Our northern lights short breaks in Iceland are a popular option. Travellers get to see the aurora borealis and Iceland’s dramatic, volcanic landscapes over a long weekend.
Classic short breaks in Iceland
You’ll stay in the best northern lights locations. And venture off the beaten track to see some of the most beautiful scenery in South Iceland. Walk along the black sandy beaches of Vik. Soak in the warm waters of the Blue Lagoon. Then, chase the Northern Lights in the evening.
Let the Aurora Nights team plan your weekend away in Iceland. We’ll create a bespoke trip that maximises your time on the island and your chances of seeing the Northern Lights, too.
Explore our short trips to Iceland
Short breaks to Iceland: FAQs
Why choose a classic short break in Iceland?
On a classic short break in Iceland, you pack a lot of adventure and Northern Lights hunting into three to four nights. So if your schedule or budget don’t allow for a longer trip, it’s the perfect alternative.
You can book one of the tours above. Or go bespoke, adjusting our classic short breaks to include your choice of accommodation and activities.
How long are your Iceland northern lights short breaks?
Our short breaks to Iceland are between three and four nights long. If you want a longer Northern Lights holiday, take a look at our escorted tours, self-drive tours and exclusive aurora holidays in Iceland.
What can I see and do on an Iceland Northern Lights weekend break?
On an Iceland Northern Lights weekend break, you get to explore all that South Iceland has to offer. Depending on the time of year you visit, you can:
- Bathe in the thermal waters of the Blue Lagoon or relax in the hot tub back at your hotel
- Visit an ice cave and go glacier snowmobiling
- Travel the Golden Circle to see Strokkur Geyser, Gullfoss Waterfall, the Kerid crater and Thingvellir
- Hunt the aurora on night time wilderness trips or on a boat cruise into the Atlantic Ocean
- Embark on super jeep adventures to remote locations away from the coach tours
- Walk along the black sand beach at Vik and venture behind the waterfall at Seljalandsfoss
- Get up close to majestic ocean mammals on a whale-watching tour
What’s included in a Northern Lights weekend break to Iceland?
Our weekend Northern Lights breaks to Iceland include:
- Accommodation
- Transfers
- Half-board or full-board dining
- A selection of activities, including Northern Lights hunting
Our self-drive short breaks also include car hire. But please note that our packages don’t include flights. If you want advice on airlines and airports for your trip to Iceland from the UK or US, just ask. We’ll be happy to help.
Will I definitely see the Northern Lights on my weekend away in Iceland?
We can’t guarantee that you’ll see the Northern Lightson your holiday to Iceland. But we do everything we can to maximise your chances.
We choose lodges and hotels in remote areas that are renowned for northern lights sightings. At Hotel Ranga, for example, on any three-night stay, you have a 70% chance of seeing the aurora.
Our expert aurora guides will also take you on exciting night time excursions to hunt down the Northern Lights. They’ll take you to places with clear, cloudless skies, where the northern lights are most likely to appear.
Where will I stay?
There are lots of amazing accommodation options in Iceland.
From boutique hotels in Reykjavik to luxurious rural bolt holes. We can book you into a hotel with its own observatory and astronomy expert. Or extend your time at the Blue Lagoon with a stay at its shore-side spa retreat.
Celebrating a special occasion? Then we can book you a private wilderness cabin for a one-of-a-kind experience.
Can I book a short break in Reykjavik?
Absolutely. We can help you plan a short break in Reykjavik.
Iceland’s capital is a great place to sample the country’s culture and cuisine. It makes a great base for whale-watching tours and the Sky Lagoon, too.
On a city break to Iceland, you can also travel out of Reykjavik, into the countryside. Here, away from city lights, you can chase the aurora each evening.
There’s another very good reason to pick Reykjavik as the base for Iceland Northern Lights short breaks. There are lots of direct flights to Iceland’s capital.
By choosing this destination, you cut down on travel time and can fit even more activity and adventure into your Iceland mini break.
When is the best time to book a weekend break to Iceland?
If you want to see the northern lights, the best time to book a weekend away in Iceland is between September and March. During these months, the nights are long and dark. Perfect conditions for aurora spotting.
You can also plan a short trip to Iceland around the activities you want to enjoy. For example, self-driving is easier in the autumn. And your chance of seeing whales on a whale-watching tour varies from month to month.
Christmas and New Year are also great times to visit Iceland. You can view Reykjavik’s New Year fireworks from our boat cruise. Or welcome in the New Year from your hot tub with the Northern Lights dancing above.
Tell us what you’d like to do on your weekend break to Iceland, and we can recommend the best time to visit.
Why book with Aurora Nights?
