Reykjavik: Northern Lights Tour w/Pro Photos – Small Group

The best aurora tour keeps you busy while waiting. This four-hour Reykjavik outing combines a small minibus, local guides, professional night photography, Viking costumes, and hot chocolate, so the evening still has some shape when the sky refuses to cooperate. I especially like the 18-person maximum and the unlimited free retry policy. The main catch is simple: no guide can promise an aurora, and the minibus may feel tight once everyone piles in wearing winter layers.

I also like the care put into the photographs. Guides such as Emil, Kobe, Tomas, BG, and Johan have repeatedly helped people get individual portraits with the lights behind them, rather than leaving you to battle with a phone in the dark. Just remember that this is a hunting trip, not a guaranteed show, and there is no refund if the aurora stays hidden.

Key points to know before booking

• Small minibus, maximum 18 people: The vehicle can reach places large coaches cannot, and the group feels more personal.
• Professional aurora portraits included: High-spec cameras are used for Northern Lights photos and Viking-themed portraits.
• Free retry if the lights do not appear: You can join again at no extra charge until you see the aurora.
• Viking costumes and replica weapons: Museum-sourced outfits and props make the waiting time playful, and sometimes wonderfully silly.
• Hot chocolate, cookies, and gingerbread: Warm drinks and snacks matter when you are standing outside in Icelandic weather.
• Experienced local guides: Emil and Kolbeinn run Aurora Viking, while guides including Kobe, Tomas, BG, Johan, Felix, and Trond have earned praise for patient aurora hunting.

Why the small group matters after dark

The tour costs $148 per person, which is more than a basic large-bus aurora outing. You are paying for more than transport, though. The group is capped at 18, the guide also serves as a photographer, and the company offers free repeat trips if the first attempt fails.

That last point has real value. A Northern Lights tour is partly a weather gamble. You can have clear skies but weak solar activity, strong activity hidden by clouds, or a promising forecast that changes before sunset. Paying once and getting another chance can make this a smarter choice than booking two separate tours.

A small group also helps with the practical side of the night. The guide can explain where you are going, help people with the camera, and make sure everyone gets a turn in front of the lens. One guide even kept people from taking several portrait turns before everyone else had been photographed. That sounds minor, but it matters when you are cold and the aurora is already moving.

There is one tradeoff. A small minibus is more intimate than a coach, but it has less room. One person found the vehicle cramped, especially after dressing for a long wait outdoors. Bring warm layers, but keep them compact enough to store beside you.

Pickup across central Reykjavik

Pickup is offered from 16 listed locations around Reykjavik. These include several bus stops, Reykjavik hotels, the city hall area, Hallgrimskirkja, the Reykjavik Bus Terminal, and stops near the Culture House, Tjörnin pond, and Skúlagata.

You need to watch the pickup instructions closely. The driver will call your name at the meeting point, and bus stop arrangements in Reykjavik can change. One person had a nearby stop temporarily moved and still received help getting picked up and returned safely.

The wide choice of pickup points is useful if you are staying in the center. It avoids crossing town to a single departure depot. It can also add a little uncertainty if you assume the minibus will pull up directly outside every hotel, so check the exact location and arrive ready before the stated time.

The same general network of stops is used for drop-off. You can return near places such as Hallgrimskirkja, City Hall, the Bus Terminal, Hilton Reykjavik Nordica, Hotel Klettur, and several central bus stops.

Leaving the city lights behind

Once everyone is aboard, the tour heads away from Reykjavik in search of darker skies. The exact route depends on cloud cover, weather, and the aurora forecast. That flexibility is important. A fixed sightseeing route would look tidy on paper, but it would be less useful when the clear sky is somewhere else.

The tour includes a secret stop for photography and sightseeing. The location is not specified in advance, and that is part of the point. Guides may stop in a dark open area, near a lake, by mountains, or farther along the coast depending on conditions. Reports from different nights describe drives to open fields, mountain areas, and, on one occasion, as far as Seljalandsfoss.

