The best Northern Lights tour for your trip depends on how you want to travel, the group size you prefer and your budget. All three tours listed here depart from Reykjavik and plan viewing stops around the conditions. None can guarantee an aurora sighting.
Reykjavik Northern Lights is a booking and information platform. BusTravel Iceland, EastWest and Norse Adventures operate the tours below, providing the guides, transport and departure decisions. Compare all three tours and check dates.
Compare the three options
| Option | Operator | Group and vehicle | Listed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Lights bus tour | BusTravel Iceland | Larger coach group | 8.990 kr |
| Small group Northern Lights tour | EastWest | Maximum 19 guests; Mercedes Sprinter | 20.990 kr |
| Superjeep storyteller tour | Norse Adventures | Maximum 14 guests; 4×4 superjeep | US$239 |
These are listed prices in the respective booking currencies, not currency conversions. Open the booking calendar for your date and guest selection to confirm the current total and conditions before payment.
Choose the bus tour for a budget-friendly evening
The BusTravel Iceland bus tour is the lowest listed price of these options. You travel in a comfortable coach with a larger group, a local guide, Reykjavik pickup and hot chocolate. The guide chooses viewing stops around the cloud cover and aurora forecast.
Choose this if your priority is a straightforward guided evening at a lower price. If a quieter group or individual photography is central to your plans, compare the smaller departures before deciding.
Choose the small group tour for a smaller minibus experience
The EastWest small group tour has a maximum of 19 guests and travels by Mercedes Sprinter. The listed duration is four hours. Reykjavik pickup, a local guide, hot chocolate and professional portraits are included.
This is a good fit if you prefer fewer fellow travellers than on a coach and want photographs of your evening included. A small group does not change the weather or guarantee stronger aurora; it changes the travel experience.
Choose the superjeep tour for Icelandic storytelling
The Norse Adventures Jeep storyteller tour combines the Northern Lights search with stories of Icelandic folklore. It has a maximum of 14 guests, a listed duration of four hours and 4×4 superjeep transport.
Icelandic storytelling, homemade hot chocolate and professional portraits are included. Choose it if the cultural part of the evening matters to you as well as the sky. The route is selected for the conditions; a 4×4 booking does not promise a fixed remote location or an off-road itinerary.
When should you book your Northern Lights tour?
Plan the tour early in your stay so you have more flexibility if conditions change or you need to arrange a retry. Read our guide to the Northern Lights season in Reykjavik before choosing dates. Darkness, cloud cover and aurora activity all matter; no month guarantees a display.
What if the lights do not appear?
The listed tours include a free retry if no lights are seen, subject to the operator’s conditions and availability. A retry is different from a refund. Check eligibility, how to arrange it and how long it remains valid in the terms for your booking. Ask the operator if the wording is unclear.
What should you check before paying?
- Pickup location and timing for your accommodation.
- Guest ages, any minimum age and accessibility requirements.
- The current price, currency and what is included.
- Cancellation deadlines, weather cancellation terms and retry conditions.
- Who to contact on the day: use the operator details on the tour page and your confirmation.
Bring warm outdoor layers even though the vehicles are heated. Our Northern Lights packing guide explains what is useful at the stops.
Ready to choose your evening?
View the bus tour, explore EastWest’s small group tour or see the Norse Adventures storyteller tour. Each page shows the operator, inclusions and a booking calendar. For help choosing between them, ask our booking team.
