From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Tour with Hot Cocoa & Photos

The best part of this Reykjavik Northern Lights tour is the small minibus and flexible route. Your guide checks weather and cloud conditions, then drives toward darker, clearer places instead of parking with a crowd of large coaches. Guides including Baldvin, Devin, Simon, and Gummi have earned special praise for persistence, photography, and their real enthusiasm for the aurora.

I like the free professional-style photos and the simple comforts: wool blankets, hot chocolate, and a kleina, Iceland’s sweet fried pastry. The catch is nature’s usual fine print: no guide can promise an aurora. You may spend four cold hours searching, and photos are not delivered if the lights never appear.

Key points to know before booking

• Up to 19 people: The minibus can reach smaller viewing spots than a large coach.
• Flexible aurora hunting: The route changes with cloud cover, forecasts, and visible activity.
• Free photos included: Your guide takes pictures of you beneath the lights when conditions allow.
• Warm Icelandic treats: Borrow a wool blanket and enjoy hot cocoa with a kleina pastry outdoors.
• Four hours, sometimes longer: The planned duration is four hours, though guides may stay out longer when the aurora is active.
• Rebooking is possible: If you attend but see no lights, you can join another tour free, subject to availability.

Why this tour works better than simply hoping in Reykjavik

The Northern Lights are not a scheduled show. You need darkness, clear enough skies, and solar activity at the right time. Reykjavik can offer a view on a strong night, but city lights and cloud cover often make the search harder.

This tour gives you a guide, a vehicle, forecasts, and the willingness to move. That does not create an aurora, but it improves your position when the conditions change. Guides have driven north for an hour or more, checked several possible areas, and moved on when the first stop failed.

That flexibility is the heart of the outing. One evening may include a stop near a thermal plant outside the city and another at Thingvellir National Park. Another night may call for two or three different locations. The exact route is not fixed because the sky decides where you should go.

I also like the way the guides explain what you are seeing. During the drive, you learn how the aurora forms, how forecasts work, and why a strong forecast can still produce a disappointing view. That background makes the waiting less empty and helps you judge the difference between a faint glow and a proper display.

Pickup from Reykjavik, with one important city detail

Pickup is offered from a long list of hotels and central bus stops, including Hallgrimskirkja, Harpa, City Hall, the Culture House, Reykjavik Natura, Hilton Reykjavik Nordica, Hotel Reykjavik Grand, and Skarfabakki Harbour. You need to wait at your assigned point 30 minutes before departure.

Downtown Reykjavik has special coach-access rules. Some hotels cannot receive direct pickup, so you may be sent to the nearest designated bus stop. Check the exact meeting point before the evening begins, and do not assume your hotel entrance is the pickup location.

The departure season affects the start time. From October 1 through March 31, pickup begins from about 8:30 p.m. From August 15 through September 30 and April 1 through April 18, pickup begins from about 9:30 p.m. Confirm the exact starting time when you book, since the activity lasts around four hours.

That late schedule is useful for aurora viewing, but it can make the next morning harder if you have an early day tour. I would schedule this experience on a night when you can sleep in afterward. You will also want a full phone battery, especially if you plan to take your own pictures.

The minibus makes the search more personal

The group limit is 19 people. That is not a private tour, but it is a much more manageable size than a full coach. A smaller vehicle can use narrower roads and reach places that large buses cannot. It also keeps the guide close enough to explain the sky, organize photos, and answer questions without shouting across a parking lot.

The minibus is described as warm and comfortable, an important point when you are returning from a cold stop. You will still spend time outside, so think of the vehicle as a warm base rather than a substitute for proper clothing.

The smaller group also helps with photography. Each person needs time in front of the camera, and a group of 19 is easier to handle than several dozen people. The guides have been praised for patiently taking multiple photo requests and helping people find a good pose or position.

There is a tradeoff. With 19 people, you may need to wait while others have their pictures taken. The tour is not built around nonstop photography. It is an aurora search first, with the photos added as a valuable part of the evening.