Do not expect a classic sightseeing tour with a long list of named attractions. The scenery is there to frame the sky, not to provide a daytime Iceland itinerary. You may see snow-covered mountains, a lake, open countryside, or distant waterfalls, but the guide’s first job is finding darkness and a break in the clouds.

The drive itself can be one of the more scenic parts of the evening, though the road time varies. On difficult nights, the guide may travel more than two hours from Reykjavik to find clearer conditions. That shows commitment, but it also means a longer ride and less time standing at a single photogenic location.

The real purpose of the secret stop

At the stop, the guide checks the sky and decides how long to wait. The aurora can appear quickly after leaving Reykjavik, or you may need patience. One night produced a show within minutes, while another required moving to a second location before the sky came alive.

That changing rhythm is why the tour offers activities rather than simply asking you to stare upward. You may spend time outside watching the horizon, return to the warm minibus, then head back out when the forecast improves. The guide may also move the group if cloud cover thickens or activity begins elsewhere.

This is a good setup for first-time aurora watchers. You learn that the Northern Lights are not a stage performance with a fixed start time. Even a strong forecast only improves your odds. Local beliefs about the lights, including their links with old Viking stories and gods, add a human side to the science.

The guides also explain the aurora itself. Exact teaching styles vary by guide, but people have praised Kobe, Tomas, Trond, Emil, and others for explaining both the science and Icelandic folklore. Trond’s old-gods approach, used while the forecast looked poor, gave the wait a bit of theater without pretending that nature could be controlled.

Viking portraits while the sky makes up its mind

The costumes and replica weapons are the tour’s unusual feature. The outfits come from a local museum, and you can pose with Viking clothing and weapons while the camera records the moment.

Some portraits will look grand. Others may be hilariously awkward. That is part of the fun, especially for families and groups of friends. You are not expected to behave like a solemn professional model in freezing darkness. The costumes give you something to do, create a shared joke within the group, and produce photos that look different from standard aurora snapshots.

The Viking session also gives the photographer a chance to work with the group before the best lights appear. Night portraits require long exposure and careful positioning, so the guide may adjust the camera several times to include both people and sky. The strongest reports praise the team for making sure each person receives at least one good photo.

There is a small practical limit here. If the aurora is suddenly strong, you may want the sky to take priority over costumes. The most successful nights seem to include both, but the balance depends on timing. Think of the Viking portraits as a bonus activity, not the main reason to book an aurora hunt.

Professional photos that solve the phone problem

Aurora photography is harder than it looks. Your phone may show a faint green smear that your eyes barely detect, while the camera used by the guide can capture color and structure much more clearly. Getting people into that same frame is even harder.

The tour uses high-spec cameras for Northern Lights images and portraits. Guides take photos of each person or group, then send the images afterward. People have specifically praised the quality of the results, including shots with green, red, orange, and purple tones.

The guide may reposition the camera to capture more of the sky, adjust the group, or wait for a better burst of activity. Tomas was praised for handling long exposures and partial lighting in total darkness. That technical skill is a genuine part of the price.

You should still bring your own phone or camera if you want personal snapshots. But do not expect a quick handheld phone photo to match the provided images. If getting a strong souvenir portrait matters to you, this tour offers much better odds than trying to set up a tripod alone in a dark field.

Hot chocolate, cookies, and the cold-weather reality

Hot chocolate and cookies are included, with gingerbread mentioned as part of the snack offering. Some batches of hot chocolate are made by the guide’s wife, which gives the refreshment a homemade touch. Blankets have also been provided on some outings, and the minibus can be kept warm while you wait.

These are not grand extras, but they change the experience. You may spend a long time outside watching a quiet sky, and warm chocolate gives everyone a reason to regroup. It also keeps the waiting period from feeling like a failed tour if the aurora is slow to appear.

Dress more warmly than you think you need. Bring proper winter clothing, including layers that you can remove inside the minibus. The vehicle is heated, but space is limited, so bulky coats and spare gear can quickly crowd the seats.

