Discover the Golden Circle, Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Blue Lagoon, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, and black lava beaches on this 7-night northern lights holiday.
Icelandic Northern Lights Exploration
![Seljalandsfoss](https://aurora-nights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IcelandicNLExploration-header-Seljalandsfoss-1410x529.jpg)
![Seljalandsfoss](https://aurora-nights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IcelandicNLExploration-header-Seljalandsfoss-625x234.jpg)
Climb a volcano, learn about Iceland’s history at a Settlement Center, meet Icelandic horses, see turf farmsteads and churches.
There is an optional ice cave tour at Vatnajökull glacier from October to April (weather permitting) and an optional northern lights by boat cruise from Reykjavík. Our Northern Lights Exploration series are designed to include the highlights of Iceland and aim to maximise the chances of seeing the elusive northern lights, as most nights are spent in the darkness away from light pollution.
Overview
Highlights
- Track record of 85-98% chance of seeing the Northern Lights
- See amazing Icelandic landscapes mixed with soft adventure and cultural experiences during the day
- Climb a volcano crater and walk between two continental tectonic plates
- Visit the Settlement Center in Borgarnes
- Descend 35m underground into Vatnshellir cave situated under Snæfellsnesjökull glacier
- Relax in the Blue Lagoon and learn about living with volcanoes
- See Icelandic horses and taste freshly baked hot spring bread
- Five evenings Northern Lights Academy
- Program offered in two group sizes: maximum 16
What’s included
- 7 nights accommodation with breakfast at comfort tourist-class hotels
- 6 days escorted bus tour with English-speaking guide/driver-guide
- Arrival & departure airport private transfer (no guide)
- Visit the Settlement Center in Borgarnes
- Guided tour into Vatnshellir cave
- Hot spring tasting with geothermal cooked bread & eggs
- Visit Icelandic horse stable & geothermal greenhouse
- Visit the Lava Exhibition Center
- Visit Skógar folk museum & turf houses
- Entrance with towel to Blue Lagoon
- Northern lights program
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
Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle bus from Keflavik airport to your accommodation in Reykjavik. You may explore Iceland’s capital city on your own if time allows.
At 09:00 meet your tour guide who shows the group the highlights of Iceland’s exciting capital, before you head west.
Stop in Borgarnes and learn about Iceland’s earliest days at the Settlement Center. Next, we head to Borgarfjörður, known as the Saga Valley because of its many important historical events. Get a chance to climb the Grábrók volcano crater and visit Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful hot spring.
Hraunfossar is a series of waterfalls pouring from beneath a wide lava field. Barnafoss – the ‘children’s falls’ – is nearby with its own tragic tale. The afternoon includes a lecture about the Northern Lights. After dinner, step into the hotel garden in search of the northern lights followed by a hot cup of chocolate or tea.
The Snæfellsnes Peninsula, “the peninsula of the snowy mountain“, juts out from Iceland’s west coast, like a long arm with a clenched fist at its tip, and is in many ways a microcosm of the whole island. A rugged mountain chain runs its length. Visit the fishing village of Grundarfjörður, a place with an impressive coastline and mountains, lakes, and waterfalls behind the village. One of the most photographed and famous mountain in Iceland, Kirkjufell, can be seen jutting out into the bay.
Visit Arnarstapi and Hellnar before experiencing the area from below, inside Vatnshellir cave. We take you 35 meters underground and about 200 meters into the lava tube under the glacier Snæfellsjökull! On the way back to Borgarnes the guide gives you some practical tips on how to photograph the auroras as part of the Northern Lights Academy program. Naturally, once darkness falls, we are out in the hotel garden to chase the northern lights and to soak in the hotel’s outdoor hot tubs.
Travel along the Hvalfjörður fjord. The first stop is Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Travel the Golden Circle route, see steam rising from the Geysir geothermal fields. The chef of the Restaurant Geysir invites you to taste freshly baked hot spring bread served with Icelandic butter, boiled eggs and herring. On we travel to the double waterfall of Gullfoss.
In the afternoon, learn about the Icelandic horse, its unique qualities and history, and visit a geothermal greenhouse, before reaching the accommodation in south Iceland. Tonight, step into the darkness and search for the elusive northern lights in the peace and stillness of rural Iceland.
Today we travel along the south coast. At the Lava & Volcano Exhibition Center, learn about geology and active volcanoes. Further east we visit one of Iceland’s finest folk museums. This museum contains an outstanding collection of farm and domestic artefacts from Iceland’s past and several turf-built houses.
Nearby is Skógafoss waterfall which is 60 meters high and one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. In the afternoon take a stroll on the black lava beach and along bird cliffs at Reynisfjara in south Iceland. We spend two nights near Kirkjubæjarklaustur in the Vatnajökull National Park region, located in darkness and ideal for a northern lights search.
Today’s program is all about glaciers, ice and icebergs. We travel to Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs. We explore the amazing site, and might see seals swimming in arctic waters. You can walk on the black sandy beach, the so-called diamond beach, where large icebergs get stranded.
In the afternoon we visit the tiny turf church at Hof and spend time at Europe’s largest national park, which has Iceland’s highest mountains, an alpine environment, and Europe’s largest glacier. In the evening enjoy a film presentation about the northern lights as part of the Northern Lights Academy program. Be careful not to go to bed too soon in this remote and quiet location, or you may miss out on one more chance of seeing the northern lights shimmering and dancing across the night sky.
From Kirkjubæjarklaustur we head across the Eldhraun lava field to the village of Vík, where we make a photo stop. The black lava beach with high bird cliffs and pounding waves is awe-inspiring. Further west we reach the high but narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall which plunges from the mountain.
In the afternoon we get to soak in the famous Blue Lagoon. We reach Reykjavík around dinner time for one last night.
Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle bus from your accommodation in Reykjavik to Keflavik International Airport.
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See what our clients say
Fantastic trip with great hosts & made even more special by seeing the Northern Lights twice!!
We enjoyed both the hotels that were arranged by weekend a la Carte Aurora nights. The Porsmork trip was very enjoyable, both guides were fantastic and informative.
The Northern Light hunt trip out of Reykjavik with Superjeep was an adventure and we got to see the lights, worth braving the cold at -6.
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.
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.
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!
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.