Reykjavik: Small Group Northern Lights Tour

The Northern Lights are the star of this three-hour trip, but the real advantage is having a local guide choose where to look. The bus leaves Reykjavik for a dark spot away from the city glow, where the Aurora may show as soft green, pink, or other colors. It is a night out in pursuit of nature, not a guaranteed show.

I like two things here: the small group is capped at 19, which keeps the outing more personal than a convoy of coaches, and a missed sighting earns you a free chance to try again. The guide can also share basic tips for photographing the lights, useful when the sky finally puts on a show.

The trade-off is plain: the lights depend on weather and nature, so even a well-planned outing can come up empty. The tour starts and ends at the BSI Bus Terminal, not your hotel, and one late return left a participant with a 20-minute walk back to their accommodation.

• A guide picks the viewing spot: The destination can change with conditions, giving you more flexibility than choosing a location yourself.
• Small group, up to 19 people: A more manageable size for listening to the guide and finding room to take photos.
• Three hours, including the bus ride: Expect a focused evening excursion, not a long wilderness expedition.
• No sighting, another chance: You can join the tour again free if the Aurora does not appear on your first attempt.
• Dress for standing outdoors: Bring warm clothing, a hat, gloves, and hiking shoes. Blankets are provided.
• Food and drinks are not included: Plan ahead, and do not count on a hot drink being supplied.

The hunt starts beyond Reykjavik’s city glow

The point of this outing is to get away from artificial light and give yourself a better chance of seeing the Aurora. You meet the guide and group at BSI Bus Terminal, then ride by warm, comfortable bus to a quiet, dark area selected for that evening. The exact location is not fixed, which is a practical strength: the guide can decide where conditions look most promising rather than taking you to the same spot every night.

A guided trip does not control the sky. It does, however, take the nightly location decision off your hands. If you are new to Iceland or would rather not drive at night while trying to interpret conditions, that help can make the outing easier and less stressful.

The tour is listed as three hours, so think of it as a compact excursion from Reykjavik. Some of that time is spent travelling to and from the viewing area, with the rest for watching and photographing the sky. How long the group can stay outside, and how much of the evening is spent looking upward, will depend on the night.

What the Aurora can look like

The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, form when particles from the sun interact with the upper atmosphere near the Magnetic Pole. In Iceland, the season for viewing runs from late August to April. The lights can appear in several colors, with pale green and pink the most common.

A photograph can make faint color look more vivid than it appears to the naked eye, so keep your expectations flexible. You may see a clear, bright display, a subtle glow, or nothing at all. That uncertainty is part of the bargain with any Aurora tour. The guide can choose a darker place and give you time to watch, but no one can promise the sky will cooperate.

This tour offers a free return outing if you do not see the lights the first time. That is a meaningful safety net, especially if your schedule gives you another evening to try. It does not guarantee a sighting on the second attempt, and the repeat trip may not feel identical: one participant who rebooked after a no-show found that the next outing used a large-group tour rather than the original small-group format.

A small group, with one caveat

The tour is capped at 19 people, a useful limit for a night spent listening to a guide and finding a place to watch. A small group can feel less crowded than a line of coaches arriving together, although it is still a shared outing, not a private tour. You will need to be comfortable waiting alongside other people and taking turns to get a clear view.

One account of the free return trip described many large coaches arriving at the same viewing spot on the second night. That is not a guaranteed feature of the repeat outing, but it is worth keeping in mind: the free retry is a chance to go again, not a promise of the same group size or atmosphere.

The guide is one of the tour’s most valuable parts. The local guide chooses where to go and can explain what causes the Aurora, as well as offer basic advice on taking photos. A guide was described as friendly, and that matters on a cold, uncertain outing where clear instructions and a calm manner can help the group make the most of the wait.

Getting a photo without missing the moment

You will have time to take pictures and admire the lights, and you can ask the guide for basic photography tips. Bring your camera or phone if you want pictures, but do not spend the whole outing looking at a screen. The Aurora is the reason you came, and a photo is a bonus, not a substitute for seeing the sky with your own eyes.

