Northern Lights at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

by Blue Iceland · Northern lights · Lagoons & spas · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón

4.80· 155 Google reviews of the operator

Fine on your own

from €57.18 per person

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Northern Lights at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon — Blue Iceland

Northern Lights at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, photo 2

Northern Lights at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, photo 3

Northern Lights at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, photo 4

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Duration
3 hours
Difficulty
Easy
Season
Sep – Apr
Starts in
Höfn, Hornafjørdur
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
21:00
Minimum age
6
Cancellation
Free until departure

About this experience

Come with us to see a spectacular natural phenomenon, the magical Northern Lights or Auroras Borealis as they are
called as well. The Northern Lights are caused by the interaction of particles
from the sun with the upper atmosphere near the North Pole. Auroral displays
appear in many colours, although pale green and pink are the most common. We
meet at Fosshótel Glacier Lagoon and drive in a mini bus for about 30 minutes
to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. In the incredible surroundings of the Glacier
Lagoon we will enjoy the beautiful phenomenon that dances across the Icelandic
winter sky.

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

Good to know

Warm clothes

Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until departure. 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.

1Blue Iceland 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 0 hours 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

Blue Iceland 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 Blue Iceland

Read all 155 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.

Leslie Gleason
★★★★★ · 6 months ago
CHOOSE BLUE ICELAND! We went on a glacier/ice cave tour with Oscar and Maggie (?). Oscar led our group. He was a very knowledgeable and safety- conscious guide. I was enthralled by all that he shared about the glacier and Iceland. I can't recommend a better guide! He was patient and made sure we were safe the entire time, even though the weather made it seem like we were on a trek across the Arctic. And, he managed to find half a dozen ice caves, even though it was near white-out conditions. We had to wrap the tour up early, and had some challenges getting back to the lagoon, but Maggie was reassuring and I had confidence in their ability to lead us back safely. Once back at the lagoon, they told us that all the roads were closed and asked everyone to follow them to a farm not far away, where we could get hot food and wait for the roads to open. The weather got worse and everyone managed to find a place to stay for the night (two hotels on the farm) to wait out the storm. This company is caring, kind and not just about making money from tourists. They showed us the best side of Iceland and those who live in this amazing country. If you are in doubt about what company to choose, choose this one!
Mandy Wong
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
*5 stars for 3 hours hike Summer Treasure - Glacier Discovery - with our guide LUCY* Really great hike with Lucy - only 9 people in our group, from Jokulsarlon on Vatnojokull glacier. It is a 30 minute ride to the glacier, then you put on your microspikes. Not many people on this glacier (Compared to Solheimajokul glacier which was VERY busy). We got to go into some crevices, as well as peer down some of the holes (harnessed). Nice hike and experience also for my 9--year old. Next time, would like to try the 6 hour hike. Note: the meeting point at the busy Jokulsarlon meeting area is not at the cafe...you have to go to the Bus parking lot, and find a truck that is labelled Blue Iceland - you meet at the bus.
Jessica
★★★★★ · 2 years ago
This tour was absolutely awe inspiring. It was a once in a lifetime experience. We did the long day glacier hike and cave. Definitely worth it. Got a great 10% discount by staying in guesthouse Gerdi. The guide was really knowledgeable and taught us loads about the glacier and the characteristics of the area. The gear we got was top quality. Be sure to dress well though as its very cold in winter. The guide took loads of photos too which he sent afterwards. I would 100% would recommend this company.
David Nagel-Nunez
★★★★★ · 2 years ago
This tour was amazing!! We got to see a bunch of the ice caves on top of the glacier! We went into a huge monster truck and traveled over bumpy off beat roads to arrive at the glacier. Then they gave us ice spikes for our shoes. The whole experience was so exciting and unique and we got to explore the beautiful caves! And our tour guide was very nice. Highly recommended tour while in Iceland!

Reviews from Google · updated 23 Oct 2026

Read before you book

Kayaking in Iceland: glacier lagoon or fjord?Paddle a glacier lagoon if you want icebergs and are in the southeast anyway; paddle a fjord if you want calm water, seals and a cheaper, gentler two hours.

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 Höfn í Hornafirði, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón →

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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.