The aurora over Faxaflói Bay
Watching the northern lights from the deck of a boat, with Reykjavik glowing behind you, is a very different night from standing in a lava field. It is shorter, easier and more scenic, but also more weather-dependent. Here is how the boat tour works and who it suits.
Both can be great; they suit different travellers.
you want a short night without a long drive, you are staying near the harbour, or you travel with people who get cold or tired easily.
clouds are forecast over Reykjavik, you get seasick, or your main goal is the best possible chance of seeing the lights.
many visitors take the boat on a clear, active night and keep a bus or minibus for a cloudier one.
The yacht cruise is the only northern lights boat tour from Reykjavik that passes our review bar, so it is the one we list. Rating and review count from GetYourGuide.
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.
Check availabilityYou meet at the Old Harbour, a short walk from most central hotels. The yacht sails out into Faxaflói Bay for about two hours, far enough that the city lights fade behind you. Inside there is a heated cabin with seating and drinks for sale; outside, the upper deck gives an open view of the sky to the north. Warm overalls are often available on board, but bring your own layers anyway.
The best moments come when the aurora stretches over the water with the lit-up skyline of Reykjavik and the dark outline of Mount Esja on the horizon, a view no land tour can give you.
Boats go out only when the sea is calm enough and the forecast gives a reasonable chance of lights. On windy nights the trip is cancelled and you are offered a refund or another date. If the boat sails and no lights are seen, operators commonly offer another trip; check the current terms on the booking page.
Faxaflói Bay is usually calm on nights when the boat sails, but there is always some swell. If you are prone to seasickness, take tablets an hour before departure and stay on the open deck looking at the horizon. Two hours is a short trip, so most people are fine.
A moving deck makes long exposures difficult; a tripod does not help much. Use a phone in night mode or raise your camera’s ISO so the exposure stays short, around two to four seconds, brace against the rail and shoot plenty of frames. The reward is a foreground no land tour has: water, the harbour and the city lights.
About two hours, leaving from the Old Harbour in central Reykjavik.
In October 2026 the yacht tour started at about $100 per adult on GetYourGuide.
On a clear night with good activity it is one of the most memorable ways to see the lights. On cloudy nights a land tour that can chase clear skies gives you better odds.
Yes on deck, especially with the wind over the water. There is a heated cabin, and warm overalls are often provided, but wear thermal layers, a hat and gloves.
Most people walk to the Old Harbour. Check the booking page for the exact meeting point and whether a transfer is offered.
