Drea Picture this: Standing with friends in complete darkness on a frozen Icelandic tundra, clutching our cameras with no feeling in our toes, when suddenly the sky tears open with ribbons of green fire dancing overhead. We broke out in huge grins, and broke out those cameras. We’d been hoping for this moment the whole trip and let me tell you – no photo will ever do it justice. Chasing Northern Lights in Iceland had finally paid off.
That was on a trip to Iceland with friends, and was just one highlight of many of the trip. Iceland is such a cool, diverse country, and more accessible than you think. Whether you’re planning your first aurora hunt or convincing your friends to finally book that trip you’ve been talking about, this guide covers everything you need to know about seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland – from the best time to go and where to look, to what actually worked for us.
Chasing the aurora is one of my favorite low-effort adventures. More in my adventure travel guide.
Iceland Throws Every Kind of Weather at You
Rain, wind, sun, maybe snow, sometimes all before lunch. Packing smart layers is everything in Iceland, especially in prime northern lights season. My free custom checklist has you covered without the giant suitcase.
1. Understanding the Northern Lights: What You’re Actually Chasing
What Are the Northern Lights? (The Quick Version)
Okay, science lesson time – but I promise to keep it simple! The Northern Lights happen when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere. Think of it like this: the sun is constantly throwing off a stream of energized particles (called solar wind), and when those particles slam into oxygen and nitrogen in our atmosphere, they create light. It’s basically nature’s most epic light show.
Iceland sits at 64°N latitude, right under what’s called the “auroral oval” – a ring-shaped zone around Earth’s magnetic poles where auroral activity is most frequent. This is why Iceland is such a perfect spot – you’re literally standing under the action. We kept joking that we hoped we’d picked the right place, and for once, we actually had!
Setting Real Expectations
Here’s the reality check nobody wants to give you, but I will: you’re not guaranteed to see them. Even with perfect planning. Even in Iceland. And that really is okay – I promise. I’d recommend planning to see them early in your trip, so that in case you miss them, you have more opportunities before you leave.
Why photos MAY look better than what you’ll see:
This one surprised us on our first attempt. Cameras use long exposures to capture colors that the human eye can’t see in the dark. So those jaw-dropping Instagram photos? They’re real, but they’re also enhanced by 15-30 second exposures. Your eyes will see something more subtle – still beautiful, but different.
On the other hand, if your phone or camera settings are off, your eye will see something more vibrant than your photos will. On our successful night, the lights looked like bright green wisps to our eyes, but my camera captured faint green smudges, while a friend’s camera captured intense emerald ribbons. Both views were magical, just different.
What you’ll see
You’ll mostly see green (from oxygen collisions), with occasional red, pink or purple during intense displays. Despite what Instagram might lead you to believe, the vivid multi-color displays are rarer. The lights dance and flow because billions of particle collisions happen in rapid sequence. That’s why you wonder if they are “alive” – they genuinely look like they’re breathing and flowing. It’s mesmerizing in a way that makes you feel tiny and connected all at once.
How they dance
The auroral oval is anchored in place as Earth rotates beneath it, which is why the Northern Lights appear to move from east to west. Some nights, the oval is quiet and stays far north. Other nights, it expands and puts on a show. You can’t control it – you can only show up and hope.
I had actually tried three times to see the Northern Lights, to no avail. The lesson? Be persistent and have flexible expectations. Also, good friends make failed attempts still worth it.
Reading Aurora Forecasts
Once you get to Iceland, you’ll become obsessed with forecast apps – trust me. My friend was our official “forecast checker,” and she checked approximately 47 times per day.
KP index explained: The Kp index is a scale from 0 to 9 that measures geomagnetic activity, with 0 being calm and 9 representing an extreme geomagnetic storm. We found Kp 4+ was our sweet spot – active enough to see good displays, but not so rare that we waited forever. Don’t hold out for Kp 7 or 8; those are extreme storm levels that happen rarely.
Cloud cover is your REAL enemy: This cannot be overstated. You can have a Kp index of 5, but if there are clouds, you’re seeing nothing. We spent way more time checking cloud forecasts than Kp forecasts by the end. Sunlight and clouds are the biggest obstacles to observing auroras.
