Are you looking for the best Iceland northern lights tours? Luckily for you, this guide has all of the best northern lights tours in Iceland.
While Iceland is filled with amazing things to see during the day, including waterfalls, hot springs, and glaciers, the country is just as beautiful at night, thanks to the northern lights. Also known as the Aurora Borealis, the northern lights are beautiful waves of green, blue, and sometimes red that flow through the night sky.
Scientifically, the northern lights are solar particles from the sun’s solar wind that emit brilliant colors when they collide with the particles found in the Earth’s atmosphere.
The best time to see the northern lights in Iceland is from late fall to early spring. And the best way to see these stunning waves of color is to take one of the Iceland northern lights tours.
After all, having someone with all of the local insight about the northern lights will be particularly helpful. Don’t forget to check out our Tips For Photographing The Northern Lights!
Get a FREE printable “Hidden Gems In Iceland” E-book by joining our private Iceland Facebook Group and share your photos and ask for tips and tricks.
Why Take A Northern Lights Tour In Iceland?
There are many reasons why you should take one of the Iceland northern lights tours. First of all, if you drive yourself, you have to focus a good amount of energy on driving.
Depending on the time of year, Iceland’s roads can be slick with ice, which means you really can’t just stare at the northern lights as you drive. As a matter of fact, if you do choose to drive to see the northern lights, there’s a good chance that you’ll make one of these seven mistakes while driving in Iceland.
If you take a tour of the northern lights, however, you won’t have to worry about those mistakes. You won’t be responsible for driving, so you can just enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Another reason to take one of the Iceland northern lights tours is because they aren’t all that expensive at the end of the day. You can find tours to see the northern lights as low as $40 to $50 per person! While there are, of course, more expensive tours, if you’re on a budget, a tour of Iceland’s northern lights is still doable!
Finally, the best reason to take a tour of the northern lights in Iceland is for the local knowledge. There’s a good chance that your guide during the northern lights tour will be an Iceland local. Consequently, he or she will know all the best places and the best tips to see the northern lights. If you want to see the Northern Lights Near Reykjavik, this is a great option!
Maybe he or she will even have a ton of fun facts to whip out about Iceland’s northern lights. If you try to see the northern lights on your own, you might struggle a bit more than you need to. Instead, skip the struggle of catching the elusive colorful curtains in the sky and take one of the Iceland northern lights tours!
Northern Lights Bus Tour From Reykjavik [4 Hours]
Most people who take northern lights tours from Reykjavik take a bus tour. It’s very convenient, and it’s more affordable than some of the more adventurous transportation alternatives on this list.
As with all of the best northern lights tours in Iceland, the tour guides on this bus tour from Reykjavik follow the meteorologists’ predictions for the best views of the northern lights each night.
Who knows where this amazing adventure will take you in Iceland? And after watching the turquoise lights snake through the sky, this tour also grants you admission to the Aurora Museum in Reykjavik, where you can learn even more about this special phenomenon.
Book Here: Northern Lights Bus Tour From Reykjavik
Northern Lights Cruise From Reykjavik [2 Hours]
While most people opt to take a bus to see the northern lights, you can be a little different and take a boat instead. This northern lights cruise departs from Reykjavik Harbor and heads into Faxaflói Bay for a spectacular view of the Aurora Borealis. Be sure to bring warm clothing and maybe even a blanket to ward off that chill ocean breeze and frosty night air.
Just as a note, many people have reported it’s more difficult to capture pictures of the northern lights while on a boat, due to the constant rocking.
Book Here: 2-Hour Northern Lights Cruise From Reykjavik
Northern Lights And The Golden Circle [9 Hours]
While the northern lights are fantastic on their own, many Iceland northern lights tours combine this natural phenomenon with other Iceland attractions. For example, this northern lights tour also includes the Golden Circle.
The Golden Circle is one of the most beautiful drives in all of Iceland. With Thingvellir National Park, the Geysir geyser, and Kerid Crater, the Golden Circle is filled with breathtaking natural landscapes.
As one of the most magnificent national parks in Iceland, Thingvellir National Park boasts many coveted titles, including UNESCO World Heritage Site and Game of Thrones filming location. While there, you can go for a dive in the Silfra Fissure, visit Thingvellir Church, or simply take in the beautiful scenery.
Situated in the Haukadalur Valley is the Geysir geyser. This powerful geyser shoots water an average 60 feet high, with reports claiming that the water has reached over 130 feet high!
Lastly, the Golden Circle is home to Kerid Crater. This volcanic caldera is streaked with red and green before pooling at a brilliant blue lake at the bottom. You can even walk the entire perimeter of the caldera or trek down to the lake, if you would like.
Simply put, this Northern Lights tour includes both the beauty of the northern lights and of the Golden Circle.
Book Here: Aurora Borealis & Golden Circle
Northern Lights And South Coast Small Group [17 Hours]
Visitors to Iceland often find themselves debating if they should visit the Golden Circle or the South Coast. Just like the Golden Circle, the South Coast is filled with some of Iceland’s most amazing landscapes, including Seljalandsfoss, Solheimajokull Glacier, and Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. So why not tie in these stunning sights with this northern lights and South Coast tour?