What happens at the outdoor stops

The itinerary lists a secret stop for photography, sightseeing, and a guided visit. In practice, the stops are chosen according to the night’s conditions rather than a fixed sightseeing program. You may visit one dark area, move to another, and stay longer if the sky improves.

The first stop can be a quick assessment. Your guide checks the cloud cover and looks for signs of activity. If the view is poor, the group may move on rather than waste the whole evening in one place.

A later stop may offer darker skies and more room for photos. One account described a second location near horses, where the group spent about an hour with hot chocolate and pastries. Another outing included Thingvellir National Park. These details are not guaranteed, but they show how the night can combine scenery, open air, and aurora watching rather than simply stopping at a single roadside pullout.

You should expect some standing around. The aurora may appear quickly, or it may remain faint and hidden behind cloud. A patient guide can improve your odds, but cannot control the clouds. On strong nights, the group may stay outside well past the planned return time. One account described remaining out beyond 2 a.m. because the display was too good to leave.

Cocoa, kleina, and borrowed wool blankets

The hot chocolate is more than a decorative extra. Icelandic nights can feel sharp even when the temperature does not look extreme, and waiting under an open sky gets cold quickly. A warm drink gives you a reason to pause, look up, and enjoy the moment rather than retreat straight to the minibus.

You also receive a kleina, an Icelandic twisted fried pastry. It is sweet, compact, and easy to eat outside. Several guides have been praised for serving generous treats and taking care that the group stays comfortable.

Wool blankets are available to borrow. Bring them outside when you leave the minibus, especially if you plan to wait for faint activity. Still, do not treat the blanket as your only insulation. The operator asks you to bring warm clothing and comfortable shoes, and that advice matters.

Wear layers, a warm outer coat, gloves, a hat, and sturdy shoes. The tour is not suitable for children under five, people with mobility impairments, or wheelchair users. It is also not stroller accessible, and infant seats are unavailable.

The free photos are a real part of the value

Aurora photography is difficult with a phone. The display may look brighter in a long-exposure photograph than it does to your eyes, and keeping yourself sharp against a dark sky takes the right equipment and settings.

The guide takes complimentary photos of you beneath the aurora when the lights are visible. Several guides, especially Devin and Gummi, received strong praise for their camera work and for helping people get memorable portraits. The professional camera can capture brighter colors than a phone, particularly when the aurora is faint.

The photos are useful even if you already own a good camera. You can watch the sky while someone else handles the camera, and you can get a picture with your whole party. Guides may also offer simple advice on camera settings, though the amount of instruction depends on your guide and the pace of the night.

There is a clear limitation: if the tour is unsuccessful and the Northern Lights are not visible, photos are not delivered. The free photography is not a separate studio session. It depends on the main goal of the trip working out.

The guides make a major difference

The strongest part of this experience is the guide. Baldvin is repeatedly praised for his passion, quick humor, aurora knowledge, and care with photos. Devin is noted for checking several areas, explaining the process clearly, and staying focused when clouds are heavy. Simon is described as entertaining and realistic about what the group might see.

Other guides, including Gummi, Gummi Bear, Michaela, Einar, Slavi, Ionut B, Arni, Wojtek, and Diogo, have also been praised for patience, warmth, or persistence. You cannot choose your guide from the information provided, but the repeated pattern is encouraging: this company puts a real person between you and an uncertain natural event.

A good guide also sets sensible expectations. The useful attitude is low expectations but high hopes. You may see a bright green arc. You may see a faint gray-green glow that photographs better than it looks to the naked eye. You may see nothing at all.

The guide’s work continues even when the aurora does not appear. You still receive explanations about solar activity, cloud cover, forecasts, and local viewing conditions. That turns a failed search into a better lesson, though it cannot replace the main spectacle.

Price, value, and the risk of paying for nature

At $169 per person, this is not the cheapest way to spend an evening in Iceland. The price makes more sense when you add up what is included: hotel or bus-stop pickup and return, a four-hour minibus ride, an English-speaking guide, route planning, blankets, hot chocolate, a kleina, and free photos.

