Fire & Ice Northern Lights Trip

On arrival in Reykjavik, pick up your 4WD hire car and self-drive to Hotel Ranga in South Iceland. This is about a 2 hour trip on Iceland’s main road.

Hotel Ranga has an excellent reputation for Northern Lights sightings due to its location in a rural area with a higher frequency of clear nights, and sitting in one of the hot tubs watching the Northern Lights is a very special experience.

Hotel Ranga has recently built their own observatory and an expert, who is in there every night that the sky is cloud free, can teach you about the stars and the Northern Lights if they are out.

Tonight you will have the 3 course Chefs Choice menu which the chef chooses every morning based on the freshest seasonal ingredients.

Tonight be sure to use one of the outdoor hot tubs if the Northern Lights are out. Lying back in the warm waters, taking in South Iceland’s unique ambience whilst having the Aurora flash above you is one of life’s great experiences!

Alternatively Hotel Ranga has built their own first observatory a short stroll from the hotel in order to minimize light pollution.

On every cloud free night an expert, using 2 high quality 11 inch computerised telescopes, will be on hand to teach you about the stars and the Northern Lights if they are out. View amazing detail on Jupiter, see the rings of Saturn, and details on Mars. During the day you can observe the Sun, including sunspots in great detail and activity such as prominences and filaments.

Overnight at Hotel Ranga and hopefully see the Northern Lights. You may wish to increase your odds by adding on a Northern Lights Hunt tonight as an optional extra.

Sign up for the Aurora Wake Up Call and if the Northern Lights come out whilst you are asleep the hotel team will wake you so you don’t miss out!. Overnight at Hotel Ranga.

After breakfast adventure out into the unique landscapes of South Iceland – probably the most dramatic Geography field trip you will ever experience!

We work only with local guides who are both passionate about their country and want to share their insights with you, and who are also trained as part of the mountain rescue team. They have fascinating stories to share about the volcanic eruption that occurred in 2010.

We continually receive fabulous feedback on this day from satisfied clients who enjoy this personalised, relaxed, guided day experience with enthusiastic local guides who are keen that you have an extra special experience.

SuperJeeps take up to 8 people but the norm is for 4 people for a very personal tour. Note this is in sharp contrast to the coach tours that are available through other companies, who also cannot access many of the areas we take you to.

Choose between the following adventures:

EITHER Eyjafjallajökull’s Volcano Tour

This tour will take you as close as is possible to the new large crater in Eyjafjallajökull Volcano from the 2010 eruption and to places where no hire car can go.

We drive up the slopes of the glacier in a highly equipped SuperJeep and on our way take in the astonishing view over the whole South coast of Iceland with it’s glaciers, and back across the Atlantic including the Westman-Islands.

This tour gives you the perfect glacier experience; an exciting SuperJeep drive in the snow, walk on the glacier and the magnificent view over the south. This is real adventure.

OR Þórsmörk Valley Tour

Your guide will take you up between the three glaciers; Myrdalsjokull, Eyjafjallojokull and Tindfjallojokull. In your specially adapted SuperJeep you will have the thrilling drive of fjording glacial rivers and driving across the floodplain to see the lasting effects and landscape changes following Eyjafjallajökull’s 2010 eruption.

You will be surrounded by an imposing mountain ridge and see spectacular landscapes. We describe it as like being in a production set from Lord of the Rings when they go to Mordur. You will see dramatic towering black volcanic cliffs.

Stop at the stunning Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, which you can walk behind and be mesmerised looking back through the falling water. If you wanted to see the “Raw Iceland” this is hard to beat!

OR Visit Secret Ice Cave

Take a SuperJeep to Vik in south Iceland (about 1¼hr) where you will go on a very old track that only SuperJeeps can cross in order to reach the Secret Ice Cave.

The ice cave, known as ‘The Secret Ice Cave’, and the glacier itself, present you with black, white, and blue ice that is over 800 years old! Inside the cave there are high walls of ice that have been sculpted by glacial water throughout the centuries. Water drips all around and the air is cold and fresh. Helmets (and crampons if conditions require) are supplied. The beauty of this cave is it is not visited by hundreds of people unlike some of the others which means they don’t have the magical atmosphere of this secret ice cave.

There are plenty of things to see on the way and back to Vik. The black volcanic beaches and dramatic basalt formations of Reynisdrangar with its famous archway. The dramatic and thundering Skogar Waterfall – one of the highest in Iceland at 60m and certainly worth a few photos! Finally everyone enjoys the stop at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall where you can walk behind and gaze out through the falling water. This tour takes about 5 hours.

Chefs Choice Seasonal Menu and overnight at Hotel Ranga. Remember to keep popping your head out to watch for the Aurora’s!

Why Hotel Ranga is a great base for a Northern Lights Trip

Today is an early start so you can explore the “must see” Golden Circle at your own pace using your own 4WD vehicle. The day is packed full of surprising landscapes and Geological marvels.

You will walk in a dramatic mini rift valley created by Tectonic plate movement, gaze at the thundering Gullfoss Waterfall which can totally freeze in winter, and marvel at the Strokkur Geyser which erupts every 5 minutes.

We would also recommend you visit the spot where the first democratic parliament was established in 930 AD overlooking the stunning plains of Pingvellir.

Continue onto Reykjavik to overnight.

See our local insider top tips when self driving in Iceland

This morning self drive to the Blue Lagoon.

The Blue Lagoon is Iceland’s leading attraction Bathe in the warm bright blue waters which are particularly good for your skin, put Silica mud on your face or try out the Sauna and Steam rooms which are carved into the lava.

You can easily while away a couple of hours away and there is also a choice of restaurants with lovely views of the lagoon. We would also recommend the in-water massage treatments which are just heaven!

Onwards drive (20 minutes) to the airport for your flight home.

We have an extensive Northern Lights Information Hub if you need further information on anything from What are the Northern Lights? to Where can I see the Northern Lights? and when is the best time to see the Northern Lights?