The tour does not list photography equipment or instruction as an included service. Think of the guide’s help as practical pointers, not a photography class. If you have a camera, it is sensible to arrive knowing how to use it in low light; the tour information does not promise technical support beyond basic tips.

There is also no included food or drink. One participant reported that hot chocolate was available but that there were not enough cups for everyone. Treat any hot drink as a possible extra, not a reliable part of the experience, and bring what you need before departure if you want something warm to sip.

Warm layers matter more than wishful thinking

The bus is described as warm and comfortable, and blankets are included. Those are welcome comforts, but the viewing itself takes place outdoors in Icelandic winter conditions. Dress warmly from the start, with a hat, gloves, and hiking shoes, and do not assume a blanket can replace proper layers.

The advice to dress warmly is not a small-print detail. You may be standing outside while the group waits for the sky to change, and cold hands make both watching and taking photos less pleasant. Food and drinks are not included, so plan for your own comfort rather than expecting refreshments at the stop.

Children under 3 are not suited to this tour. If you are travelling with a young child, that restriction makes the decision straightforward. For everyone else, consider how well your group handles a late, cold outing with an uncertain payoff.

The BSI meeting point and the late return

Be ready at BSI Bus Terminal 30 minutes before departure. The meeting point is important to plan around: the tour does not promise hotel pickup or drop-off. One participant said the location was inconvenient and described walking 20 minutes back to a hotel at 1 a.m. after the driver did not drop them off.

That is not a detail to leave until the end of the night. Before booking, check how you will get to BSI and how you will get back to your accommodation after the tour. The listed duration is three hours, but the account of a late return shows why it is wise not to assume you will be dropped at your hotel or arrive at a precise time.

The bus includes free Wi-Fi, and the tour is led in English. The group size, transport, guide, and blankets are included in the $115-per-person price. Food and drinks are not. You can reserve now and pay later, and cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund.

Is $115 good value?

At $115 per person, the main value is not a guaranteed Aurora sighting. You are paying for bus transport away from Reykjavik, a local guide who selects the location, a small-group format, and the option to try again free if the lights do not show. If you do not want to drive yourself in the dark or work out where to go, that package may be worth the price.

Renting a car could offer more control over your evening, and one person felt it would have been better value. But a car does not include a guide’s local decision-making, and you would need to choose where to go yourself. The right comparison depends on how much you value independent travel against having transport and a guide arranged.

The rebooking option improves the value if you have enough nights in Reykjavik to use it. If you are leaving the next morning, it may be less helpful in practice. And because a repeat outing may have a different group format, do not assume the second attempt will match the first.

Who should book this outing?

I would consider this tour if you have a free evening, want help choosing a dark viewing location, and can accept that the lights may not appear. It suits visitors who prefer not to drive, appreciate a guide’s explanations, and have enough flexibility to use the free repeat trip if needed.

It is a weaker fit if you need a guaranteed attraction, want hotel-to-hotel transport, or dislike waiting outdoors in the cold. It may also be poor value if you have only one night in the city and would be disappointed by a no-show. The tour’s 4.6 rating from eight reviews is encouraging, but the small number of ratings should not be mistaken for certainty about what your particular night will bring.

Before you book, check your schedule, sort out your return from BSI, and dress for a long spell outside. If you can make peace with nature’s timetable, this is a sensible way to give the Aurora a chance without taking the wheel yourself.

FAQ

How long is the Northern Lights tour?

The tour lasts three hours.

Where does the tour meet?

Meet at BSI Bus Terminal in Reykjavik, ready 30 minutes before departure.

How many people are in the group?

The group is capped at 19 people.

Is the tour led in English?

Yes. The live tour guide speaks English.

What is included in the price?

The price includes the bus ticket, free Wi-Fi, a professional local guide, the small-group tour, and blankets.

Are food and drinks included?

No. Food and drinks are not included.

What should I bring?

Bring warm clothing, a hat, hiking shoes, and gloves.

Can I join again if I do not see the Northern Lights?

Yes. If the lights do not appear on your first outing, you can join the tour again free of charge.

Is a Northern Lights sighting guaranteed?

No. The tour depends on weather and sightings are not guaranteed.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.