Best apps and websites:
- Vedur.is (Icelandic Met Office): Your bible for weather and cloud cover in Iceland
- My Aurora Forecast app: Shows Kp predictions and has push notifications
- Hello Aurora app: Made in Iceland, shows real-time data and user reports from your area
- NOAA OVATION model: Shows a map of where auroras are predicted in the next 30-90 minutes
2. Best Time to See Northern Lights in Iceland
Peak Season: September to March
In order to see these lovelies light up the sky, you need, well, darkness. Having at least 2 hours of darkness is important so the aurora have a chance to be seen. To increase your odds of seeing the most dramatic show, I’d aim for November to February – though you have to be willing to brave the coldest temps. It may be harder to convince friends to give this a go, but take it from a trusted weather wimp – the cold was worth it!
- September-October: Milder weather (easier to convince friends!), 6-7 hours of darkness, autumn colors
- November-February: Peak darkness, coldest temps, most dramatic shows
- March: Sweet spot of improving weather with still-dark nights
Why Summer Won’t Work
With Iceland having midnight sun, that means daylight nearly 24 hours around the clock. No darkness means no northern lights from May – August. While I do want to visit Iceland in the summer, it would be with the knowledge that the aurora would not be on the itinerary.
3. Where to See the Northern Lights in Iceland
Getting Away from Light Pollution
We stayed right in downtown Reykjavik, and while we loved it, it’s not conducive to seeing northern lights. The light pollution is real. Even on nights where the KP index was high, we weren’t getting a peak at them.
I’d recommend driving at least 30 minutes outside of town, where you can see a clear dark sky. Having safe parking is also important, as you’ll likely be waiting for a bit until they come out and give you a show. For us, we were leery of icy winter roads, so we forewent the rental car and booked a tour – a much easier and stress-free approach!
How Tours Choose Locations (What We Learned)
Talk about checking KP indexes – tour guides chase clear skies in real-time, and they’re checking forecasts constantly. They know the roads, they know backup spots if the first location is cloudy, and they know the landscape well enough to avoid light pollution.
Where Our Tour Took Us
That happened to us on our trip. We visited a few different spots, hoping to see lights. At the Grótta Lighthouse area, we didn’t see much. We then went on to Þingvellir National Park, where we hung out for a bit and finally saw them! Once our frozen limbs couldn’t stand it anymore, we loaded in the van and headed out, but were lucky enough to find another random pull-off spot when our guide said the light show was too good to pass up.
All stops were secluded, felt safe and had dark, clear views of the sky – the main reason we were there.
If You’re Considering Self-Driving Instead
Many people still drive. If you’re one of them, take the weather into account – particularly in November through February. You may encounter road closures, ice, storms, and the like. It’s smart to save a self-driving trip for those professional winter drivers, or subsequent trips when you’re looking for something beyond where the tours have time to go.
Popular Spots We Researched But Didn’t Visit
Our guide mentioned that the Snæfellsnes Peninsula (Kirkjufell) is fantastic – it’s the Instagram spot everyone mentions. Locals also say the North (Akureyri, Lake Mývatn) is great – there are darker skies and higher KPs, but it’s a much longer drive. If you’re staying in Reykjavik, seeing the aurora up there may be tough. If you’re eager go, you may consider spending the night in the north. The same is true for the East Fjords – while remote and stunning, it could be harder to access in the winter. Don’t feel you’re missing out, though – we got great views within driving distance of our hotel, and didn’t feel we missed a thing!
4. Planning Your Northern Lights Trip: Logistics That Matter
How Long Should You Stay?
Staying a minimum of 5 nights gives you a realistic chance to see the northern lights, along with time to explore Iceland. If you can, you could extend to 7-10 nights, giving you more chances to see them if they’re shy at the beginning of your trip. We went the 5-day route and it worked out well, but I wouldn’t mind spending more time in Iceland!
Group Size Sweet Spot
If you’re driving, 2-4 people is ideal as you’ll fit in one car, and it may be easier for booking accommodations. We started as a group of two, then two more joined us a couple days later. We were able to book the same tours, get dinner reservations, and the like. It worked out quite well!
Transportation: Why We Chose a Tour (And You Might Too)
As I mentioned, we didn’t want to deal with driving, so we booked tours during our whole trip. Along with the Northern Lights tour, we added a Golden Circle tour and a South Coast tour, and all were fantastic!
