Northern Lights Tour

by Iceland Panorama Tours · Northern lights · Airport transfers · Reykjavík

  • Eco-certified

from €500 per vehicle

No published departures in the coming months — ask us

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Northern Lights Tour — Iceland Panorama Tours

About this experience

This service offers a captivating nighttime quest to witness the spectacular Aurora Borealis dancing across the Icelandic sky. Led by expert local guides who track weather patterns to find the best viewing locations, this excursion provides an opportunity to see one of nature's most stunning displays in a private or small-group setting. It is a focused adventure into the dark wilderness, designed specifically to hunt for the vibrant colors of the lights away from the city's glow.

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

Where you go

  1. Pick-up at Reykjavik
  2. Northern Lights Hunt
  3. Drop-off in Reykjavik

Included

  • Professional and experienced driver
  • Comfortable private vehicle
  • Pick-up and drop-off in Reykjavik

Not included

  • Additional stops or detours (unless pre-arranged)
  • Gratuities (optional)

Good to know

  • Booking confirmation (printout or digital copy)
  • Blue Lagoon booking confirmation (printout or digital copy)
  • Swimwear and towel (available at Blue Lagoon if needed)
  • Total Duration: The Northern Lights Tour is a specialized nighttime adventure that typically lasts 4 to 6 hours. The total driving distance varies depending on weather and cloud cover, but the tour generally travels about 30 to 60 kilometers (20–40 miles) outside of Reykjavik to reach dark skies, with a pure driving time of about 1 to 2 hours round-trip.
  • The total duration of the tour may vary depending on road conditions, weather, and the amount of time spent at each location. Flexibility is recommended to ensure the best possible experience.
  • The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and cannot be guaranteed. Their visibility depends on a combination of factors, including clear skies, solar activity, and local weather conditions. While we carefully monitor forecasts and choose locations with the highest chance of sightings, nature ultimately decides if the aurora will appear.
  • If conditions are unfavorable and the Northern Lights are not visible during your tour, guests are usually offered the opportunity to rebook for another night (subject to availability). Please note that the fee for the initial tour remains the same and is non-refundable, as costs are incurred for transportation, guiding, and operations regardless of aurora visibility. However, the rebooking gives you a second chance to experience the lights without paying for an entirely new tour.
  • Please ensure you receive a confirmation email, ticket, or receipt containing all the necessary details of your booking. Double-check that your travel dates, pick-up/drop-off locations, and passenger information are correct. If you do not receive a confirmation, kindly contact us as soon as possible to verify your reservation.
  • Expect cold night conditions, often below freezing. We recommend dressing in layers so you can easily adjust to temperature shifts. A warm base layer, an insulating mid-layer, and a waterproof and windproof outer layer are ideal. Sturdy, comfortable walking shoes with good grip are also advised, especially for exploring outdoor sites. Don’t forget to bring gloves, a hat, and a waterproof jacket to stay comfortable in case of rain or strong winds.
  • The tour is accessible to everyone, including those with mobility issues. Passengers must be able to get in and out of the vehicle with minimal assistance. For any special requirements, please notify us in advance so we can make the necessary arrangements.

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. 1Iceland Panorama 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 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

  • Priced per vehicle, so it is poor value for one or two people and good value for four or more sharing.
  • 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

Iceland Panorama Tours 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 Iceland Panorama Tours

Read all 2 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.

  • Niel Blanca

    ★★★★★ · 6 months ago

    Great Northern Lights Tour Experience! Booked through Iceland Panorama Tours and everything was smooth from start to finish. The website was easy to use, and the booking process was quick and clear. The tour itself was amazing—friendly and knowledgeable guide, comfortable transport, and well-organized itinerary. They really made an effort to find the best spots, and we were lucky to witness the Northern Lights in all their beauty. Overall, a very professional and memorable experience. Highly recommended if you’re visiting Iceland!

  • Rain Jay

    ★★★★★ · 6 months ago

    Had the best Iceland experience, thank you to Iceland Panorama Tours and to our amazing tour guide ❤

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. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.

from

€500 per vehicle

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