Aurora Chasing 101: A Guide to Northern Lights Tours in Iceland

Hours

First things first, the northern lights are elusive. There are forecasts and ratings and probabilities that you can track, but when it comes down to it, you can’t control nature. Tour guides will tell you to keep your expectations low and I’d suggest the same. I saw nothing on the day that the lights were predicted to be quite active and was lucky enough to see the lights on a day with less-than-stellar weather.

This post will give you a sense of what northern lights tours in Iceland in winter are like and provide some key considerations and guidance to make the most of your northern lights adventure.

What can you expect from a northern lights tour?

Tour companies pick you up in the evening (in early February it was around 8:30/9pm), drive you through the Icelandic countryside for 3-5 hours looking for the lights, and make periodic stops if they see the aurora or think conditions are good enough for them to appear.

Here are a few things to know and consider when it comes to Northern Lights tours:

  1. These tours can be long: Both of mine went from 8:30pm/9pm to around 2am. Be prepared for a long night of driving (but hopefully with some fun and amazing views of the lights along the way).
  2. Dress like you’re camping in the Arctic: I wore 3 layers of pants, multiple top layers, thermal socks, a hat, a scarf, and gloves with hand warmers, and I was still cold. You can always leave layers on the bus.
  3. Check your tour’s rebooking policy: Check your tour company’s policy when it comes to rebooking. Many companies will refund you if the tour is canceled due to weather or rebook you for another day (sometimes this rebooking is valid for 2-3 years) if you go out and don’t see anything.
  4. Consider whether you want a small group or larger bus tour: Smaller group tours in vans can get around more quickly and are more intimate than the larger buses, but they are pricier.
  5. Do you want a tour company that takes photos: Capturing the Northern Lights on film without a fancy camera isn’t impossible, but it can be a challenge. Some tours take photos for you, helping you get high quality pictures with the lights. If that’s a priority for you (pics or it didn’t happen), it’s something to consider.
  6. Are you here to learn or just chase those lights: I took two tours with two different companies – one of them spent a lot of time explaining the lights and Icelandic culture and the other didn’t. If that’s a factor for you, read up on reviews and see which companies offer more of a guided experience.
A slightly blurry photo that still captures my excitement of experiencing the northern lights in Iceland.

I went on northern lights tours with Troll Expeditions (saw the lights and lower price point but pretty hands off in terms of information and no photos) and EastWest Tours (more expensive and didn’t see the lights but lots of educational content and photo taking). Both had good rebooking policies if you didn’t see the lights. I’ve heard great things about the Wake Up Reykjavik northern lights tour as well – I’ll probably try them next time I’m in Iceland.

If you want to learn more about the northern lights while in Reykjavik, you can check out Aurora Reykjavik, the official northern lights museum, or the Perlan, a nature museum with an informative and visually stunning planetarium show of the northern lights.

Planning a trip to Iceland in the winter? Check out my full guide on traveling to Iceland in the wintertime here.

Similar Posts