Explore the natural beauty of Iceland, the land of ice and fire. Discover volcanic landscapes by day. And watch the aurora borealis dance across the sky by night.
Northern Lights Holidays to Iceland
A northern lights holiday to Iceland is an experience like no other. Thermal springs. Shimmering ice caves. Thundering waterfalls. And nights spent chasing the northern lights with our expert aurora guides.
The Aurora Nights team is ready to tailor-make your northern lights trip to Iceland. But what does the perfect adventure look like to you?
Embarking on super-jeep tours across lava fields? Diving into Reykjavik culture and cuisine? Soaking in a starlit hot tub out in the Icelandic wilderness? Whatever type of trip you have in mind, our team can make it happen.
Aurora holidays Iceland
Classic Short Breaks in Iceland
Escorted tours Iceland
Exclusive aurora holidays in Iceland
Self-drive tours in Iceland
Frequently asked questions
Have a different question? We are always happy to help.
Is Iceland a good place to see the northern lights?
Iceland is one of the best places in the world to see the northern lights. It’s located just south of the Arctic Circle and has lots of wild regions with minimal light pollution. Add in Iceland’s dark winters and you have an aurora hunter’s dream.
A northern lights tour in Iceland has other benefits, too. There’s so much to see — in both south Iceland and north Iceland. So you can pack your days full of activities until night falls and the northern lights appear.
Can you guarantee that I’ll see the northern lights in Iceland?
Unfortunately not. The northern lights are a natural phenomenon and run to their own schedule. However, we plan your trip so you have an excellent chance of seeing them.
You’ll stay at hotels that offer aurora wake-up calls. And embark on night time northern lights super-jeep tours. What’s more, our guides are all expert aurora hunters.
They use their local knowledge and the weather forecast to track down the northern lights, often finding the only cloud-free spot for miles around.
What can I see and do on northern lights tours in Iceland?
Besides aurora chasing, there’s lots to see and do on a northern lights holiday to Iceland. Depending on your tour and the time of year you visit, you can enjoy your choice of the following adventures:
- Travel Iceland’s famous Golden Circle on a northern lights circle tour, discovering Strokkur Geyser, Gullfoss Waterfall and the Kerid crater lake.
- Go snowmobiling over glaciers and the frozen ocean. Or travel the old-fashioned way, taking a husky sled across the snowy landscape.
- Bathe and swim in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon — or go beyond the tourist trail to find hot springs in Askja and Myvatn.
- Soak up the sights and sounds of Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, and dine at one of the city’s incredible seafood restaurants.
- Feel the spray on your face at Europe’s most powerful waterfall, Dettifoss. Or enjoy mesmerising views as you venture behind the cascade at Seljalandsfoss.
- Get up close to Icelandic wildlife. See orca on a whale-watching boat tour. And look out for Iceland’s beautiful wild horses as you travel around the island.
- Take a super-jeep tour through otherworldly landscapes. The black sand beach of Vik, an iceberg lagoon, the wilderness of Westfjords, and the towering, mossy mountains of Thorsmork Valley.
What accommodation options are there on your Iceland northern lights trips?
Iceland is home to some excellent accommodation. Hotels with on-site spas and outdoor hot tubs. One that overlooks the Blue Lagoon. There’s accommodation out in the wilderness. And boutique hotels right in the heart of Reykjavik.
Whether you’re travelling for an extra special occasion, as a family or as a group, our selection of Iceland accommodation is sure to blow you away.
When is the best time to visit Iceland?
If you want to see the northern lights, September to March is a good time to visit Iceland. During autumn and winter months, the nights are long and dark — perfect for aurora spotting.
You can also choose when to visit based on the activities you want to enjoy. For instance, we don’t recommend self-driving around the north of Iceland in winter. But this snowy time of year is perfect for husky sledding.
We can even organise Christmas and New Year northern lights trips to Iceland, for an extra special festive season.
Tell us what you’d like to do on your Iceland northern lights trip, and we can recommend the best month to visit.
Why book your Iceland northern lights trip with Aurora Nights?
When you book northern lights tour packages with Aurora Nights, you can count on:
- Tailored trips — our travel experts can create a bespoke northern lights holiday package, suited to your interests, budget and schedule
- Exceptional experiences — the very best accommodation on the island and bespoke activities, with private or small group tours as standard
- Experienced local guides — our guides in Iceland can show you a lesser-seen side of the country and are skilled at tracking down the northern lights
- A hassle-free holiday — you book your flights, we take care of everything else – so you can focus on the excitement, not the organisation
Whether you book a classic short break, an escorted tour, an exclusive aurora break or a self-drive tour to Iceland, the Aurora Nights team will make it a trip you’ll remember forever.
What should I wear on a trip to Iceland?
People in Iceland dress for comfort and warmth so practical clothing is all you’ll need to bring.
