Pick the right night under the aurora
Reykjavik is one of the easiest places in the world to see the northern lights, but which tour you choose changes the night completely: a big coach or a minibus, a boat in the bay or a jeep on back roads. This guide explains the differences and shows the best-rated tours for each style.
Almost every aurora tour from Reykjavik is one of three types. Choose the type first; picking the tour is easy after that.
The cheapest guided hunt and the most booked. Large heated coaches, a guide watching the forecast, hot cocoa. More people, lower price. See bus tours.
Minibuses or 4x4 jeeps with a handful of guests. More flexible routes, quieter spots, help with photos. Costs more. See small-group tours.
A two-hour yacht trip from the Old Harbour. No bus ride, city lights behind you, but it cannot chase clear skies. See the boat tour.
One standout per style, chosen by rating and number of reviews on GetYourGuide. Each tour-type page lists more options.
The most-booked aurora tour in Iceland by a long way. A large heated coach takes you out of the city to whichever dark spot has the clearest sky that night, the guide explains what you are looking at, and hot cocoa keeps you going while you wait. It is the cheapest guided option and a sensible first hunt; the trade-off is sharing the viewing spot with a full coach.
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The most popular small-group hunt from Reykjavik. A minibus with a limited number of guests means the guide can take smaller roads, move quickly when the forecast changes and stop where a coach cannot. Expect more personal attention and help with camera settings. A good step up from the big bus without a big jump in price.
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Two hours on a yacht in Faxaflói Bay, sailing away from the city lights with Reykjavik glowing behind you. You walk to the boat instead of riding a bus, there is a heated cabin with drinks for sale, and when the sky is active the view across the water is hard to beat. The catch: a boat cannot drive away from clouds, and the trip is cancelled in rough seas.
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The best-rated hunt in this comparison. Small group, a photographer-guide, professional photos included and a free retry if the lights do not appear. It costs about twice the big bus, and many reviewers say it was worth it.
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Super jeeps and 4x4s can leave paved roads and reach viewpoints away from where the coaches park. This tour adds treats, hot cocoa and photos of the group under the sky. It is one of the more expensive hunts, but the small group and the off-road reach are what you pay for.
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A long day and night in one: Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall in daylight, then an aurora hunt on the way back once it is dark. Best for short stays when you want to tick off both in a single booking. It makes for a long day, around nine hours.
Check availability| Style | Group size | Time | Typical price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus tour | Large coach | 3–4 hours | About $80–95 | Budget, first hunt, free retry |
| Small-group minibus | Small group | 4–5 hours | About $110–165 | Photos, flexibility, quieter spots |
| 4x4 / super jeep | Small group | About 4 hours | About $150 and up | Off-road viewpoints, adventure |
| Boat tour | Yacht | About 2 hours | About $100 | No long drive, city and sea views |
| Golden Circle + aurora | Coach | About 9 hours | About $160 | Short stays, sightseeing and lights in one |
Rough “from” prices per adult seen on GetYourGuide in October 2026. See the price guide for what is and is not included.
No tour can switch the aurora on. Three things decide whether you see it: solar activity, clouds and darkness. Darkness is easy: from September to mid-April it is dark enough every night. Solar activity is measured by the Kp index and changes from night to night. Clouds are the real problem in Iceland, and this is where the tour type matters.
Book early in your stay. Most operators let you rejoin for free if the lights do not appear, and the tour is usually cancelled outright if the forecast is hopeless. Booking for your first or second night leaves room to use that retry.
Take the bus tour. It is the cheapest guided way out of the city, the guides know the area well and the free retry protects you on a cloudy night.
Choose a small-group minibus, ideally one that includes photos. You get a guide who has time for you and pictures of yourself under the lights.
A 4x4 super jeep tour reaches viewpoints off the main roads and feels more like an expedition.
The yacht tour leaves from the Old Harbour, lasts about two hours and has a warm cabin. Just accept that it depends on clear skies over the bay.
Combine sightseeing and the aurora on the Golden Circle and northern lights tour.
The northern lights season around Reykjavik runs from September to mid-April. December and January give the longest nights but the most storms and cloud; late September to October and February to March combine long enough nights with somewhat milder weather, and the weeks around the equinoxes are known for strong geomagnetic activity. Our best time guide goes month by month.
Sometimes. On strong nights the aurora is visible over Reykjavik itself, especially from darker places such as the Grótta lighthouse. But street lights wash out weaker displays, and you cannot move if clouds sit over the city. Read where to see the northern lights in Reykjavik before deciding to go it alone.
A rental car gives you the Golden Circle, the south coast and the Ring Road at your own pace. Our car rental guide explains Keflavik Airport pickup, 4x4 or 2WD and the insurance that actually matters.
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It depends on what you want. The bus tour with hot cocoa is the most booked and the cheapest guided option. Small-group minibus tours rate higher and include help with photos. The yacht tour is the only boat option and the shortest night out.
In October 2026 bus tours started at about $80, small-group minibus tours at about $110 to $165, 4x4 tours at about $150 and the yacht tour at about $100 per adult. Prices change daily; check the booking page for live prices.
Most aurora tours from Reykjavik offer a free retry on another night if no lights were seen, and tours are cancelled with a refund if the forecast is very poor. Check the exact policy on the booking page, as it varies by operator.
Pickups are usually between 8 and 9:30 pm, and you are typically back between midnight and 1 am. Early and late season tours may leave a little later because it gets dark later.
Tours run from about September to mid-April, when the nights are dark enough. The lights are present all year, but in summer the sky never gets dark.
Booking a day or two ahead is usually enough outside the Christmas and New Year period. Booking for an early night of your trip is more important, so you have time to use a free retry.
