Northern Lights - Private Tour (1–6 passengers)

by Cool Holidays Travel ehf · Northern lights · private · Reykjavík

5.00(72) · operator on Google
Northern Lights - Private Tour (1–6 passengers) — Cool Holidays Travel ehf

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Cool Holidays Travel ehf's own price and take our commission from them, not from you. What you get here is one checkout across operators, one confirmation, and one place to change or cancel it. If you ever find it cheaper on their own site, tell us and we will match it or explain why we cannot.

More photos of Northern Lights - Private Tour (1–6 passengers)

Northern Lights - Private Tour (1–6 passengers), photo 6

6 photos from Cool Holidays Travel ehf. Tap any one for the full-size original.

  • Duration

    4 hours

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    Sep – Apr

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Languages

    EN

  • Departs

    21:00

  • Cancellation

    Free until 2 days before

Our take on this one

A lights tour with nobody else in the vehicle: a licensed driver-guide, a Mercedes V-Class seating up to six, pickup and drop-off across Reykjavík, and a spot chosen that night from the cloud forecast and the solar data rather than from a fixed list. The price is for the car, so at six people it is €215 each and at two it is €645. Four hours from 21:00, winter only, parking and all taxes included. The real advantage over a coach is that the driver can keep moving if the sky closes in, and you are not waiting for forty other people to get back on board. Nobody can promise you an aurora and this operator does not. Free cancellation to 48 hours.

Book it if
A group of five or six who want to chase clear sky on their own schedule rather than a bus route.
Skip it if
There is no free rebooking here if the sky stays shut — at €1,289 a blank night is an expensive blank night.

Written by us, from the operator's own details and what we know of the route. We don't take a fee for a good word.

About this experience

Join us for a magical evening under the Arctic sky in search of the famous Aurora Borealis. On this private tour, you and your group will travel comfortably in our Mercedes V-Class (1–6 passengers), away from the city lights to the best viewing spots chosen for that night.

Every Northern Lights hunt is unique – sometimes the aurora dances in green, sometimes in pink or purple. Your guide will keep an eye on the weather and solar activity to give you the best chance of seeing this unforgettable natural wonder.

Description from the operator, Cool Holidays Travel ehf. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

  1. Highlights

Included

Included in the tour:

  • Private guided tour with licensed driver-guide
  • Mercedes-Benz V-Class (1–6 passengers)
  • Pick-up and drop-off in Reykjavík area
  • Parking fees
  • Free Wi-Fi on board
  • All taxes and service fees

Not included

Exclusions:

  • Food & drinks
  • Entrance fees (if applicable)
  • Gratuities (optional)
  • Personal expenses

Good to know

  • Warm and comfortable clothing – the Icelandic weather can change quickly.
  • Waterproof jacket and sturdy shoes.
  • Hat, gloves, and an extra layer – even in summer.
  • Camera to capture unforgettable moments.
  • Personal drinks if you like (lunch stop available during the tour).
  • A big smile and positive energy – the rest we take care of.
  • This is a private tour (your group only).
  • Tour duration may vary depending on weather and road conditions.
  • The tour is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Not recommended for travelers with serious back problems.
  • Pickup and drop-off are included within Reykjavík area.
  • Cancellation is free up to 48 hours before departure.

Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until 2 days before departure; no refund after that. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.

If the weather cancels this tour

Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is a solid cloud forecast — most operators call it by late afternoon and let you rebook on a clearer night free of charge. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

  1. 1Cool Holidays Travel ehf decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
  2. 2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
  3. 3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.

What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until 2 days before departure, the operator's policy after that.

Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →

Sold out on your date?

Seats come back — a cancellation, or the operator adding a vehicle. Tell us the date and we will check once a day and email you if one opens. One email, then we delete the address; nothing else is ever sent to it.

