A northern lights tour Reykjavik can’t guarantee the aurora. No tour can promise you’ll see them. What a good tour does is maximize your chances by driving to locations with clear skies, far from the city lights, guided by someone who reads weather and aurora forecasts for a living. And if you don’t see them, you get a free rebooking for another night.
Tour Details and Price (2026)
Northern Lights Bus Tour from Reykjavik with Hot Chocolate
- From $75 per person (currently 10% off, regular $84)
- 4 hours (departure from Reykjavik, drive to viewing location, return)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off available
- English-speaking expert guide
- Hot chocolate included
- WiFi on board
- Free rebooking if no northern lights are seen
- 4.2 stars from 1,900+ reviews
- Maximum 65 travelers per bus
The free rebooking policy is the key feature. If you don’t see the aurora on your first night, you can join again on another night at no extra cost. Book early in your Iceland trip so you have backup nights available.
👉 Book your northern lights tour from Reykjavik
What the Experience Looks Like
Pickup in Reykjavik. Your bus collects you from designated stops near your hotel. The pickup window is 30 minutes, so be ready and patient.
The drive (30 to 60 minutes). Your guide explains the science behind the aurora borealis, how solar winds interact with Earth’s magnetic field, and what conditions create the best displays. By the time you arrive at the viewing spot, you understand what you’re looking at.
The viewing (1 to 2 hours). The guide drives to locations chosen based on real-time cloud cover and aurora forecasts. Sometimes this means trying multiple spots. You stand outside in the dark and cold, watching the sky. When the aurora appears, it can range from a faint green glow to vivid curtains of green, pink, and purple dancing across the sky. Your guide helps with camera settings for the best photos.
Hot chocolate. Served while you wait and watch. A small comfort that makes standing in Icelandic cold more bearable.
Return to Reykjavik. Typically back by midnight to 1 AM, sometimes later if the guide chases the lights farther.
When to Go (This Is Critical)
- Best months: September through March. Peak season is October through February when nights are longest and darkest.
- Worst months: April through August. Iceland has near-24-hour daylight in summer. No darkness means no aurora viewing.
- Late season (late March to mid-April): still possible but increasingly risky as nights get shorter. Some reviewers report spectacular shows in April, others see nothing.
- Weather matters more than season. A clear, cold night in October is better than a cloudy night in January. Your guide monitors conditions in real time.
Before You Book
- Dress for extreme cold. Layers, windproof outer shell, warm hat, gloves, and waterproof boots. Multiple reviewers describe the cold as “painfully cold.” Icelandic wind makes it feel worse than the temperature suggests.
No sighting guarantee. Nature decides. If you don’t see the lights, use the free rebooking. Don’t schedule this tour on your last night in Iceland.
Camera tips. Your guide helps with phone camera settings. For best results: night mode, long exposure, tripod or steady surface. The aurora often looks more vivid in photos than to the naked eye.
- Minimum age: 6 years old.
- Not wheelchair accessible.
- Cancellation by weather. If the tour is cancelled due to weather, contact BusTravel Iceland directly (not through Viator) to reschedule. They’ll arrange a new date based on availability.
- Cancellation by you: free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Book Your Northern Lights Tour
The aurora is unpredictable. The best thing you can do is book early in your trip, dress warm, and trust your guide. From $75 with free rebooking if the lights don’t show.
👉 Check availability and book your tour
Prices based on 2026 rates. Northern lights sightings are never guaranteed. Free rebooking available if no aurora is seen. Confirm details at checkout.
