From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Tour with Hot Cocoa & Photos

The best part of this four-hour outing is the small minibus and flexible route. Your guide can leave the city lights behind, check changing conditions, and try more than one viewing area instead of parking beside a crowd of large coaches. Guides such as Baldvin, Devin, Simon, and Gummi are praised for chasing clear skies and helping with photos.

I like the practical comforts, too: thick Icelandic wool blankets, hot cocoa, and kleina, a sweet fried pastry, make a cold wait much easier. The free photos are a real bonus, especially since a phone rarely captures the aurora well. The catch is simple: no guide can order the lights into the sky. Cloud, solar activity, and luck still control the main event.

Key points at a glance

• Up to 19 people: A minibus can reach smaller viewing areas and feels more personal than a large coach.
• Forecast-led route: The guide checks weather and aurora conditions, then may stop at several places, including areas near Þingvellir.
• Warmth built in: Borrow an Icelandic wool blanket and enjoy hot chocolate with kleina pastries outside the city.
• Free photography: Your guide takes photos of you beneath the aurora, but photos are supplied only when the lights are seen.
• Strong guide element: Baldvin, Devin, Simon, Gummi, Michaela, and others are praised for clear explanations, persistence, and photography skills.
• A second chance is possible: If you attend but see no lights, you may rejoin another tour for free, subject to availability.

Why the small bus matters after dark

This is not a fixed sightseeing circuit with a string of famous stops. It is an evening search, guided by cloud cover, darkness, and aurora forecasts. That makes the minibus important. With a maximum of 19 people, the group can be moved more easily than a full-size coach, and the guide has a better chance of finding a quiet pull-off or darker patch of countryside.

The vehicle is also your warm base. The drive can last an hour or more in one direction, depending on conditions, and several people have singled out the clean, comfortable, warm minibus as part of the appeal. You should still wear proper cold-weather clothing, but you are not left standing outside for the whole four hours.

This format suits you if you want help with the practical side of aurora hunting. You do not need to study satellite maps, compare cloud bands, or work out where the city glow is weakest. Your guide handles that while explaining what may be happening above you.

The trade-off is that a small group is still a group. You will share photo time and outdoor viewing space with other people, and the exact route is not fixed in advance. If you want a private photographer or complete control over the evening, this is not that kind of outing.

Pickup around Reykjavik, then out toward darker skies

Pickup is offered from a long list of Reykjavik hotels and bus stops, including Hallgrimskirkja, Harpa, City Hall, Tjörnin, Miðbakki, Skarfabakki Harbour, Hilton Reykjavik Nordica, Hotel Cabin, Reykjavik Lights, and several other central locations. Downtown hotel restrictions matter here. Some hotels cannot receive tour vehicles, so you may be directed to the nearest official bus stop.

Be ready at your assigned point 30 minutes before departure. The stated departures begin around 8:30 p.m. from October 1 through March 31. From August 15 through September 30 and from April 1 through April 18, departures begin around 9:30 p.m. Check the exact start time when booking because the season and date affect the schedule.

The first section of the trip is more than dead time. Your English-speaking guide explains how auroras form, how cloud cover affects visibility, and why a forecast can change quickly. Several guides also explain how to read aurora activity and what cameras may reveal that your eyes cannot.

That last point is useful. A camera can pick up color and detail more strongly than the naked eye, especially when the display is faint. You should not confuse a bright camera image with a bright show overhead, but the guide can help you understand the difference.

The secret stop is really a moving target

The itinerary calls the main stop a secret location, which is a fair description of how this tour works. The place is selected according to the night rather than advertised as a named attraction. Your guide may stop near a thermal plant outside Reykjavik, head toward Þingvellir National Park, or continue farther north in search of clearer skies.

Some outings use two locations. Others may make more stops if clouds are moving through. One account describes a first location, another stop near horses, and about an hour spent outside with drinks and pastries. Another describes an early stop near Reykjavik followed by Þingvellir. The exact pattern depends on the forecast and the aurora.

