Iceland Northern Lights

See the best sights in the Land of Fire and Ice in one weekend

The Northern Lights can be dramatic, eruptive, fleeting and enigmatic. Never guaranteed, sightings rely on minimal light pollution, solar activity and clear skies. The key to any Aurora trip is enjoying the whole experience, regardless of what happens in the night sky. This is where the Iceland Northern Lights tour, in our North Pole trip comes into its own. Roaring waterfalls, icebergs littered on black volcanic sand and mighty volcanoes dotting the horizon. With a local guide keen to show you their Iceland – and alert to the likelihood of a light show – you will be well placed, both literally and metaphorically, to see all that Iceland offers.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• Read more about our other initiatives here.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for reusable bottles.
• Our local partner is a member of Landvernd (the Icelandic Environment Association) and Fuglavernd BirdLife Iceland. Both are heavily involved in local conservation initiatives.
• With our partners, Rewilding Apennines, we rewild 100 square meters (1,075 sqft) of land per passenger who travels with us.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring a reusable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

It includes three-and-a-half days’ sightseeing with visits to areas of natural beauty.

Northern Lights: We are pleased to say most of our groups see the Aurora in some form, but as it is a natural phenomenon, we cannot guarantee what you will see. However, according to the latest solar activity reports, it’s thought that 2024 and 2025 are going to be particularly good years for seeing the Northern Lights.

We give ourselves the best chance of seeing them by choosing locations and times based on the latest information. We will not go out every night, instead we monitor conditions and reports to see where and when excursions may be successful.

Our accommodation in the east is fairly remote, so is well placed should skies be clear. If the lights are visible here, it is likely we can simply see them from the viewing terrace of our hotel.

Other excursions: We also venture out onto a glacier equipped with a helmet, ice axe and crampons, sticking to flat sections of the ice. This experience is very accessible and designed for all abilities. To make the most of this trip you do not need previous experience, but a reasonable level of fitness is recommended.

Please note, Iceland has become hugely popular in recent years and you may find some of the main sites rather busy at certain times.

Weather and seasonality: Icelandic weather is unpredictable. Please come prepared for cold, wet and windy conditions. As this trip runs from October to March, daylight hours will vary depending on departure date, from around five hours in January to 10 hours in March. Outside of daylight there are twilight hours, particularly before sunrise, when there is enough light to see by. Naturally, the Aurora will not be visible during daylight, but March has some of the best opportunities to see the Northern Lights (close to the spring equinox).

Please note that, on occasion, severe weather can affect our ability to undertake some of the outdoor activities and we cannot rule out changes to the itinerary for these reasons. Any such decisions would always be taken with the safety of the group in mind. We always endeavour to provide suitable alternatives in this instance.

Drives: We cover a lot of ground and, as such, have a few long drives. We make frequent photo stops to admire the spectacular landscapes.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Iceland

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus and rabies. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

Iceland

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Iceland. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/iceland
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/iceland
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/iceland/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Iceland.html

Food & Drink

All breakfasts are included. There are several different lunch stops, which we believe fit well with the itinerary, such as the cafe near the Skogafoss waterfall. In the east of Iceland, we stop at local restaurants for dinner.

In Reykjavik, there are plenty of restaurants to cover all tastes and budgets. Traditional Icelandic dishes consist of salmon, cod, lamb and puffin. The old town cafes are particularly cosy, packed with comfy chairs and antique furniture, with wonderful selections of coffees, cakes and treats.

Vegetarian and vegan options are generally available, although in the east of Iceland these may be more limited than in Reykjavik. If you follow a restricted diet of any kind, please expect options to be limited.

Weather

Iceland has a notoriously fickle climate and on any winter day you may experience sunshine alternating with short or long showers of snow, sleet or rain. Away from the coast, in most winters, there is good snow cover for much of the season. Average daytime temperatures in Reykjavik are 0C to -5C (32F to 23F). In the interior, it can be several degrees colder, and in windy weather, which is common, the windchill factor can be significant.