Reykjavik: Private Golden Circle with Northern Lights

7 hours, from $1,499, admission not stated. no ratings yet. What Iceland Odyssey commits to, what stays open and what is added to the price.

GYG

Reykjavik: Private Golden Circle with Northern Lights

  • Guide works in English
  • Duration per the operator: 7 hours

A private run at the lights, with the Golden Circle in daylight

This is a seven-hour private tour that pairs the Golden Circle’s daytime sights with an evening hunt for the northern lights. It starts from Reykholt, not from Reykjavik itself, so the drive out of the city is already part of the day. The itinerary covers Reykjavik and Vik i Myrdal, which puts it at the long end of the northern lights category: most comparable tours run two to four hours and stay close to the capital. Here you get a full day, with the guide staying with you in English from start to finish. The price is from 1,499 USD for the private booking, which places it among the most expensive options in its group. It suits travellers who want the daylight sights and the night sky in one outing, with a guide and a vehicle that are yours alone.

Reykjavik: Private Golden Circle with Northern LightsReykjavik: Private Golden Circle with Northern LightsReykjavik: Private Golden Circle with Northern LightsReykjavik: Private Golden Circle with Northern LightsReykjavik: Private Golden Circle with Northern Lights

Photographs from the operator Iceland Odyssey. They show the listing, not your day.

Operator
Iceland Odyssey
Duration
7 hours
Departure point
Reykholt
Group form
bookable privately
Guiding
guide
In English
yes
Pickup from your hotel
not stated
Price
from $1,499
Rating
no ratings yet
Quality bar
not passed

What is included, what is not, and what the operator does not say

The catalogue distinguishes three states, and the third matters most: not stated does not mean excluded, it means unresolved.

ServiceStatusWhat that means for you
Admission to the sitenot statedadmission not stated
Pickup from your hotelnot statedNot stated, so plan to make your own way.
Food on the tournot includedNot included.
Admission to the site
Status
not stated
What that means for you
admission not stated
Pickup from your hotel
Status
not stated
What that means for you
Not stated, so plan to make your own way.
Food on the tour
Status
not included
What that means for you
Not included.

What the 1,499 USD buys, and what it does not

The entry price of 1,499 USD covers the private guiding, the transport for the day, and the English-speaking guide who stays with you through both halves of the tour. Food is not part of the price, so meals and snacks are yours to arrange. The operator offers free cancellation, though no deadline is given. None of the places on the itinerary charges admission or parking, so there are no gate costs to budget for on top of the tour price. The only extra you will likely carry is whatever you want to eat and drink during the seven hours. The tour is bookable as a private booking, which means the price reflects a vehicle and guide dedicated to your party rather than a seat on a shared coach.

The price in context

The starting price of this tour against the 4 best-evidenced listings in the same category that publish one. The highlighted bar is this tour.

Reykjavik: Private Golden Circle with …1,499 $
From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Bus To…83 $
Small-Group Premium Northern Lights To…116 $
From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Tour w…71 $
Reykjavik: Northern Lights Yacht Tour107 $

Prices are the lowest bookable option, not the one that will necessarily suit you.

The figures behind this chart, as a table
RowReykjavik: Private Golden Circle with …From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Bus To…Small-Group Premium Northern Lights To…From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Tour w…Reykjavik: Northern Lights Yacht Tour
Starting price1,499 $83 $116 $71 $107 $

This tour against 4 comparable ones

All 5 come from the category “Northern lights tours from Reykjavik”. The column for this tour is highlighted; the others are the best-evidenced in the category.