This flexibility is one of the tour’s strongest features. A guide can leave a cloudy place rather than treating the first parking area as the final answer. Devin was praised for checking satellites and continuing through poor conditions. Gummi and Simon were also singled out for finding openings in the cloud and positioning the group quickly when activity appeared.

You should also understand the limits. The guide can improve your odds, not guarantee a sighting. The aurora may be weak, cloud may cover the sky, or the display may appear after you have moved on. Nature gets the final word.

Hot chocolate and kleina make the waiting easier

The outdoor stop is made more pleasant with hot chocolate, Icelandic wool blankets, and kleina. Kleina is a traditional Icelandic twisted doughnut, usually fried and lightly sweet. It is a simple snack, but it makes sense in this setting. You may be standing in a cold field late at night, looking up and waiting for the sky to change.

The hot chocolate is served during the viewing stop, not as a café visit in Reykjavik. That distinction matters. This is a warm drink in an outdoor setting, where it becomes part of the experience rather than a separate food stop. Several accounts describe the cocoa and pastry as especially welcome in freezing wind.

Bring warm clothes anyway. The blankets are borrowed, not a replacement for a coat, hat, gloves, and warm shoes. Comfortable footwear matters because you may walk a short distance away from the vehicle or stand on uneven ground. The instructions specifically call for warm clothing and comfortable shoes.

Your time outside is shaped by the aurora. If the sky comes alive quickly, the guide may focus on photography and viewing. If activity is slow, the guide may keep explaining the sky and wait for a better opening. One outing continued well past the planned time because the display was unusually strong, but you should not treat that as a guaranteed extension.

Free photos are a major part of the value

Aurora photography is hard. You need a steady camera, long exposure settings, a dark background, and a way to keep the subject still. It is easy to return from Iceland with blurry portraits and a bright green smear in the sky.

The guide takes complimentary photos of you with a professional camera when the northern lights are visible. The photos are shared after the tour, and several accounts praise the quality, especially compared with phone pictures. Devin is repeatedly noted for taking strong portraits and helping with camera settings. Gummi, Baldvin, and other guides are also praised for being patient with individual photo requests.

This is a meaningful part of the $169 price. You are not paying only for transport. You are also paying for a guide who watches conditions, chooses darker areas, explains the aurora, manages a group in the cold, and photographs the experience.

There is an important condition: if the tour does not see the northern lights, photos will not be delivered. That is fair, since the promised portraits depend on the subject appearing, but it means the photo benefit cannot soften a completely unsuccessful night.

If you bring your own camera, ask the guide for help. Some guides have a strong photography background and can suggest settings or positioning. Still, keep your equipment simple. A fully charged phone is useful for communication and backup pictures, but do not expect it to match the supplied night-sky photographs.

Guides can make or break the evening

The human side of this tour receives unusually strong attention. Baldvin is described as passionate about the aurora and persistent about finding a good viewing place. Devin is praised for combining humor, route planning, aurora explanations, and photography. Simon is noted for being realistic about what the group might see while keeping the mood upbeat.

Other named guides include Gummi, Gummi G, Gummi Bear, Michaela, Slavi, Einar, Ionut B, Diogo R, Arni, Wojtek, and Rosie. The repeated pattern is clear: the guide is both driver and host. You are not simply dropped at a dark location and left to guess what is happening.

That enthusiasm matters during a weak forecast. A strong display needs little help. A faint display behind cloud requires patience, clear explanations, and sensible choices about when to move. One guide reportedly used live camera monitoring at different locations. Another kept searching after the first two stops failed.

Guide assignments can change, so you cannot book with a specific person based on these names. The useful takeaway is that the experience depends heavily on the individual guide’s judgment and energy. On a good night, that can turn a beautiful sight into a special evening. On a poor night, a clear explanation and a pleasant ride still matter.

What $169 gets you

At $169 per person, this is not the cheapest way to search for the aurora. You could rent a car, study forecasts, and try on your own. That approach may cost less for a group, but it shifts all the driving, route decisions, photography, and cold-weather planning onto you.

