Private Winter Golden Circle Tour with Northern Lights

by Snaeland Travel · Northern lights · Golden Circle

4.70· 104 Google reviews of the operator
  • Luxury
  • Couples
  • Self-guided

from €1,145 per vehicle

Next departure: Mon 26 Oct

Book Mon 26 Oct · €1,145 the vehicleOther dates
Private Winter Golden Circle Tour with Northern Lights — Snaeland Travel
Private Winter Golden Circle Tour with Northern Lights, photo 2
Private Winter Golden Circle Tour with Northern Lights, photo 3
Private Winter Golden Circle Tour with Northern Lights, photo 4
Private Winter Golden Circle Tour with Northern Lights, photo 5
Private Winter Golden Circle Tour with Northern Lights, photo 6
Private Winter Golden Circle Tour with Northern Lights, photo 7

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  • Duration

    9 hours

  • Difficulty

    Very easy

  • Season

    Sep – Apr

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Pickup

    Hotel pickup included

  • Departs

    11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24 hours before

About this experience

With departure times around noon, this tour is perfect for those who have had a long day previously. Depending on the month, our tours can commence as early as 11 am or as late as 2 pm. For a deeper insight into history and geology, consider upgrading your driver to one of our knowledgeable tour guides.


The Golden Circle is a popular tourist route in Iceland, known for its iconic natural landmarks and historical sites. It includes three primary attractions: the majestic waterfall Gullfoss, the geothermal area of Geysir with its erupting hot springs, and Þingvellir National Park, where visitors can witness the continental drift between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.


In the winter months, the days are short, but we ensure you have ample time to explore the sites before embarking on our northern lights hunt. As the name suggests, it's a hunt that may not always be successful due to unpredictable weather conditions. However, the excitement of searching for breaks in the clouds while awaiting the auroras can be an adventure in itself.


Contact Us For Offer on These Add-ons:

  • Upgrade from Driver to Driver-Guide
  • Two hour stop at the Blue Lagoon
  • The Kerið Crater 
  • Faxi Waterfall
  • The Lava Tunnel, Raufarhólshellir
  • Friðheimar, Greenhouses and Horsefarm
  • Hellisheiði, Geothermal Powerplant
  • Fontana, Geothermal Spa in Laugarvatn
  • The Secret Lagoon, Geothermal Bath at Flúðir Village


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

Where you go

  1. Þingvellir National Park
  2. Geysir Hot Spring
  3. Gullfoss Waterfall

Included

  • Private vehicle and English speaking driver
  • Pick up and drop off in Reykjavik capital city area

Not included

  • Food & Beverages
  • Driving-Guide (Contact Us to Add This)

Good to know

  • We recommend good clothes as well as something to drink and some snack.
  • Gullfoss is the largest two-stepped waterfall in Iceland.
  • Thingvellir is the oldest national park in Iceland.
  • Bring clothes for all seasons since the weather in Iceland is an adventure in itself.
  • The tour takes you to two different continents in one day. 
  • Geysir is the only erupting Geysir in Europe.

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. 1Snaeland 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

  • 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

Snaeland 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 Snaeland Travel

Read all 104 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.7/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Ada Livitsanou

    ★★★★★ · 5 months ago

    Had an amazing 7 day tour with these guys and everything was absolutely amazing ! Anna Maria was a spectacular tour guide , we were so lucky to have her ! Our driver Christian was also perfect and the honesty make a perfect duet ! Can't wait to visit again !

  • Latha Unnikrishnan

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    I had an excellent experience with our tour guide and driver, ASGEIR, during our trip to Iceland. He was professional, punctual, and extremely knowledgeable about the country's history, culture, and breathtaking natural attractions. ASGEIR made the journey enjoyable by sharing interesting stories and local insights throughout the tour. He was patient, friendly, and always ensured we were comfortable and had enough time to enjoy each stop. His driving was safe and smooth, even in challenging weather conditions, which made us feel secure throughout the trip. Thanks to ASGEIR, our visit to Iceland was not only beautiful but also truly memorable.

  • Angie Robinson

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    I booked multiple private driver excursions with Snæland Travel for my family vacation to Iceland with 8 adults and 2 small children, and am very pleased with their service. It was a complicated collection of needs and desires for our 5 day stay in Reykjavik and Isabella and the rest of the sales team were fantastic at helping me design a set of tours as well as coordinating airport transfer on arrival and departure. They were responsive to all my questions and concerns, and they were even able to make last minute arrangements for my son whose flight was cancelled and arrived a day later. The Reykjanes Peninsula private tour, with our driver Mike, gave us a look at the raw intensity of the lava fields, steam vents, bubbling mud pits, and the jagged lava coastline. The Snæfellsnes Peninsula private tour, with our driver Tryggvi, showed us beautiful coastal cliffs and remote ancient lava fields softened by generations of moss and grass giving a spectacular mystical feel to the landscape. The Golden Circle private tour, with our driver Chris, took us to the most popular tour destinations - Þingvellir National Park where we walked along the tectonic rift, Great Geysir area where we watched Strokkur erupt and hot springs boil, and Gullfoss where some of us marveled at the power of the sprawling waterfall from the upper viewing area and some of us ventured down the stairs to the base of the falls to feel the spray as it crashed into the ravine. Chris was a fantastic driver, as he walked us to the viewing platforms to take group photos and gave us some insight as to what to expect at each stop. As a private driver experience we were able to make personal adjustments to the day, and during our planning phase Isabella added a 2 hour dinner stop where we enjoyed a Viking feast (the dinner reservation and cost of the meal was not part of the Snæland Travel experience). I would highly recommend Snæland Travel for any tours, and I definitely would suggest trying the private driver option in order to have more control over how long you spend at each stop or even if you want to add or skip stops as long as it fits the designated time frame. My large family enjoyed traveling around Iceland in the comfort of our private van with friendly drivers, and I am very grateful for the experience.

  • Victor Character House

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Thank you very much for the driver - Saulius! He is a fantastic driver! He managed the bus with skill, was attentive to passengers' needs, and the whole trip was a pleasure thanks to him.

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

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€1,145 per vehicle

Book Mon 26 Oct · €1,145 the vehicle