Reykjavik Northern Lights Tours
Reykjavik Northern Lights Tours › Reykjavik Northern Lights Without a TourUpdated 2026-09-23

Reykjavik Northern Lights Without a Tour

Hours, prices and access verified by the Reykjavik Northern Lights Tours team — last checked 2026-09-23.

You can see the northern lights from Reykjavík without a tour. The aurora charges nothing, and the forecast a guide reads is public. What a tour adds is judgement, a vehicle that drives to clear sky, and a second night if the first one fails. This sets the do-it-yourself night against a northern lights tour from Reykjavik, so you can tell which one your trip needs.

What does a tour do that you can do yourself?

Strip a hunt down and it does three things. It reads the forecast in the afternoon. It gets you out of the city's light. And it waits somewhere dark until the sky performs or the night runs out. The first two you can copy. The third is where a guide earns the fare.

The Icelandic Met Office publishes the two forecasts every guide checks. One is the cloud map, where green means cloud and white means clear sky. The other is auroral activity at midnight, on a scale of 0 to 9. Visit Reykjavík names what gets in the way: cloud cover, moonlight and the city's own light. Deal with those three and you have done the planning.

Can you see them from the city?

On a strong night, yes, even from a street in the centre. But the street lights wash out all but the brightest displays. One traveller on the boat saw them from the harbour while waiting to board, which shows how bright they can get. It does not mean you can count on it.

The city once tried to help. In 2016 it switched street lights off from 22:00 to 23:00 in eleven neighbourhoods so the aurora could be seen better. That was a single night, not a policy, so expect the lights to be on.

Two figures in silhouette watching a low green aurora from a dark shore
Two figures in silhouette watching a low green aurora from a dark shore

Walking to a dark edge

The city has two dark edges you can reach without a car. Grótta, at the tip of Seltjarnarnes, faces the open sea to the west. It is an island joined to land by a narrow spit that goes under water at high tide, so check the tide before you cross. From 1 May to 15 July it is closed for nesting birds, which is outside the dark months anyway.

The other is Öskjuhlíð, the wooded hill with Perlan on top. The trees block some street light, but you are still inside the city's glow. The top spots page has both, with the directions the hunts drive.

Mind the tide. The spit floods, and it is easy to lose track of time under a good display. Check the tide table before you walk out, or stay on the mainland side. The darkness by month shows when the sky is dark enough to try.

Driving out on your own

A hire car widens the choice. Out of town, away from the street lights, the sky is far darker than anywhere in the city. NOAA's advice is the same: get away from city lights. You can follow the cloud map and turn round when it closes in, as a guide would.

The costs are real, though. You drive winter roads at night, often on ice, after a full day. You need to know where you can pull off safely, which is harder in the dark than by day. And a car in the city is still a car you have to park. If you are not used to winter driving, a northern lights bus tour from Reykjavik leaves the road to someone who drives it every night.

Reading the forecast yourself

Start with the cloud map in the afternoon. Look for white over the direction you can reach, and check it again an hour before you set off. Then look at the activity number, but do not read it as a promise. A high number under cloud shows you nothing; a modest number under clear sky can be a good night.

NOAA says the best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight, between 10 PM and 2 AM local time. The same Met Office page gives moonrise for Reykjavík, since moonlight is the other thing that washes the sky out. The forecast guide walks through the map and the numbers step by step.

What do you give up without a guide?

Four things. The first is judgement: a guide reads the same forecast every evening of the season and knows the roads it points to. The second is the drive, done by someone who knows the roads in the dark. The third is the photos. Most small groups take them for you, and some lend tripods and help with your settings.

The fourth is the retry. If you go alone and see nothing, you have spent an evening. If you go on a fare with a free retry, you have a second night for nothing. On a short trip that is the strongest argument for a tour. The visitor guide sets out what each fare covers.

The boat as the in-between

The boats sit between a walk and a tour. You walk to the Old Harbour, pay $86 to $105, and sail onto the bay for two hours with the city behind you. The Old Harbour cruise includes warm floatable overalls and a free re-sail if you see nothing. The other boat has a café, a restroom and observation decks.

No pickup, no car and no late drive home: for a night without a tour that still has a second chance, a boat is the closest thing. It cannot chase a gap in the cloud, so check the map before you book. See the northern lights boat tours side by side.

Road rules at night

The weather by month shows how cold and wet each month runs, which is what decides the road.

What to bring

More than you think. You stand still for long spells, often in wind, and cold creeps in from the ground. Wear a warm hat, gloves, thick socks and layers under a windproof shell. A hot drink in a flask helps. Most small groups hand out hot chocolate; alone, you bring your own.

For photos, a tripod matters more than the camera. A phone on a small stand, set to its night mode, catches more than your eye does. Carry a head torch with a red light, so you can see your kit without spoiling your night vision or anyone else's.

When is going alone the better choice?

When you have the three things a tour sells: a car you are happy to drive at night, time, and the patience to read a forecast. With four or five evenings, you can go out only on the clear ones and skip the rest. A tour's retry matters less when you can pick your nights.

Going alone also suits you if you want to stay put. A hunt moves on when the guide decides. On your own, you can stand at one dark spot for three hours, or leave after twenty minutes. If you are travelling with a photographer who wants long exposures from one place, that freedom is worth a lot.

Tour or no tour: the trade-off

OptionCostDarknessIf you see nothingGetting thereSuits
A city streetFreeStreet lightsNothing lost but timeOn footA strong night you did not plan for
The city's dark edgesFreeDarker, city glow behindNothing lost but timeWalk, bus or taxiA short trip on a clear night
Your own carCar hire and fuelAs dark as you driveAn evening spentYou drive at nightConfident winter drivers
A boat$86 to $105The bay, city behindA free re-sailWalk to the quayFamilies and short nights
A coach hunt$84 to $85Out of townOne more night freeBus Stop 12 or 5, or pickupThe lowest fare with a guide
A small group$114 to $221Out of townNone stated up to unlimitedHotel or a set stopPhotos and a smaller group

Go alone if you have a car, winter driving experience and several clear evenings. Take a tour if you have one or two nights, no car, or no wish to drive icy roads at midnight. Either way, the how to see the northern lights post has the basics in one place.

Going without a tour: questions people ask

Can you see the northern lights in Reykjavík without a tour?
Yes, on a clear night with enough activity, and best from a dark edge of the city. A tour adds a vehicle, a guide's reading of the forecast and, on most fares, a free retry.
Do I need a car to see the northern lights?
No. You can walk to the city's dark edges or take a boat from the Old Harbour. A car lets you drive to darker, clearer sky, but you drive icy roads at night.
How do I check the northern lights forecast?
Use the Icelandic Met Office's aurora page. Check the cloud map first, where white is clear sky, then the activity forecast on its 0 to 9 scale.
Is it safe to drive to see the northern lights?
Only if you are used to winter roads at night. Never stop on the road itself: pull off completely, and call 112 in an emergency.
What is the cheapest way to see the northern lights?
Walking to a dark edge of the city costs nothing. The cheapest fares are the coach at $84 and the smaller boat at $86, both with a second chance.
Is a northern lights tour worth it if I can go alone?
On a short trip, usually yes, because the free retry gives you a second night. With a car and several clear evenings, going alone can work well.
What should I wear to see the northern lights?
Warm layers under a windproof shell, a hat, gloves and thick socks. You stand still for long spells, so dress warmer than for a walk.

Two coaches and a boat, the cheapest ways out

Next: See what the fares buy in the price guide, or pick a tour in the best tour for your trip. Every fare sits side by side on Reykjavik Northern Lights Tours.