Cold is not the only issue. Wind, cloud, snow, and slippery roads can affect the evening. Guides have been praised for safe driving on icy and foggy roads, but you should still expect a night outdoors rather than a comfortable coach ride from start to finish.

The free retry policy deserves attention

The company offers unlimited free retries until you see the lights. If your first trip is canceled or goes ahead without a sighting, you can contact the operator and reschedule without paying again.

This policy is one of the strongest reasons to choose this tour. Several people had to try twice, and some changed dates more than once as forecasts shifted. Communication about weather and rescheduling has generally been described as quick and helpful.

The policy has limits. There is no refund simply because the aurora does not appear. Once you join the tour, you cannot cancel for a refund, although cancellations made at least 24 hours before the scheduled experience qualify for a full refund under the stated policy.

You also need enough time in Reykjavik to use a retry. If you are leaving Iceland the next morning, the free second attempt may not help. Book early enough in your stay to leave room for bad weather.

Who will get the most from this tour

I would choose this outing if the Northern Lights are one of your main reasons for visiting Iceland. The combination of local hunting, professional portraits, warm drinks, and free retries gives you several ways to get value from an uncertain night.

It is also a good fit for families with children aged seven and up. The costumes, replica weapons, snacks, and friendly guides give younger participants something to enjoy while waiting. Children under seven are not permitted.

Couples and solo visitors benefit from the portrait service. You do not need to ask a stranger to take a blurry phone picture, and the guide can include you in a proper composition. Small groups of friends will enjoy the Viking photos, especially if everyone is happy to look a little ridiculous for five minutes.

I would hesitate if you dislike night driving, waiting outside, or flexible plans. This is not a quick city excursion. You may spend much of the four hours in the vehicle, and the route can change at short notice. If you need a guaranteed attraction, no Northern Lights tour can provide one.

Is $148 a fair price?

At $148, this is not the cheapest way to search for the aurora. The value comes from the package: transport, an English-speaking guide, an experienced photographer, Viking costumes, replica weapons, hot chocolate, cookies, and free repeat attempts.

The small group is especially important. A large coach may cost less, but you will have less personal attention and may need to manage your own photographs. Here, the guide works to give everyone a turn, explains the conditions, and may drive farther when the first location is poor.

The strongest value appears when the first night fails and you can return for free. If you see a strong aurora and receive several excellent photos, the price also feels easier to justify. If the sky remains closed and you cannot fit in another attempt, the cost will feel high despite the effort involved.

Should you book Aurora Viking?

Book this tour if you want more than a bus ride to a dark parking area. The small group, serious photography, Viking props, and warm snacks make the waiting time useful and entertaining. Guides such as Emil, Kobe, Tomas, BG, and Johan have shown the patience needed for a fickle sky, and the free retry policy reduces the risk.

Go in with realistic expectations. You might see the aurora within minutes, or you might chase clear skies for hours. You may receive spectacular red and green portraits, or you may need to use the retry offer. If you can accept that uncertainty, this is a strong choice for a personal, photo-focused Northern Lights night from Reykjavik.

FAQ

How long is the Northern Lights tour?

The tour lasts four hours, including pickup, the search for dark skies, photography stops, activities, and drop-off.

How many people can join the minibus?

The minibus holds a maximum of 18 people, allowing a smaller group than a typical large coach excursion.

What happens if I do not see the Northern Lights?

You can join the tour again for free until you see the lights. There is no refund if the aurora does not appear, so you need enough time in Iceland to use a retry.

Are professional photographs included?

Yes. A guide and photographer use high-spec cameras to take Northern Lights photos and Viking portraits. The photos are sent to you after the tour.

Are costumes and Viking weapons provided?

Yes. The tour provides Viking costumes and replica weapons sourced from a local museum for photographs and entertainment while you wait.

Is the tour suitable for young children?

Children under seven are not permitted. Children aged seven and older may join, and the costumes, snacks, and activities can make the waiting period more enjoyable for them.