Reykjavik: Private Golden Circle with Northern …From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Bus Tour with Hot …Small-Group Premium Northern Lights Tour from …From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Tour with Lifetime …Reykjavik: Northern Lights Yacht Tour
ProviderIceland OdysseyNorthern Lights BusNorthern Lights BusGray Line IcelandSea trips Reykjavík
Pricefrom 1499 $from 83 $from 116 $from 71 $from 107 $
Duration7 hours4 hours4 hours3 hours2 hours
Group typeprivategroupsmall groupgroupgroup
In Englishyesyesyesyesyes
Admissionnot statednot statednot statednot statednot stated
Pickupnot statednot statednot statednot statednot stated
Rating (reviews)none4.3 (14,847)4.4 (3,124)3.7 (1,629)4.4 (1,340)
Quality floorbelow the floorabove the floorabove the floorbelow the floorabove the floor
Free cancellation untilnot statednot statednot statednot statednot stated
Reykjavik: Private Golden Circle with Northern Lights
Provider
Iceland Odyssey
Price
from 1499 $
Duration
7 hours
Group type
private
In English
yes
Admission
not stated
Pickup
not stated
Rating (reviews)
none
Quality floor
below the floor
Free cancellation until
not stated
From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Bus Tour with Hot Cocoa
Provider
Northern Lights Bus
Price
from 83 $
Duration
4 hours
Group type
group
In English
yes
Admission
not stated
Pickup
not stated
Rating (reviews)
4.3 (14,847)
Quality floor
above the floor
Free cancellation until
not stated
Small-Group Premium Northern Lights Tour from Reykjavik
Provider
Northern Lights Bus
Price
from 116 $
Duration
4 hours
Group type
small group
In English
yes
Admission
not stated
Pickup
not stated
Rating (reviews)
4.4 (3,124)
Quality floor
above the floor
Free cancellation until
not stated
From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Tour with Lifetime Guarantee
Provider
Gray Line Iceland
Price
from 71 $
Duration
3 hours
Group type
group
In English
yes
Admission
not stated
Pickup
not stated
Rating (reviews)
3.7 (1,629)
Quality floor
below the floor
Free cancellation until
not stated
Reykjavik: Northern Lights Yacht Tour
Provider
Sea trips Reykjavík
Price
from 107 $
Duration
2 hours
Group type
group
In English
yes
Admission
not stated
Pickup
not stated
Rating (reviews)
4.4 (1,340)
Quality floor
above the floor
Free cancellation until
not stated

The order follows the weight of evidence and not the commission. Every value comes from the same catalogue fields, so that the columns compare.

How many people have judged it?

The number of ratings per listing, the score in brackets. A score without the population behind it tells you nothing.

Reykjavik: Private Golden Circ… (unrated)0 ratings
From Reykjavik: Northern Light… (4.3)14,847 ratings
Small-Group Premium Northern L… (4.4)3,124 ratings
From Reykjavik: Northern Light… (3.7)1,629 ratings
Reykjavik: Northern Lights Yac… (4.4)1,340 ratings

This site's quality bar sits at ten ratings. Below that is not a verdict, it is chance.

The figures behind this chart, as a table
RowReykjavik: Private Golden Circ… (unrated)From Reykjavik: Northern Light… (4.3)Small-Group Premium Northern L… (4.4)From Reykjavik: Northern Light… (3.7)Reykjavik: Northern Lights Yac… (4.4)
Ratings0 ratings14,847 ratings3,124 ratings1,629 ratings1,340 ratings

A listing with no score yet, ranked last in its category

This tour has no customer rating on record. That is the honest core of the page: it is unevidenced, not bad. With no reviews behind it, there is no way to weigh the guide’s performance, the timing of the light hunt, or how the day actually ran for other travellers. In its category of 68 northern lights tours, it sits at rank 68, ordered by strength of evidence rather than by score. That rank says nothing about quality, only that other listings have more proof behind them. The four comparable tours in the same group all carry ratings between 3.7 and 4.4, backed by anywhere from 1,340 to 14,847 reviews. This one has none of that backing yet. If you are the kind of traveller who books on the strength of other people’s experience, this listing asks you to trust the operator’s description alone.

The day, stop by stop

The order follows the usual run of the day. Each stop names what is there and the figures behind it; everything else is in the data sheet.

  1. Meeting point

    You make your own way there; the duration counts from that point.

  2. Reykjavik

  3. Back to where you started

    Back to the full list

A place on this list is a stop, not a promise about how long you spend there.

The full data sheet

Everything below comes from the operator's own catalogue entry or from the sources named in the last column. Where a field is blank, the operator did not fill it in, and that is recorded as unstated rather than guessed.

