Northern Lights Tour Led by Local Hunters

by Magic Iceland Travel · Northern lights · Reykjavík

4.80· 184 Google reviews of the operator
  • Fine on your own
  • Good with teenagers
  • Eco-certified

from €87.89 per person

Next departure: Sat 24 Oct

Book Sat 24 Oct · €87.89Other dates
Northern Lights Tour Led by Local Hunters — Magic Iceland Travel
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  • Duration

    4 hours

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    Sep – Apr

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Pickup

    Hotel pickup available at extra cost, or meet at the start point

  • Starts at

    Bus Stop #12 Höfðatorg

    Þórunnartún 6, Reykjavík

  • Guide

    Guided in English

  • Departs

    21:00, 22:00

  • Minimum age

    6

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24 hours before

Meeting point, in Magic Iceland Travel 's words: Be ready at your selected pickup location at the following time: August 20–September 30: 10:00 PM October 1–March 31: 9:00 PM April 1–April 15: 10:00 PM Pickup may take up to 30 minutes, depending on your location and traffic conditions.

About this experience

Dare to leave Reykjavík behind and venture into Iceland’s wild, untamed winter on a Northern Lights tour crafted for true adventurers.
This isn’t just a sightseeing trip - it’s a quest for the legendary Aurora Borealis, guided by experts who thrive on the thrill of the chase and the promise of discovery. Climb aboard a modern comfort coach, your basecamp for the night’s expedition, complete with onboard Wi-Fi and restroom facilities. As you roll out into the icy unknown, our seasoned local team becomes your crew of Aurora hunters, tracking live weather, cloud cover, and aurora activity with the precision of explorers on a mission. What makes this journey extraordinary? Our passionate guides, revered by travelers for their boundless energy and uncanny ability to read Iceland’s ever-shifting skies. Guests have hailed our guide Daniel as an “Aurora Whisperer,” a title earned through relentless pursuit and a knack for conjuring the lights even when the odds seem impossible.

Unlike ordinary tours bound to routine, every departure is a new adventure, plotted in real-time according to the whims of the weather and the dance of the aurora. Our guides are masters of adaptation, steering you through the darkness to secret spots where the sky is clearest and the lights burn brightest. Even when the night throws up challenges, our fearless hunters refuse to surrender. They’ll push further, searching remote corners long after others have turned back, determined to give you the best chance to witness nature’s most electrifying spectacle.
Along your journey, your guide will unravel the mysteries of the Aurora, sharing the science, the folklore, and the art of reading the sky. You’ll get hands-on photography tips and expert advice to help you capture the magic, so you can return home with legendary shots of your own adventure beneath the Icelandic night. Far from the city’s glow, you’ll watch for shimmering emerald ribbons and swirling curtains of light, sipping hot chocolate and soaking in the raw, peaceful beauty of Iceland’s winter wilderness. The anticipation is half the thrill - every moment spent beneath the stars is a story in the making. While the Northern Lights are as unpredictable as any true adventure, if the Aurora eludes you, you’ll get a second chance to join the hunt on another night, free of charge and subject to availability. To maximize your odds, we recommend booking early in your Icelandic journey. This isn’t just a comfortable coach ride - it’s a genuine hunt for the Aurora, led by passionate locals who live for the thrill of the chase. With live forecasting, flexible routes, photography guidance, and a team celebrated by guests, every detail is designed to deliver an unforgettable night under Iceland’s legendary sky. Answer the call of the wild and join us for the adventure of a lifetime.

  • Follow live forecasts and flexible routes for the best viewing conditions
  • Travel comfortably aboard a modern coach with Wi-Fi and a restroom
  • Learn about Aurora science, Icelandic folklore, and night photography
  • Enjoy hot chocolate beneath Iceland’s dark winter sky
  • Chase the Northern Lights with passionate local Aurora hunters :sparkles:

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

Included

  • Northern Lights hunt with an experienced local guide
  • Round-trip transportation by modern comfort coach
  • Live weather, cloud cover, and aurora forecasting
  • Onboard Wi-Fi and restroom facilities
  • Phone and camera photography tips
  • One free retry if no Northern Lights are seen, subject to availability

Not included

  • Meals and drinks
  • Personal expenses (souvenirs, snacks, etc.)

