Day Tours/Activities

Reykjavík Northern Lights Cruise

The Reykjavík Northern lights cruise lets you search for the Aurora Borealis away from the city lights on a thrilling winter cruise.

Trees planted 1
Available jan, feb, mar, apr, sep, oct, nov, dec
Duration 1,5 - 2,5 hours
Location Faxaflói bay
Difficulty
Number of participants Min. 1
Age limit No age limit

What you'll experience.

Join the Reykjavík Northern lights cruise and search for the Aurora Borealis away from the city lights.

Northern lights are best displayed under dark, clear skies. You can find these conditions from September until the end of April in Reykjavík. Watching the lights constantly change in intensity, color and movement in the vast starry space with the gentle lull of the ocean beneath is a thrilling, unique experience.

The Tour

The Reykjavík Northern Lights Cruise commences at the Elding ticket office by the Ægisgarður pier in the Old Harbour in downtown Reykjavik. A guide will meet you in the Whale Watching Centre, which is facilitated on board an old fishing vessel permanently placed by the pier. At night it takes on a magical form with a multimedia northern lights show. The 10 minute show includes images, time-lapse footage of the lights while explaining the science behind the northern lights.

On the Reykjavík Northern lights cruise you will head out into the dark blue yonder of Faxaflói bay in search for the mystical phenomenon we call the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights, leaving behind the bright city lights of the capital Reykjavík. The open top viewing decks provide the perfect platform for witnessing the dazzling spectacle while the heated indoor lounge is a great place to take a break and warm up in between sightings. Your expert guide will be at hand to answer your questions while you enjoy Mother Nature’s light show and starry skies wrapped up in one of our warm overalls. On board you will find several outdoor viewing platforms and a large indoor saloon with toilet facilities and café where you can buy light refreshments.

Please note

As the northern lights are a natural phenomenon sightings cannot be guaranteed. However, Elding has professional aurora hunters with years of experience searching for the lights around Reykjavík. For an optimal aurora pursuit three things are needed; solar activity, clear skies and darkness. A lot of other tour operators will cancel their tours if the forecast is not in their favor – They don’t! Elding knows that you don’t have many days to search for the lights and that the weather can change in mere minutes, anywhere from a full cloud forecast to clear skies. They want to maximize your chance the best they can and so THEY WILL ALWAYS GIVE IT A GO! Their searching area is close to shores and around small islands, far enough away from city lights and therefore it is ideal for a smooth and comfortable sailing.

If the lights fail to make an appearance they do not refund the tour price but in stead offer you to try again another day. You are free to go as many times as needed (within two years) to catch the show – at no extra cost!

If you want more information about this Reykjavík Northern Lights Cruise or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can either send us a message through the contact form or via email at info@nordicgreentravel.com.

View the weather forecast for the area.

Here you can see the Northern lights forecast for the next few days.

This tour is carbon offset through the forestry project Plant a Tree in Iceland

If you want to know more about Plant a Tree in Iceland, please visit the project at www.plantatreeiniceland.is

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Included in final tour price.

Included

Excellent live guidance
Free WiFi onboard
Access to the visitor's center
Pictures taken by crew (if any)
Assistance with photography
Use of warm overalls
Northern Lights guarantee (or try again for free)

Not included

Food & drinks
Bus fare
Pickup
Refreshments

What to bring.

Good Sturdy footwear
Warm clothing (thermals, hat, scarf and gloves)
A tripod can be useful for photography

Highlights.

Northern lights / Aurora Borealis
Winter cruise

Tour operator

This tour is operated by our friends at Elding. Elding has worked hard on minimizing their environmental impact and is a part of projects such as Earth Check, Blue Flag, and Vakin the Icelandic environmental and quality label.

Elding’s certifications include: