Reykjavík: Northern Lights Small Group Tour

There’s nothing quite like standing beneath Iceland’s Arctic sky as waves of green, pink, and purple light shimmer above you. The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are one of the most spectacular natural displays on Earth — and joining a small group Northern Lights tour from Reykjavik gives you the best chance to witness them. Whether you’re traveling solo, as a couple, or with friends, this intimate tour experience combines science, storytelling, and pure magic under Iceland’s winter skies.

One of the main reasons I booked this return trip to Iceland was to go Northern Lights Hunting. Unfortunately my first night doing the Evening Lava Tunnel and Northern Lights Tour was a bust with the seeing Lady Aurora but luckily I booked with Arctic Adventures who gave me unlimited retries within three years to see them – would any of the nights be a success?

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What Are the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights form when charged solar particles collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere. These interactions cause glowing waves of color that ripple across the polar sky.

When and Where to See the Northern Lights near Reykjavík, Iceland

In Iceland, the aurora can appear from late August through mid-April, when the nights are long and the air is crisp. On the best nights, you might see ribbons of light so bright they cast shadows on the snow and are visible to the naked eye.

• Best months: September – April
• Peak season: October – March
• Best locations near Reykjavik: Thingvellir National Park, Grotta Lighthouse, and Reykjanes Peninsula
• Keep an eye on the Icelandic Met Office Aurora Forecast, which shows real-time cloud cover and solar activity — an essential tool for aurora hunters!

Why Choose a Small Group Northern Lights Tour?

While you can rent a car and chase the aurora yourself, Iceland’s weather changes in minutes so many find it more practical and prudent than driving themselves. A small group tour from Reykjavik gives you the advantage of local expertise and real-time route adjustments to find clear skies which is the most important thing when you are Aurora hunting. Your guide monitors weather maps and solar data, driving to the best locations — whether that’s the Reykjanes Peninsula, Thingvellir National Park, or Hvalfjörður fjord — all within 1–2 hours from Reykjavik.

The Reykjavík: Group Northern Lights Tour with Pics & Hot Cocoa

Tour Details

• Overview: Chase the phenomenal Northern Lights on a small group minibus tour from Reykjavík! Enjoy hot chocolate, free photos with the Northern Lights as background, and an unforgettable night under the magical Arctic sky.
• Details: Duration is listed for 4 hours but can last anywhere from 3 to 5 hours, depending on the conditions, but Arctic Adventures do everything they can to find the lights (which I found true on both of the tours I was on)
• Important Notes:
  • Transportation is included and pickup/drop off from selected location in Reykjavík.
  • For the Northern Lights adventure, pick-up is at either 20:30 (8:30 p.m.) or 21:30 (9:30 p.m.), depending on the season. You’ll find the actual pickup time in the booking process and on your final voucher. Picking everyone up can take up to 30 minutes, your patience is much appreciated.
  • Due to weather, Arctic Adventures may cancel the Northern Lights portion by 18:15 on the tour day if conditions aren’t favorable. You can re-book for another date or receive a full refund (NOTE: that if that evening’s tour is a re-book, you would not be eligible for a refund)
• Includes:
  • Transportation by minibus with free Wi-Fi with included pickup/drop off
  • English-speaking expert Northern Lights guide with Northern lights photos and Icelandic hot cocoa, chocolate & blanket
  • If no aurora is seen, you get unlimited free re-tries for up to 3 years. Just contact us to rebook and join the chase again until you catch the lights! Please keep in mind that refunds are not issued when a tour takes place but no Northern Lights are seen.
• What to bring:
  • Warm shoes / Weather-appropriate, warm clothing / Camera

My Experience – Reykjavík: Group Northern Lights Tour with Pics & Hot Cocoa

Pickup

• This tour does include pickup and drop off from/to one of Reykjavík’s 23 designated points – if you are unsure which one, simply type in your accommodation address and the closest bus stop will populate
• Pickup details: Begins at pick-up is at either 20:30 (8:30 p.m.) or 21:30 (9:30 p.m.), depending on the season and can take up to 30 minutes to reach you but you must be ready by the time indicated when booking and on your confirmation

Pick up was seamless and since I was staying at the Hilton Reykjavík Nordica, pick-up is direct at the hotel. Of note: for this tour, we were picked up first right at 20:30/8:30 PM so be ready right when pick up begins. And pick up times can vary wildly as we were one of the last groups to be picked up – closer to 20:00/8:00 PM for the tour the previous night (Evening Lava Tunnel + Northern Light Tour begins at 19:30/7:30 PM)

Experience on the Mini-Bus

• Free Wi-Fi available on the bus
• The bus was clean, modern and really comfortable with functioning wi-fi and charging outlets
• One of the reasons I chose this tour was that it had transportation included but also that it was on a mini-bus. Traveling by minibus affords access to offbeat locations inaccessible to larger buses but also keeps the pricing reasonable vs doing a private tour!

