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

The sky decides the schedule. This Northern Lights outing leaves Reykjavík for the dark countryside, where guide and photographer Heimir uses cloud cover, weather, and solar forecasts to choose the best available viewing area. I especially like the small-group format and the fact that you receive unlimited high-resolution photos, not just a quick stop beside a bus.

The warm jumpsuits, chairs, tripods, hot chocolate, pastries, dried fish, and Icelandic drinks make a long wait far easier. My main caution is that the tour depends entirely on nature and one vehicle, so poor weather, mechanical trouble, or weak forecasts can lead to cancellations and difficult rescheduling.

Key points to know before booking

• Heimir’s forecast-based planning: The guide watches weather, cloud cover, and geomagnetic conditions rather than driving to a fixed viewing point every night.
• Photography is part of the experience: A professional camera, tripods, camera-setting help, and unlimited high-resolution photos are included.
• Warmth changes the evening: Outdoor chairs and insulated winter jumpsuits let you wait outside instead of spending the whole night inside the van.
• Small group, maximum 18 people: This is more personal than a large coach tour, though the group can still feel fairly full.
• Flexible retry option: If the lights do not appear, a free retry may be offered, depending on availability.
• Weather can reshape your plans: The operator may suggest moving to a better night, but cancellations can also create uncertainty if your Iceland schedule is tight.

Leaving Reykjavík for the Southern Region

The tour begins around 8:00 p.m. with pickup from selected hotels, city locations, or Reykjavík cruise terminals. Because buses cannot drive through parts of central Reykjavík, you may need to walk to a designated bus stop. If you stay outside Reykjavík, pickup is available from BSÍ Bus Terminal.

Once the vehicle leaves the city, the purpose becomes clear: get away from streetlights. The Southern Region offers broad, dark areas where you can look upward without the orange glow that washes over the sky in town. Your guide may also point out natural scenery along the way, although this is not a sightseeing tour with a long list of formal stops.

The drive is guided by conditions, not a rigid route. Cloud cover can block the aurora even when solar activity is strong, while a clear sky may offer only a faint display. Heimir’s role is to balance those factors and find a location with the best chance available that night.

That approach is worth paying attention to. A fixed itinerary sounds reassuring, but it would be a poor fit for the Northern Lights. The best viewing point changes from night to night, and the strongest part of the experience comes from having someone interpret the forecast rather than simply take you to the same parking area.

The tour lasts about four to six hours, with roughly three hours listed for the countryside portion. In practice, the schedule can stretch when the guide believes the lights may appear later. One group waited until after midnight before seeing the aurora, and the long wait paid off. You should be ready for an evening that ends later than the estimate.

Why the small group matters

The vehicle carries no more than 18 people. That is not a private outing, but it is still a better scale than a large coach filled with dozens of passengers. You have a better chance of getting direct help with your camera and of receiving a personal photo session.

The small format also suits the waiting period. A Northern Lights chase involves plenty of standing around and watching a sky that may look completely ordinary for a long time. A smaller group makes it easier to settle into the quiet rather than treating the stop like a hurried photo break.

The trade-off is simple: 18 people still require coordination. When everyone wants a portrait, camera help, hot drinks, and a place near the chairs, the guide has several jobs at once. Heimir receives especially strong praise for staying engaged, explaining what was happening, and keeping spirits up during long waits.

I would book this tour for the guide-led experience, not just the transport. The most valuable service is having someone who can explain why the lights are appearing, fading, or moving, and who knows when it makes sense to keep waiting.

Heimir’s science lesson under the stars

Heimir is both guide and photographer, and his enthusiasm is a major part of the evening. He explains the aurora in plain terms and helps you understand why the display may be visible to the eye as a pale glow but appear more colorful in a long-exposure photograph.

That difference matters. Several people found that their phone images did not capture what the professional camera recorded. Green and purple tones can show more clearly in photographs, especially when the naked eye sees a softer display.

You can also ask for help with your own camera settings. Tripods are provided, and the guide assists with camera setup so you do not need to arrive as an experienced night photographer. One useful detail from the experience is that an iPhone stand may also be available, although you should not depend on every accessory being supplied in every circumstance.

