Stay at Hotel Ranga renowned for its Northern Lights sightings, excellent restaurant, relaxing hot tubs, and a high-tech observatory for seeing the Northern Lights and stars in detail.
Back to Classic Short Breaks in Iceland
Fire & Ice Northern Lights Trip
Credit Kristján Pétur Vilhelmsson
Credit Kristján Pétur Vilhelmsson
Enjoy a stay at one of Iceland’s most renowned hotels, which is also ideally located for experiencing the Golden Circle, with it’s erupting Geyser, mini rift valley and thundering Gullfoss waterfall.
Try a superjeep adventure or secret ice cave visit, and top it all off with a bathe in the geothermal waters of the famous Blue Lagoon.
Location
Iceland
Duration
3 Nights
Available dates
Dec - Mar
Price per person (excl. flights)
from £2,000
Overview
Highlights
- 2 nights at Hotel Ranga, famed for its Northern Lights sightings
- Wake up aurora call at Hotel Ranga
- Choice of a SuperJeep Adventure Tour or explore a Secret Ice Cave
- Golden Circle with Pingvellir rift valley, Gullfoss waterfall, Kerid Crater and Strokkur Geyser
- 1 night in the vibrant capital Reykjavik
What’s included
- 2 nights accommodation with breakfast at Hotel Ranga
- Either one guided SuperJeep Adventure Tour or one guided visit to the Secret Ice Cave
- Kia Sportage or similar 4WD vehicle
- One night accommodation with breakfast at Alda Hotel
A note on flights
While flights are not included in the holiday price, our team will happily provide a quote and arrange them for you. Simply ask one of our Travel Experts for details of the available options.
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive at Hotel Ranga
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 their hot tubs watching the northern lights is a very special experience.
Hotel Ranga has recently built their own observatory, and an expert in on hand every night that the sky is cloud free to teach you about the stars and the northern lights.
Tonight, you will have the three-course Chefs Choice menu which the chef chooses every morning based on the freshest seasonal ingredients. 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 Northern Lights above you is one of life’s great experiences!
On every cloud-free night an expert, using two 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 Jupiter in amazing detail, 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!
Day 2
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 about this day from satisfied clients who enjoy this personalised, relaxed, guided experience with enthusiastic local guides who are keen that you have an extra special experience.
SuperJeeps take up to eight people but the norm is for four 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 its 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 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.
Chef’s choice seasonal menu and overnight at Hotel Ranga. Remember to keep popping your head out to watch for the Northern Lights!
Hotel Ranga is a great base for a Northern Lights Trip
Day 3
Golden Circle including Pingvellir Rift Valley, Gullfoss Waterfall and Strokkur Geyser
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 for your overnight stay.
Day 4
Blue Lagoon, Fly Home
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 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
Covering popular topics such as:
Where You'll Stay
Alda Hotel, Reykjavik
Discover the Alda Hotel Reykjavik, a lifestyle hotel nestled on Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main shopping street. This boutique-style accommodation is designed to offer a peaceful haven amid the bustling city, allowing guests to absorb and reflect on their Icelandic adventures. Situated on the quieter upper stretch of Laugavegur, we are approximately a 15-minute stroll from the city center.
While our location places us in proximity to shops, cafes, and restaurants, we are strategically positioned away from the central nightlife hub, ensuring a tranquil stay. Experience the perfect blend of a fantastic location and a harmonious atmosphere at Alda Hotel Reykjavik.
Hotel Ranga
Hotel Ranga offers luxury and relaxation in Iceland’s countryside. There are 51 luxurious and cosy rooms in this serene setting without external lighting interference to spoil the Northern Lights. It is Iceland’s only member of the “Special Hotels of the World”, and is also a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
Its gourmet restaurant has an excellent reputation offering typical Icelandic dishes, as well as a few unusual surprises. We would highly recommend you take a drink and sit in the outdoor hot tubs and watch the skies for the Northern Lights. A splendid way to pass the time.
Although there is never any guarantee, this is one of the best places in Iceland to see the Aurora Borealis. They have also recently built an observatory so you can view the stars and Northern Lights up close. An expert is in there to guide you through the use of the computerised telescope on clear nights.
Hotel Ranga also has the most incredible range of themed suites. Take your choice from 2 levels with the themes being Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Australia, Antarctica, Royal Suite.
