Northern Lights tour Reykjavik: Small group with photographer
Hunt for the aurora across dark Icelandic countryside, then keep the photos
A small-group Northern Lights tour from Reykjavik in a heated 4x4 with a live guide and professional photographer who chase clear skies and capture long-exposure images of you under the aurora. The tour runs 4 hours from central Reykjavik, includes hot chocolate with optional spirits and traditional pastries, and ends with edited digital photos. Entry to the Aurora Reykjavik Museum is also included.
Step-by-step itinerary
Northern Lights tour from Reykjavik
- Meet at Aurora Reykjavik or accommodation
- Board heated 4x4 vehicle
- Drive away from city lights
- Travel through Icelandic landscape
- Guide monitors aurora and weather
- Stop at dark-sky location for viewing
- Enjoy photo opportunities under aurora
- Receive complimentary hot cocoa and pastries
- Professional photographer takes long-exposure photos
- Return to Reykjavik
What’s included
- Heated 4x4 vehicle.
- live guide in English.
- professional photographer and edited digital photos of you under the aurora.
- hot chocolate with optional rum or Brennivin.
- traditional Icelandic pastries.
- entry to the Aurora Reykjavik Museum.
- pickup from central Reykjavik or your accommodation.
Times
- Every day 21:30
Before you book
Operated by Gravel Travel
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The experience
The guide and photographer monitor weather and aurora activity in real time, so the route changes each night to find the darkest skies and the clearest view. You travel away from Reykjavik's city lights into the Icelandic countryside, stopping at locations the team picks based on conditions as they unfold. The 4x4 stays heated throughout, and the guide shares information about Icelandic nature and the science of the lights while you watch the sky.
At each stop, the photographer sets up for long-exposure shots of you under the aurora, then edits and sends the digital files after the tour ends. Hot chocolate arrives at the viewing spots (with optional rum or Brennivin if you want it) along with traditional Icelandic pastries. The group stays small, so there is room to move and photograph without crowding.
Pickup starts from central Reykjavik at 21:00 and can take up to 30 minutes to collect everyone. If weather cancels the tour, you get a full refund or can rebook for another date within two years. Northern Lights sightings are not guaranteed, but the unlimited retry policy means you can keep trying on other nights. Your tour ticket also gives you access to visit the Aurora Reykjavik Museum at your own pace during its regular hours, before or after the tour.
Is this one for you?Pickup from central Reykjavik or your hotel means you don't need a rental car or local transport to reach the dark-sky sites where the aurora is visible. The guide adjusts the route each night based on weather and aurora forecasts, so you chase the best conditions rather than following a fixed path.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (8 to 12 years). Children under 8 can't be included in the booking.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What happens if the Northern Lights don't show up on the night I book?
Northern Lights sightings are not guaranteed due to weather and aurora activity. If unforeseen circumstances prevent viewing, the operator offers you another tour within two years of your original booking at no extra cost, so you can try again on a clearer night.
Do I need to bring my own camera to get photos of the aurora?
No. The professional photographer on the tour handles the long-exposure shots and edits the digital files for you. Cameras and tripods are welcome if you want to shoot your own images as well, but the edited photos from the guide are included in the tour price.
How does pickup work if I'm staying outside central Reykjavik?
Pickup starts from central Reykjavik at 21:00, or you can arrange to be collected from your accommodation instead. Either way, the pickup process can take up to 30 minutes as the driver gathers all passengers before heading out to hunt the aurora.
What's the Icelandic landscape like during the tour if the lights don't appear?
Even without aurora, you travel through the Icelandic countryside at night, passing fields and mountains. The guide shares information about Icelandic nature and the landscape as you drive, so there is always something to see and learn about the country.
Northern Lights tour Reykjavik: Small group with photographer
4h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 236 per person
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