Reykjavík: Northern Lights Cruise

The best part of this Northern Lights cruise is the setting: you leave Reykjavík’s Old Harbour, watch the city glow behind you, and search a dark stretch of Faxaflói Bay for the aurora. The boat gives you a wider view of the sky than a city street, while the shoreline remains close enough to keep the evening visually interesting.

I like the heated indoor saloon and loaner overalls, which matter when you are standing outside on a cold Icelandic night. I also like the city views, especially Harpa Concert Hall, Hallgrímskirkja, and the Imagine Peace Tower from October through December.

The catch is simple: nature decides if the lights appear. You may spend 2.5 hours waiting for a faint glow or see nothing at all. The boat offers a free return trip if the aurora does not appear, but this experience is a weaker choice if your main goal is sharp Northern Lights photography.

Key points to know before you book

• The cruise leaves from Ægisgarður 5 in Reykjavík’s Old Harbour, at the Elding Whale Watching boat.
• You get 2.5 hours on Faxaflói Bay, with views of the Reykjavík shoreline and open sea.
• Warm overalls, raincoats, and blankets are provided, plus a heated cabin with seats and toilets.
• An English-speaking naturalist guide explains the skies and alerts you when the aurora begins.
• The Imagine Peace Tower is included in the route from October through December, when its beam is lit.
• A sighting guarantee gives you another chance for free if the Northern Lights do not appear.

Sailing out from Reykjavík’s Old Harbour

Your evening begins at Ægisgarður 5, where the Elding Adventure at Sea boat leaves from Reykjavík’s Old Harbour. Hotel pickup is not included, though it can be added for an extra charge. If you make your own way there, allow enough time to find the boat and get settled before departure.

The harbour is a useful starting point because it puts you close to some of Reykjavík’s best-known waterfront sights. As the boat heads out, you can look back toward the city and see the lights spread along the shore. This gives the cruise two jobs at once: it is an aurora search, but also a nighttime city outing.

The trip lasts about 2.5 hours. That is long enough to get beyond the strongest city glow and give the crew time to work with the forecast, but not so long that you are committed to an all-night wait at sea.

The city lights are part of the show

Early in the cruise, the guide points out Reykjavík’s illuminated shoreline. Harpa Concert Hall is especially easy to pick out from the water, with its distinctive glass exterior catching the city light. Hallgrímskirkja also helps you understand Reykjavík’s shape from offshore, rising above the lower buildings.

This city view is a real advantage over a basic roadside aurora outing. Even if the sky stays stubbornly dark, you are not looking at an empty field for the whole evening. The skyline, harbour, and open bay give you something to watch while the crew checks conditions.

From October through December, the route also passes the Imagine Peace Tower. The tower’s beam is lit during that period, and seeing it from the water adds a quiet, unusual stop to the journey. It is not the Northern Lights, of course, but it gives the cruise a stronger sense of place and connects the outing to Reykjavík rather than making it feel like a simple weather gamble.

Searching Faxaflói Bay for the aurora

Once the boat reaches the bay, the main task begins. The crew and captain check the weather and aurora forecast before and during the outing, then adjust the search to improve your chance of seeing a display. That planning helps, but it cannot control cloud cover or solar activity.

The guide calls everyone outside when the lights begin. Sometimes the first sign is subtle, perhaps a pale streak that looks almost white to the naked eye. Under better conditions, the glow can strengthen and form the green, shifting shapes associated with the aurora.

You should set your expectations carefully. The lights do not always appear at their strongest, and photographs often show more color than your eyes can see. A weak display may still be a worthwhile sight, but it can feel less dramatic than the famous images used to promote Iceland.

The cruise has recorded successful sightings in every season represented by the available trip experiences, including early autumn, winter, and spring. Still, past sightings do not predict your night. The free return option is important because it turns a missed display into a second opportunity instead of a total loss.

Staying warm on deck

I would not treat the outdoor viewing platforms as an afterthought. To see the sky properly, you need to step outside, and the cold can become the main story if you are not prepared. The boat provides warm overalls, raincoats, and blankets, so you do not need to bring specialist sailing gear for this outing.

The overalls are especially useful because they can be worn over your normal clothing. Bring a warm hat and gloves if you have them, but the supplied gear gives you a solid layer for the time spent on deck. One past experience also noted that the suits made it possible to remain outside safely in very cold conditions.

When you need a break, return to the heated indoor saloon. It has ample seating and toilets, so you can warm up without giving up the whole evening. The café sells hot drinks and snacks, but these refreshments are not included in the $111 price.

This indoor-outdoor arrangement is one of the cruise’s strongest practical features. You can step outside when the guide spots activity, then return inside when the wind becomes too much. A fully outdoor experience might offer a darker viewing position, but it would be far less comfortable for many people.

What the guide adds to the evening

The live tour is conducted in English by a naturalist guide. The guide explains what you are seeing, keeps you informed about the search, and calls out when the Northern Lights appear. That communication matters because a faint aurora can be easy to miss, especially when you are looking in the wrong direction.

The guide can also help you make sense of changing conditions. A quiet period does not necessarily mean the trip has failed. The boat may be waiting for a break in the clouds or moving farther from the city glow.