Accommodation Strategy
We rented apartment-style hotel rooms right in downtown Reykjavik, which made it easy to explore the town on our own, head out for meals, and get to tour pickup spots easily.
It would have been nice to stay outside Reykjavik for a more remote experience and a shot at seeing the aurora from your home base. If I go back, I’d consider having two separate stays planned to get the best of both worlds! Sitting in a hot tub in the middle of the snow, watching the northern lights dance overhead? That would make for an epic evening!
Splitting Costs Fairly
We split accommodation, meals and tour expenses evenly. Splitwise is an excellent app for tracking expenses and settling up. TripIt is another good app that helps you keep all of your bookings straight – which day are we headed to the Blue Lagoon? Do we already have something on Thursday? TripIt makes it easy to see all of that in one glance!
We had one person doing most of the booking, and we paid her as bookings happened, and then settled up after the trip. There’s plenty of ways to divvy this up, just make sure you settle up in a timely manner!
Budgeting Reality Check (Per Person)
Iceland can be a pricey destination, especially if going in aurora high season! Here’s some budget expectations:
- Northern Lights and other tours: $60-120 per person, depending on group size. Typically the smaller the group, the higher the price for more personal service.
- Accommodation: $50-100/night when splitting a hotel between 2
- Food: $40-150/day. Iceland is expensive! Grocery stores became our best friends, but we also enjoyed a nice meal out each evening.
- Total trip cost (our 5 nights): About $1,500-$2,500 per person including flights
- How we kept costs reasonable: grocery store runs, packed lunches, one splurge dinner, booking tours in advance for better rates
5. What to Wear and Bring: Arctic Winter Essentials
Clothing for Standing Outside in the Dark
When you’re standing outside in the middle of the night, in the middle of an Iceland winter, layering is key! I started with base layers – preferably merino wool, tops and bottoms. Then add your normal layer of clothes. Add a warm, insulated layer on the top, like a sweater or hoodie. Finally, top it with waterproof layers – boots, down jackets, and the like. Gloves, a hat and a scarf top off your look.
I did this and actually fared pretty well in the cold! The one exception was my feet – even with two pairs of socks and waterproof boots, my toes still got cold. Next time, I’ll throw in some hand and toe warmers – they would have been a game-changer!
Photography Equipment (If That’s Your Thing)
iPhones are great at capturing photos these days. Do a bit of research on your phone camera settings ahead of time, so you’re not scrambling in the moment to fix it (learned that one the hard way!). Consider 15-25 second exposure, f/2.8 or lower, and ISO 1600-3200 so you can capture those lights in all their brilliance.
If you’re up for it, a tripod will help you avoid blurry green photos, but we didn’t bother with that. After a bit we just put the camera down and experienced the beauty in real time.
The Small Things That Made a Big Difference
The night(s) you go out, consider bringing thermoses of spiked hot chocolate (game-changer at 1 AM), extra battery packs for your phone, waterproof bags/blankets for sitting outside, and emergency snacks – hangry friends at midnight is no bueno!
6. The Reality of Aurora Hunting: What They Don’t Tell You
It’s Cold. Really Cold.
Standing still in -5°C (23°F) feels colder than you think. Toes went numb. Jumping around was key. The car heater became our best friend. We took turns rotating in the car while we waited, and the group made the call after we had had enough time with the lights once they arrived. Was it uncomfortable? Yes. Was it worth it? Also yes.
It Requires Patience and Group Flexibility
Tours have set timeframes (ours was 9 PM – 1 AM), so there’s less control than self-driving. You just have to be patient and settle in for the journey. We went to three different spots, and were nearing the point of making peace without seeing them. We lucked out, but others weren’t so lucky. Being in a small group of less than 6 people, it made it a lot easier for our driver to pivot, chase the lights, and keep us comfortable. That would have been a bit harder with a huge mega-bus.
Managing Different Energy Levels and Expectations
When people are put in uncomfortable situations, tensions can arise. Someone will always be colder/more tired/less patient, and that’s ok. Take turns getting out and playing spotter to see the lights. Align on what your deal-breaker is for calling it a night. And until then, don’t let one person’s mood affect the group. They’ll likely snap out of it!
