Northern Lights by Boat with a Backup Plan

by Special Tours · Northern lights · Boat tours · Reykjavík

4.30(1,460) · operator on Google
Northern Lights by Boat with a Backup Plan — Special Tours

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Special Tours'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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15 photos from Special Tours. Tap any one for the full-size original.

  • Duration

    2 hours

  • Difficulty

    Very easy

  • Season

    Sep – Apr

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Languages

    EN, IS

  • Departs

    21:00, 22:00

  • Cancellation

    No refund once booked

About this experience

Sail out from Reykjavík in search for the beautiful Aurora Borealis. It only takes us 10-15 minutes to sail into the dark, away from the light pollution from the city, to a perfect location for viewing the magical northern lights and starry sky. Enjoy the peace and quiet out in Faxaflói Bay.

An expert guide will explain the scientific facts about this natural phenomenon, share stories and myths from different cultures around the world, and answer any questions you might have during the tour. It is never guaranteed that the lights will show on the night - however, if you don't see them you get a complimentary ticket to try again.

Our boats are spacious with warm indoor seating areas, an onboard bar and plenty of space for everyone outside on our viewing decks to gaze into the night sky. We will provide all passengers with free usage of warm overalls to keep cozy and warm on winter nights.

Now here's the backup plan - Auroras at Whales of Iceland.

Unfortunately, the weather in Iceland does not always cooperate, so in case of cancellation we have a backup plan ready for you. If the conditions to view Northern Lights are poor, we have a guarantee adventure already prepared called Auroras at Whales of Iceland.

Auroras at Whales of Iceland is a Northern Lights themed visit to the spectacular Whales of Iceland Exhibition, very close to the Old Reykjavik Harbour. Our guide will greet everyone and take them into the the wonderful world of the giant whales, where they will be able to view full-sized models and try out some fun & interactive technology. 

The visit includes a guided tour of the 23 life-sized models of all whale species found around Iceland and our BRAND NEW 25 min. Northern Lights documentary. The documentary features beautiful footage, facts, myths and stories about the Northern Lights and is displayed on an 8m wide screen beneath a life-size fin whale model. After the film you have a chance to have a Q&A session with your guide and a complimentary drink of your choice is available at the bar.

Now - the best part is yet to come, all passengers will also receive a complimentary ticket to try our northern lights boat tour on the next available date. (included in the price.) When you arrive for Auroras at Whales of Iceland, please let the Special Tours reception team know the date you would like to reschedule your boat tour.

Description from the operator, Special Tours. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Included

Northern Lights by Boat

  • 2-3 hour Northern Lights by Boat tour
  • Experienced guide on every departure
  • Warm overalls (also available in children's sizes.)
  • Heated indoor seating areas
  • Free ticket to try again if nothing is seen on your tour.
  • WC's, snack bar & WiFi on board
  • Pictures taken on every tour, available to download free of charge
  • Friendly crew can assist with photography and camera settings if needed
  • Guaranteed Backup Plan if the boat tour is cancelled on the evening you are scheduled.

Backup Plan - Auroras at Whales of Iceland

  • A Northern Lights themed visit to the Whales of Iceland Exhibition
  • Live-guided tour of the exhibition
  • Q&A session with an experienced guide
  • 25 min. Northern Lights video on a brand-new 8 meter screen
  • Short Northern Lights photography workshop available on site (10 min)
  • Complimentary Northern Lights themed cocktail with a twist
  • Keep your ticket for the Northern Lights boat tour - just let us know when you'd like to reschedule.

Not included

  • Food and drink (unless specified)
  • Hotel transfers (can be added for an additional cost) 

Good to know

We recommend wearing warm clothes & sturdy shoes. Don't forget your camera.

  • Please note that sightings of the Northern Lights cannot be guaranteed. If nothing is seen on your tour, you will receive a free ticket to join another tour.
  • This tour is non-refundable.

Cancellation for this tour

No refund once booked. 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. 1Special Tours 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 the cutoff shown above, 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 — €19 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

Special Tours · €75Blue Iceland · €56
How long it runs2 hours3 hours
Changing your mindNo free cancellationFree until departure
How hard it isVery easyEasy

On everything we can measure, the Blue Iceland tour is the better buy. The €19 is not buying anything we can point to, so unless you want this operator in particular, take the cheaper one.

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 the one to book if your dates might move: this operator does not refund once booked.
  • 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

Special Tours 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 Special Tours

Read all 1,460 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.3/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Natalia Solovyeva

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Amazing experience with Special Tours! This was one of the highlights of our trip to Iceland. We were fortunate enough to see seven humpback whales and many puffins, which exceeded all our expectations. A very special thank you to Alessio, who made the experience truly memorable. He was exceptionally knowledgeable, professional, and engaging. His explanations about whale behavior, puffins, and Icelandic marine life were fascinating and easy to understand. He was constantly helping passengers spot wildlife and making sure everyone had a chance to enjoy the sightings. Seeing seven humpback whales in their natural habitat was absolutely breathtaking, and Alessio’s enthusiasm and expertise made the experience even more special. The entire tour was perfectly organized, the crew was friendly and professional, and the atmosphere on board was excellent. We highly recommend Special Tours, and if you are lucky enough to have Alessio as your guide, you are in for a fantastic experience.

  • Tatum McNamara

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    Tour was great! Learned lots about puffins and their funny little quirks. Alessio was a great tour guide! He was very knowledgeable on puffins and other wildlife in the area. Very engaging and funny. Alessio also gave awesome recommendations on where to visit next. The captain Patrick was a man of few words but they were wise and he captained the ship well. He also had a funny little hat.

  • Ali Good

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    We did 2 tours with Special Tours. The first tour was sea angling. Captain Bishop and the crew were great and so helpful. We caught several fish and they grilled them on board. It was delicious. The only thing I would suggest is sitting on the water for a few minutes to eat before heading back to shore because several people got motion sickness while trying to eat. The water was rocky so not sure if that would have helped or not. The second tour we did was the RIB whale watching which was my favorite. We were able to get so close to the whales. The captain handled the boat well getting us quickly to the whales. We were so close we could smell their breath! The guide Alex was very informative and kind. They were a great team and we had a wonderful experience. They gave us suits to wear over our clothes that kept us warm and dry. The only things I would do different next time is sit closer to the front instead of the back (my own fear of boats I chose a seat in the back but the middle or front looks more exciting) and I would bring a second pair of gloves to change into as my first pair felt to wet as it was raining some during our trip.

  • Piotr Kuszewski

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Puffins Express is outstanding experience. The boat is REALLY close to the puffins, way closer than I expected. Puffins are really small but you can see that it’s possible to take a picture with just regular camera. Our guide was really friendly is energetic and Captain Patrick navigated us safely and showed us some puffin noises. It was incredible experience. Boat is small and might feel crowded at first but once you reach the puffin island everybody can see the puffins freely. Binoculars on the deck are a nice touch too. Highly recommend for everyone. Just make sure to use Special Tours as they have they special boat, other companies don’t have it.

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

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from

€75 per person

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