From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Hunt Super Jeep Tour

The best part of this Northern Lights hunt is the freedom of a super jeep. Instead of staying on a fixed coach route, you can head away from Reykjavik’s glow and change position when clouds spoil one viewing spot. I especially like the small group, capped at 10, and the professional photographer who can capture you under the aurora while your hands are too cold to manage a camera.

I also like the warm drinks, Icelandic kleinur doughnuts, and telescope use. They turn a long wait into part of the evening. The catch is simple: the Northern Lights are never guaranteed, and the overall rating of 3.6 from 32 reviews suggests the outing can vary with weather, clouds, and guide performance.

Key points

• Super jeep access: Travel beyond Reykjavik and reach remote viewing spots that a standard bus may not manage.
• Small group size: The vehicle carries no more than 10 people, though groups may grow after several weather cancellations.
• Photos included: A professional photographer takes Northern Lights portraits and shares the finished images.
• Warm Icelandic treats: Hot chocolate, rum with hot chocolate, and kleinur help during the cold wait.
• A serious backup plan: If the lights do not appear, you receive admission to another tour within two years.
• Late-night timing: Pickup begins at 21:00, and the full outing lasts about four hours.

Chasing clear skies beyond Reykjavik

This is not a sightseeing tour with a quick aurora stop added at the end. The whole evening is built around finding the best available conditions for the Northern Lights.

Pickup begins at 21:00 from hotels, hostels, and designated Reykjavik bus stops. If your accommodation sits on a street the super jeep cannot reach, you will be collected at the nearest accessible stop. That detail matters in central Reykjavik, where large vehicles often cannot pull up directly outside hotels.

The drive out takes about 30 minutes in each direction. The main viewing portion lasts roughly three hours, giving the guide time to check several areas rather than settling for the first dark patch outside town.

I like this flexible approach. Cloud cover can change quickly in Iceland, and a single fixed viewpoint may be useless on a bad night. The super jeep gives the guide more options, although it cannot control the weather or promise a stronger display.

What the super jeep adds

The vehicle is more than a colorful way to get around. Its off-road ability lets the group leave the main urban area and reach darker, quieter locations. That reduces the effect of Reykjavik’s lights and gives the aurora a better chance of showing against the sky.

A standard coach can also reach dark areas, so the super jeep does not guarantee a better Northern Lights display. Its real advantage is flexibility and a smaller group. You are less tied to a large bus schedule, and the guide can make decisions for a compact party.

One particularly useful comparison comes from the tour feedback: when clouds weakened the display, guide Thor kept moving between locations and stayed out later than planned. That kind of effort matters on an aurora outing. You may see only a pale glow at one stop, then find a clearer patch somewhere else.

The tradeoff is comfort. A super jeep is an adventure vehicle, not a quiet luxury coach. If you want a smooth ride and lots of room, a bus may suit you better. If reaching rougher spots and traveling with fewer people appeals to you, this vehicle is a strong reason to choose the tour.

The three-hour search under Icelandic skies

The central part of the evening takes place in the Southern Region of Iceland. The precise stop depends on the night’s conditions, so you should think of it as a moving search rather than a single named attraction.

At the viewing area, the guide explains how the Northern Lights form, what affects their strength, and how to watch the sky. The tour is led in English or Icelandic, and the guide has years of experience searching for aurora activity.

You may spend part of the time standing outside, checking the sky, and waiting for clouds to shift. That waiting is normal. The lights can appear as a faint band, strengthen into moving curtains, or fail to show at all. A four-hour tour gives you a reasonable window, but it cannot turn a cloudy evening into a clear one.

There is also time for refreshments. Hot chocolate, rum with hot chocolate, and kleinur, a traditional Icelandic doughnut, are included. These are small details, but they are useful in practice. Cold fingers and tired feet can make a long outdoor wait feel much longer.

The tour also includes WiFi onboard, which may help during the drive. Do not treat it as the main attraction, though. The point of the evening is to get away from artificial light and watch the sky, not to spend the ride online.

Professional photos when your fingers are frozen

The included photographer is one of the strongest features here. Northern Lights photography is difficult for beginners because it usually needs a steady camera, a long exposure, and careful focus in near darkness. A cold night makes the process harder.

The photographer can take high-quality pictures of you with the aurora behind you. That means you can put the camera away and enjoy the view instead of spending the entire stop adjusting settings. A guide or photographer may also help you handle your own camera.

Tripods are available to rent if you want to make your own images. That is useful for anyone who already understands night photography and wants more control. If you are bringing a camera, pack extra batteries and keep them warm, though those specific items are not listed as tour inclusions.

The value of the photo service depends on the sky. If the lights appear only faintly or clouds block them, the result may be less dramatic. Still, having a professional on board gives you a better chance of coming home with a usable memory than relying on a phone held by hand.

One guide named Daniel is praised for finding more than one location and producing strong photos. Thor is also singled out for staying committed when cloud activity limited the view. You cannot request either guide as a certainty from the details provided, but their approach shows what you should hope for: active searching rather than stopping once and calling it a night.

Telescope time and the Icelandic pause

The astronomical telescope gives the evening another focus while you wait for aurora activity. The information does not specify exactly what you will view through it, so you should not book this as a dedicated astronomy tour. It is an added feature during the Northern Lights search.

I like that the experience allows for pauses rather than treating every minute as a race between stops. A warm drink, a snack, a look through the telescope, and a short explanation from the guide can make the outing enjoyable even during a slow aurora night.