Download the full table as CSV · 110 rows

Show all 110 figures
FactValueSource
The listing27
Operator's own titleReykjavik: Private Golden Circle with Northern LightsGetYourGuide catalogue
OperatorIceland OdysseyGetYourGuide catalogue
Product number863081GetYourGuide catalogue
Departure pointReykholtGetYourGuide catalogue
Duration7 hoursGetYourGuide catalogue
Multi-daynoGetYourGuide catalogue
Starting price$1,499GetYourGuide, live check
Starting price in local currencyabout 181,610 ISKRate 121.15 ISK to the USD
RatingnoneGetYourGuide, live check
Number of ratings0GetYourGuide, live check
This project's quality barnot passedOwn rule: at least 4.0 from at least 10 ratings
Rank within its category68 of 68 in “Northern lights tours from Reykjavik”Own analysis, score weighted by the number of ratings
Admission to the sitenot statedGetYourGuide catalogue
Food on the tournot includedGetYourGuide catalogue
Pickup from your hotelnot statedGetYourGuide catalogue
Kind of guidingguideGetYourGuide catalogue
Guiding languagesEnglishGetYourGuide catalogue
Guide works in EnglishyesGetYourGuide catalogue
Bookable privatelyyesGetYourGuide catalogue
Small groupnoGetYourGuide catalogue
Group form per the operatornot statedGetYourGuide catalogue
Priority entrynoGetYourGuide catalogue
Suitable for wheelchair usersnot statedGetYourGuide catalogue
Free cancellationyesGetYourGuide catalogue
Cancellation deadlinenot statedGetYourGuide catalogue
Basis in the cataloguenot statedOwn check of the catalogue fields
Operator's images5 photographsGetYourGuide catalogue
Reykjavik37
Population of Reykjavik (city proper)139,804Statistics Iceland
Population of the greater capital region253,230Statistics Iceland
Area of the city244 km2Wikipedia
City charter granted18 August 1786Wikipedia
Weather station for the climate figures belowReykjavík station (station no. 1), Icelandic Meteorological OfficeIcelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands)
Average high in January3.2 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average high in February3.3 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average high in March4.2 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average high in April6.9 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average high in May10.1 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average high in June13 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average high in July14.9 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average high in August14.1 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average high in September11.4 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average high in October7.6 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average high in November4.7 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average high in December3.3 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average low in January-1.7 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average low in February-1.9 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average low in March-1.3 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average low in April1 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average low in May4 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average low in June7.2 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average low in July9.1 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average low in August8.6 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average low in September6.2 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average low in October2.7 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average low in November-0.1 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average low in December-1.6 °CIcelandic Meteorological Office
Average annual precipitation875.9 mmIcelandic Meteorological Office
Daylight on the June solstice21.2 hGaisma (sun-path almanac)
Daylight on the December solstice4.1 hGaisma (sun-path almanac)
Main gateway airportKEFIsavia
Drive time from Keflavik Airport to downtown Reykjavik45 minFlybus (Kynnisferðir)
Single city bus fare (Strætó)690 ISKStrætó bs
One-way airport bus fare (Flybus, KEF to Reykjavik)3,999 ISKFlybus (Kynnisferðir)
Taxi fare from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik22,500 ISKHreyfill (taxi cooperative)
Vík í Mýrdal19
Population, Vík í Mýrdal locality740Statistics Iceland (Hagstofa Íslands), table MAN030102
Population, Mýrdalshreppur municipality1,004Statistics Iceland (Hagstofa Íslands), table MAN02005
Population passed 1,000 for the first timeMýrdalshreppur's municipal population rose from 881 (2024) to 965 (2025) to 1,004 (2026), the first time it has passed 1,000Statistics Iceland (Hagstofa Íslands), table MAN02005
Municipality area755 km2Wikipedia
Church doubles as flood evacuation pointStanding on high ground above the village, Víkurkirkja is considered one of the few buildings likely to survive a Katla-triggered glacial flood, and serves as the village's designated evacuation pointWikipedia
Katla volcano, last eruption through the ice cap1918 (started 12 October, lasted 24 days)Icelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands)
Katla's historical eruption intervalAbout every 50 years on average from Iceland's settlement until 1918; over 100 years have now passed since the last eruption broke through the iceIcelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands)
Official Katla/Eyjafjallajökull civil-protection response plan30 September 2017Almannavarnir (Icelandic Civil Protection)
Evacuation response time built into the Katla plan15-20 min for Sólheimabær, up to 30 min elsewhere in the hazard zone; seismic monitoring may give 4-6 hours' warning before an eruption startsAlmannavarnir (Icelandic Civil Protection)
Official rockfall/snow-avalanche hazard assessment for the townConfirmed by the Minister for the Environment on 10 February 2010, based on Veðurstofa Íslands fieldwork carried out in 2008-2009Icelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands)
Average annual rainfall2,333 mmIcelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands)
Wettest year on record2,887 mmIcelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands)
Single-day rainfall record150.3 mmIcelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands)
Highest temperature on record28.5 CIcelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands)
Lowest temperature on record-16.9 CIcelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands)
Ranking among Iceland's weather stationsOne of Iceland's two warmest weather stations for the year as a whole, together with VestmannaeyjarIcelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands)
Hotel rooms in the village1,400Wikipedia
Road distance from Reykjavik186.9 km · Computed over the OpenStreetMap road network, not quoted from a tour operator. Driving only: no stops, no ferry, no winter closures, and a car rather than a coach that has to load forty people at every stop.OpenStreetMap road network, routed with OSRM
Driving time from Reykjavik167 min · Computed over the OpenStreetMap road network, not quoted from a tour operator. Driving only: no stops, no ferry, no winter closures, and a car rather than a coach that has to load forty people at every stop.OpenStreetMap road network, routed with OSRM
Sources: Þingvellir National Park27
Park entry fee, adult0 ISKArctic Adventures
Parking fee, car (up to 5 seats)1,000 ISKÞingvellir National Park
Toilet fee0 ISKIceland Review
Visitor centre opening hours09:00-18:00 (Apr-Oct), 09:00-17:00 (Nov-Mar)Þingvellir National Park
Park access seasonGrounds open 24 hours, year-roundArctic Adventures
Visitor centre exhibition fee, adult1,200 ISKÞingvellir National Park
UNESCO World Heritage status since2,004UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Althing (Icelandic parliament) established930Þingvellir National Park
Year Althing stopped meeting at Thingvellir1,798Þingvellir National Park
National park established1,930Þingvellir National Park
Core protected area92.7 km2Wikipedia
Lake Þingvallavatn surface area84 km2Wikipedia
Lake Þingvallavatn, maximum depth114 mWikipedia
Tectonic plate drift rate2 cm/yearÞingvellir National Park
Silfra fissure water temperature2-4 CÞingvellir National Park
Silfra fissure, maximum diving depth allowed18 mÞingvellir National Park
Silfra diving/snorkeling park fee, per person1,500 ISKDIVE.IS
Campsite fee, adult per night1,800 ISKÞingvellir National Park
Campsite seasonSummer season Jun 1-Sep 15; Nyrðri-Leirar open year-roundÞingvellir National Park
Wheelchair accessibilityPaved and boardwalk paths from parking lots P1, P2, P4 and P5 reach the main sights; lot P3's path is steep and unsuitableGolden Circle Iceland
Safety warningSnow can hide cracks and rifts near the Öxará riverbank; visitors are told to stay on marked pathsÞingvellir National Park
Recent path closurePart of the Almannagjá gorge path closed evenings 18:00-23:00 through end of May for bridge repairsÞingvellir National Park
Öxarárfoss waterfall height12 mIceland Review
Þingvallakirkja church built1,859Iceland Review
Women executed at Drekkingarhylur drowning pool18Iceland Review
Road distance from Reykjavik47.6 km · Computed over the OpenStreetMap road network, not quoted from a tour operator. Driving only: no stops, no ferry, no winter closures, and a car rather than a coach that has to load forty people at every stop.OpenStreetMap road network, routed with OSRM
Driving time from Reykjavik47 min · Computed over the OpenStreetMap road network, not quoted from a tour operator. Driving only: no stops, no ferry, no winter closures, and a car rather than a coach that has to load forty people at every stop.OpenStreetMap road network, routed with OSRM

