Ready for a night under Iceland’s magical skies? This small-group Northern Lights tour sets off from Reykjavík in a rugged 4x4 Sprinter—spacious, warm, and built to handle Iceland’s winter backroads. With big windows and fewer passengers, it’s made for travelers who want a relaxed way to chase the aurora.
An expert guide keeps tabs on the latest forecasts and heads toward the clearest skies—far from streetlights and crowded viewing spots. Once the lights start to dance, step outside, wrap up in a cozy blanket, sip hot cocoa, and watch the Arctic sky come alive. If the lights show, you’ll get photos too—no need to worry about capturing the moment!
Check availability and secure a front-row seat to one of nature’s most unforgettable shows!
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Hop into a 4x4 Sprinter and head into Iceland’s countryside to chase the Northern Lights in comfort. Read on to see what the night has in store!
The evening begins with convenient pick-up in Reykjavík. Guests are seated in a specially modified 4x4 Sprinter, built for Iceland’s winter roads and rougher countryside terrain. With spacious interiors and large windows, you’ll enjoy both comfort and views as the group departs the city.
Once all passengers are on board, you’ll leave Reykjavík and head into the countryside, traveling along off-the-beaten-track winter roads in search of darker skies and optimal aurora conditions. The drive is smooth and scenic—far from the noise and lights of the capital!
Once the ideal viewing spot is chosen—based on real-time forecasts and local insight—the 4x4 Sprinter pulls over, and the night truly begins. Far from city lights and tour crowds, you’ll step into the stillness of Iceland’s countryside, where the stars feel closer and the air sharper.
You’ll wrap up in a warm blanket and sip hot cocoa, paired with a chocolate treat to sweeten the wait. It’s a peaceful moment, shared with a small group of fellow travelers, all watching the sky in quiet anticipation.
Then, if conditions align, the show begins. The Northern Lights ripple in shades of green, and sometimes violet or deep red—solar particles meeting Earth’s magnetic field in a burst of color. It’s a scientific wonder, but in the moment, it just feels otherworldly.
Throughout the night, the guide captures photos of the group beneath the aurora, so you can stay present while still taking the memories home. Whether it's your first time seeing the lights or your fifth, this is one of those experiences that never gets old! When the experience wraps up, the same 4x4 Sprinter returns the group to Reykjavík.
Pick-up time: Tours depart at either 20:30 (8:30 p.m.) or 21:30 (9:30 p.m.), depending on the season. The exact time will be confirmed during booking and shown on the final voucher. Please note that pick-up process can take up to 30 minutes.
Pick-up locations: A full list of available pick-up loations to choose from is provided during the booking process. Available pick-up points
The Northern Lights are natural phenomena and we, unfortunately, cannot promise you will see them. Their appearance depends upon atmospheric and weather conditions.
For more information on the Northern Lights, please have a look at our Northern Lights tours.
We, unfortunately, do not have one simple answer to this question.
There isn’t just one single setting for your camera that ensures great photos. However, if you have manual options, you are probably best served with experimenting with various combinations of ISO, aperture, and exposure settings. As a rule of thumb, ISO setting between 800 and 3200, aperture between f/2 8 and f/5.6, and shutter speed at between 15 seconds and 30 seconds have proven effective.
A good thing to keep in mind, ISO setting between 800 and 3200, aperture between f/2.8 and f/5.6, and shutter speed between 15 seconds and 30 seconds have given great results.
Different combinations may give very different results. Higher ISO setting will allow you to capture faster exposures, but the downside to this might be for example grainier images.
If the shutter speed is above 15 seconds it will result in a slight star movement.
Wider angle lenses are usually more versatile in low light settings, but longer lenses give you different options for compositions. Make sure that you remove all lens filters, as they may distort images. You will probably get the best results with manual setting for infinite focal length.
Reimbursement is not given if the northern lights tour goes ahead and no lights are seen but we do offer you the change to join a Northern Lights Minibus tour free of charge.
Please contact our Customer Care to re-book your tour.
When Northern Lights tours are canceled it’s usually due to unfavorable weather conditions.
In that case, your options will be to:
Please go to the customer portal to re-book your tour or contact us by phone at +354 562 7000.
The northern lights are a pretty difficult thing to predict. We recommend you to check en.vedur.is to see the forecast and if the level is high and the skies are clear then it’s very likely that the tour is going ahead. We do update our website’s tour departure sheet with the information at 17:00 pm the latest. If your tour is canceled then you will receive an email from us.
If we think there is no chance at all of seeing the lights we will cancel the tour. We don’t want to bring you out and disappoint if there is no chance of the lights to be seen.
Yes, the guide on your tour will take a photo of you with the northern lights in the background.
These can be single or group photo’s and are free of charge.
The Northern Lights season is from late August until mid-April. However, if you want to increase your changes of seeing them, it is best to wait until the clear winter months of mid-September until March.
The northern lights depend on luck and weather if that is in your favor than you will be able to see the Aurora Borealis above the inviting streets of Reykjavík. Whether you see the lights or not they depend on two different factors. The first being the weather. If the sky is clear, no clouds, then you are halfway there to seeing the astonishing spectacle that is the Northern Lights (although light pollution can sometimes be a problem). Increased solar activity is the second half so, if these two merge together you may well be able to see the Northern Lights from Reykjavik.
If you’re visiting between mid-October and mid-April, it’s highly recommended to use lightweight crampons, also known as ice spikes. These small traction devices attach to your shoes and help prevent slips on icy paths, making sightseeing safer and more comfortable. You can purchase them during the booking process to ensure you’re prepared for winter conditions. They are yours to keep after the tour ends!