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Reviews
See what our clients say
We had the most fabulous time and everything worked like clockwork. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and extremely competent. The food was excellent and the experiences, especially Husky Homes, were brilliant. We saw the aurora lights at the mountain top in Abisko where the photography tour will be an enduring memory of a wonderful time. I would very much recommend Weekend a la Carte as a proficient tour operator.
Mark Nicholson
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.
Fiona Green
Fantastic service, with every detail taken care of and communicated to your agencies and hotels. Would definitely recommend and will be using again.
Robin Higginson
We had a fantastic 4 nights that included glaciers, waterfalls, geysers, the aurora borealis and more! Lovely hotels, especially Hotel Ranga. We filled every moment and felt thoroughly invigorated on our return.
Frances Harrington
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.
Linda Palmer
An amazing trip and excellent service provided by all involved. Great value for money too. Food was excellent. Accommodation was wonderful and the trips booked were outstanding. An amazing trip
David Watson-Cammock
We did the aurora nights break and had a great time overall. Everything related to flights, hire car, and hotels ran smoothly. There were a few issues largely relating to the weather and driving conditions (we travelled in mid March), but what we did manage to do was amazing.
The blue lagoon was easy to access from the airport and was a brilliant experience. We booked the standard package and it came with a free drink and face mask. Facilities were clean and organised with free toiletries in the shower rooms, which helps if you’ve gone there straight from the airport.
The drive to Hotel Ranga afterwards was long but fine (check out the road on google streetview to know what to expect). The hotel and staff were great. We were limited to one option as vegetarians on the bar and a la carte menus, but the food was lovely and if you are a meat eater you will see options of unusual dishes like puffin and reindeer.
Our northern lights super jeep trip was cancelled on both nights due to a poor forecast, but we were lucky enough to get an aurora wake up call from Hotel Ranga the first night. We couldn’t use the hottubs as there are only a few and they were always taken in the limited time we spent at the hotel, so don’t go expecting to get lots of time in one and you won’t be disappointed. View them as an add on if you can time it right. We were travelling with an 11 year old, so we didn’t stay up really late. If you are a couple you probably have a better chance of getting one later on.
The glacier/volcano super jeep trip was outstanding. Our driver, Íbí was excellent. She went above and beyond and gave us such an awesome experience. We were also super lucky with the weather the first two days and had great views across Iceland.
The ice cave tour was also incredible and the guides running it were excellent. The group size was much bigger than expected (especially after the more exclusive volcano super jeep tour), but it was broken down into smaller groups that were managed well, with plenty of time factored in for photographs. There were several unexplained delays getting to the cave during the tour that meant we weren’t able to ‘mini tour’ the rest of the South Coast afterwards, so if you plan to do the ice cave don’t overplan for the afternoon as you may not have much time. Not a huge disappointment for us as we got to experience the cave, but I imagine someone who planned a full itinerary afterwards might be frustrated by the estamiated timings not always being right and subject to change with the weather (which was wicked that day).
Driving around Reykjavik was a horrible experience as we arrived around rush hour and weren’t prepared for all the traffic, having only experienced quiet roads along the south coast. It was difficult finding a parking space, so be prepared to drive around a little when you arrive. If you haven’t driven on the right before and are not a confident driver this could leave you feeling stressed. Again, check out the roads into Reykjavik on Google maps to get a sense of what awaits if you aren’t used to self-driving.
We didn’t get to tour the golden circle because of road conditions/ice/road closures, so we spent the day in Reykjavik instead. This turned out okay for us as we did some of the attractions (Lava Centre and Fly Over Iceland – both hughly recommended), but it ended up being an extra expense and we missed out on the golden attractions. Again, not a big issue if you are aware this could happen. The weather is so changeable that having a plan B is a good approach.
Weekend a la Carte sent us a text warning us about the bad weather conditions, which we’d already seen on the Safe Iceland app, but we were grateful for anyway. It was good to know they were looking out for us!
All in all, a remarkable trip, with some unique experiences. If you book this in the knowledge that nature will have her own way, and you may not see everything you want (especially in winter), you will have a great time. Ranga is definitely the best place to maximise your chances of seeing the lights.
Sarah Brooks
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!
David Foley