Magical Auroras Northern Lights Tour from Reykjavik with Photography

The best part of an aurora hunt is not knowing where the sky will open up. This evening tour leaves Reykjavik’s streetlights behind and gives your guide room to choose a countryside stop based on the weather, with a chance to see the Northern Lights shift from a faint glow to moving ribbons of color.

I like two things here: the guide takes photos of you beneath the aurora, and the tour includes hot chocolate, blankets, and a local pastry to help with the cold wait. The minibus also picks up around Reykjavik, which saves you from finding your own way out of town at night.

The main drawback is one no tour can fix: clear skies and aurora activity are beyond anyone’s control. You may wait in the cold and see only a faint glow, or no lights at all. If the forecast looks poor, the operator can cancel the aurora tour by 18:15 and refund you; if the tour goes ahead without a sighting, a free return trip is offered when available.

At a glance

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• The lights are unpredictable: The guide chooses where to go based on weather, but no sighting is guaranteed.
• Photos are included: Your guide is meant to take complimentary pictures of you with the aurora.
• Warmth is part of the package: Blankets and hot chocolate are included, but dress for a long, cold wait outdoors.
• The evening runs late: Departure is scheduled for 20:30, with return around 23:59. Delays can push the drop-off later.
• The retry offer matters: If the tour runs but the lights do not appear, you can join another tour free when space allows.
• You can arrange pickup: The tour includes Reykjavik pickup and drop-off, or you can meet at Bus Stop #1, by City Hall.

👉 See our pick of the 25 Best Guided Tours In Reykjavik

What the aurora hunt is really like

A Northern Lights trip is a search, not a show with a set start time. The aurora can appear at any point in the evening, and it may begin as a subtle haze before growing into visible arcs or moving patterns. Green and yellow are the most common colors; blue, violet, and rose can appear less often, while red is rare.

That uncertainty is part of the appeal, but it also calls for realistic expectations. A camera may show color or detail that is hard to see with your eyes, and a weak display can look like a pale streak rather than the dramatic sky often seen in photographs. Even with a skilled guide and a dark location, cloud cover or low aurora activity can leave you waiting without a clear sighting.

The tour is operated by Arctic Adventures. Its purpose is simple: get you away from Reykjavik’s artificial light, watch conditions, and make a practical attempt at finding a clear view. You are not buying a guaranteed natural spectacle. You are paying for transport, local guidance, a chance to see the lights, and support during a night when conditions can change quickly.

Leaving Reykjavik after dark

Departure is scheduled for 20:30. If you meet at Bus Stop #1, Ráðhúsið, by City Hall, arrive about 10 minutes early. Hotel or personal-address pickup is also available, but you need to enter your hotel name and address when booking. The operator confirms the pickup time in advance.

Allow a little patience at the start. Pickup can run late, and collecting people from several locations may take longer than expected. One reported evening began about an hour late after a passenger could not be reached, while another pickup was roughly 10 minutes behind schedule. These are not guarantees of delay, but they are good reasons not to plan a tight appointment after the tour.

Once everyone is aboard, the guide heads out of the city toward darker countryside. That is the key change: Reykjavik’s lights fade, and the group can scan a darker sky. The tour uses a minibus, with WiFi on board. WiFi is useful for basic connection, but the reason to look up is the possibility of the aurora.

The countryside stop, and the waiting

There is no fixed sightseeing route or guaranteed stop. Your guide watches the weather and chooses a suitable place to look for the lights. Some outings have stopped once; others have moved to a second location. One guide drove about 50 minutes from the city to a parking area near a small cafe, while another tour made two stops before spotting a stronger display on the way back.

That flexibility is valuable. A clouded sky in Reykjavik does not necessarily mean the whole region is clouded, and a guide may choose to wait for conditions to shift rather than rush from one place to another. On one successful evening, the group saw little at first, then watched the aurora appear and continue for about an hour from the same spot. On another, the guide noticed a clearer display during the return drive and stopped so the group could get out and take pictures.

Still, don’t assume the tour will visit multiple locations. The route depends on the conditions, and driving around is not automatically better than waiting in one place. You may spend much of the evening outside, looking up and hoping for a break in the clouds. If the sky stays overcast or the aurora is faint, the experience can feel slow and cold.

The scheduled return is 23:59, but the timing can shift with traffic and the aurora. A guide may wait longer if the lights seem likely to appear, and some groups have stayed out past the planned return time. That patience can pay off, but it is worth knowing about if you have an early start the next morning.

Photos, hot chocolate, and the cold

The included photography is a welcome extra. Your guide takes photos of you with the Northern Lights, giving you a chance to enjoy the sky instead of spending the whole night adjusting a camera. Some guides also offer advice on taking pictures. Bring your own camera if you want to try, but do not count on a phone screen to show exactly what your eyes see.

Make sure you know how the photos will be delivered before you leave. The tour includes Northern Lights photos, but a past participant had trouble getting the promised images afterward. That does not mean you will have the same problem, but it is sensible to ask the guide how and when to access the pictures, and to check that your contact details are correct.

