Northern Lights Bus Tour From Reykjavík

by BusTravel Iceland · Northern lights · Reykjavík

4.3(27) · tour · Bókun4.70(2,918) · operator on Google
Northern Lights Bus Tour From Reykjavík — BusTravel Iceland

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at BusTravel Iceland'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 Bus Tour From Reykjavík

Great night for the northern light teamNorthern Lights Bus Tour From Reykjavík, photo 7

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  • Duration

    4 hours

  • Difficulty

    Very easy

  • Season

    Sep – Apr

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Languages

    EN, DE, IS, FR, DA, ZH

  • Departs

    20:30, 21:30, 22:30

  • Minimum age

    8

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24h before

About this experience

Art and science collide for an evening of hunting through the Icelandic countryside for an opportunity to spot the elusive Northern Lights. Many people come to our shores from all over the world every winter to see them.

What begins as solar winds from the sun striking against the magnetic field of our planet like a piece of flint touching steel quickly translates into ribbons of white and green, sometimes even red and purple that flutter through the sky like paper bags caught in the wind. Sometimes the effect is subtle, just a flicker of light against the dark whilst other times it can feel like a full orchestra, but no matter how the lights may present themselves they are always utterly captivating. 

Join us on a northern light hunt experience and our experienced and enthusiastic guides will do their level best to hunt down the lights and create special memories for you. The night will be completed with interesting information, legend and stories about the phenomenon, topped with a special recipe of hot chocolate to stay warm. 

For those nights where mother nature is not on our side, you will still be treated to a night sky full of stars and an ability to rebook and try another roll of the dice.

Description from the operator, BusTravel Iceland. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Included

  • Northern light hunt
  • Professional English speaking tour guide
  • Hot chocolate and refreshments
  • Wi-fi on board
  • One free retry tour

Not included

  • Pickup and drop off

Good to know

  • Warm clothing and good shoes
  • The duration of the tour is 3-4 hours
  • Make sure to bring warm clothing

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.

  1. 1BusTravel Iceland 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 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.

BusTravel Iceland · €72Blue Iceland · €56
How long it runs4 hours3 hours
Changing your mindFree until 24 h beforeFree until departure
How hard it isVery easyEasy

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

  • Children under 8 cannot join this one.
  • 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

BusTravel Iceland 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 BusTravel Iceland

Read all 2,918 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.7/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Frank Robards

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    We had a wonderful tour to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula today. It was amazing!! Our guide, Vjeran, was exceptional. His knowledge and experience made our tour even more memorable. He even worked in a couple of additional stops to our itinerary which further enhanced our experience. I highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in experiencing the majesty of nature in Iceland.

  • Topha

    ★★★★★ · a month ago

    An amazing experience! It was our first time in Iceland, and we couldn’t have asked for a better trip. For six unforgettable days, we travelled along the famous Ring Road with our guide, Vjeran, who was friendly, knowledgeable, and highly professional throughout the entire journey. He made every day enjoyable while showing us Iceland’s most spectacular attractions. The trip was truly unforgettable. Some of the accommodations were also lovely, with welcoming and helpful staff that made us feel at home. There is so much to see in Iceland, and six days go by very quickly, so the itinerary was quite busy. Even so, we had the opportunity to enjoy every activity and appreciate the incredible landscapes along the way. Overall, the experience exceeded all our expectations, helped even more by the fantastic weather we were lucky enough to enjoy throughout the trip. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Iceland!

  • Tatiana

    ★★★★★ · a month ago

    We had an amazing Golden Circle tour with Darren and Mikki! Darren is a fantastic guide — knowledgeable, friendly, and with a great sense of humor. He told us so many fascinating things about Iceland along the way, but in such a natural and entertaining way that it never felt like a lecture. Darren and Mikki also showed us some wonderful places and made the whole day feel special. The atmosphere was relaxed, fun, and very personal. You can really feel that they love Iceland and enjoy sharing it with people. Highly recommend this tour! If you get the chance to explore Iceland with Darren and Mikki, take it — you won’t regret it! ❤️🇮🇸

  • Andrea Di Nardo

    ★★★★★ · a month ago

    During our Iceland vacation, we took two tours with Bus Travel Iceland: the Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon; and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. On the exceptional Golden Circle tour with a relaxing conclusion at the enchanting Blue Lagoon, we visited the iconic sites along the way, following a fairly packed itinerary but with adequate time for each stop. The guide was knowledgeable in driving the bus and engaging in providing information and telling stories about the places we visited. Higly recommended the fascinating tour to discover the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Departing from Reykjavik, we visited the main towns and iconic sites from the north to the south coast of the peninsula. The excellent Axel guided us, providing interesting details about the places to visit. His expert bus driving skills and precise planning allowed us to see everything in the allotted time, without excessive pressure or fatigue.

Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026

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Reviews from our travellers

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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

€72 per person

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