Here, the price includes pickup and drop-off, a four-hour minibus outing, an English-speaking guide, hot chocolate, kleina, wool blankets, and free photos when the lights appear. The smaller vehicle also gives you a better chance of reaching places that large buses cannot use easily.

The value is strongest if you want a guided evening with limited planning. It is also strong if the free photographs matter to you. I would be less enthusiastic about the price if you already have a car, a strong understanding of aurora forecasting, and your own night photography equipment.

Remember that the tour price buys an attempt, not a guaranteed aurora. This is true of every northern lights trip. Here, the rebooking policy helps: if you attend and do not see the lights, you can join another tour free of charge, subject to availability. If poor weather causes the company to cancel before you go, you receive a full refund. If you attend and the tour is unsuccessful, the option is rebooking rather than a refund.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option gives you some room while arranging an Iceland trip.

Timing, cold, and the best way to plan your night

The northern lights season is tied to darkness, so the late departure is unavoidable. August 15 through September 30 and April 1 through April 18 begin around 9:30 p.m. The longer winter season, from October 1 through March 31, begins around 8:30 p.m.

This tour is best placed early in your stay, not on your final night. If cloud cancels the outing or the aurora stays hidden, you have time to try again. The rebooking option is useful, but it still depends on available seats and suitable weather.

Do not schedule an important early-morning activity immediately afterward if you can avoid it. The planned duration is four hours, and a strong display may keep the group outside longer. One outing ran beyond the expected return because the aurora was particularly good. That can be wonderful, but it is worth protecting your next morning.

The experience is not suitable for children under five, people with mobility impairments, wheelchair users, or strollers. Infant seats are not available. If you have mobility concerns, ask the operator before booking because the tour involves getting in and out of a minibus and standing outdoors.

Who should book this northern lights tour

I would choose this trip if you want a practical first attempt at seeing the aurora without driving at night. It suits couples, families with older children, solo visitors, and small groups who value photographs and a guide who stays active rather than waiting at one roadside stop.

It is also a good fit if you like a little uncertainty. The route changes with the sky, and the best part may be the chase between locations. You should enjoy the process, not just the final result.

I would think twice if you need guaranteed accessibility, dislike late nights, or have only one free evening in Iceland and cannot accept the possibility of seeing nothing. A private tour may suit you better if you want complete control over the route and photo time.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a warm, well-organized search with a small group, active route planning, and free professional photos. The blankets, cocoa, and kleina are thoughtful touches, but the real value is the guide’s effort to find darkness and explain what you are seeing.

Go in with high hopes and modest expectations. The aurora is never guaranteed, yet the flexible route, persistent guides, and second-chance policy give you a sensible way to try. For most visitors staying in Reykjavik without a rental car, I consider the $169 price reasonable, especially if the lights appear and you receive photographs to take home.

FAQ

How long does the Northern Lights tour last?

The stated duration is four hours. A strong aurora may lead to a longer evening, but this is not guaranteed.

Where does pickup take place in Reykjavik?

Pickup is available from listed hotels, harbors, churches, cultural sites, and official Reykjavik bus stops. Downtown hotel restrictions mean some hotels use the nearest designated bus stop instead.

How early should I arrive at the pickup point?

You should be ready at your designated pickup location 30 minutes before departure.

What time does the tour begin?

From October 1 through March 31, departures begin around 8:30 p.m. From August 15 through September 30 and from April 1 through April 18, departures begin around 9:30 p.m. Check the available start time for your date.

Is food included?

Yes. The tour includes hot chocolate and kleina, an Icelandic donut or pastry.

Are blankets provided?

Yes. Icelandic wool blankets are available to borrow during the outdoor viewing stops.

Are photos included?

Yes, complimentary photos are taken if the northern lights are visible. If the tour is unsuccessful, photos are not delivered.

What happens if I do not see the northern lights?

If you attend the tour but do not see the lights, you may join another tour free of charge, subject to availability. This does not provide a refund.

Is the tour suitable for wheelchair users or young children?

No. The activity is not wheelchair or stroller accessible, infant seats are unavailable, and children under five are not permitted.