Good to know

  • Comfortable clothes
  • Weather-appropriate clothing
  • Camera
  • Warm clothing
  • Outdoor clothing
  • Comfortable shoes
  • The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, and sightings cannot be guaranteed. Our guides use live weather, cloud cover, and aurora forecasts to maximize your chances.
  • The tour lasts approximately 4 hours, depending on weather and viewing conditions.
  • If no Northern Lights are seen, you may join one additional scheduled departure free of charge, subject to availability.
  • Pickup starts at 10:00 PM from August 20 to September 30.
  • Pickup starts at 9:00 PM from October 1 to March 31.
  • Pickup starts at 10:00 PM from April 1 to April 15.
  • Pickup may take up to 30 minutes. Your exact meeting point will be confirmed after booking.
  • Dress warmly in layers and wear sturdy footwear, as you will spend time outdoors.
  • The itinerary may change due to weather, road conditions, or aurora activity.
  • If we cancel the tour due to weather or safety concerns, you will receive a full refund.
  • The minimum age requirement is 6 years old.
  • Our English-language tours require a minimum of 10 participants to operate. For operational reasons, English-language tours may occasionally be combined with a Chinese-language tour. However, English-language guiding will always be provided.

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. 1Magic Iceland Travel 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 →

Who this is not for

  • Children under 6 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

Magic Iceland Travel is one of 207 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 Magic Iceland Travel

Read all 184 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.

  • Julian Thompson

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    What a great tour at such a reasonable price! Went on the Golden Circle 9 hour tour today with Daniel (the guide) and Pavel (the driver). We survived so Pavel's obviously a good driver 😉 but the amount of information Daniel knew (despite not being a native Icelander) was astounding and presented in a very accessible manner. We had the cruise ship terminal pickup tour but they also pickup all around Reykjavík. Highly recommended to anyone looking for excellent value for money and a really interesting tour. We'll definitely use them again when we return to Iceland.

  • Elaine Low

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    I did the Golden Circle with Surprise Tour in Reykjavik with tour guide Viktoria and driver Pawel on June 10, 2026. The tour totally exceeded my expectations. Viktoria was engaging and energetic and gave us information throughout the tour that was interesting and filled with humor. An added bonus is that she is a very good singer. Our driver Pawel was very courteous and helpful. They went out of their way to route the tour to try to minimized crowds and this was greatly appreciated by all. I would highly recommend this tour to everyone.

  • L. Olsen

    ★★★★★ · 6 months ago

    ​⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An Unforgettable Icelandic Adventure👌 ​If you’re in Reykjavik, stop scrolling and book this Golden Circle tour. Seriously 😉 ​Our guide, Thales, was an absolute legend. The man is a walking encyclopedia of Icelandic lore, but with way better jokes. He turned a scenic drive into a full-on masterclass about the land of fire and ice. ​The amazing stuff: ​Þingvellir: Walked between continents ​Geysir: Got some epic "eruption" videos ​Gullfoss: Absolutely mystical and magical ​Kerið Crater: amazing view from the top ​​The "Surprise" (The Legend of the Shark): 🦈 The itinerary mentioned a "small local surprise." Thales whipped out some fermented shark. Let’s just say it’s a... unique culinary experience that stays with you (mostly in your nose). 🤣It was the highlight of the trip and had the whole bus laughing. ​An unforgettable day with a world-class guide. 10/10 highly recommend! 🤌👌🫶

  • Miks Rieksts-Hofmanis

    ★★★★★ · 5 months ago

    We today had a fabulous Golden Circle tour! Our lovely guide Daniel made sure everyone felt comfortable. He is like a walking encyclopedia and conversations with him are fascinating. The beauty on this tour is beyond comprehension. I highly recommend it! Greetings from Latvia, Miks

Reviews from Google · updated 23 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 — about €5 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.

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€87.89 per person

Book Sat 24 Oct · €87.89