Forest Lagoon and Northern Lights Guided Night Tour

Warm water and northern lights make a fine pairing. This Akureyri evening combines two very different pleasures: a two-hour soak at Forest Lagoon and a guided search for the Aurora Borealis beyond the city lights. I especially like the quiet setting among birch and pine trees, plus the broad view across Eyjafjörður.

I also like that the guide can keep moving when the sky is uncertain. On one memorable outing, guide Sigi made several stops, found a clear viewing spot, and shared photographs afterward. The main drawback is simple: the Northern Lights cannot be promised, and you may spend part of the evening waiting in the cold or seeing nothing at all.

Key points to know before booking

• Forest Lagoon comes first: You get about two hours in the geothermal baths, with a towel and entrance included.
• The fjord view is part of the spa: Forest Lagoon looks across Eyjafjörður and sits among the trees of Vaðlaskógur.
• The light-pollution escape matters: The second stop takes you outside Akureyri into Eyjafjarðarsveit.
• A guide can adjust the chase: Sigi made multiple stops and tried different viewing spots when conditions called for it.
• The group stays fairly small: A maximum of 18 people keeps the vehicle and viewing stops more manageable.
• The tour has a built-in second chance: If the outing runs but the lights do not appear, the operator offers the trip again free the next time it has a booking.

Why this Akureyri night works so well

Northern Lights outings can be a gamble. You leave town after dark, watch the sky, and hope the clouds cooperate. Pairing that uncertain search with a guaranteed spa visit makes this tour easier to justify than a lights-only drive.

You know you will at least get a warm, peaceful evening at Forest Lagoon. If the sky opens later, you may finish with one of Iceland’s great natural shows. That balance is the tour’s strongest idea.

The timing is also useful. The tour begins at 7:30 p.m. from Hótel Kea in central Akureyri and lasts about four hours and 30 minutes, including driving. It returns you to the same meeting point, so you do not need to arrange a late-night ride back through town.

The price is $176. That is not a cheap soak, but it covers the Forest Lagoon admission, a towel, transportation, and a licensed guide-driver. You are also paying for someone to watch the weather and sky conditions while you enjoy the spa instead of trying to plan every part of the night yourself.

Still, I would not book this solely because the advertisement makes the Northern Lights sound active. Aurora forecasts change. Treat the lights as the hoped-for prize, not the guaranteed part of the package.

Starting at Hótel Kea at 7:30 p.m.

Your evening starts at Hótel Kea, at Hafnarstræti 87 to 89 in Akureyri. Pickup is offered, and the stated start point is convenient if you are staying in or near the center.

The first drive is short, but the overall tour includes travel time. That matters in winter, when roads and weather can slow the evening down. You should arrive ready to leave at 7:30 p.m., rather than assuming the departure will wait for late arrivals.

The group limit is 18 people. That is small enough to keep the outing from feeling like a large coach trip, though the exact atmosphere depends on how many people book that night. If only a few people join, the guide may have more freedom to adjust the route and stop more often.

One small but important point: children must be accompanied by an adult. The tour is described as suitable for most people, but the Northern Lights portion takes place outdoors at night, so you should be comfortable with a late winter outing and possible waits outside.

Two quiet hours at Forest Lagoon

Forest Lagoon is the calmer half of the evening. You receive admission and a towel, then have about two hours to use the geothermal baths.

The setting gives this spa its character. It overlooks Eyjafjörður, one of Iceland’s longest fjords, and sits within Vaðlaskógur, a forested area of birch and pine. In daylight, the fjord view would be a major feature. At night, the scene becomes more subdued, with darkness, warm water, and the outline of the surrounding woods shaping the mood.

The lagoon is not simply a practical place to warm up before the lights hunt. It gives the tour a slower middle section, when you can relax without worrying about clouds or forecasts. I like that contrast. A Northern Lights chase can become a restless business of driving, stopping, checking the sky, and driving again. The spa lets you settle in first.

You should also keep your expectations in check. Two hours is enough time to relax and enjoy the setting, but this is a shared tour, not a full spa day. The visit is one part of a longer evening, and the schedule needs to leave room for the Aurora search afterward.

The reviews of this outing give the lagoon a consistent place in the evening: pleasant, pretty after dark, and long enough to feel unhurried. The most powerful moments, though, came later under the sky. That is useful context if you are trying to decide how much of the $176 price you are paying for the spa and how much for the guide-led search.

Leaving Akureyri for Eyjafjarðarsveit

After the lagoon, the tour heads outside Akureyri toward Eyjafjarðarsveit. The purpose is clear: get away from city light pollution and give the aurora a darker sky.

This part is less predictable than the spa. You may stop at one place, or the guide may try several. Conditions decide the route. Cloud cover, visibility, and the strength of the aurora all affect how much time you spend in any one location.

That flexibility is valuable. A fixed viewpoint cannot respond to changing weather. A guide who is willing to move can give you a better chance of finding a clear patch of sky. Sigi, who led the outings described in the tour’s feedback, used a scenic route, made multiple stops, and tried several spots before finding a strong viewing location.

You should expect some waiting. Northern Lights trips are not a stage show with a set start time. The colors may appear quickly, fade, strengthen, or remain hidden. A good guide can improve your chances, but no guide can control the clouds or the aurora itself.

