Northern Lights Tour with Photos, Snacks, Warm Snowsuits, Chairs

The best part of an aurora hunt is not simply getting away from Reykjavík’s lights. It is having time to look up, stay warm and learn what you are seeing while a guide follows changing forecasts to find a clearer patch of sky. This small-group trip heads into the southern region, with a professional photographer guiding the search.

I like two things in particular: Heimir’s camera help and included high-resolution photos, so you can focus on the sky instead of fiddling with settings all night, and the warm jumpsuits and outdoor chairs, which make a long wait outdoors much more manageable. Hot chocolate and Icelandic snacks add a welcome pause between checks of the sky.

The main drawback is the nature of the hunt: the aurora is not guaranteed, and weather can force a cancellation or a change of date. The tour lasts about four to six hours, and a scheduled start does not promise an early finish or a display on your chosen night.

What Makes This Aurora Hunt Different

• Heimir combines guiding with photography. He explains the aurora and helps you adjust your own camera, then takes high-resolution pictures of the group beneath the lights.
• You go where conditions look best. The location is chosen with weather, cloud cover and geomagnetic forecasts in mind, rather than fixed to one viewpoint.
• Warmth is part of the plan. Jumpsuits, chairs and the option to warm up in the vehicle help make waiting outside less punishing.
• The group is capped at 18. That is a more personal scale than a large coach outing, although the group can still be sizable around the photo setup.
• Snacks turn waiting time into part of the evening. Hot chocolate, pastries, cinnamon rolls, chocolate, dried fish and Icelandic spirits are included.
• A no-sighting rerun may be available. The operator offers a free repeat outing in some circumstances, subject to availability, but confirm the arrangement if it matters to your plans.

Leaving Reykjavík After Dark

The tour starts at 8pm, with pickup offered at selected places in Reykjavík. The city’s central streets have restrictions on where tour vehicles can stop, so some accommodations are served by a designated bus stop rather than a hotel doorway. Check your exact pickup point before the evening, especially if you are staying in the center.

If you are staying outside Reykjavík, the listed pickup point is BSÍ Bus Terminal. The tour also offers pickup from Reykjavík cruise terminals. These details matter more than they might seem: on a winter evening, a short walk to the correct stop is easier to plan when you know about it in advance.

Once everyone is aboard, you leave the city lights behind and head toward the countryside. The precise route is not fixed. Your guide chooses a location according to the forecast, cloud cover and expected aurora activity, so the drive is part of a live search rather than a sightseeing route with guaranteed landmarks.

The southern region is the listed stop, with an approximate three-hour visit. The complete outing is estimated at four to six hours, so allow for driving, waiting and the time needed to find a suitable patch of sky. Conditions can change while you are out, and the guide may need patience as much as a good forecast.

Waiting Under Iceland’s Dark Sky

Once the group reaches a promising spot, the practical comforts come into their own. You can put on a warm winter jumpsuit, settle into an outdoor chair and keep an eye on the sky without standing in one place for the whole wait. The vehicle is also available for warming breaks, according to the tour details.

That comfort is not a small perk. Northern Lights outings can involve long stretches outdoors, and the cold can distract you from the very thing you came to see. The supplied jumpsuits are especially useful in winter, though you should still dress in warm layers underneath. One useful rule: do not assume the suit replaces your own winter clothing.

The guide sets up photography equipment for portraits and can help you with your own camera settings. A tripod is included, which is handy if you want to try long exposures. If you are travelling with a phone or camera, bring it charged and ready, but do not let the effort of getting a perfect shot keep you from watching the sky.

The included high-resolution photos are a real value point. Heimir takes portraits of the group with the aurora and shares the pictures afterward, so you can enjoy the moment without making every image yourself. The lights can look more vivid in a photograph than they do to the naked eye; camera settings and conditions affect what you capture, so treat your own pictures as a record, not a guarantee of what the display will look like.

What Heimir Adds to the Night

The guide can make a large difference on an outing built around waiting and changing conditions. Heimir is repeatedly praised for explaining how the aurora works, tracking forecasts and keeping the group informed. That mix of science and practical decisions helps you understand why the van has stopped in one place and why the plan might shift.

His photography skills are useful even if you arrive with no camera experience. He can help you set up your equipment, and the included portraits give you a polished keepsake without needing to master night photography on the spot. You can still take your own pictures, but you do not have to treat the evening as a camera workshop.

The personal approach also seems to shape the pace. Rather than ending the search at the first sign of a quiet sky, the guide may keep looking when conditions appear promising. That can mean a later return than you expected, so avoid scheduling an early morning commitment if you can.

There is a practical caveat. Some communication through the booking platform has reportedly been difficult, and weather-related changes can leave you waiting for an update. Keep an eye on messages, and make sure you understand the operator’s plan if your original date is moved.

