Iceland’s aurora is a show with no curtain time. This four-hour tour takes you out of Reykjavík’s glow and into darker countryside, where guides check conditions and may try more than one viewing spot. You’ll need patience, warm layers, and a bit of luck.
I like two things here: a small-group option makes the night feel less like waiting in a crowd, and guides such as Bjarni, Gulli, and Radek have been praised for explaining the lights and helping with photos. The hot chocolate is a welcome touch when you’re standing in the cold.
The main drawback is the one no operator can fix: clouds or weak aurora can leave you with little to see. Also, despite the tour’s broader title, the standard four-hour choice is an aurora outing, not a glacier hike and waterfall tour. Check the exact package before paying.
- At a glance
- What the night actually involves
- Leaving Reykjavík’s lights behind
- Waiting under the Arctic sky
- A second chance, not a promise
- Choosing the right package and price
- Who should book this outing
- Should you book it?
- FAQ
- How long is the Northern Lights tour?
- What time does the tour leave?
- Is hotel pickup included?
- What happens if I do not see the Northern Lights?
- Is a sighting guaranteed?
- What should I wear?
- Are children allowed on the tour?
- Is the tour wheelchair-accessible?
- What is included in the tour?
- Can I cancel for a refund?
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At a glance
- A changing route: The guide uses current weather conditions to choose where to look, and may stop at more than one dark-sky location.
- Four hours, give or take: Expect an evening outing that can run longer or shorter depending on weather and conditions.
- Hot chocolate and refreshments: A small comfort during a cold wait, with toilets available at a stop on some departures.
- A free second chance: If the aurora does not appear, you can reschedule once for BusTravel Iceland’s non-premium Northern Lights Bus Tour.
- Several package choices: Small-group, large-group, hotel-pickup, photography, and combined-tour options are listed at different prices.
- Cold-weather outing: You’ll spend time outdoors, so warm clothes and sturdy shoes are not optional extras.
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What the night actually involves
The basic tour is a guided search, not a fixed parade of sights. After leaving Reykjavík, your guide heads away from city light pollution and looks for a spot with a clearer sky. The route can change from night to night because cloud cover and weather matter more than a fixed itinerary.
The lights form when solar particles interact with Earth’s magnetic field. That explanation is interesting, but the practical point is simpler: the aurora is hard to predict, and Iceland’s location gives you a chance to see it, not a promise. A clear sky and strong activity both help, and either can change while you’re out.
Plan for a stretch of waiting outside. The guide may move the group to another location if conditions look better elsewhere, but you could also spend a long time in one cold place watching the sky. Some nights bring a dramatic display; others offer a faint green tinge, a glimpse through clouds, or no visible aurora at all.
If the lights are too faint for your eyes, a phone or camera may show more color. One useful tip from past outings: ask the guide for help with camera settings before the sky gets active. Guides have also taken photos for groups on photography packages, though photo quality and delivery can vary, and you should not book solely for professional-grade images.
You can also read our reviews of more guided tours in Reykjavik
Leaving Reykjavík’s lights behind
The departure is from Reykjavík, with hotel pickup included in the small-group hotel-pickup option. Other package choices use a meeting point instead. The selected departure times are listed as 20:30 or 21:30, and the available return times vary with the option and length of the outing.
Pickup can be a little confusing when several tour vehicles gather at one stop. Listen for your name and check the company name on the vehicle rather than assuming the first bus is yours. The booking instructions ask you to arrive 60 minutes early, but one participant reported being told directly by the operator that 10 minutes was enough at their particular pickup point. Because pickup arrangements can differ, confirm the correct arrival time with the operator instead of waiting outside in the cold for an hour.
The ride out is part of the search. Your guide may talk about the aurora and Iceland along the way, and the driver watches conditions while choosing where to stop. WiFi is included on board, but don’t count on having much use for it once you step away from the bus and start looking up.
A small group usually costs more than the large-bus option, but it can make it easier to hear the guide, move between stops, and get help with photos. It does not guarantee a better aurora or a more comfortable ride: one person found the small bus cramped, especially with wet clothes. If room matters more to you than an intimate group, compare the large-group choices before booking.
Waiting under the Arctic sky
The best part of the outing may be the moment the lights appear, but the wait is part of the deal. Bring insulated layers, gloves, and sturdy shoes. The tour information calls for warm clothing and good shoes, and that advice is worth treating as essential, not as a suggestion for people who feel the cold.
Hot chocolate and refreshments are included. At some stops, the group has used a building with toilets and a place to warm up, though you should not assume every stop has indoor facilities. The hot drink helps, but it will not replace proper winter clothing.
Your guide is central to the experience. Guides such as Bjarni, Kris, Gulli, Radek, Pall, and Nikos have been singled out for patient explanations, persistence in finding clearer skies, or help taking pictures. The guide assigned to your departure will vary, so no particular person is guaranteed. What matters most is that the guide can explain the conditions, keep the group informed, and make sensible choices about where to stop.
