Iceland · NORTHERN LIGHTS TOURS

The 15 Best Northern Lights Tours in Iceland

34 tours  ·  from $33 a head

Nobody can sell you the aurora, only a good chance of it and a ride away from the city lights. These 15 compare coaches against small jeeps and boats, and set out each operator’s rebooking policy, which matters more than the price.

Iceland: Northern Lights Bus Tour from Reykjavik - What your guide adds to the night
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Iceland: Northern Lights Bus Tour from Reykjavik

1.Northern Lights Bus Tour from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 11,161 reviews · from $73Our pick

Leave Reykjavik’s city lights behind on a four-hour English-language bus tour guided by aurora specialists such as Jessica, Sunny, Daniel, and David. You’ll chase clear skies, stop for photos, learn how solar particles create the lights, and receive a free retry if clouds win.

“Saw Northern Lights! On a cloudy rainy day! Because our guide knew where to take us. We had been looking by ourselves for days. What a thrilling tour! Worth every Kronos!”

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Small-Group Premium Northern Lights Tour from Reykjavik - How the aurora hunt works
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Small-Group Premium Northern Lights Tour from Reykjavik

2.Small-Group Premium Northern Lights Tour from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 2,977 reviews · 4 hours · from $107

Leave Reykjavik in a small minibus with an English-speaking aurora guide such as Ody, JP, Axel, or Michael. You’ll chase clear skies, stop away from city lights, learn how the aurora forms, and get help with photos. Hot chocolate and refreshments are included, with a free retry on the Northern Lights Bus if the sky stays dark.

“Incredible tour. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. We saw reds, blues, purples, and greens. Our guide was patient and even took photos for us. 11/10. If you are considering this tour just book it.”

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#1 Northern Lights Tour In Iceland from Reykjavik with PRO photos - What the four-hour evening feels like
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#1 Northern Lights Tour In Iceland from Reykjavik with PRO photos

3.#1 Northern Lights Tour In Iceland from Reykjavik with PRO photos

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,887 reviews · 4 hours (approx.)

Leave Reykjavik with a local guide such as Bjarni, BG, Johan, or Aegir and chase clear skies away from city lights. The four-hour outing includes hotel-area pickup, flexible stops, professional photos, blankets, and hot chocolate with pastries on many departures. If the aurora stays hidden, you can rebook free, subject to availability.

“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.”

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Northern Lights Small-Group Tour with Hot Chocolate & Photos - Waiting outside with cocoa, pastries, and wool blankets
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Northern Lights Small-Group Tour with Hot Chocolate & Photos

4.Northern Lights Small-Group Tour with Hot Chocolate & Photos

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,068 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $172

Leave Reykjavik in a minibus for up to 19 people and chase clear skies using the aurora forecast. Guides such as Baldvin, Michaela, Devin, and Simon may change locations, explain Icelandic folklore and science, and take professional photos when conditions allow. Hot chocolate, Icelandic pastries, and wool blankets help with the cold.

“Our guide was excellent and did his best to try and find us the lights on a cloudy night. We had planned it to have some brilliant stargazing on the same night and it felt like 2 experiences for the price of one as we managed to see the Geminid meteor shower as well as the aurora.”

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Northern Lights Night Tour from Reykjavik - From BSÍ terminal to the Icelandic countryside
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Northern Lights Night Tour from Reykjavik

5.Northern Lights Night Tour from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 1,921 reviews · 3 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $63Best value

Travel by heated coach from Reykjavik into darker countryside while guides explain aurora science, Icelandic folklore, and camera settings. The route changes nightly with the forecast. WiFi, hotel pickup options, and a free repeat trip if no lights appear make this a practical choice, though pickup communication and large groups can be uneven.

“Me and my daughter joined the northern lights tour, Kristoff (hope that’s right) and driver (sorry) your driving was excellent, Kristoff was very funny and kept us amused. We were lucky to catch a good look, the moon was bright and cloudy so wasn’t holding out much hope, but guides told us the best place to look and patience paid off, could not fault the evening”

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Northern Lights Bus Tour from Reykjavik with Hot Chocolate - Thingvellir National Park after sunset
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Northern Lights Bus Tour from Reykjavik with Hot Chocolate

6.Northern Lights Bus Tour from Reykjavik with Hot Chocolate

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,782 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $76

Travel from Reykjavik into darker country skies with BusTravel Iceland guides such as Darren, Simon, Eva, or Pierre. The four-hour outing may visit Thingvellir National Park and other viewing points as clouds and aurora activity change. You get round-trip transport, onboard WiFi, hot chocolate, Icelandic stories, and one free rebooking if the lights stay hidden.

“We had a fantastic experience! We found the lights immediately and continued throughout the evening. Darren and Slavomir were excellent guides who were committed to making sure we had fun!”

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From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Tour with Lifetime Guarantee - Starting at BSÍ and getting out of town
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From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Tour with Lifetime Guarantee

7.Northern Lights Tour with Lifetime Guarantee

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 1,578 reviews · 3 hours · from $73

Leave Reykjavik by coach for a three-hour Northern Lights hunt with a local English-speaking guide and multilingual audio app. Guides such as Thor, Laura, and Oliver have helped with camera settings, changed locations, and extended stops when the aurora appeared late. Wi-Fi, USB chargers, and a lifetime free return make this a practical first attempt.

“I loved the convinence of the tour. Weather is something we can't control though. We saw a quick 1 minute glimpse then it was gone 😞”

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Reykjavik: Northern Lights Yacht Tour - Three decks, one very cold viewing platform
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Reykjavik: Northern Lights Yacht Tour

8.Northern Lights Yacht Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,253 reviews · 2 hours · from $93

Sail from Reykjavik’s Old Harbor into Faxafloi Bay for two hours of aurora watching from three panoramic decks. Guides such as Maria, Julian, and Lucky have helped guests spot the lights and improve phone photos. The yacht has indoor seating, blankets, Wi-Fi, sea sickness tablets, and a full bar with hot drinks available to buy.