The photography has particular value if you want a picture of yourself under the lights. A separate private photo session would cost more, while taking a good aurora portrait on your own can be frustrating.

You are also paying for judgment. The driver watches the weather, chooses darker places, and decides when moving is worthwhile. That is more useful than simply driving out of Reykjavik and hoping for the best.

Still, the purchase carries a natural risk. You are paying for the search, not a guaranteed display. If you attend but see nothing, you can rebook free of charge, subject to availability. If the company cancels before you attend because of poor weather, you receive a full refund. If you have already taken the tour, you can rebook for up to two years if available, but you do not receive a refund.

That policy is fair for an activity controlled by weather and solar conditions, but check your schedule before booking. A rebooking option helps only if you have another evening in Iceland.

Timing your booking for the best chance

The season matters. The listed operating dates begin in mid-August, pause around late April, and use later evening departures as the darker months change. August can be too bright or cloudy for reliable viewing, and one account described trying several times in August without success.

From autumn through winter and into early spring, the darkness is more favorable. Even then, clear skies and aurora activity must line up. I would book this near the start of your Reykjavik stay when possible, leaving time for a second attempt if the first night fails.

Do not book it on your final night unless your schedule gives you no choice. A final-night trip can work beautifully, but there is no room to use the rebooking policy if clouds win.

The stated rating is 4.7 from 695 ratings, with 88 percent giving the transport a perfect score. Those numbers support the practical strengths of the tour, but they cannot predict the sky on your particular evening.

Who should book this Northern Lights tour

I would choose this tour if you want a guided search rather than a fixed sightseeing route. It fits first-time Iceland visitors, couples, families with older children, and anyone who wants a professional-style portrait without carrying a tripod and learning night photography from scratch.

It is also a good choice if you value the small-group feel and the chance to move between locations. The guides’ persistence matters most on mixed-weather nights, when a single parking spot may be cloudy but a clearer area lies farther away.

I would think twice if you dislike late nights, cold outdoor waiting, or uncertain outcomes. You should also reconsider if you need step-free access, a stroller, an infant seat, or a private vehicle. This is a shared minibus outing, not a custom private expedition.

Should you book it?

Book it if the aurora is high on your Iceland wish list and you want practical help, warm treats, and free photos along with the search. The strongest reasons are the small vehicle, flexible route, capable guides, and generous rebooking policy.

Just keep your expectations honest. The Northern Lights remain in charge. If you can accept a cold evening, a possible long drive, and the chance of seeing only a faint glow, this EastWest tour gives you a well-supported way to chase one of Iceland’s finest natural sights.

FAQ

How long is the Northern Lights tour?

The planned duration is four hours, although the outing may run longer when the aurora is especially strong.

What time does pickup begin?

From October 1 through March 31, pickup begins from about 8:30 p.m. From August 15 through September 30 and April 1 through April 18, pickup begins from about 9:30 p.m. Check your exact departure time when booking.

Where does pickup take place in Reykjavik?

Pickup is available from many listed hotels and central bus stops, including Hallgrimskirkja, Harpa, City Hall, the Culture House, Reykjavik Natura, Hilton Reykjavik Nordica, Hotel Reykjavik Grand, and Skarfabakki Harbour.

Can the tour pick me up directly at my downtown hotel?

Some downtown hotels cannot receive direct pickup because of local regulations. You may need to meet the minibus at the nearest designated bus stop.

Is food included?

Yes. The tour includes hot chocolate and a kleina, an Icelandic fried pastry.

Are blankets provided?

Yes. Icelandic wool blankets are available to borrow during the outdoor stops.

Are photos included in the price?

Yes. Complimentary photos are included when the Northern Lights are visible. Photos are not delivered if the tour does not successfully find the aurora.

What happens if I do not see the Northern Lights?

If you attend the tour but do not see the lights, you may join another tour free of charge, subject to availability. No refund is provided after you have attended.

Is the tour suitable for children or wheelchair users?

The tour is not suitable for children under five, people with mobility impairments, or wheelchair users. It is not stroller accessible, and infant seats are unavailable.