The South Coast is dotted with some of Iceland’s best waterfalls. While Seljalandsfoss is one, this part of Iceland is also home to Haifoss, Skogafoss, Kvernufoss, and Gljufabui. Similarly, the South Coast is filled with glaciers, including Solheimajokull Glacier and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon.
Unlike the waterfalls and glaciers, Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is a standalone black sand beach on the South Coast. Filled with obsidian sand and towering basalt columns, Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is one of the best black sand beaches in Iceland.
As an added bonus, this particular norther lights tour is a small group tour. This means that you’ll easily be able to ask your guide as many questions as you want, while also embracing a level of flexibility that you wouldn’t be able to get with a larger group tour.
Book Here: South Coast & Northern Lights Small Group Winter Adventure
Blue Lagoon And Northern Lights Tour [8 Hours]
The Blue Lagoon may be Iceland’s most popular tourist attraction – so why not combine it with a view of the northern lights with this Blue Lagoon and northern lights tour from Reykjavik!
The Blue Lagoon is the most popular natural hot spring in Iceland. Between the striking blue color and the steady 102-degree-Fahrenheit temperature, it’s no wonder why this Iceland attraction draws in thousands of visitors every year.
Plus, it’s the perfect activity to do right before seeing the northern lights. Get yourself all warmed up before braving the chilly night for the Aurora Borealis.
Book Here: Blue Lagoon And Northern Lights Tour From Reykjavik
Secret Lagoon And Northern Lights Tour [6 Hours]
If you’re looking for a hot spring that’s a little less tourist-filled, consider taking a northern lights tour that includes the Secret Lagoon instead! While the Secret Lagoon isn’t all that much of a secret, you’ll feel like you’ve become an insider, because you’ll definitely see more locals than tourists at the Secret Lagoon.
As the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, the Secret Lagoon holds a special place. While the Secret Lagoon is manmade, the heated water is all-natural from the ever-present geothermal activity in Iceland. The water hovers at a toasty 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
This tour combines the warmth and relaxation from a day at the Secret Lagoon with a chilly night filled with colors in the sky.
Book Here: Iceland Secret Lagoon, Dinner, and Northern Lights Hunt From Reykjavik
Northern Lights Luxury Yacht Cruise From Reykjavik [2.5-3 Hours]
While I’ve already recommended a northern lights tour on a boat, this option is a little different: a northern lights tour on a yacht. Sail from the Reykjavik Old Harbor into Faxa Bay aboard a luxurious, modern vessel, before seeing the colorful swaths of painted light known as the Aurora Borealis dance through the sky.
When aboard the yacht in Faxa Bay, you may even see the northern lights illuminate some of the best things to do in Reykjavik. See the colorful lights shimmer on the stainless steel of the Sun Voyager sculpture and bask in the beauty of the HARPA Concert Hall.
Book Here: Northern Lights Luxury Yacht Cruise From Reykjavik
Northern Lights And Snaefellsnes Peninsula Tour [2 Days]
When most people think about one of the many Iceland northern lights tours, they think about ones that start after dark and end in a few hours. But this northern lights adventure, which is combined with a visit to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, lasts a whole two days!
While the Snaefellsnes Peninsula has a lot to offer, by far the most popular thing to do in the area is check out Kirkjufell Mountain. Kirkjufell Mountain, and its accompanying waterfall known as Kirkjufellsfoss, create one of the most unique landscapes in all of Iceland (which is saying something, since Iceland is filled with otherworldly landscapes). As a matter of fact, Kirkjufell Mountain is the most photographed mountain in all of Iceland!
Book Here: Iceland Two-Day Northern Lights And Snaefellsnes Adventure
Northern Lights And Langjokull Glacier Snowmobile Tour [4 Hours]
So far on this list of Iceland northern light tours, I’ve included tours by bus, by boat, and by yacht. For those with an adventurous heart, I’ve also decided to add another option: by snowmobile.
Before you get to see the northern lights, you’ll start your tour by navigating your snowmobile to the Langjokull Glacier. While most of the excitement of Langjokull Glacier is found beneath the surface within its ice tunnels, you’ll still get to enjoy the view of this massive glacier from above.
Then, it’s time to strap on the snowmobile headlights and drift further into the snow-covered landscape. By heading further from the lights of cities and towns, your view of the northern lights will be even more spectacular. Once you and your guide have reached the ideal lookout point, simply gaze at the swaying streaks of color decorating the night sky. Then, hop back on your snowmobile and zoom back to Gullfoss.
Book Here: Northern Lights Snowmobile Tour From Gullfoss
Northern Lights Small Group Tour [3 Hours]
Sometimes you don’t want anything fancy. You don’t want other stops or a ton of other visitors on your northern lights tour. You simply want to relax and watch nature’s colors dance across the night sky. If that sounds like the northern lights viewing experience that you would enjoy, consider booking this northern lights small group tour.
During the three hours of this northern lights tour, you’ll be transported in a small, comfortable minibus. And as you wait for the elusive Aurora Borealis to make an appearance, warm yourself with a toasty cup of hot chocolate and a few ginger biscuits.
Book Here: Small Group Northern Lights Tour From Reykjavik
These Iceland northern lights tours will have you packing your bags to see the colorful streamers of light flit across the sky! These are some of the best northern lights tours in Iceland, so we hope you enjoy them! Please let us know in the comments section if you have any questions or just want to share what you think are some of the top things to do in Iceland.
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