We’ve been offering short northern lights breaks to Iceland for over 15 years. So our tours have been tried, tested and tweaked to offer the very best of Iceland.
When you book northern lights tour packages with Aurora Nights, you can count on:
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- Tailored trips — our travel experts can create a bespoke short break in Iceland, 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 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 create the perfect itinerary.
How do I book my Iceland mini break?
To book your mini break to Iceland, 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
This vacation has without without doubt, has been the best experience we have ever had. The organisation from the minute we landed in Kiruna until we departed at the close of our trip was second to none. The transition between hotels was always seamless and punctual. Everywhere we stayed was beautifully clean and the meals were top quality. Every driver was polite, entertaining and very knowledgeable, furnishing us with invaluable information about Sweden and the activities in which we were to participate. The snowmobiling was wonderful giving access via our guide, to stunning panoramic views of the mountain whilst viewing reindeer in their natural habitat.
Our guide demonstrated how to use the snowmobile safely he was pleasant and informative. When visiting the reindeer on the Sami reservation; we found the brother and sister team who hosted lovely. Again they were so hospitable and helpful and feeding the reindeer up close was a wonderful experience.
They provided additional activities for us to try and we were treated to a traditional Sami lunch in their hut. They provided us with invaluable information appertaining to their culture and caring for their reindeer. The reindeer were in superb condition and happy in their environment. Similarly, when out with the dog sleds the experience was magical. Two hours of beautiful scenery, and frozen lakes, finishing with a one-on-one experience massaging the dogs. Magic! We were so impressed with the care that was placed upon ensuring the dogs were comfortable, well-nourished and so loved by their owners/handlers.
Now to the photographic experience. A large group of us were treated to a demonstration of how to operate some serious camera equipment with tripod. Each of us was loaned the camera and given assistance setting up the camera on a frozen lake in preparation for the appearance of the Northern Lights. We were taken to this lake on large wooden sleighs pulled by a snowmobile. We cannot speak too highly of the two young men who accompanied us on this experience. They could not do enough for us. They were there to offer assistance with our cameras throughout the two-plus hours we were on this beautiful lake.
They advised where to position the camera and when the Lights appeared, what a performance. We had a two-hour display of this most breathtaking phenomenon. We were so fortunate to be able to experience this once-in-a-lifetime occurrence for which we are so grateful. We will never forget this memorable holiday and cannot thank you and everyone who assisted in making a lifetime dream come true. Karen & Andrew Adamson
Superb holiday to Iceland, well organised, advice regarding trips informative and far exceeded our expectations (Glaciers and ice Cave) run by South Coast. Hotel Ranga is a lovely hotel, perfect to see Northern Lights (which we did see on our 3rd night), very comfortable, food excellent, staff helpful and informative. SouthCoast Adventure tour company were excellent, guides knowledgeable, and clearly very experienced.
What a fantastic trip! I booked this for myself and my husband to celebrate my 40th birthday and it didn’t disappoint! Booking was simple and we were kept up to date with all the details from the office team in the UK.
From the moment we arrived at Kiruna airport all the staff we encountered were so friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. We opted for the upgraded room at the Abisko Mountain Lodge which I would highly recommend. The cold weather clothing which was supplied was fantastic and kept us really warm in the sub-zero temperatures. The dog sledging, snowmobiling and the Northern Lights photography were all superb and the staff leading the trips were really friendly and so knowledgeable. Even though we weren’t able to do the sky station trip because of the weather, there was a lovely alternative evening organised for us which included a traditional dinner and a walk to the lake where we were able to see the lights. The food at the lodge was also exceptional and showcased some lovely traditional dishes using Moose and Reindeer which were wonderful to try.
I would like to send a massive thank you to all the staff at The Abisko Mountain Lodge as well as the guides we used for our guided walks, dog sledging and snowmobiling. I’d highly recommend the trip, it was our first visit to Sweden and we would definitely return. Thanks again to everyone (including the huskies) who made it so memorable!
Fantastic trip with great hosts & made even more special by seeing the Northern Lights twice!!
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.
Overall very good. Staff excellent and helpful. Accomodation basic but was what we expected. Tour guides very good (nature walks, snow mobiles, dog sleighs). Sky station disappointing as we never got to go up due to the weather and this seem to be a recurring feature.The alternative walk at night and meal was a let down as a result.Overall would recommend to others.
Fantastic service, with every detail taken care of and communicated to your agencies and hotels. Would definitely recommend and will be using again.
We booked with Aurora for a short winter break to celebrate an event. We wanted something special and that’s what we got. Clear information was backed up with straightforward booking detail, and we had a super, holiday with no complications.
The holiday exceeded my expectations and I will use Aurora in the future. Thank you!
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