Heimir takes individual photographs with the Northern Lights behind you and sends the finished images afterward. The included package offers unlimited high-resolution photos, which gives this tour a real advantage over outings where you must pay extra for a single portrait.

The photo service does not replace your own camera. Bring your phone or camera if you want to experiment, but remember that a tripod can be bulky. Although tripods are included, one account describes a guest borrowing one from the guide after leaving a personal tripod at home.

Warm suits, chairs, and a better wait

The cold is not a minor issue here. You may spend hours outside in exposed countryside, and one outing took place in conditions reported as roughly minus 10 degrees Celsius. The supplied winter jumpsuits are one of the strongest practical reasons to consider this tour.

Wear warm layers underneath anyway. A jumpsuit helps block the cold, but it does not make Icelandic winter feel mild. Thick socks, gloves, a hat, and sturdy footwear still make sense. One person specifically advised wearing as many clothes as possible, even with the suit.

The outdoor chairs are just as useful as the clothing. Sitting makes it easier to wait patiently, watch the stars, and avoid the restless cycle of stepping outside, taking one look, and returning to the van. When the aurora is faint, patience can be the difference between seeing a brief display and missing it.

You can also warm up in the vehicle. That balance, outside for the sky and inside for a short break, is far more comfortable than standing beside a roadside coach for the whole evening.

There is one point to verify before departure. Most accounts describe the suits and chairs as included, but one unhappy experience reported that neither was available. That conflicts with the advertised inclusions, so I would confirm the equipment directly with the operator, particularly if cold-weather clothing is a key reason you chose this outing.

Hot chocolate and Icelandic snacks

The refreshments are more than decoration. Waiting in darkness is easier when you have something warm to drink and a small table of food nearby.

The spread includes hot cocoa, tea, cinnamon rolls, pastries, chocolate, dried fish, premium Icelandic vodka, and snaps. The hot chocolate and pastries are the safest crowd-pleasers, while dried fish gives you a distinctly Icelandic snack to try. Alcohol is included, but you can simply skip it if you prefer.

The table helps turn a potentially frustrating weather watch into a pleasant evening outdoors. Even if the aurora stays hidden, you still spend time under a star-filled sky with food, conversation, and a guide explaining what the forecast means.

Do not confuse the snacks with a full meal. The tour is several hours long, so eat beforehand if you need dinner. The food is a comfort bonus, not a substitute for proper evening plans.

What happens when the lights do not appear

No Northern Lights tour can promise an aurora. Clear skies, darkness, and solar activity all need to cooperate, and even then the display may be faint. A professional guide improves your odds, but cannot control the sky.

This operator offers a free retry after a non-sighting, with unlimited re-runs mentioned in the conditions and availability noted as a limitation. That can be valuable if you have several nights in Reykjavík. Book early in your Iceland stay, not on your final night, so you have room to try again.

The operator may also contact you before the scheduled date and recommend moving to a night with better conditions. That can work very well. Some outings were shifted by a day or several days, and the change led to clearer skies and stronger auroras.

The downside is uncertainty. One person had a trip cancelled several times during a weeklong stay and found communication too limited to plan other activities easily. Another cancellation resulted from a vehicle problem, leaving no option to rebook.

This is the chief risk of using a small operator. Personal service can be excellent, but a single vehicle leaves less backup when machinery fails. Keep your itinerary flexible, monitor messages closely, and avoid making the Northern Lights tour your only important plan for the evening.

Is $212 a fair price?

At $212 per person, this is not the cheapest way to search for the aurora. You are paying for more than a ride into the countryside, though. The price includes a small group, selected Reykjavík pickup, warm jumpsuit, outdoor chair, tripod access, snacks, hot drinks, camera help, a professional photo session, and unlimited high-resolution images.

The photographs alone can make a difference for couples, families, and anyone traveling without a tripod or suitable camera. A large group bus may cost less, but you may spend the night surrounded by more people, with less time for individual portraits or camera assistance.

I would consider the price good value if three things matter to you: comfort in severe cold, high-quality photos, and a guide who actively tracks conditions. If you already own winter gear, camera equipment, and a tripod, the premium is harder to justify.

The retry policy also adds value, provided you have enough nights in Iceland and availability allows another outing. It does not protect you from a last-minute cancellation caused by mechanical problems, so the higher price should not be treated as a guarantee.