Several trip experiences also highlight the crew’s friendly and professional approach. One guide helped people adjust camera settings, which is useful, though you should not depend on the crew for a full photography lesson. The crew’s safety attention has also been praised, and the boat may remain out longer than the advertised two hours in some conditions, though the stated duration is 2.5 hours.

Why boat photography is difficult

The tour information is refreshingly clear about photography: taking Northern Lights pictures from a moving boat can be hard. If you mainly want a clean, sharp aurora photograph, I would choose a land-based outing instead.

A boat moves, even when the water seems calm. Long camera exposures can turn a bright aurora into a blurred streak, and the vessel’s motion may make it difficult to keep a tripod steady. A phone may record a little more color than your eyes can see, but that does not guarantee a sharp result.

You can still bring a camera or phone for quick memories. Just think of photography as a bonus, not the purpose of the cruise. The strongest reason to choose this experience is the combination of sea air, city views, and the chance to see the aurora in a broad sky.

Is $111 a fair price?

At $111 per person, this is not the cheapest way to search for the Northern Lights. The price makes more sense when you count what is included: a 2.5-hour boat trip, an English-speaking naturalist guide, warm overalls, rain protection, blankets, indoor seating, toilets, and a sighting guarantee.

You are also paying for a different setting. A coach excursion may take you farther from Reykjavík’s lights, while this boat gives you the city skyline and open water in one evening. That mix has value if you want the outing itself to be enjoyable even when the aurora does not cooperate.

The café costs extra, and hotel pickup costs extra, so your final budget can rise. You also need to remember that the price cannot buy a sighting. The guarantee gives you a free chance to try again, but a second visit only helps if you have another evening available in Reykjavík.

I see the price as reasonable for someone who values comfort and a distinct setting. It is less convincing for a dedicated aurora hunter who wants the darkest possible skies or the best camera conditions.

Choosing the right night and season

The Northern Lights season depends on darkness, so this is an evening activity rather than a daytime cruise. The Imagine Peace Tower is specifically part of the route from October through December, making those months appealing if that sight matters to you.

The available experiences include successful outings in September, winter, and spring. That shows the cruise is not limited to the heart of winter, though the strength of the display still depends on the night’s conditions.

I would book this early in your Reykjavík stay if you can. If the sky is cloudy or the lights fail to appear, the free return chance is much more useful when you still have another night in town. You also have the option to cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund, according to the booking conditions.

Keep your schedule flexible. The crew may make sensible decisions based on the weather, and an evening with poor conditions may not be the best time to force the issue.

Who will enjoy this cruise most?

I recommend this outing to you if you want a comfortable introduction to the Northern Lights without sitting on a bus for hours. It suits couples, families, and first-time Iceland visitors who like the idea of combining a city view with a natural event.

It is also a good choice if cold weather makes you hesitant. The heated saloon, blankets, and loaner overalls give you a practical way to manage the night. You can spend time outside when the sky looks promising, then warm up indoors.

The cruise is not ideal for someone who dislikes waiting or needs a guaranteed attraction. It is also not the best pick for serious photographers. Boat movement, darkness, and changing conditions make photography more difficult than viewing.

If you have only one night available and seeing the aurora is your top priority, compare this with a land-based tour before booking. If you want an evening that remains worthwhile through the search itself, the boat has a stronger case.

The free return promise

No Northern Lights operator can guarantee the sky. Here, the useful protection is a free return trip if the lights do not appear. That does not guarantee success on the second attempt, but it gives you another chance without paying the full fare again.

This policy works best for people staying several nights in Reykjavík. If you leave the next morning, it has little practical value. Check your schedule before booking and ask yourself if you can realistically return on another evening.

The policy also helps soften a common disappointment: a cruise can be well organized and still fail to produce an aurora. You are paying for the search, the boat, the guide, and the possibility of a sighting, not for a manufactured show.

Should you book the Reykjavík Northern Lights Cruise?

Book it if you want an aurora search with city views, indoor comfort, and a backup chance. The crew, warm clothing, heated saloon, and clear communication make the experience easier to handle than a bare-bones night outside.

I would choose it early in a Reykjavík visit, especially from October through December if the Imagine Peace Tower appeals to you. Bring patience, dress warmly even with the supplied gear, and treat photography as secondary.

Skip it if you need guaranteed lights, the darkest possible location, or professional-quality photographs. For everyone else, the cruise offers a pleasant and well-supported way to meet Iceland’s night sky, with enough Reykjavík character to make the evening worthwhile even when nature keeps its best show hidden.

FAQ

Where does the Northern Lights cruise leave from?

It leaves from the Elding Whale Watching boat at Ægisgarður 5 in Reykjavík Old Harbour, postal code 101 Reykjavík.

How long does the cruise last?

The stated duration is 2.5 hours.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Are warm clothes provided?

Yes. Warm overalls, raincoats, and blankets are available on board.

Is there an indoor place to warm up?

Yes. The boat has a heated indoor saloon with comfortable seating and toilets.

Are food and drinks included?

No. Other refreshments are not included, but the onboard café sells hot drinks and snacks.

What happens if the Northern Lights do not appear?

You are offered the chance to come another night free of charge under the sighting guarantee.

Can I cancel the booking for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.