Hot Chocolate, Pastries and a Warm-Up

The food and drink are more than a token snack. The spread includes hot chocolate, cinnamon rolls, pastries, chocolate and dried fish, along with premium Icelandic vodka and snaps. Having something warm to sip and a bite to eat makes an outdoor wait feel less like standing around for a forecast to improve.

The local items also add a small taste of Iceland to an evening that might otherwise be all sky and camera equipment. Dried fish is a distinctive snack, while the pastries and chocolate are familiar comfort food. Alcohol is included, but you can simply stick with hot chocolate if that is what you prefer.

The snacks do not replace a meal. Since the outing can last four to six hours, plan dinner beforehand or bring anything you know you will need. The timing and length can vary with conditions, and there is no stated meal stop.

The Aurora Is the Wild Card

A Northern Lights tour can improve your odds of seeing the aurora, but no guide can control the sky. Clear patches, cloud cover and geomagnetic activity all matter. You may see a strong display, a faint one, or nothing on a particular night.

The operator plans each outing around forecasts and may move the tour to a different date when the weather is poor. If the experience is cancelled for weather, the stated options are a different date or a full refund. The operator also offers free repeat outings after a non-sighting, subject to availability; clarify how that works for your booking rather than assuming you can fit in a second night.

That flexibility makes it wise to book early in your Reykjavík stay. If the first attempt is cancelled or the sky does not cooperate, you have more nights available for a possible change of date. This is not a promise of a successful sighting, but it gives you more room to adapt.

Most of the strongest praise focuses on the guide’s persistence, explanations and photographs, not just the aurora itself. That distinction is useful: the night can still offer a dark-sky experience, stars and a better understanding of the aurora even when the display is modest. Still, if your only measure of success is seeing bright lights, nature gets the final vote.

Is $212 Worth It?

At $212 per person, this is not the cheapest way to search for the Northern Lights. You are paying for more than transport: the small-group format, professional photography, unlimited high-resolution tour photos, camera assistance, tripod, warm jumpsuit, chair, snacks and hot drinks are all part of the package.

The value is strongest if you want a guided outing with help taking pictures and practical gear provided. Buying or packing a tripod, arranging your own transport and taking portraits yourself would take extra effort, especially if you are travelling light. If you already have warm clothing, camera equipment and a car, a simpler tour may suit you better.

The 18-person maximum is worth noting. It is small compared with a large bus tour, but it is not a private outing. You will share the photography setup, snacks and viewing area with the rest of the group. If you want space and one-on-one attention, ask about the group size for your date before booking.

There is also a risk in relying on any one night. Weather cancellations are part of aurora travel, and one account described a cancellation after a vehicle problem, with no later date available. That appears to be an exception, but it underlines the value of booking early in your stay and having a backup plan.

Who Should Book This Tour

I would choose this trip if you want the search itself to be comfortable and informative, and if having good photos matters to you. It is a particularly good fit for first-time aurora watchers, people who do not own a tripod, and anyone who would rather learn from a guide than try to interpret forecasts alone.

It may be less appealing if you have only one free evening, need a firm return time or are comparing tours on price alone. The outing is weather-dependent, may last up to six hours and can shift dates. Think of the photos, warm gear and guiding as meaningful parts of the product, not as insurance against cloudy skies.

Book it if you can stay flexible and value the photography, warm clothing and patient forecast-based search. Try to schedule it early in your Reykjavík visit, dress in layers and keep the evening open. If the aurora appears, you will have help capturing it. If it does not, you will at least have a guide, a warm place to wait and a clearer sense of what the sky is doing.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The outing is approximately four to six hours. The listed stop in the southern region is about three hours, while total time includes the rest of the trip.

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 8pm.

Where can I be picked up?

Pickup and drop-off are offered at selected locations in Reykjavík, including some hotels and cruise terminals. Some central accommodations use designated bus stops because vehicles cannot stop everywhere in the city center.

Can I be picked up outside Reykjavík?

The listed pickup point for people staying outside the city is BSÍ Bus Terminal.

How many people can join?

The maximum group size is 18 people.

Are warm clothes and chairs included?

Yes. Warm winter jumpsuits and comfortable outdoor chairs are included.

What food and drinks are provided?

The tour includes hot chocolate, cinnamon rolls, pastries, dried fish, chocolate, premium Icelandic vodka and snaps.

Are photos included?

Yes. Unlimited high-resolution photos from the tour are included. The guide also assists with your own camera settings.

What happens if the Northern Lights do not appear?

A free repeat outing may be offered after a non-sighting, depending on availability. The operator also states that, in rare cases when unforeseen circumstances block the view, it offers unlimited re-runs until you see the lights.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

You will be offered a different date or a full refund if the experience is cancelled because of poor weather.