What happens on the day

The tour starts from Reykholt, so you need to be there at the agreed time rather than waiting for a pickup in Reykjavik. The guide meets you and takes you through the daylight stops first, then the evening is spent driving to a spot with clear skies and dark conditions. The weather dictates the plan more than anything else: if cloud cover sits over the region, the guide may need to move to find a break, and if the forecast is poor, the light hunt may be short or cut off entirely. The stops in Reykjavik and Vik i Myrdal are the fixed parts of the day, but the aurora portion is always conditional on the sky. There is no set opening hour for this tour; it is a private arrangement, so the start time is agreed when you book.

Who this tour is for, and who should look elsewhere

This is for travellers who want the Golden Circle and the northern lights in one private day, with a guide who speaks English and a vehicle that does not stop for other passengers. It suits small groups or families who prefer to set their own pace and not share the experience with strangers. The price puts it out of range for budget travellers, and the lack of any rating means it is a choice made on trust. If you only want the lights and do not care about the daylight sights, the four comparable tours in the same category are shorter and far cheaper: the bus tour with hot cocoa runs four hours from 83 USD, the small-group premium tour runs four hours from 116 USD, the lifetime guarantee tour runs three hours from 71 USD, and the yacht tour runs two hours from 107 USD. All of them have thousands of reviews behind them. If the daylight sightseeing matters less than a proven track record and a lower price, one of those is the better fit. This private tour is the option for those who want the whole day covered and are willing to pay for exclusivity without any past customer evidence to lean on.

