if the lights stay hidden. The route changes nightly.
“Amazing, the wether was so bad but the driver and the guide bring us for two amazing places and we can see the beautiful lights. I had been traveled by myself and they leave me near my hostel. They are the best. November 2022”
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