Land of the Northern Lights Tour
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Land of the Northern Lights - Iceland Escorted Tour
Iceland in five days, with the Aurora Borealis as your nightcap! This compact escorted tour pairs Iceland’s headline sights with two dedicated Northern Lights evenings in the south, where dark skies and quiet horizons give you the best chance of catching the dance.
You’ll base yourself in Reykjavik and Hella, soak in the Blue Lagoon, drive the Golden Circle, walk Reynisfjara’s black sand beach and stand at the foot of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss. An English-speaking driver-guide handles every transfer, hotel and Aurora forecast, so you can keep your eyes on the sky.
5 days, 4 nights, 2 Northern Lights evenings. From $2,480 per person, twin share.
5 days - from $2,480
Itinerary Highlights
- Enjoy a relaxing soak in Blue Lagoon, the most famous geothermal spa
- Visit the picturesque surroundings of Seljalandsfoss and Skógar waterfalls
- See some of Iceland's top attractions in a day as you explore the Golden Circle
- Spend 2 evenings to search for this natural phenomenon and be mesmerised by its charm, The Northern Lights!
Itinerary + Map
DAY 1 Reykjavik
Your tour commences with an arrival transfer to your hotel. Enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure.
Stay at Hotel Klettur (3 star) or similar
DAY 2 Reykjavik - Blue Lagoon - Hella
This morning after breakfast, meet your driver/guide and explore the highlights of Iceland’s exciting capital. Then head out to Reykjanes Peninsula, known for its vast lava fields, cone volcanoes, and stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean before arriving at the iconic Blue Lagoon for a warm and relaxing soak. Afterwards, drive along the south coast to the village of Hella for the night. This evening, attend a lecture about the Northern Lights followed by a search for them.
Stay at Hotel Stracta (3 star) or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 3 Hella - Vik - Hella
Today, you will travel along the south coast past Eyjafjallajokull volcano and glacier to the majestic Seljalandsfoss waterfall. From here continue to Skógar Folk Museum for a visit including the chance to see its turf houses, followed by a visit to the Skogafoss waterfall. In the afternoon, the tour continues further south, where you walk on the famous Black Lava Beach at Reynisfjara, and observe the Cap of Dyrholaey and the Reynisdrangar Sea Cliffs before visiting the charming village of Vík. Alternatively you can book an optional tour to take a hike on the Solheimajokull glacier, giving you the chance to stand upon this 13 kilometre long sheet of ice. Back at the hotel in the evening, there is another presentation about the Northern Lights. If the night is clear, you might see the Northern Lights swirling in a wild and carefree dance across the heavens in dramatic shapes, colours, patterns and sizes.
Stay at Hotel Stracta (3 star) or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 4 Hella - Golden Circle - Reykjavik
This morning, learn about the beautiful Icelandic horse, its unique qualities and history, followed by a visit to a geothermal greenhouse to learn how Icelandic homes use geothermal energy. Then you will head to the Golden Circle region and travel the famous route. See steam rising from the Geysir geothermal fields including the well known Strokkur and admire the double waterfall of Gullfoss. In the afternoon you will visit the Thingvellir National Park, the location of the ancient Viking Parliament and UNESCO World Heritage Site, before continuing to Reykjavik.
Stay at Hotel Klettur (3 star) or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 5 Reykjavik
Your tour concludes with a departure transfer for your onward journey.
Meals included: Breakfast
- Escorted by an English-speaking driver/guide
- Arrival and departure airport transfer by Flybus shuttle
- 3 star accommodation
- Transport by air-conditioned vehicle with complimentary Wi-Fi
- 4 breakfasts
Entrances:
- Blue Lagoon including use of towel
- Skogar Folk Museum
- Icelandic horse stable & Geothermal greenhouse
Activities:
- Northern Lights Program for two evenings
Explore on route:
- Reykjavik
- Reykjanes Peninsula
- Eyjafjallajokull volcano
- Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss Waterfall
- Reynisfjara Black Lava Beach
- Cape of Dyrholaey and the Reynisdrangar Sea Cliffs
- Vik
- Golden Circle – Geysir, Gullfoss Waterfall and Thingvellir National Park
Land of the Northern Lights Pricing
Iceland Northern Lights Tour Gallery
If you’re after short, simple tours to see Aurora Borealis without a long winter expedition. Five days, four nights, two dedicated Northern Lights evenings, and every transfer, hotel and forecast handled by your guide.
The itinerary covers what most travellers want to see on a first trip: Blue Lagoon, the Golden Circle, the South Coast and Reykjavik. You’re not driving in snow, not trying to master road traffic signs in Icelandic, and not pulling over in the dark hoping for clear skies. Your guide does the watching.
Base nights in Hella sit you under properly dark skies, well away from city light pollution. The tour includes a pre-evening briefing on Aurora forecasting and a guided search both nights.
Three-star hotels with private bathrooms, breakfast included, air-conditioned vehicles with Wi-Fi, and a small-group feel without forced socialising. You move at a comfortable rhythm, not a hectic one.
Over 25 years booking the region, Australian family-owned. We’ve sent thousands of travellers to Iceland, and we work only with the operators we’d send our own families to.
Enquire about the Land of the Northern Lights tour today.
Land of the Northern Lights Tour FAQs
No tour can guarantee the Aurora Borealis. The Northern Lights depend on three things lining up – clear skies, solar activity, and being far enough from light pollution. This itinerary stacks the odds in your favour with two dedicated viewing evenings from Hella in Southern Iceland, where the skies are noticeably darker than in Reykjavik. Across the September-April season, most travellers see at least one display.
Iceland’s Aurora season runs from late September through to early April, when the nights are long and dark enough for the Northern Lights to be visible. The peak viewing window runs from October through March, with February and March often delivering the clearest skies and the most predictable solar activity.
The Land of the Northern Lights tour operates across these months, so you can pick departures that suit your travel calendar and aurora odds.
If you’d prefer to combine the aurora with festive cheer, we recommend you take our Christmas Northern Lights Adventure.
The Land of the Northern Lights is the shorter and more affordable option at 5 days, focused on Reykjavik, the Blue Lagoon, the Golden Circle and Southern Iceland. The Iceland Northern Lights Exploration tour runs for 8 days, uses small-group departures, and covers additional regions. Pick this one if you want a focused, well-priced introduction to Iceland in winter.
A moderate level of mobility. You will be walking on uneven volcanic terrain at the South Coast, climbing in and out of vehicles, and standing for periods at viewpoints. There are no long hikes on the standard itinerary, although the optional Solheimajokull glacier walk requires reasonable fitness.
Thermal base layers, waterproof outer layers, an insulated jacket, waterproof boots, gloves, a beanie and a neck warmer. The Aurora will not appear on demand, so a tripod and a camera with manual settings will help if you want photos. Hotel rooms have heated bathrooms, towels and hairdryers, so you can pack lighter than you might expect.
Yes. Many of our escorted tour guests travel solo. The Land of the Northern Lights tour is small enough that solo travellers feel part of the group without being pushed to socialise. A single supplement applies for solo room occupancy.
Absolutely. Many guests add a few extra nights in Reykjavik, a Norway coastal voyage with Havila, or a tailor-made itinerary through other parts of Scandinavia. Speak to our team, and we can build the connecting arrangements around your Iceland dates.