Northern Lights Tour: Cozy Night Adventure with Hot Chocolate
by Nordur Travel Services ehf · Northern lights · Reykjavík
- Fine on your own
- Eco-certified
Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Nordur Travel Services 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.
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Duration
4 hours
Difficulty
Very easy
Season
Sep – Apr
Starts in
Reykjavík
Languages
EN, DE, EN, ES
Departs
20:00, 21:00, 22:00
Cancellation
Free until 24h before
About this experience
Leave the bright city lights of Reykjavík behind and step aboard a warm, comfortable vehicle as we head into the dark Icelandic countryside in search of the magical Northern Lights. Your journey begins with a relaxing drive through quiet landscapes, where every turn brings the possibility of the aurora dancing across the sky. Along the way, your guide will share insights about Iceland, its folklore, and the science behind the aurora borealis, adding depth to the adventure.
As we find the best viewing spot, you’ll be invited to step outside and look up at the vast starry sky. To keep you cozy, we’ll serve hot chocolate, a comforting touch that makes the wait for the lights even more enjoyable. With luck, the sky will come alive in shades of green, purple, and pink, creating memories you’ll carry for a lifetime.
While sightings can never be guaranteed, our experienced team will do everything possible to maximize your chances. No matter what, you’ll leave with a deeper connection to Iceland’s night sky and the magical stories that surround it. This is more than just a ride—it’s an evening of warmth, wonder, and shared excitement beneath nature’s most breathtaking show.
Description from the operator, Nordur Travel Services ehf. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Where you go
- Departure from Reykjavík
- Scenic Drive into the Countryside
- Aurora Hunt Stop
- Warm Up with Hot Chocolate
- Return Journey
Included
- Comfortable round-trip transfer from Reykjavík
- Experienced English & Spanish-speaking guide
- Northern Lights hunt away from city light pollution
- Hot chocolate to keep you warm
Good to know
- Warm clothing, sturdy shoes, and a sense of adventure.
We recommend that you dress according to the weather conditions. Please keep in mind that the weather in Iceland is extremely variable, so we recommend dressing in layers and always bringing a waterproof outer layer.
Northern Lights Policy
Our Northern Lights tours operate whenever there is a reasonable chance of sightings. Please note that the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, and sightings can never be guaranteed.
- Tour Cancellation due to Weather: Guests may reschedule for another date or receive a full refund if rescheduling is not possible.
- Proceeding with Tour: If guests choose to proceed despite being offered a refund, they accept that sightings depend on natural conditions and waive the right to a refund if the lights are not visible.
- Tour Operated, No Sightings: If the tour goes ahead but the Northern Lights do not appear, the tour remains non-refundable. However, guests may reschedule at no extra cost within the next 2 years.
Cancellation for this tour
Free cancellation until 24 hours 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.
- 1Nordur Travel Services 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.
- 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.
- 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 1 day before departure, the operator's policy after that.
Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →
Why this one and not the cheaper one?
The nearest cheaper Northern Lights at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon from Blue Iceland is €56 — €16 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Nordur Travel Services ehf · €72 | Blue Iceland · €56 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 4 hours | 3 hours |
| Changing your mind | Free until 24 h before | Free until departure |
| How hard it is | Very easy | Easy |
The €16 buys you 1 more hour out and free cancellation up to 24 h before. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.
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
- 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
Nordur Travel Services 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 Nordur Travel Services ehf
Read all 134 reviews on Google →Operator rating 4.8/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.
★★★★★ · a month ago
Great tour, i enjoy a lot, the guide speaks spanish very good. Wonderfull places.
★★★★★ · a month ago
My sister and I booked a Golden Circle tour with Nordur Travel. They communicated well with us prior to the trip providing pick up details and any changes to the programme. Lara the guide was very good - friendly and informative and considered the needs of the group. I would happily recommend the company.
★★★★★ · 7 months ago
Unfortunately we didn’t get to see the Northern Lights, even though we had 2 goes at it! Each trip took us to different places, and although the forecast was apparently very good on the second attempt, we still didn’t see any, despite the enthusiasm and knowledge of both guides. Laura was the perfect guide, with her knowledge and enthusiasm. The hot chocolate drink and pastries were very welcome, and the dark skies on the second night were quite spectacular on their own!
★★★★★ · a month ago
The tour with Magda was super, she told us a lot of information about Landmannalaugar and the hike was really beautiful! Relaxing in the hot spring at the end was also very nice. All in all a great adventure 👍
Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026
Read before you book
- Northern lights by bus, boat or super-jeep — the odds are the same, the night isn'tBus, boat and super-jeep lights hunts from Reykjavík compared on real odds, comfort and price, with the one we'd book first.
- Northern lights with a photographer or a regular tour — what the extra money buysSame sky, same dark field, €71 or €114. What a 'free photos' lights tour really gives you, and what the small-group Sprinter option actually costs.
- Northern lights run September to April and nobody can promise you a single nightWhat decides whether you see the aurora in Iceland — months, darkness, cloud and the moon — and how to plan so one cloudy night doesn't sink the trip.
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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