Private Northern Lights tour

by EastWest · Northern lights · Reykjavík

4.80· 2,211 TripAdvisor reviews of this tour5.00· 2,173 Google reviews of the operator
  • Can be tailored

from €1,394.76 per vehicle

Next departure: Thu 22 Oct

Book Thu 22 Oct · €1,394.76 the vehicleOther dates
Private Northern Lights tour — EastWest
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1 / 10

  • Duration

    4 hours

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    Sep – Apr

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Pickup

    Hotel pickup included

  • Guide

    Guided in English

  • Departs

    21:00, 22:00

  • Cancellation

    Free until 3 days before

About this experience

Words can hardly capture the magic of the Northern Lights—it’s a moment you’ll want to savor, enjoy, and remember for years to come.

With that in mind, we’ve designed our Northern Lights tour to focus entirely on the experience. Our adventure begins with careful planning, using the latest Aurora forecasts to choose the most promising route. Your guide then takes you comfortably toward the best possible viewing location.

When the elusive lights appear, we pause, wrap you in a cozy Icelandic wool blanket, and let you soak in the incredible display overhead. At this perfect moment, enjoy a warm cup of hot chocolate and traditional Icelandic kleina pastries. We’ll also take photos of you with the Northern Lights included in the tour price, so you can treasure the memory long after the night ends.

Could there be a better moment? Here’s how it works:

  • Each day, we closely monitor the Aurora forecast. Favorable conditions require at least light to moderate activity, cold weather, and a clear sky. When conditions are promising, we announce the decision on our website to confirm the tour.
  • Even with the best guides and careful forecasting, sightings cannot be guaranteed.
  • Only the regular version of this tour offers free rebookings. No-charge rebooking is not available for other tour versions.
  • Restroom facilities outside urban areas are very limited on Northern Lights tours.
  •  If the Northern Lights do not appear, no photos will be taken.
     

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

Included

  • Pick up and drop off
  • Knowledgeable, Local guide 
  • Usage of Icelandic wool blankets
  • Hot chocolate and Icelandic 'kleina
  • Free WiFi- onboard

Not included

Rebooking option not included. Please note that only the regular version of this tour offers free rebookings. It is not possible to rebook this tour at no charge.

Good to know

Camera

Clothing according to weather 

  • This tour might be canceled if the weather forecast is not favorable. 
  • The access to restroom facilities out of urban areas is very limited while on the Northern lights tours.


Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until 3 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. 1EastWest 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 3 days before departure, the operator's policy after that.

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

Who this is not for

  • Not for last-minute planners — free cancellation ends 3 days before, longer than most tours here.
  • Priced per vehicle, so it is poor value for one or two people and good value for four or more sharing.

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

Why we list it

EastWest is one of 204 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 EastWest

Read all 2,173 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.

  • LiDa

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    I took three different day tours with this company during my stay in Iceland: the Golden Circle, South Coast, and Snæfellsnes Peninsula. All three were absolutely breathtaking! You get to experience so much of Iceland’s incredible beauty in a comfortable, well-organized way. The minibuses were clean, the tours were punctual, and I always felt safe while having a lot of fun. Leroy and Ionut were my guides and drivers. Leroy went above and beyond. He is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, professional, and has a great sense of humor. Truly one of a kind! 🙂 Ionut was equally wonderful—caring, knowledgeable, organized, and an excellent guide who made the day both enjoyable and informative. I highly recommend this company to anyone visiting Iceland. It was one of the highlights of my trip!

  • Brian Rudnick

    ★★★★★ · 3 weeks ago

    We booked 3 tours with this company. Our Northern Lights tour was a bust, but they rebooked it for tomorrow for us. This review is for Golden Circle. We also have a South Coast Tour planned for tomorrow. Stay tuned for those reviews as well. East West is extremely communicative, I encourage you to check your email the morning of pick up. A lot of tour companies use the bus stops and have multiple vehicles. We knew Simon was our driver and had a license plate number. Simon was great, with a fantastic sense of humor. He explained exactly what was going on at every step of the way. We visited the National Park, fresh ice cream shop, waterfall, geyser, crater, and tomato farm. Definitely a long day with a lot to do. I will say that food everywhere is expensive. Tomato farm was very good though. 2nd review is the South Coast Tour. Oscar was our guide for this tour. We went to black sand beach, and some really amazing waterfalls and a glacier. I don’t want to say too much and ruin it for you. We loved this one even more than the first. The scenery is absolutely stunning. This is a 10 hour tour and well worth it. Finally was our second go at the Northern Lights. We hit them at the very first stop. By the way, hot chocolate is amazing. This company and everyone we met who works for them is top notch.

  • Stephani Varnadoe

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    The Golden Circle tour guided by Gon was one of the most incredible experiences of our lives. First, a moment for Iceland because this country is 😍. 🇮🇸 We started the day punctually, in an immaculately clean van, with a wonderful group of tourists and expert tour guide. After an early start, Gon was on mission to maximize our experience on this tour. He was able to squeeze in a few extra stops that were just the cherry on top of all of the experiences included in the tour. He thoughtfully planned out and timed our route to place us in locations at ideal times for lower crowds. Not one stop felt rushed or “overcrowded” at any point on our trip (aside from Guyser, which is apparently always packed in summer). Gon was extremely knowledgeable of Icelandic culture and history, blending informative segments and opportunities to quietly take in the majesty of the remarkable landscape. From breathtaking vistas and grand waterfalls, to expertly crafted dining and treats, to interaction with native animals, this adventure was more than we could have ever hoped for! One for the memory book for sure! Gon, Eastwest, we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to experience Iceland with you! Leaving with a greater appreciation and knowledge of what a truly unique country this is because of this tour.

  • Tiani Schwindt

    ★★★★★ · a month ago

    Our South Coast tour with Einar was fantastic! He was super knowledgeable and lots of fun. He was able to drive and guide us all safely through our 10 hour tour. I highly recommend! We also did the Golden Circle tour with Monica as our tour guide. She was quite entertaining and very interactive with the group. She made us all feel welcome and we had beautiful weather. You can tell she is passionate about the land!

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 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.

Reviews arrive the day after each trip — none yet for 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.

Hotels

Where to stay for this tour

From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Reykjavík, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in Reykjavík →

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Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.

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€1,394.76 per vehicle

Book Thu 22 Oct · €1,394.76 the vehicle