The Northern Lights portion is scheduled for about one hour and 30 minutes. That is enough time for a real search, but it is not an all-night expedition. The tour must return to Akureyri, so you get a focused evening rather than an open-ended chase.

What the Northern Lights search can deliver

When the conditions cooperate, this tour can produce a powerful final act. The strongest account describes a sudden, spectacular display after the guide found the right place. Another outing included several stops and photographs shared by Sigi after the tour.

Those details show what good guiding can add. You are not simply dropped at a dark roadside and told to look up. The guide can decide when to move, help you make the most of short openings in the sky, and create a more personal evening when the group is small.

Photography is not listed as an included service, so you should not book expecting professional images. If Sigi is your guide, the supplied feedback indicates that he shared photographs from one outing. Consider that a welcome extra, not a standard promise.

You will also want warm clothing. The spa is hot, but the second half takes place outside at night. The provided information does not specify a clothing list, so use sensible winter gear and expect the temperature to feel very different once you leave the water.

The tour’s promise of a free repeat if the evening operates but the lights do not appear is reassuring. It does not turn the aurora into a certainty, and a repeat depends on having another booking with the operator. Still, it shows that the provider recognizes the unusual nature of this activity.

How much value do you get for $176?

At $176, the tour makes the most sense if you want both a geothermal visit and a guided Aurora search in one evening. Booking the two parts separately could mean arranging transport, paying separate admission, and working out how to reach a dark viewing area outside Akureyri.

Here, the main practical pieces are bundled: Forest Lagoon entry, towel, transport, and a licensed guide-driver. The tour also starts and ends at a known central point, which is helpful after dark.

The value is strongest for visitors without a rental car. You avoid driving unfamiliar roads in winter while trying to watch the forecast and find a dark spot. You also avoid making the long evening decision about when to leave the lagoon and where to search.

If you already have a car and plan to visit Forest Lagoon on your own, the price may feel high. You would be paying mainly for the guided search and the convenience of someone else handling the evening. If the lights fail to appear, the value depends on how much you enjoy the lagoon itself and how much the repeat-trip policy helps your plans.

The maximum group size of 18 is another part of the calculation. It is not a private tour by default, but it is more contained than a large bus outing. A very small departure can be especially appealing, as Sigi’s two-person outing became a private-feeling trip with scenic detours and repeated stops.

Who will enjoy this most?

I would recommend this tour to you if you want an easy winter night with two distinct parts. The Forest Lagoon provides a reliable reason to go out, while the Northern Lights search supplies the excitement.

It suits first-time visitors to northern Iceland who do not want to rent a car for an evening drive. It also works well for couples, families with children accompanied by adults, and anyone who prefers a guided plan over watching the forecast alone.

Photography-minded visitors may enjoy the dark-sky portion, especially if the guide is able to make several stops. Just remember that shared transportation and changing conditions limit control over where and when you shoot.

I would be more cautious if your only goal is a long, dedicated aurora chase. The lagoon takes about two hours, and the lights search lasts about 90 minutes. A specialist Northern Lights outing might give you more time outside, but this tour offers less risk of a wasted night because the spa visit is built in.

It is also not the best fit if you dislike cold waits, late evenings, or uncertain plans. The natural phenomenon may not appear, even when the tour operates. That is not a failure of the guide. It is simply the nature of the aurora.

Booking details that matter

You receive confirmation when you book, and the activity uses a mobile ticket. The tour begins and ends at Hótel Kea, with pickup offered, and the total length includes driving.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations made inside that 24-hour window are not refunded, and changes during that period are not accepted.

The operator can cancel because of poor weather or because the minimum number of people is not reached. In those cases, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund. The aurora itself may also be absent even when weather conditions allow the tour to operate.

That policy makes it sensible to book early in your stay in Akureyri, if your schedule allows. You have more room to repeat the outing if the sky refuses to cooperate, though the repeat offer applies when the evening runs but the lights are not seen and is tied to the next available booking with the operator.

Should you book the Forest Lagoon and Northern Lights tour?

Book it if you want a comfortable, well-shaped winter evening rather than a pure Aurora expedition. You get a beautiful geothermal setting, a fjord view, transportation from central Akureyri, and a guide who can adjust the search outside town.

The strongest reason to choose it is the combination. Forest Lagoon gives you a worthwhile evening even if the sky stays dark, while an active guide can turn a lucky forecast into a memorable show. Sigi’s scenic route, repeated stops, and shared photographs show how good this format can be.

Skip it if $176 feels too high for a tour with no guaranteed lights, or if you already have a car and can arrange both parts yourself. For everyone else, especially visitors who want the logistics handled and like the idea of warming up before the chase, this is a smart Akureyri winter outing.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

It starts at Hótel Kea by Keahotels, Hafnarstræti 87 to 89, 600 Akureyri, Iceland.

What time does the tour begin?

The stated start time is 7:30 p.m.

How long does the tour last?

The total duration is approximately four hours and 30 minutes, including travel time.

What is included in the Forest Lagoon visit?

Forest Lagoon admission and a towel are included.

How long do you spend at Forest Lagoon?

The Forest Lagoon portion lasts about two hours.

Where do you search for the Northern Lights?

The search takes place outside Akureyri in Eyjafjarðarsveit, away from city light pollution.

Are the Northern Lights guaranteed?

No. The aurora is a natural phenomenon, so sightings cannot be guaranteed. If the tour operates but the lights are not seen, the operator offers the trip again free the next time it has a booking.