Northern Lights Tour

See the glory of the northern lights in Iceland! Unforgettable experience!

Our tour takes you to see a spectacular phenomenon which can be seen from late August to mid-April. The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are caused by the interaction of particles from the sun with the upper atmosphere near the Magnetic Pole.  

Why take a guided tour to see the northern lights in Iceland?

Choosing a guided tour increases your chances of seeing the northern lights in Iceland. Our team of experts reviews and studies the weather, locations and aurora forecast on a daily basis to determine if the odds are in our favour. 

The tour is weather dependent and sightings are not guaranteed. However, you will experience Icelandic nature during the night, the Milky Way, stars, moon, clouds and total darkness. Please note that indicated return times can vary. 

If you don‘t see any northern lights during this tour, you are invited to join the tour again, free of charge.  

Passengers can buy waffles and hot drinks on-site, at an extra cost, when available, to enjoy while looking up into the sky.* 
*Waffles and hot drinks are only available on the 21:00 and 22:00 departures.

Where do we go to see the northern lights in Iceland?

Our experts decide where the best location is each night so the exact route is not known in advance. One of the most important factors is that we go away from the city lights. Based on the weather and aurora forecast, we decide if it is worth going at all. If yes, our experts decide on the best place to go. 

What to expect on your northern lights tour:

• It may be cold outside even though our buses are warm and comfortable. You will have plenty of time to take photos and therefore we recommend that you dress warmly and wear sturdy shoes. We recommend three layers, a cap, gloves, warm socks, and a warm jacket.
• Despite all our efforts, we cannot guarantee that you will see the aurora. If we do NOT see northern lights on the tour, passengers can rebook for another evening.
• When we go on the tour and we do not see the northern lights, a refund is not possible.
• Your rebook-ticket is only valid for you, you can not assign your ticket to someone else.
• The tours are planned using larger buses, so large groups. Small group tours are also available – see “Northern Lights – Small Group Tour”. 
• You will get some basic information from our guides on how to get the best pictures of the lights.
• Our guides are experts in the aurora, where to hunt them down and how to take pictures of the lights, so please do not hesitate to ask them about the northern lights or for assistance with your photography.
• Children are welcome on the tour, however, this can be a long and cold night and therefore it may not be suitable for children younger than 6 years old. If travelling with young children, we highly recommend the 20:00 departure which is available from 16 October through 14 March 2016.
• Please note that looking for the aurora is a hunting tour. Civilization is left behind (including conventional WCs) in order to increase our chances of seeing the aurora. Auroras are best seen outdoors at night in Iceland’s winter. Your personal well-being on the tour depends on your own clothing.

FAQ about this northern lights tour:

• How can I rebook? Visit www.re.is/rebook and log your booking number to choose a new date.
• Why was the tour cancelled tonight? A team of experts considers the weather and aurora forecast every day to see if the conditions are favourable or not. If the odds are against the aurora being visible for some reason, we cancel the tour.
• If we cancel the tour and you are unable to attend at a later date you can get a refund. 
• We did not see the lights on the tour yesterday and we are not able to join the tour again during our stay now. Can we then have a refund?
  If you were on the tour a refund is not possible. However, your ticket is valid for 2 years for rebooking. Save your booking number and visit www.re.is/rebook to choose a new date.  
• How far away from the city do you go and where? The average time heading out to the first stop is usually within an hour. The direction of the tour is decided shortly before departure and based on the weather forecast.
• They took my voucher on the tour last night so I don’t have my booking number. If you don’t have your voucher in your email and no information about your booking number, please call us and have the information ready on when you were originally booked and under which name your tour was booked.
• When is the best time of the year to see the lights? From late August until mid-April.
• Why do I not see the lights as in the photos? The human eye usually sees the northern lights as faint colours of light green, grey and white. Camera sensors do not have our eye limitations as they have long exposure features and other factors.  

Additional information:

• Remember to dress warmly. 
• This tour depends on weather and activity, so sightings are not guaranteed.
• Indicated return times can vary due to road & weather conditions.
• If you don’t see any lights on the tour you can re-book again for free.
• The tour is scheduled daily, however, we do cancel the tour if the forecast for the weather- and the aurora is not promising enough. When a tour is cancelled, those who are booked can change their booking to another date or get a full refund, given that you have not been on the tour before.