The Northern Lights Hunt

Expect an unusual Iceland night out. This experience combines northern lights photography with a small-group trip that may include the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Reykjanes Peninsula, or South Coast. I like the professional night photography, and I like the small maximum group size, which gives you more room for help with photos and route changes. The main concern is that the description also talks about glacier hiking in Vatnajokull National Park, so you should confirm exactly what your booked departure includes before paying.

I also like that pickup and drop-off are included, along with a two-shot photo package per person. The tradeoff is clear: the northern lights are never promised, and this operator says the guide will still take night photographs even when the lights do not appear. That makes this a photography outing first, not a guaranteed aurora sighting.

Key points to know before booking

• The route changes with the sky: Your guide may choose the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Reykjanes Peninsula, or South Coast based on cloud cover and viewing conditions.
• You get a very small group: The stated maximum is six people, while the listed price is $1,779.61 per group for up to four. Confirm the exact group and price rules.
• Night photography is part of the service: A certified driver photographer guide takes photos during the outing, even if the northern lights fail to appear.
• The photo package is limited: Two shots per person are included, with edited images sent by email approximately 14 days later.
• Bring your own warmth and drinks: Warm clothing, bottled water, and hot drinks are not provided. A flask of hot chocolate is specifically recommended.
• The glacier details need checking: The description refers to blue ice, glacial rivers, icy towers, and Vatnajokull National Park, but the listed start time and northern lights route suggest a different or combined experience.

What this Iceland night tour actually seems to include

The clearest part of the experience is a five-hour northern lights hunt from Reykjavik, beginning at 8:00 pm. You receive pickup and drop-off, and the guide decides where to go based on cloud cover. That matters in Iceland, where a clear sky in Reykjavik does not mean the same conditions along the coast, and a cloudy start does not always ruin the whole evening.

The possible areas include the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Reykjanes Peninsula, and the South Coast. These are not quick neighborhood stops. The important point is that you are not being sold one fixed viewpoint. The guide has some freedom to search for darker or clearer skies.

The route is tied to the weather, not a sightseeing checklist. If you want a predictable evening with a set sequence of stops, this may feel loose. If you would rather let a local driver make the call, the flexibility is useful.

There is one major piece of confusion. The experience information describes a glacier hike on an outlet glacier in Vatnajokull National Park. It mentions hiking to viewpoints, drinking from glacial rivers, and exploring blue ice towers while a photographer takes portraits. Yet the itinerary gives a five-hour northern lights outing from Reykjavik at 8:00 pm.

Vatnajokull is far from Reykjavik, and the supplied details do not explain how a glacier hike fits into this short evening tour. The safest advice is to contact Ice Pic Journeys before booking and ask whether you are purchasing a northern lights photography tour, a glacier photography tour, or a package combining both. Do not assume the blue ice hike is included simply because it appears in the description.

Choosing a route from Reykjavik after dark

Your evening begins with pickup in or near Reykjavik at 8:00 pm. The tour is listed as lasting about five hours, so you should expect a late return. Pickup is a real advantage here. You will not need to drive on unfamiliar Icelandic roads in the dark while also watching the sky.

The guide may take you toward the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. This area is one possible northern lights setting, but the details provided do not promise a particular mountain, beach, or viewpoint. That is worth understanding. The tour sells the search itself, not a specific landmark.

The Reykjanes Peninsula is another possible route. Again, cloud cover controls the decision. The South Coast is also listed, which gives the guide another broad direction to consider. The practical value is flexibility, though the downside is that you may not know your exact route until the evening begins.

The supplied itinerary lists Reykjavik for 30 minutes with free admission. That appears to describe the pickup or starting portion rather than a proper Reykjavik sightseeing stop. You should not book this expecting time to visit museums, churches, or central attractions. The purpose is to leave the city and search for a better sky.

Why the small group matters for night photography

The maximum group size is six. That is small enough to make the experience feel more personal than a large coach outing, especially when the guide is also handling photography.

A guide who drives, chooses the route, and takes your pictures can make a big difference. You can ask for help with where to stand, how to pose, or how to keep your own camera from becoming a source of frustration. The photography focus also means you do not have to rely only on a hurried phone picture.

The package includes two shots per person. Read that carefully. It does not mean an unlimited collection of edited photographs. If you are booking for four people, the included package appears to provide eight finished images in total, assuming the package is counted individually.

The description calls the guide a certified driver photographer guide. It does not provide a guide name, so you cannot request a particular person from the information available. One particularly positive detail is that the guide will take night shots no matter what the conditions are. That gives you a record of the evening even if the aurora refuses to cooperate.

This policy also tells you how to judge the tour. You are paying for transport, a guide, and photography under uncertain conditions. You are not paying for a guaranteed natural display.

The northern lights risk is part of the deal

The northern lights can only appear where there is no cloud cover, according to the supplied information. That is why the route can change. Clear skies are essential, but clear skies alone do not guarantee a strong display.

There is no automatic refund or rebooking if the northern lights do not appear. This is a crucial condition. If the sky stays dark and empty, the guide still takes night photographs, but you do not receive your money back just because the aurora was absent.

I would treat this as a calculated gamble. Iceland’s aurora is a natural event, not a theater performance with a start time. You should book it if you would still value an evening of night photography and a guided search. You should skip it if the only acceptable result is seeing bright green lights overhead.

The operator can cancel for poor weather, but that is a different situation. If the tour itself is canceled because conditions are unsafe or unsuitable, you are offered another date or a full refund. If the tour runs and the lights simply do not show, the no-refund rule applies.