You Might Not See Them – And That’s Part of the Story
I went all the way to the Arctic Circle and still didn’t see the northern lights. Other people luck out and see them in Seattle when they’re super strong. Once I sporadically saw them from an airplane. That’s the thing about mother nature – you make plans, and she laughs. Accept this before you go – if you don’t see them, that’s ok. The trip, experience and memories will still all be worth it – and will make you even more excited to plan the follow-up hunt!
7. Making the Most of Your Attempt: Pro Tips from Lessons Learned
Maximize Your Chances
As I mentioned earlier, start your hunt as soon as you arrive. That way, if you miss the aurora, you’ll have more evenings to give it a go. If you’re doing a tour like we did, book with a company that offers free rebooking if you don’t see auroras (ours did!)
You can also still check the forecast apps and join a Facebook group for live updates – this was fun and even though we couldn’t see them from our hotel, added to the excitement!
Combine with Other Iceland Activities
There’s plenty to do in Iceland during the day in between aurora sightings. We visited the Blue Lagoon when we arrived and were there for the sunrise – what a sight!
One day we did Golden Circle, and the South Coast another day, visiting all the waterfalls. We had fun riding those icelandic ponies, visiting those Game of Thrones movie sights, and made time to just roam around town.
We usually started with a quick bite in town at a cafe, headed out on a tour, then came back in time to freshen up for dinner. At that point we were set to head out on our nightly northern light jaunts!
8. Beyond the Bucket List: What This Experience Actually Means
Why This Matters
When you have a chance to step outside your day-to-day, experience a new country, and combine that with seeing a unique natural phenomenon, it really puts things in perspective. It reminds you of what tiny specks we are on this great big beautiful planet. It’s awe-inspiring, moving, and mind-shifting. I can see it clear as day today as I did back then.
The Bigger Picture
Whether or not you see the auroras, a trip to Iceland will be worth it. Iceland’s landscape is stunning, its people are kind, and there’s such a variety to see and do, you’ll have a wonderful time. There’s also beauty in those “failed” attempts – the inside jokes, the thing in there about the journey vs the destination, and ultimately making peace with things you can’t control. That’s a good reminder for us, northern lights or no!
Conclusion
Chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland isn’t just about that perfect Instagram moment – though trust me, when you get it, you’ll all be crying and screaming and taking 500 photos. It’s about embracing unpredictability together, learning to read weather forecasts like wannabe meteorologists, and discovering that standing in the arctic dark at midnight is way more fun with your people by your side.
Will you see them? Maybe. Maybe not. But here’s what I know: Iceland in winter is transformative whether the auroras cooperate or not. And if they do? You’ll have a shared story that no photo can capture and memories that’ll outlast any souvenir. Plus, you’ll finally use that group chat for something other than memes.
So grab your girls, pack those layers, download those apps, and give yourselves permission for this to look different than you planned. Your feet will get cold, someone will complain about being hungry, you’ll probably stay up way too late, and you might spend three nights staring at clouds together. But when those green ribbons finally dance across the sky? You’ll know exactly why you came. And you’ll have your best friends there to witness it with you. Trust me on this one.
Ready to visit Iceland but not sure what to do next? I’m happy to help with trip planning assistance.
Wherever you go, and however you get there, I hope you have a trip to remember.
Happy travels, kindreds!
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- This is one of the more adventurous girls trips I’ve done. For girls trips of every size and how to pull them off, here’s my full girls trips guide.
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HELPFUL LINKS
- Restaurant Reservations: Great to book reservations for meals on OpenTable and Resy https://www.opentable.com, https://www.resy.com
- Car, activity and hotel bookings: https://www.expedia.com, https://www.viator.com
- Hotel and activity comparison: https://www.tripadvisor.com
- Favorite luggage: I love Away luggage, and their bigger carry-on is perfect for family trips where you may need to bring extra items: https://www.awaytravel.com
- Travel planning app: TripIt is great for keeping all your bookings organized and keeping people up-to-speed: https://www.tripit.com
- Expense splitting (if going with friends): Splitwise https://www.splitwise.com
- Small group tour companies, great for family getaways – all highly recommended!
- Intrepid Travel: https://www.intrepidtravel.com
- Salamander Adventures: https://www.salamanderadventures.co.uk/
- Wild Sage: https://www.wildsage.it/
- Custom trip planning: Need help planning your fall getaway? Contact me here for personalized itinerary assistance!
- Not sure what to expect from a travel advisor? I’ve outlined all the services I offer.
