Northern Lights Tours, Iceland

1. Vik: Vik is a beautiful village on the southern coast of Iceland. A short drive from Reykjavik, Vik is home to black sand beaches and large Basalt columns. The flickering of the Northern Lights provides a beautiful view of the black rocks.

The Northern light glimpse can be seen at night, but tourists can enjoy fishing in Vik during the daytime.

When to see: The best time to visit Vik with Iceland northern lights tour is between October and March. During this period, the aurora activities of the Northern Lights can be seen with a clear sky. For tourists to get comfortable under a blanket and enjoy the Northern Light experience, midnight being the best hour to have a surreal experience.


2. Reykjavik: Reykjavik being the capital of Iceland is considered Iceland's biggest city and houses many parks and recreational spaces to be amongst nature.

This place provides a wider view of the Northern Lights, and the chances of tourists witnessing the Lights is much higher. Reykjavik is a place that acts as an escapism from reality and into a dark world with a stunning Light show.

When to see: The best time to visit Reykjavik would be between October and April. Winter provides longer nights for the season, and Northern Light spotting increases during the midnight hours. With Iceland's northern lights tour, tourist can spend their time in Reykjavik stargazing at night with a clear sky above their head.

3. North Iceland and the Westfjords: The North Iceland and the Westfjords is a small place further away from Reykjavik. Since it lies further away from the main city, the crowd is less, and the skies are generally clear. This increases tourists' chances of spotting the flickering of the Northern Lights and a wider sky for a proper show.

When to see: Some places in Iceland have 19 hours of darkness during winter nights. North Iceland and the Westfjords regions experience longer nights during winters, generally between November and early February. Longer nights and clearer skies act as a major advantage for grasping the true colours of the Northern Lights.

4. Jökulsárlón: Jökulsárlón is a place located in the southeast part on the outskirts of Reykjavik city. Slightly away from the city light, this place is considered one of the best places for Northern Light spotting in Reykjavik.

It is a glacial lagoon with black sand beaches that offer a stunning view of the red and green lights of the aurora borealis.

When to see: Since this place is within Reykjavik city, the best time to visit this place would be between October and April. Tourists can take a boat ride from the harbour at midnight during Northern Light spotting but adhere to certain safety precautions.

5. Laugardalur: Laugardalur is an ideal place where residents of Iceland country and Reykjavik city venture into outdoor activities like hiking and long walks for a breath of fresh air. This place is on the outskirts of Reykjavik and is an ideal place as it stays away from the urban city lights that distract the Northern Light spotting.

When to see: The best time to visit Laugardalur is during late winters around November end/December. The sport centres and outdoor thermal pools stay open for tourists and visitors till 10 pm. With Iceland's northern lights tour, a tourist can indulge in Northern Light spotting at midnight by setting up camps in the desired natural surroundings.

6. Akureyri: Akureyri is a small city located in the northernmost corner of Iceland. The city is famously known for its port and snow-peaked mountains that engulf the city with a pleasant environment and surreal sounds of nature. This place provides an amazing view of the Northern Lights, the condition being the weather and sky cloud patterns.

When to see: The best time to visit Akureyri is during early winters, around October and/November start. Since this place is at the northernmost corner of the country, it offers clear skies for most of the year. So, tourists can have a chance of Light spotting even during August.

7. Threngsli: Threngsli is a secluded place in Iceland that remains untouched by the urban population for most parts. The clear flat land and appropriate climate conditions help in easy Northern Light spotting.

Since it is away from city lights with minimum to no sound distractions, this place offers a view that gives tourists a true sense of the magnificent colours of the Northern Lights.

When to see: Some places in Iceland have unpredictable weather patterns, and Threngsli is one such place. Tourists can expect Northern Light spotting during winters, but there are chances of summer night spotting or around August/September.

8. Djúpavík: Djúpavík is a coastal town in Iceland that is considered one of the best places for Northern Light spotting. Many tourists are unaware of this place, and Djúpavík remains unexplored by many.

Iceland's northern lights tour explores this place as it captures the colour hues of red, blue, purple, and pink of the Northern Lights, unlike any place in Iceland.

When to see: Djúpavík is ideal for visiting around the start of January as tourists can expect a clear sky and wider Northern Light flickering patterns. Midnight after 1 is considered the best time for tourists to experience the full potential of the Light gazing experience.

9. Látrabjarg: Látrabjarg is considered a place in Iceland with one of the longest sea cliffs that stretch throughout 14 Km. Steep windy cliffs and natural habitats like puffins and seals all around offer a relaxing place for tourists to spend their time. During Northern Light spotting, the sea and the surrounding cliffs provide a glamorous and gorgeous view of the lights.

When to see: This place offers Northern Light spotting during December month on perfect weather conditions. Apart from Northern Light spotting, tourists can also explore this place during the daytime, considering the long seaside cliffs with a windy environment for the perfect relaxation experience.

1. Harbour View Cottages: The Harbour View Cottages are 15 minutes away from Reykjavik city's Blue lagoon. They are among the best places for tourists to stay in personal cottages when visiting with friends and family.

The cottage also offers an excellent view of the Northern Lights during certain weather conditions. All the cottages are well maintained and are serviced every day and as per the needs of the tourist.

Location: The Harbour View Cottages are located in Hópsvegur, in the Grindavik 240 region of Iceland.
Price: This place offers a price of $227 per night for 1 basic cottage. The package further includes complimentary breakfast and free visiting to the front patio without extra hourly charges.

2. Panorama Glass Lodge: The Panorama Glass Lodge offers personal glass lounges for tourists. The glass lounges offer a mesmerizing view of the surrounding natural habitat among snow-clad cliffs and the waterside. Panorama Glass Lodge offers lodges at different locations that face the Reykjavik, Hvalfjörður and Hella regions.