Hot chocolate, blankets, and a local pastry are included. The drink and blanket can be genuinely useful when you are standing outside in the cold. The pastry offering may be simple rather than a substantial snack, so eat beforehand if you need a proper meal. Meals and other beverages are not included.

Dress for the wait, not just the ride. Wear warm, waterproof layers, hiking shoes, a hat, gloves, and a scarf. The countryside can feel windy and much colder when you are standing still, and the tour’s blankets are a helpful extra, not a replacement for warm clothing. Hiking shoes and a warm winter jacket can be rented on site, but check availability before relying on that option.

Price and what you get for it

The displayed price starts at $142.10, while the join-in package is also shown from US$123.59. Prices can vary, so check the rate for your date and package before booking. At either price, the value depends heavily on what you want from the evening.

You are paying for a minibus ride out of Reykjavik, an English-speaking guide who makes the weather-based decisions, pickup and drop-off, WiFi, hot chocolate, a pastry, blankets, and photos. Organizing your own transport to a dark area would take planning, and you would still need to decide where to go as conditions change. For someone without a rental car, the guided option is a practical way to make an aurora attempt.

The main risk is that the natural event itself has no guaranteed value. If the lights do not appear, you may have spent several hours outdoors for a faint glow or no sighting. The free return tour, offered when available if the first trip runs without an aurora sighting, adds real value if your schedule allows another evening. It is less useful if you are leaving Reykjavik the next day.

If the forecast is poor, the operator may cancel the Northern Lights portion by 18:15 and issue a full refund. That is different from a tour that goes ahead but finds no aurora. Read those two situations separately when deciding how much flexibility you need.

Who should book this tour

This tour makes sense if you are staying in Reykjavik, do not have a car, and want an organized chance to see the aurora without choosing a route yourself. It is also a good fit if you value having someone else take photos and appreciate the convenience of hotel pickup.

It suits patient night owls better than anyone with a rigid bedtime or an early departure. Children must be at least 6 years old, and participants aged 16 and older pay the adult rate. Everyone must sign a liability waiver that explains the activity’s risks.

I would treat the tour as one opportunity, not the entire plan for seeing the Northern Lights. If your stay allows, leave room for another night or for the free repeat tour if the first outing runs without a sighting. If you need certainty, this is the wrong kind of experience: no guide can promise clear skies or an active aurora.

Booking and timing details

The voucher is valid only for the date and time selected, and you can present it on your phone. Confirmation should arrive within minutes; if it does not, contact customer support. You can cancel for a full refund at least 24 hours before the activity date, using local destination time.

The tour’s scheduled window is about three and a half hours, from 20:30 to 23:59, but weather and the aurora can change the plan. The return may run late if the group waits for a chance to see the lights. Build in some breathing room afterward, rather than booking a fixed late-night commitment.

Should you book?

Book if you want a guided, convenient attempt at seeing the aurora and can handle a cold wait without a guaranteed result. The photo service, warm drinks, blankets, and chance of a free return tour make the package more useful than transport alone.

Skip it if you need a guaranteed spectacle, dislike standing outdoors, or cannot be flexible about the return time. For everyone else, it is a sensible way to get beyond Reykjavik’s glow and give the night sky a chance to do its thing.

FAQ

Where does the tour depart from?

The listed meeting point is Bus Stop #1, Ráðhúsið, by Reykjavik City Hall. Pickup and drop-off from a Reykjavik hotel or personal address are also included when arranged at checkout.

What time does the tour leave?

The scheduled departure is 20:30. If you meet at City Hall, arrive 10 minutes beforehand. The operator confirms your pickup time in advance if you have arranged pickup elsewhere.

When does the tour return?

The scheduled return is 23:59. The timing may change with traffic and weather, and the group may wait longer if the aurora seems likely to appear.

Is the Northern Lights sighting guaranteed?

No. The aurora depends on natural activity and weather conditions, so you may see a bright display, a faint glow, or no lights.

What happens if the aurora forecast is poor?

The operator can cancel the Northern Lights portion by 18:15 on the day of the tour if the forecast is not favorable. In that case, your payment is fully refunded.

Can I try again if the tour runs but no lights appear?

Yes. If the tour goes ahead and you do not see the Northern Lights, you can join the Magical Auroras minibus tour free of charge, subject to availability.

Are photos included?

Yes. The guide takes photos of you with the aurora. Bring your own camera if you want to take additional pictures, and ask the guide how the included photos will be delivered.

What should I wear or bring?

Wear warm, waterproof clothing, hiking shoes, a hat, gloves, and a scarf. Bring a camera if you want to take your own pictures. Hiking shoes and a warm winter jacket are available to rent on site.

Are food and drinks included?

Hot chocolate and a local pastry are included, along with blankets. Meals and other personal food or drinks are not included.

Can children join the tour?

Participants must be at least 6 years old. Children aged 16 and older are charged the adult rate.