From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Bus Tour with Hot Cocoa

GYG

From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Bus Tour with Hot Cocoa

★ 4.3(14,847 reviews)

• Guide works in English
• Duration per the operator: 4 hours

from $83

See dates, price and what is included at the operator

A four-hour hunt for the aurora, leaving from Reykjavik

This is a bus tour that leaves Reykjavik and heads out of the city lights in search of the northern lights. The trip runs for four hours, and the operator is Northern Lights Bus. You will be guided in English by a professional guide, and the tour is priced from 83 USD. It is a straightforward, no-frills way to spend an evening looking for the aurora, aimed at anyone who wants to see the lights without arranging their own transport or navigating dark roads. The tour is not wheelchair accessible. Because the lights are a natural phenomenon, the tour’s success depends on the weather and solar activity, but the operator’s job is to take you to the best possible spot given the conditions. The journey itself is part of the experience, with the bus taking you away from the glow of the capital to darker skies.

Photographs from the operator Northern Lights Bus. They show the listing, not your day.

What the price covers and what it does not

The entry price of 83 USD covers the bus transport from Reykjavik and the services of a professional English-speaking guide for the four-hour duration. The operator also includes a hot cocoa on the tour, which is a welcome comfort on a cold night. The operator offers free cancellation, though no deadline for this is given. No admission fees or parking charges apply to any of the places on the itinerary, and the operator does not add any mandatory extra costs on the day. The price you see is the price you pay for the tour itself.

What 14,847 ratings actually mean

The tour holds a rating of 4.3 out of 5, but the more telling figure is the number behind it: 14,847 reviews. That is the largest review count in the entire northern lights tour category, which contains 68 listings. No other tour in the group comes close to that level of feedback. This means the score is not a fluke of a handful of opinions but a solid average drawn from a very broad base of experiences. In terms of price, the tour ranks sixth cheapest out of the 68, placing it among the most affordable 9 percent of its group, which ranges from 32 to 1,995 USD. The combination of a near-top rating with such a wide base of reviews and a low price makes this one of the most tried and tested options available in Reykjavik for seeing the lights.

When the tour makes sense

The northern lights are a winter phenomenon, and this tour runs in the dark months when the sky is dark enough to see them. In Reykjavik, the average high temperature in September is 11 degrees, dropping to 3 degrees in December and January. The tour itself is four hours long, which means you will be outside in the evening and night, when temperatures fall further. In the deepest winter months, you should expect temperatures around or below freezing, with January and February seeing average lows of minus 2 degrees. The tour is a night-time activity, so the warmth of the bus between stops is part of the appeal. From late autumn through early spring, the darkness comes early enough for the tour to operate at a reasonable hour, and the colder, clearer air often brings better viewing conditions.

What happens once you board

The tour departs from Reykjavik and heads out of the city to find darker skies. The guide on board is there to explain what you are seeing and to handle the practicalities of the hunt. The bus will stop at a location chosen for its potential for aurora activity, and you will get out to look at the sky. There is no guarantee of seeing the lights, and the guide will make the call on where to go based on the conditions of the evening. The hot cocoa is served during the tour to keep you warm while you wait and watch. The itinerary mentions the village of Vik i Myrdal as a reference point for the area the tour may reach, though the exact stopping point depends on the night’s conditions. The tour is four hours from start to finish, and you will be back in Reykjavik after that time.

Who should take this tour

This tour suits anyone who wants a reliable, well-reviewed and budget-conscious way to try to see the northern lights without the higher price of a small-group experience. The large number of reviews suggests it has worked for many people over many seasons. It is a bus tour, so you will be with a larger group, which is worth knowing if you prefer a more intimate setting. If that is the case, the Small-Group Premium Northern Lights Tour from Reykjavik, at 116 USD for four hours, is the alternative to consider. This tour is not for anyone who needs wheelchair access, as the operator states it is not accessible. It is also not for those who want a shorter commitment, as the four-hour duration is a solid block of the evening. The tour is in English only, so speakers of other languages would need to look elsewhere.

GYG

From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Bus Tour with Hot Cocoa

Dates, remaining places and the current version of what is included are at the operator. This page reflects the state of the catalogue, not the state of this morning.

from $83

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