If you’re hoping to photograph the aurora, be realistic about what the camera package means. It may include help from a guide who takes pictures, but night photography is difficult, and the results can be uneven. Some people preferred their own phone photos; others valued having pictures taken for them. Bring your phone or camera and ask for settings advice, but treat included photos as a bonus rather than the main reason to book.
A second chance, not a promise
No aurora tour can guarantee a sighting. The operator’s useful safety net is one free reschedule to BusTravel Iceland’s non-premium Northern Lights Bus Tour if you do not see the lights. That gives you another opportunity, but it is not the same as a guaranteed repeat of the small-group or photography package.
The free second outing is most valuable if your Iceland stay has an extra evening available. If this is your last night, a cloudy forecast or a quiet sky can leave you with no time to try again. For that reason, book early in your stay when your schedule allows. You can still get unlucky, but you’ll have more flexibility if the first attempt is cancelled or the sky does not cooperate.
A cancellation because of bad weather is different from simply going out and seeing nothing. Conditions can be hard to judge, and tours may run when the forecast looks uncertain. If you have a tight schedule, check the operator’s rescheduling arrangements before booking and leave room in your trip where possible.
Choosing the right package and price
The experience is advertised from $94.29, but the price depends on the package. The small-group hotel-pickup aurora tour without photography is listed from $114.79; a large group meeting at a location starts from $81.99, and a large group with hotel pickup starts from $95.05. The small-group photography option is listed from $123.10.
Other choices add a super-jeep tour, boat trip, or Golden Circle outing, with listed prices ranging from $119 to $213.45. These are distinct packages, not automatic extras on the basic aurora departure. In particular, the title mentions a glacier and waterfalls hike, but the standard four-hour Northern Lights selection does not include that outing. If glacier hiking and waterfalls are the reason you’re considering this tour, select a package that explicitly names the hike and waterfall tour, and check its own schedule and inclusions.
For the basic aurora trip, the small-group option makes sense if you value a more personal feel and are willing to pay extra for it. The cheaper large-group tour can be the better buy if you mainly want transport out of the city and a chance to look for the lights. Photography is worth considering if you want help with camera settings or pictures of yourself under the aurora, but do not assume it will produce perfect images.
The fare includes an English-speaking guide, round-trip hotel transfers on pickup packages, onboard WiFi, hot chocolate and refreshments, and the Northern Lights search. Personal expenses and tips are not included. The published cancellation terms allow a full refund when you cancel at least 24 hours before the activity date, using local time.
You can also read our reviews of more hiking tours in Reykjavik
Who should book this outing
This tour suits you if you’re staying in Reykjavík, have an evening free, and don’t want to rent a car or choose a viewing spot yourself. It is also a good fit if you want a guide to explain what you’re seeing and help you make the most of a dark, cold night.
Families should note the minimum age is eight. Children aged 16 and older pay the adult rate. The activity is not wheelchair-accessible, and the outdoor waiting makes it a poor match if you cannot comfortably stand or move around in cold conditions.
If your priority is comfort above all, remember that the bus may feel crowded and the temperature outside is part of the experience. If your priority is certainty, this is not the right kind of outing: no guide can schedule the aurora. Go with a flexible attitude, and count the countryside drive, sky watching, and stories as part of the evening rather than treating the lights as a guaranteed payoff.
Should you book it?
I’d book this if you have an open evening early in your Reykjavík stay, can dress for real cold, and understand that the aurora may not show. The guide’s weather-led choices, hot chocolate, and option for one free second attempt add real value, especially compared with heading out alone without local help.
Choose the small group if personal attention and photo help matter to you. Choose a large group if price is the bigger concern. And if you want glacier hiking and waterfalls as well as aurora watching, check the exact package name before booking: the basic night tour is about chasing the sky, not hiking a glacier.
Northern Lights Guided Tour with Glacier & Waterfalls Hike
“we really enjoyed it. he really worked so hard to give us a great experience and view of the northern lights!”
FAQ
How long is the Northern Lights tour?
It normally lasts three to four hours. Weather conditions can change the length of the outing.
What time does the tour leave?
The listed departure options are 20:30 and 21:30. Choose the time shown for your package when booking.
Is hotel pickup included?
It is included in hotel-pickup packages. Some options use a meeting point instead, so check which package you select.
What happens if I do not see the Northern Lights?
You can reschedule once for BusTravel Iceland’s non-premium Northern Lights Bus Tour.
Is a sighting guaranteed?
No. The lights and weather are unpredictable, and sightings cannot be guaranteed.
What should I wear?
Wear warm clothing and sturdy shoes. You should be ready to spend time outdoors in cold conditions.
Are children allowed on the tour?
Participants must be at least eight years old. Children aged 16 and older are charged the adult rate.
Is the tour wheelchair-accessible?
No. The activity is not wheelchair-accessible.
What is included in the tour?
The listed inclusions are an English-speaking guide, Northern Lights tour, hot chocolate and refreshments, and WiFi on board. Round-trip hotel transfers are included with hotel-pickup packages.
Can I cancel for a refund?
A full refund is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the activity date, using destination local time.