Pickup details that can affect your evening

Pickup is offered within Reykjavík city center, but not at every hotel entrance. Parts of the center restrict bus traffic, so you may be directed to a nearby bus stop. Check the pickup instructions before the evening and allow time to walk there.

Direct pickup is available from some hotels and Reykjavík cruise terminals. If you stay outside the city, the stated meeting point is BSÍ Bus Terminal. These details are easy to overlook, especially if you assume the vehicle will stop outside your accommodation.

The mobile ticket and booking confirmation make the basic process simple. The tour is offered in English, and most people can participate. You should still expect cold, late hours, and a moderate amount of time outdoors.

Who will enjoy this tour most?

I would choose this experience if you want the Northern Lights wrapped in a comfortable, personal evening rather than a basic transport service. It suits photographers, couples who want a portrait beneath the aurora, and first-time viewers who want the science explained without having to study forecasts beforehand.

It also works well for people who do not own winter clothing. The suit and chairs remove two common problems, although you still need warm layers.

Families and mixed-age groups may appreciate the chance to sit down and warm up. The late finish and uncertain timing may be less suitable for anyone who needs a strict bedtime or has a tightly packed schedule the following morning.

If your Iceland trip allows only one night in Reykjavík, this tour carries more risk. A cancellation or non-sighting may leave no time for the retry. In that case, schedule it as early as possible and keep at least one spare evening.

The weak points to consider

The biggest weakness is not the guide or the setting. It is the dependence on weather and equipment. A one-vehicle operator can offer a warm, personal service, but there may be no replacement vehicle if a mechanical issue occurs.

Communication also deserves attention. Most accounts describe timely contact and helpful rescheduling, but one person had trouble getting replies through the booking platform. The operator later provided other ways to communicate, yet you should not wait until the last minute to clarify pickup or a proposed date change.

The equipment reports are also inconsistent. Warm suits, chairs, and tripods are listed as included and are praised repeatedly, but one report says the suits and chairs were missing. Confirm those items before departure if they are central to your decision.

Finally, a strong forecast does not guarantee a great show. You may see a faint arc, a short burst, or nothing at all. The tour improves your chances and makes the wait pleasant, but the final performance belongs to the sky.

Should you book it?

I would book this tour if you value expert aurora guidance, proper winter comfort, and excellent photos more than the lowest possible price. Heimir’s patience, enthusiasm, forecast work, and willingness to help with cameras turn a simple chase into an evening with real substance.

Book early in your stay, leave space for a retry, and confirm the jumpsuit and chair availability before you go. If you need a guaranteed departure, a backup vehicle, or a fixed finish time, this may not be the safest choice.

For most people with flexible plans, the package is strong. You get a small group, a serious attempt to find clear skies, warm clothing, chairs, food, and photographs that are far better than hurried phone snapshots. Just remember the basic Iceland rule: the forecast can improve your odds, but it cannot command the Northern Lights.

FAQ

Where does the Northern Lights tour begin?

The tour begins with pickup in Reykjavík at around 8:00 p.m. Pickup is available from selected hotels, city locations, and Reykjavík cruise ship terminals.

Can I be picked up directly from my Reykjavík hotel?

Sometimes. Parts of central Reykjavík restrict bus traffic, so accommodations in those areas may use a designated bus stop instead of direct hotel pickup.

Where should I meet the tour if I stay outside Reykjavík?

If you stay outside Reykjavík, pickup is available from BSÍ Bus Terminal.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately four to six hours. The countryside portion is listed as about three hours, but the timing may extend if the guide believes the Northern Lights will appear later.

What happens if the Northern Lights are not visible?

A free retry may be offered if the lights are not seen, depending on availability. The conditions also describe unlimited re-runs until you see the lights.

Can the tour be cancelled because of weather?

Yes. The experience requires suitable weather. If the operator cancels because of poor weather, you can be offered another date or a full refund.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 18 people.

Are winter suits and chairs included?

Warm winter jumpsuits and outdoor chairs are listed as included. Because availability has been inconsistent in at least one reported outing, confirm these items with the operator before departure.

Are photographs included in the price?

Yes. Unlimited high-resolution photos from the tour are included, and the guide can also assist with your own camera settings.