Similar tours on this site

Six listings a reader of this page is genuinely torn between: same departure point first, then the same destinations, then a similar length. Each card leads to a page with the same data sheet rather than straight to the operator, so you can compare before you book.

  1. From Reykjavik: Exclusive Silver Circle Private Day Tour

    8 hoursPrime Tours Iceland

    no reviews yet

    • English-speaking guide
    from $858
    To the page
  2. Reykjavik: Golden Circle, Silfra Snorkeling, and Farm Lunch

    9 hoursAdventure Vikings

    5.0only 3 reviews

    • English-speaking guide
    • Hotel pickup
    from $397
    To the page
  3. From Reykjavik: Golden Circle, Friðheimar, & Sky Lagoon Tour

    9 hoursAdventure Vikings

    5.010 reviews

    • English-speaking guide
    • Admission included
    • Hotel pickup
    from $391
    To the page
  4. Reykjavik: Golden Circle Classic Tour

    7 hoursIceland Odyssey

    no reviews yet

    • English-speaking guide
    from $1076
    To the page
  5. From Reyjkavik: Private Golden Circle Tour

    7 hoursPrime Tours Iceland

    5.0only 1 reviews

    • English-speaking guide
    • Hotel pickup
    from $740
    To the page
  6. Classic Golden Circle - Full Day Private Tour from Reykjavik

    7 hoursVisitTours Iceland

    5.0only 1 reviews

    • English-speaking guide
    from $1662
    To the page

The order follows how close a listing is to this one, not the commission. Ratings, prices and availability according to GetYourGuide, accessed on . Prices in US dollars; “from” is the provider's lowest entry price.

Common questions

Is admission included?

The catalogue does not say. Where the route is waterfalls and beaches there is nothing to pay; ask if it includes a paid attraction.

How long does the tour really take?

The catalogue gives 7 hours. That is the operator's own figure and covers the tour itself, not the time you spend getting to the meeting point.

Is there a guide who works in English?

Yes, the operator lists English as a guiding language. That is the operator's commitment, not a checked property of the person on the day.

Where do I find all the data on this tour?

In the data sheet on this page. It carries every field on the tour, on each place it visits and on the climate of the departure city, each with its source, and it downloads as a CSV.

Does this listing's rating mean anything?

There are no ratings for this listing yet, so there is no verdict either.

GYG

Reykjavik: Private Golden Circle with Northern Lights

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 $1499
Ansehen

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from one of these sources. The running text does not name them, so that it stays readable; the data sheet carries the source in every row.

  1. 1
    GetYourGuide: Reykjavik: Private Golden Circle with Northern LightsTitle, duration, what is included, languages, cancellation deadline, stars, number of ratings and starting price.
  2. 2
    This project's exchange-rate record, partners/fx.json accessed 2026-09-07Prices are shown in USD as published, with an approximate ISK figure at the rate on the date given. The operator charges in its own currency.
  3. 3
    Statistics Iceland accessed 2026-09-07
  4. 4
    Statistics Iceland accessed 2026-09-07
  5. 5
    Wikipedia accessed 2026-09-07
  6. 6
    Icelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands) accessed 2026-09-07
  7. 7
    Icelandic Meteorological Office accessed 2026-09-07
  8. 8
    Gaisma (sun-path almanac) accessed 2026-09-07
  9. 9
    Isavia accessed 2026-09-07
  10. 10
    Flybus (Kynnisferðir) accessed 2026-09-07
  11. 11
    Strætó bs accessed 2026-09-07
  12. 12
    Hreyfill (taxi cooperative) accessed 2026-09-07
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
    Wikipedia accessed 2026-09-07
  16. 16
    Wikipedia accessed 2026-09-07
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
    Statistics Iceland accessed 2026-09-07
  24. 24
    Wikipedia accessed 2026-09-08
  25. 25
  26. 26
    Arctic Adventures accessed 2026-09-07
  27. 27
    Þingvellir National Park accessed 2026-09-07
  28. 28
    Iceland Review accessed 2026-09-07
  29. 29
    UNESCO World Heritage Centre accessed 2026-09-07
  30. 30
    DIVE.IS accessed 2026-09-07
  31. 31
    Golden Circle Iceland accessed 2026-09-07