Tourists have the liberty to choose from their preferred region and surrounding views. It provides a glass lodge that lets tourists stargaze and be among the natural surroundings without stepping out. On lucky occasions, visitors can expect a dancing light show of the Northern Lights.

Location: The Panorama Glass Lodge is located in Austurkrókur 1, Hella in Iceland. It is 159 Km away from Keflavik International Airport.
Price: The Panorama Glass Lodge offers a package of $405 per night with a private lodge. The tourists can choose the lodge from the Reykjavik, Hvalfjörður, and Hella regions that they prefer with a view of their choice.

3. Klettar Tower Iceland: The Klettar Tower Iceland is a simple lighthouse that houses compact cabins. Each compact cabin has a personal platform and a panoramic platform at the top of the tower for tourists to glimpse the natural surroundings and habitats. The place offers a great view of the Northern Lights from tourist's rooms.

Location: The Klettar Tower Iceland is located in 801 Skeiða- og Gnúpverjahreppur in Iceland.
Price: The tower offers a basic package of $171 per night, inclusive of all cabin amenities and refreshments. The tower also offers flexible checkout timings depending on the duration and time of stay without extra charges.

4. Hotel Rangá: Hotel Rangá is a hotel in Iceland best known for its stargazing observatory and mesmerizing view of the Hekla volcano. It is considered one of Iceland's best hotels for tourists, Northern Light spotting from their rooms and public lounges inside the premises.

Tourists have an option of arranging a wake-up call by the hotel staff during Northern Light spotting season for no extra charge.

Location: Hotel Rangá is located in the quiet 851 Hella regions of Iceland near the Hekla volcano in Iceland.
Price: Hotel Rangá has a variety of rooms to offer. The Standard Room is $380 per night, and the Deluxe Room has a price of $ 533 per night; Deluxe superior rooms offer $668 per night inclusive of all hotel amenities.

The hotel also has Suites of various kinds, like the Junior Suite, which offers $872 per night and Master Suites for $1205 per night. All rooms and suites have extra amenities based on the package selected by the tourist.

5. Northern Light Inn: As the name suggests, this hotel is best known for its mesmerizing view of the Northern Lights during the appropriate season between November and March. This hotel offers 42 comfortable rooms with a 24/7 honesty bar and free lagoon shuttles.

Tourists have the option to arrange for wake-up calls by the hotel staff for Northern Light gazing at the right time. The hotel also has an in-house restaurant that offers delicious Nordic Cuisine accompanied by surrounding natural views with high, large glass panels.

Location: The Northern Light Inn Hotel is located in the southern 241 Grindavik region, on 1 Northern Lights Road of Iceland.
Price: The hotel has a wide range of rooms to choose from. The Deluxe, Double, Twin, and Triple rooms come with different price ranges for personal tourist needs, but the base price starts at $173 per night. The hotel also offers Family rooms from $250 onwards per night.

The Northern Light is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs when solar activity ejects a cloud of gas. This cloud of gas collides with the earth's magnetic field, and the field causes currents to be generated along the magnetic poles. When these currents are hit by nitrogen and oxygen atoms in the earth's upper atmosphere, it produces a flow of vibrant auroral lights.

The Northern lights are also referred to as Aurora borealis that occasionally become visible to people on earth during the night sky at a specific time of the month and depend on the region's weather conditions at the time.

For anyone who wants to witness the magnificent Northern Lights in Iceland, they must go when there is proper solar activity and clear night skies. Wintertime is considered the best time for people to visit Iceland to witness the Northern Lights with Iceland northern lights tour.

The Northern Light period generally stretches from September to April, when solar activity is at its peak. The nights are longer with a clear sky in the winter days, which helps in the Aurora Borealis spotting. During the Aurora Borealis period, the lights can typically be seen from mid-afternoon till almost noon the other day.

The Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights in Iceland typically require a strong solar activity that forms the gas cloud to collide with the earth’s magnetic field at the appropriate time. This would enable the formation of currents that form the lights.

Another important condition is a clear sky and generally longer nighttime. A clear sky helps in spotting the Northern Lights clearly without any disturbance in the sky. Even excess light or noise pollution from the earth may disturb the Aurora Borealis formation. A longer night, as observed in winters, helps in extended spotting hours. A summer night sky is typically short, and chances of spotting the Northern Lights become less.

Taking a photograph of the Northern Lights may seem easy, but it requires a proper setting and camera specification that captures the true essence of the light. A smartphone camera may do the work provided it has a 60 Mp camera lens with a steady night mode.

It is best to get your smartphone settings configured before photography. A DSLR with an ISO sensitivity setting between 400 and 800+ is considered best for capturing the stunning Northern Lights.

It helps capture every colour and contrast with precision and quality. Adjusting the shutter speed also helps in capturing the right moment at the right time. The Aurora Borealis is a bit tricky to capture into an image that looks exactly like the experience.

Yes. You can witness the Northern Lights in Reykjavik. It is Iceland's capital city and has many large parks and recreational places that provide the optimum sky view for Northern Light spotting. Grótta Lighthouse in Reykjavik is one of the best places in the city to witness the Northern Lights in its full glory.

Yes. Iceland is considered one of the best places to witness the Northern Light activities. Since it is in the Northernmost part of the world, the solar activity associated with the magnetic field of the poles is stronger in the region. This provides the perfect weather and solar condition for the Aurora Borealis activity to occur.

To explore Iceland and all its regions, a trip of 8-12 days or 1-2 weeks is generally perfect. With the Iceland northern lights tour, visit the capital city Reykjavik and explore the famous Golden Circle route and get a glimpse of all things Iceland offers.

Planning a trip with all the essentials is advised as the weather in Iceland is generally colder and goes to a minimum of 10 degrees Celsius on a normal day.