Who this is not for

  • Priced per vehicle, so it is poor value for one or two people and good value for four or more sharing.
  • Not available in summer; the operator runs it roughly September to April.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

Cool Holidays Travel ehf is one of 154 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →

What travellers say about Cool Holidays Travel ehf

Read all 72 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 5.0/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • JANINA WASZKIELEWICZ

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    We just got back from a week-long holiday in Iceland and we already miss it! 🇮🇸 We used the services of Cool Travel Holiday, a tour company offering private trips to the most beautiful corners of this incredible country – and it was one of the best decisions we made for this trip! Thanks to them, we discovered places we never would have found on our own. Our guide Matt turned out to be an absolute gem 💎 His knowledge, passion and dedication are truly impressive. You can tell he puts his whole heart into what he does and genuinely cares about every client leaving with unforgettable memories. A special bonus for Polish travellers – Matt speaks three languages fluently: English, Icelandic and Polish! And I fulfilled my dream – I got to see puffins! 🐦 Matt made sure we didn’t miss them. If you’re planning a trip to Iceland – I highly recommend Cool Travel Holiday!

  • Chasing Pirates

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    Nicki Hyser here 👋 My husband, Craig, and I (from Minnesota) met up with 3 other couples from the U.S. All of us first-timers to Iceland. I had connected w/Matt, owner of Cool Holidays Travel, fall of 2025 via Messenger, and I have to say it was “meant to be.” Matt was our driver / guide for our 5-night adventure; he has many years of experience & invaluable knowledge of Iceland. He was receptive to our desires & made excellent suggestions (including hotels & restaurants), then he mapped out an amazing, magical time: Reykjavik, Golden Circle, southern coast to Vik, Glacier Lagoon, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Blue Lagoon, and so many beautiful, interesting stops along our 1,000+ journey. It was a trip of a lifetime & IMO we couldn’t have been in better hands. Matt / Cool Holidays Travel is worth 10-STARS!!!

  • Ethan Hansen

    ★★★★★ · 8 months ago

    Matt was awesome! We had two full days of back to back beautiful scenery and photo worthy pit stops - from waterfalls and volcanos to hot strings and northern lights. Matt was super friendly, informative and accommodating on our travels, working late into the night our first day to make sure we got a chance to see the northern lights (which we did, and it was absolutely breathtaking). Could not recommend his services more. Not only is he an all around good dude but he works tirelessly to ensure participants get the best possible touring experience of Iceland. 5 stars!

  • Emma George

    ★★★★★ · 8 months ago

    Matt is an AMAZING tour guide! Iceland is now a core memory for me and my family. Matt explained the history of Iceland and also discussed life in Iceland today. We saw so many attractions and even saw the Northern Lights all thanks to Matt’s quality expertise. Highly recommend taking a tour with Cool Holidays Travel!

Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026

Read before you book

Reviews from our travellers

Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.

No reviews yet from our travellers on this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

Northern lights — questions people ask

When is the best time to see the northern lights in Iceland?

September to April, when the nights are dark enough. Within that, late September to March gives the longest dark hours, and the equinox months, September and March, often have active skies. There are no lights in June or July; the sky never gets dark. Anyone selling you a June lights tour is selling you a bus ride. Give yourself at least three nights, because clouds, not the aurora, are the usual reason people miss them.

Are the northern lights guaranteed on a tour?

No. Nobody can promise them, and we will not. Two things have to line up: a clear sky and solar activity. Guides check the cloud forecast at vedur.is and drive to gaps, which is the real value of a tour over standing outside your hotel. What most operators do promise is a free second attempt if the lights do not show. Check the exact retry policy on the tour page, because the number of retries and the validity period vary.

Is a northern lights bus tour or a boat tour better?

Bus, if you want the best odds. A minibus can drive an hour inland to find a clear patch; a boat stays in Faxaflói and sees whatever sky is over Reykjavík. Boats are shorter, about two hours, and pleasant with hot chocolate, and Reykjavik Sailors' cruise (/experience/6637/) includes a free retry. For a serious hunt, a small-group minibus like BusTravel's (/experience/150646/) or a 4x4 tour (/experience/1088067/) is the better bet.

Can I see the northern lights from Reykjavík itself?

Yes, on strong nights. The city is small and the sky over the sea to the north is fairly dark. Grótta lighthouse at the western tip and the Ægisíða shoreline are the usual spots, twenty minutes' walk from the centre. On average nights the street lights drown out a faint aurora, which is why tours drive out. If the forecast shows high activity and clear sky, walk to Grótta first and save the tour money.

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Pairs well with

Everything here goes into the same basket and the same single payment, however many operators it comes from.

from

€1,289 per vehicle

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