Northern Lights Boat Tour with Hot Chocolate and Free Retry Included
by Reykjavik Sailors · Northern lights · Boat tours · Reykjavík
- Fine on your own
- Suits older travellers
- Eco-certified
Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Reykjavik Sailors'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
2 hours and 30 minutes
Difficulty
Very easy
Season
Sep – Apr
Starts in
Reykjavík
Meeting
Meet on location
Languages
EN
Departs
21:00, 22:00
Cancellation
Free until 24h before
About this experience
Experience the Northern Lights like never before.
Set sail from Reykjavik’s Old Harbour for a magical Northern Lights cruise. Witness the auroras illuminate the sky while enjoying panoramic views of the city skyline from the sea. Relax in warm flotation overalls, cozy indoor cabins, or on the deck, with snacks available for purchase.
Guided by experienced professionals, this 2.5-hour tour offers a serene and memorable way to experience Iceland's natural beauty. If the auroras don’t appear, you can rebook for free. Don't forget your camera to capture the magic.
On our tour you will experience incredible view over Reykjavik city from the coastline.
Get inspired by our latest blog posts.
NOTE: You should schedule to be at our departure point at least 30 minutes before scheduled departure.
Please be aware that due to environmental reasons during certain times of the year our trips may be delivered on a shared boat with one of our partners. At Reykjavik Sailors we are committed to ensuring the environment is kept pristine by making sure fewer boats are on the water.
Experience the best tours with our partners.
Please note: Northern Lights is a natural activity governed by the laws of the weather. If the trip is cancelled due to bad weather, the Northern Lights ticket is refunded if following tour was not joined before or you can change your reservation to next available day.
Please, check our DAILY DIARY before you come for the tour. All the important daily information of all our tours will be notified on our website.
If you don't see a Northern Lights, you have the option to take the tour again for free. Need info? Our FAQ page has all the details.
Who we are and why we love what we do.
ADDRESS
We start at Geirsgata 11 (https://maps.app.goo.gl/DatKA6eiZ5sXyxTW7)
Get there 30 minutes early to join the excitement.
Let’s connect—message us anytime.
See you soon.
Description from the operator, Reykjavik Sailors. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Where you go
- Northern Lights with Hot Chocolate and Free Retry Included
Included
Duration: 2–3 hours of Northern Lights viewing.
Expert Guides: Led by experienced professionals for an informative experience.
Rebooking Guarantee: Free return trip if no lights are seen.
Comfort Included: Warm flotation suits, heated cabins, and onboard WiFi.
Prepared for Comfort: Complimentary seasickness tablets and onboard restrooms.
Enjoy a complimentary hot chocolate on board while searching for the Northern Lights.
Not included
Onboard Extras: Snacks and beverages available for purchase during the tour.
Optional Pickup: Hotel pickup service available for an additional charge.
Good to know
Here's a friendly recommendation for your comfort and enjoyment:
We suggest wearing sturdy footwear and warm clothing to stay cozy during the tour.
Don't forget to bring your camera to capture amazing photos of your Northern Lights adventure.
Prepare for an unforgettable experience and make lasting memories with these handy tips.
Some of our boats are wheelchair accessible, but please contact our team in advance for more information and assistance.
Before your arrival, kindly check the tour status on our homepage in the Daily Diary.
Please meet us directly at Geirsgata 11, Special Tours ticket office in Reykjavik Old Harbour pier, 30 minutes before departure.
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.
- 1Reykjavik Sailors 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 — €41 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Reykjavik Sailors · €97 | Blue Iceland · €56 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 2.5 hours | 3 hours |
| Changing your mind | Free until 24 h before | Free until departure |
| How hard it is | Very easy | Easy |
The €41 buys you 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
Reykjavik Sailors 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 Reykjavik Sailors
Read all 215 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.
★★★★ · 2 months ago
We booked the whale watching and puffin watching tour package (whale watching boat followed by puffin watching boat) through Get Your Guide in late May. We did not see a single whale which isn't the fault of the tour guide, just something to consider when choosing tours late May. However, we saw more puffins on the puffin tour portion than we saw the entire time in Iceland. It was great. If going late May you'll definitely want your waterproof layers to stay warm. The company provides you with seasickness tablets if needed.
★★★★★ · 7 months ago
We went whale watching in Reykjavik and had such a fantastic time! The guide was absolutely hilarious — the perfect mix of informative and funny, which made the whole trip even more enjoyable. And yes… “Banana” and “Apple” showed up so many times! 🐋🐳 It was so exciting every time we spotted them again. Seeing the whales surface so close to the boat was unforgettable, and the crew made sure everyone had a great view. The whole experience was well organized, fun, and memorable. If you’re in Reykjavik, don’t miss whale watching — especially if you get a guide like ours!
★★★★★ · 7 months ago
Seeing humpback whales in Iceland was an unforgettable experience. I cried from joy. Since we went in December, we knew the chances could be slim, but that made it even more special when we spotted them. The tour wasn’t overcrowded, which made the experience feel more personal. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and even knew details about the individual whales, explaining how biologists study and track them. Warm oversuits were provided, which made the cold completely manageable, and they also offered anti-nausea medicine for anyone worried about seasickness. Even beyond the whales, the scenery was stunning. Between the views, the expertise of the guide, and the overall care taken by the crew, the tour was absolutely worth the cost. I can’t recommend it enough. (Mobile photos included. DSLR cameras allowed.)
★★★★★ · a month ago
We went whale watching, our guide was super helpful and friendly. We were super lucky we saw the humpback whales and dolphins and the dolphins decided to swim with the boat
Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026
Read before you book
- 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.
- Boat tours in Iceland sort into five kinds, and only two of them are sightseeingWhale boats, aurora cruises, glacier-lagoon zodiacs, island ferries and sea angling. What each one actually is, what it costs, and which are worth a slot.
- 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.
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.
One checkout, any number of operators
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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.
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