“Overall good trip. We only faintly saw the lights for a couple minutes (still saw them!). However, they didn’t think it was good enough so they are allowing us to come back up to 3 years time which I think it’s very kind of them. The bar / overall boat was really good. Even the two hour cruise is pretty worth it”

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Northern Lights Guided Bus Tour from Reykjavik - What your guide adds to the night
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Northern Lights Guided Bus Tour from Reykjavik

9.Northern Lights Guided Bus Tour from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,183 reviews · 3 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $73

Ride from central Reykjavik into darker country with a local English-speaking guide who explains the aurora and chooses a viewing area using weather and aurora forecasts. The bus has Wi-Fi, and guides such as Sölvi and Nico have earned praise for their warm, clear commentary. The tour lasts about 3 to 5 hours, but sightings are never guaranteed.

“My wife and I had a good experience. It was not the best night to see the lights , however, it was not the worst either. As for the company and the staff they did a great job.”

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Northern Lights Midnight Adventure Small-Group from Reykjavík - The Reykjavík pickup: useful, but read the details
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Northern Lights Midnight Adventure Small-Group from Reykjavík

10.Northern Lights Midnight Adventure Small-Group from Reykjavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 965 reviews · 3 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $140Top rated

Join a small group of up to 18 people for a three to five hour northern lights hunt from Reykjavík. Guides such as Tomas, Siggi, Sunny, Patrick, and Almar track the forecast, drive toward clearer skies, explain the science, serve hot chocolate, and take professional photos when the aurora appears.

“We had the most incredible Northern Lights tour. Our guide was absolutely brilliant and went above and beyond to give us the best possible experience. He took us up into the mountains as he truly believed we’d have a better chance of seeing the lights there. Even drove around the mountains for a while to make sure we had the best possible spot! After seeing faint lights around 11pm, he kept informing us that they were coming out really bright and then fading so he was sure they were trying to get brighter. We stayed out passed 1am (which he didn’t need to do as we did faintly see them…”

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From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Tour - What happens at the viewing stop
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From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Tour

11.Northern Lights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 761 reviews · from $69

Travel from Reykjavik by bus with an English-speaking guide who tracks weather and cloud cover to find a good viewing spot. The 3 to 4-hour outing may include photo tips, local stories, and time outside beneath the stars. If the aurora stays hidden, you can join again free of charge.

“It would have been good if the lights had appeared”

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From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Guided Tour with Photos - How the five-hour hunt works
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From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Guided Tour with Photos

12.Northern Lights Guided Tour with Photos

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 718 reviews · 5 hours · from $95

Travel from Reykjavik into darker countryside with guides such as Christian, Ania, and Ana Maria, who track cloud cover and aurora activity. You may stop several times, wait under the stars with hot chocolate, and receive free group photos if the lights appear. The five-hour tour costs $95.

“We had our tour on the 6th of December and loved it! It was my partners and I first night in Iceland and decided to do the tour that night incase we didn’t catch them. To be honest I went in already having low hopes because of the full moon however we did in fact get to catch the aurora in the end! Our guide, Christian, was so informative! He talked us through the use of his website and instructed us how to find our own northern lights in the future (which we have been doing). I think the only downfall is obviously the uncertainty of seeing the lights or…”

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From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Chase with Expert Guide - What the night usually feels like
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From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Chase with Expert Guide

13.Northern Lights Chase with Expert Guide

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 697 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $73

Leave Reykjavik by bus with an English-speaking guide who follows cloud cover, weather, and aurora reports to find clearer skies. You may stop several times at dark sites, sometimes near lighthouses or a national park. Warm layers are essential, and a free retry is offered if no lights appear.

“The most amazing experience! We were so lucky to see the lights in all their glory. The tour guides were knowledgeable and kind. And also enjoyed seeing the lights, trust them when they say it’s worth going out in the cold for the views”

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From Reykjavík: Northern Lights Tour with Hot Cocoa & Photos - Chasing clear sky instead of following a fixed route
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From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Tour with Hot Cocoa & Photos

14.Northern Lights Tour with Hot Cocoa & Photos

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 695 reviews · 4 hours · from $169

Head into Iceland’s dark countryside with an English-speaking guide who follows weather and aurora forecasts. Small groups of up to 19 ride in a warm minibus, stop at promising viewing spots, borrow wool blankets, and enjoy hot chocolate with kleina. Guides such as Baldvin, Devin, Simon, and Gummi are praised for their photography and persistence.

“Amazing couldn’t off asked for a better tour guide Sævar/Simon , he really went out of his way to make sure we seen the northern lights, he didn’t give up and we got some great pictures! This really made our first day and first time in Iceland amazing! The hot chocolate was also really nice :) Highly recommend this tour. Would definitely book again if we come back :)”

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From Reykjavik: Golden Circle and Northern Lights Tour - Geysir: the stop with a built-in show
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From Reykjavik: Golden Circle and Northern Lights Tour

15.Golden Circle and Northern Lights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 673 reviews · 9 hours · from $153

Spend a full day at Þingvellir, Geysir, and Gullfoss, then return to Reykjavik for a winter Aurora hunt. English-speaking guides such as Karen, Christina, and PJ have led departures, while the bus offers Wi-Fi, USB charging, and multilingual audio. Choose central pickup or hotel service, and bring warm waterproof clothing.

“Trip was amazing!! Such cool nature, And the tour guide and driver were super friendly and funny”

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