In autumn, temperatures are around 7°C. In winter, temperatures regularly drop below freezing. The weather is also very changeable — it’s not uncommon to experience all four seasons in one day.
So bring thermals, lots of layers, a waterproof jacket, walking boots, hats, gloves, sunglasses and sun cream. For some Iceland trip experiences, specialist clothing and equipment are provided.
Read more: What to wear on a northern lights trip
Can I book a Reykjavik northern lights holiday?
Absolutely. We can plan your Iceland northern lights trip to include a day, a night or a whole week in Iceland’s capital.
But bear in mind, it’s rare to see the northern lights in Reykjavik because of all those city lights. You have to travel out into the countryside to get the best aurora displays.
We can help you plan a trip that maximises your chances of seeing the aurora and includes the unique Icelandic culture of Reykjavik.
Can I combine a trip to Iceland with other destinations?
With Aurora Nights, you can tailor a northern lights trip exactly to your requirements. From weekend breaks to once-in-a-lifetime adventures.
If you want to book an epic aurora trip, we can plan a getaway that includes Iceland and any of our other destinations:
- Northern lights holidays in Swedish Lapland
- Northern lights holidays in Finland
- Northern lights holidays in Norway
Just tell us which countries you’d like to visit and we can suggest an itinerary.
How do I book my Iceland northern lights holiday?
Start by contacting the friendly Aurora Nights team. You can send us an email, give us a call or fill in the website form. We’ll chat about dates, accommodation, activities and budget. Then plan the Iceland aurora holiday you’ve been dreaming of.
See what our clients say
1. Gourmet Cabins was excellent and Johan was a friendly and knowledgeable host. The food, cabins, hot tub and sauna were brilliant.
2. Dog sledge was a fantastic experience and we were given the opportunity to drive our own sledge
3. Snow Mobile – really got off the beaten track and into the spectacular mountains
4. Saw the Northern Lights twice in two days. There is no description that can really do them justice
We had five fantastic days in beautiful Iceland, as we had never been before Aurora Nights helped with everything and made the holiday so easy and stress free. We stayed at Hotel Ranga which was amazing, we very much enjoyed the tours and the guides were brilliant, very knowledgable and friendly. We will certainly be returning to Iceland and wouldn’t hesitate to book through Aurora Nights again, special thanks to Abigail as her experience and reccommendations made the trip even better.
Dear Abigail, We have safely returned from Iceland and we wanted to say a huge and sincere thank you for all the plans that you put into place to make this one of the most memorable holidays we have ever had. It was simply beautiful each and every day. The cabin was idyllic and so cosy and warm. The tour guides were so knowledgeable and friendly and the scenery was breathtaking. All the arrangements worked so well and we will remember the trip for a long time to come.
Thank you once again.
Brilliant short break. Hotel Ranga was lovely, excellent food. Managed to see the Northern Lights as well! Iceland on the whole was quite expensive but a lovely place to visit, the people were very friendly.
A fantastic short break which fulfilled all expectations. Well organised with a polished delivery, we could not have asked for more. The accommodation was perfect for us and the guides knowledgeable and helpful. Every day was packed with adventure, each lasting longer than scheduled but we were never rushed; the guides took pride in showing and explaining their beautiful country. We would certainly use Weekend a la carte again and recommend them to others.
Hotel Ranga was perfect, with amazing food. It is in the middle of nowhere, very quiet and with the weather being bad there wasn’t the possibility of leaving the hotel in the evening so mightn’t suit all for that reason. Super Jeep tour we thoroughly enjoyed with 2 lovely guides.
Hotel Borg was in the perfect location. For us, one night in Reykjavik would be ample.
Blue Lagoon was a wonderful experience only heightened by the appearance of the northern lights on our walk home from dinner. All in all we had the best holiday and we plan to return to Iceland hopefully sooner rather than later.
We had a wonderful time! The food at the lodge was amazing and there were some great vegetarian dishes. I had the best beetroot I’ve ever had (beetroot tartare).
Everyone was really friendly and all the guides were good fun and very knowledgeable.
A special thanks to William and Petri who were really friendly and really added a personal touch to our trip. The activities were really well planned and we especially enjoyed the trip with the huskies. The area we were in is stunning and the lodge was very nice. We would definitely recommend this to friends and family.
An excellent holiday which was enjoyed by all. The super jeep ride on the second day to the Eyjafjallajokull volcano was memorable and thanks to our driver Margaret who proved to be a really good guide. We thoroughly enjoyed the facilities in the hotel Ranga. The staff were very helpful and we managed to see the Northern Lights. The Hotel Reykjavik Centrum was very nice with amazingly helpful staff. All in all, the whole holiday was brilliant.
Ready for an aurora adventure?
Book with Aurora Nights, the Northern Lights holiday experts. We will personally plan your bucket-list Northern Lights adventure holiday to Swedish Lapland, Iceland, Norway and Finland.