Aurora Hunting in Comfort

The tour starts with some interesting facts about Iceland and the Northern Lights as the guide starts the search. Beautiful tip: if learning/hearing these facts are important to you, sit near the front as the speaker system isn’t robust and if the heat is going full blast, you might not be able to hear anything if you are mid-bus or further back.

At the beginning of the tour, Palli introduced himself as a good luck charm (if he were to say so himself) for the Northern lights and was an incredible guide who was not only really knowledgeable about the Northern Lights, he was still really passionate and enthusiastic about seeing them.

After the only break/restroom stop, we drive for a bit and when we stop, Palli is able to spot the Aurora immediately and proves to be as lucky as he claimed. Here we can see glimpses of the Northern Lights between the clouds but only visible through the camera/phone.

The clouds roll in and out, teasing us with the possibility of clear skies and the Northern Lights appear in a different direction – this time with a smattering of purple intertwined with the greens but then we become clouded out.

Palli takes this opportunity to revive our spirits with hot chocolate and some Icelandic chocolate treats. And then he consults his phone and makes the decision for us not to wait it out here but drive to a different spot.

The Northern Lights begin to dance in the sky in front of us – first they are faint and then begin to glow brighter and brighter.

Even though I have seen them now a number of times, I still get chills and am just as excited to see them on this tour!

Local Expertise / Guide

Palli was an incredible guide who was not only really knowledgeable about the Northern Lights, he was still really passionate and enthusiastic about seeing them. A local who loved seeing and still found them to be magical was such a treat.

I cannot stress enough how having someone that knows the area and also is very familiar with Lady Aurora may be the difference between seeing her and not. Because he was so accustomed to seeing them, he was able to make out the lights first and then showed them to us via his camera lens. He also made the decision to not wait for the cloud cover to move and while we drive only a few kilometers away, it made such a difference with cloud coverage and the ability to see the Northern Lights!

Professional Photos Included!

Another plus for this tour it that the guide will capture a complimentary photo of you with the aurora as the background and Palli was very eager and willing for us to all take many turns getting photos. He had a system set in place that we could easily and quickly rotate (as the Northern Lights may quickly disappear)

Palli also uploaded photos of just the Northern Lights for those without a camera or a phone capable of capturing them.

Tips for Northern Lights Hunt

• Book your tour at the beginning of your trip to allow for as many chances/re-tries as possible to see the Auroras.
• Wear sturdy shoes as you are likely to be walking on uneven, unpaved surfaces in the dark.
• Dress warmly (don’t forget hat, gloves and scarves) and in layers! Hilariously I found the bus to be extremely warm when we first boarded and the heat was blasting so I asked if the heat could be turned down when we were at the restroom/service station break. I must have looked like a hot mess because the driver turned on the AC and said that was the first time he had ever done that on a northern lights hunt…
• Tip for Northern Lights Photographs – use a tripod and learn to use night mode on your smartphone or manual settings on your camera (ISO 800–1600, 10–20s exposure)

Final Thoughts — A Journey Beneath the Dancing Sky

Chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland wasn’t just a tour, really it’s a once-in-a-lifetime connection with nature’s beauty and power. A small group Northern Lights tour from Reykjavik combines expert local knowledge, comfortable transport, and personalized attention — giving you the highest chance to experience the aurora in all its vibrant colors.

When the lights appear, dancing silently across the Arctic night, you’ll understand why so many travelers say this is the most magical experience of their lives and you’ll have the photos to help preserve the memory.

Why I Chose to Book This Tour Via GetYourGuide

What I Really Spent

• Tour: $0 This was where it is really important to chose your tour/activity provider carefully, Arctic Adventures not only stated that they would provide free, unlimited re-tries for a Northern Lights tour but they made it really easy to be re-booked for the next tour. I was able to go out and successfully see the Northern Lights the next day!
• TOTAL SPENT: $0

Why You Should Choose to Book Via GetYourGuide

If You Want to Book This Tour Via Viator Instead?

Perhaps you have been taking my advice and now have some accumulated Viator Rewards funds that you want to apply to this activity? Great job and this is the same Small Group Northern Lights tour only through Viator!