That said, the tour’s main reward remains the Northern Lights. If you are hoping for a full astronomy program, a longer stargazing experience may be a better match. Here, the telescope supports the hunt rather than replacing it.

Pickup, timing, and the long night

You can select from 28 pickup points around Reykjavik, including major hotels, hostels, Harpa, Hallgrimskirkja, the BSÍ terminal, and several city bus stops. The large number of pickup points is convenient, but you need to check the exact location attached to your booking.

The tour starts at 21:00, so plan your evening around a late return. The advertised duration is four hours, though a determined guide may stay out later when conditions are promising. That extra time can help, but it also means you should avoid scheduling an early morning activity immediately afterward.

Hotel drop-off is included at the end, with the same general limitation for streets that are inaccessible to the super jeep. You return to one of the listed hotels or stops rather than being left to arrange your own transport across town.

The activity is not suitable for children under eight. For older children, the key issue is patience and cold tolerance. Three hours of searching may feel exciting to an aurora fan and very long to someone expecting a quick show.

Clothing matters more than the forecast

Bring gloves, thermal clothing, and weather-appropriate layers. This is not a suggestion to take lightly. You may be outside for extended periods, and the Southern Region can feel very cold at night even when Reykjavik seemed manageable earlier.

Wear layers that you can adjust. You may be warm inside the vehicle and cold during a photo stop. Good gloves are especially important because the photographer may need your hands visible, while your own camera work requires exposed fingers.

The tour includes warm drinks, but refreshments do not replace proper clothing. If you are choosing between packing an extra thermal layer and bringing another casual outfit, choose the layer.

Is $192 a fair price?

At $192 per person, this is a premium Northern Lights outing. You are paying more than you would for a basic bus chase, but the package includes several meaningful extras: hotel pickup and drop-off, a small group, a super jeep, a guide, a photographer, refreshments, telescope use, WiFi, and a replacement-tour promise if the lights do not appear.

The photo service is the feature that most improves the value. If you want polished pictures of yourself beneath the aurora, hiring a photographer separately could be inconvenient and costly. The small group also gives you a more personal evening than a full coach.

Still, the price does not buy certainty. No operator can guarantee the Northern Lights, and the tour can produce a disappointing view when clouds win. The replacement admission helps protect your booking, but it does not give you the same holiday evening back.

I would call it worthwhile for someone who sees the aurora as a major Iceland goal and values comfort, photos, and a determined search. If you mainly want the cheapest possible chance to see the lights, compare it with a standard bus tour before booking.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. If bad weather cancels the tour, you can rebook for another evening without charge or receive a full refund. The provider aims to notify you by email before 18:30 when cancellation is necessary.

What happens if the Northern Lights do not appear?

The lights may fail to show because of cloud cover, weather, or weak solar activity. That is the basic risk of every aurora trip, and this one states it plainly.

If the lights do not appear, you receive admission to another tour within two years of the original booking. If severe weather cancels the outing before departure, you may rebook for another evening free of charge or take a full refund.

The group can also become larger if several nights have been cancelled in a row. The normal limit is 10 participants, but weather-related changes can affect that size. If a very small group is important to you, confirm the current arrangement when you book.

Who should book this Northern Lights hunt?

I would choose this tour if you want the evening to feel like an active search rather than a simple coach ride. It suits photographers, couples, solo visitors, and small groups who want professional portraits without having to manage every camera setting themselves.

It also suits you if you value a guide who keeps moving when conditions change. The examples connected with Daniel and Thor suggest that persistence can make a real difference on a cloudy night.

I would hesitate if you dislike late nights, cold outdoor waits, rougher vehicle travel, or uncertainty. You should also think twice if your budget is tight and the included photos are not important to you.

My verdict on the super jeep experience

Book it if the Northern Lights are near the top of your Iceland plans and you want a small-group search with a photographer, warm drinks, and more flexibility than a standard bus. The super jeep makes the outing feel more purposeful, while the backup policy softens the risk of bad weather.

Skip it if you want guaranteed entertainment, a smooth coach ride, or the lowest price. The 3.6 rating shows that nature controls the result, and even a hardworking guide cannot defeat thick cloud.

For the best chance of enjoying it, wear serious thermal layers, keep your evening free after 21:00, and treat the lights as a possibility rather than a promise. If they appear, the photos and remote setting can make this a memorable night. If they do not, the replacement-tour option gives you another opportunity.

FAQ

How long does the Northern Lights super jeep tour last?

The advertised duration is four hours. The trip includes about 30 minutes of travel in each direction and around three hours searching for the Northern Lights in the Southern Region.

What time does pickup begin?

Pickup starts at 21:00. Exact timing can depend on your selected pickup point.

Where can I be picked up in Reykjavik?

Pickup is available from 28 listed hotels, hostels, harbors, and Reykjavik bus stops. If your accommodation is on a street the super jeep cannot access, you will use the nearest suitable bus stop.

Is the Northern Lights sighting guaranteed?

No. Sightings depend on weather, cloud cover, and aurora activity. If the lights do not appear, admission to another tour within two years is offered.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

You may rebook for another evening free of charge or receive a full refund. The provider aims to send cancellation information by email before 18:30.

Are photos included?

Yes. A professional photographer is included, and you receive high-quality pictures taken during the Northern Lights experience. Tripods are also available to rent for your own photography.

What is included to eat and drink?

The tour includes hot chocolate, rum with hot chocolate, and kleinur, which are Icelandic doughnuts.

Can children join the tour?

Children under eight are not permitted. The experience is a small-group tour, normally limited to 10 participants, though the group size may change after several weather cancellations.