The glacier promise needs special attention

The glacier material is appealing. You are told to expect a hike to viewpoints, blue ice, glacial rivers, and icy towers, with an explanation of Vatnajokull Glacier geology from your guide. Those details describe a very different kind of outing from a five-hour evening search around Reykjavik.

Vatnajokull National Park is presented as the setting for the glacier portion. The guide is described as both a professional photographer and glacier guide, which would be useful if you want strong portraits in an icy setting rather than standard sightseeing snapshots.

But no glacier meeting point, hiking time, safety equipment, transfer duration, or exact outlet glacier is provided. Warm clothing is not included, and bottled water is not included. The details also do not say whether crampons, helmets, or other glacier equipment are supplied.

For that reason, you should ask four direct questions before booking:

• Is a glacier hike included in this exact departure?
• Where does the glacier portion begin?
• What equipment is supplied?
• Is the 8:00 pm start time correct for the glacier experience?

Until those points are answered, I would not plan clothing or other Iceland activities around the glacier claims.

Clothing, drinks, and comfort after 8:00 pm

You need to bring warm clothing. This is not a minor suggestion. An Icelandic night spent waiting outside can feel long if you have only ordinary city layers.

Bottled water is not included. Hot drinks are not provided either, and the operator recommends bringing a flask of hot chocolate or something similar. That is practical advice worth following. A warm drink can make a cold roadside stop much more pleasant.

The information does not list a meal or snack, so eat before pickup or bring food if you need it. The tour lasts about five hours, and the late start means you should think through your dinner plans.

Near public transportation is listed as an additional feature, though pickup and drop-off are also provided. The most useful part is the included transfer, since the route may change and the driving can take you away from Reykjavik.

Photo delivery and what you receive

Your edited photos are sent by email after the tour. One section says within a week, but the more specific timing says approximately 14 days. I would plan on two weeks and treat anything sooner as a bonus.

The included package is two shots per person. The information does not specify image resolution, delivery format, retouching style, or whether extra photographs can be purchased. Ask about those points if the pictures are a main reason for booking.

The photo service is likely most useful for people who want a clean record of the outing without spending the evening managing a tripod or camera settings. It also helps couples and families who often end up with one person missing from every photograph.

Do not expect a large professional portrait session based on the stated inclusion. Two finished shots per person is a modest package. The value comes from combining those images with transport and a guide who searches for suitable night conditions.

Is $1,779.61 a fair price?

The listed price is $1,779.61 per group of up to four people. That is a substantial charge, but the value depends heavily on how the booking is structured.

For four people, the cost works out to roughly $445 per person before any additional charges. If the group includes fewer people, the per-person cost rises quickly. The small group, private-style transport, driver photographer, pickup, and edited photos are the main reasons to consider the price.

The information also says the maximum is six people. That conflicts with the price description of up to four. You should confirm whether the price covers a private group of four, whether five or six can join, and whether extra people change the total.

I would see the price as reasonable only if you place a high value on private transport and professional images. It is harder to justify if you are simply looking for a low-cost chance to see the aurora. Iceland has no guarantee here, and the tour does not refund you when the lights fail to appear.

The price becomes more attractive if the glacier hike is truly included, since that would add a major activity. It becomes less attractive if the glacier language belongs to a different product. Clarifying that point is the most important value check.

Who should book this experience?

I would recommend it to you if you want a small group, included transport, and photographs that show you in the Icelandic night. It suits couples, families of up to four, and small groups who would rather have a guide make the route decision than drive themselves.

It also suits people who understand that nature sets the schedule. You need to be comfortable with clouds, changing plans, a late return, and the possibility of coming home without seeing the northern lights.

I would be cautious if you have limited time in Iceland and need a guaranteed highlight. I would also hesitate if you are specifically seeking a glacier hike but cannot confirm that the ice portion is part of your booking.

The one available rating is five out of five, and the praise focuses on the guide, the photographs, and the excitement of climbing a glacier. That is useful evidence about the best-case experience, but it is a very small amount of feedback. I would treat it as encouragement, not proof that every departure includes the same glacier activity.

Should you book The Northern Lights Hunt?

Book it if the combination of a flexible northern lights search and professional night photos sounds worthwhile even when the sky stays empty. The small group, pickup service, and included photo package give the outing real practical value.

Before booking, contact Ice Pic Journeys to resolve the glacier and group-size contradictions. Confirm the exact route, the number of people covered by $1,779.61, the equipment provided for any glacier walk, and the expected photo delivery time.

If you want a guaranteed aurora, do not book this one. If you want a well-supported night outside Reykjavik and can accept Iceland’s uncertainty, it may be a memorable choice.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the 8:00 pm start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. The same local-time cutoff applies if your plans shift.

FAQ

Where does The Northern Lights Hunt begin?

The experience begins with pickup in Reykjavik at 8:00 pm. Pickup and drop-off are included.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately five hours.

Where might the guide take me?

Possible areas include the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Reykjanes Peninsula, and the South Coast. The location changes according to cloud cover and viewing conditions.

Are the northern lights guaranteed?

No. The northern lights are not guaranteed, and there is no automatic refund or rebooking if they do not appear.

What photographs are included?

The package includes two shots per person. Edited photographs are sent by email approximately 14 days after the tour.

Is warm clothing provided?

No. Warm clothing is not included, so you need to bring your own.

Can the tour be canceled because of weather?

Yes. If poor weather causes the operator to cancel, you are offered another date or a full refund.