Northern Lights in Iceland: visitor guide

What to expect at the Northern Lights in Iceland

The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) are the most sought-after natural phenomenon in Iceland and the primary reason a significant proportion of visitors choose to visit in winter, a display of coloured light in the night sky caused by electrically charged particles from the sun interacting with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the Earth's upper atmosphere at altitudes of 100–300km. The characteristic curtains, bands and waves of green (the most common colour, produced by oxygen at about 100km altitude), purple, pink and red (oxygen and nitrogen at varying altitudes) are visible from Iceland with particular frequency because the country sits within the auroral oval, the band of maximum auroral activity that encircles the magnetic poles.

Solar cycle

In addition, the solar cycle determines the frequency and intensity of Northern Lights displays. Aurora activity follows an 11-year solar cycle peaking at solar maximum (when the sun's electromagnetic activity is highest) and declining toward solar minimum. The solar maximum of Solar Cycle 25 peaked in about 2024–2025, meaning the 2025–2026 winter season should offer exceptional Northern Lights activity by historical standards. The frequency of major geomagnetic storms and vivid multi-coloured displays is highest at solar maximum and in the years immediately following it.

The fundamental requirements for seeing the Northern Lights are: darkness (the sky must be dark, Iceland's midnight sun season, May–July, means lights are not visible despite the aurora being active) clear skies (clouds prevent viewing entirely) And solar activity (a geomagnetic storm of KP 2 or higher is generally needed for visible activity in Iceland's southern latitude). In addition, the Northern Lights are visible in Iceland from about late August to mid-April, with the period November–February giving the longest periods of complete darkness. The aurora forecast at vedur.is (the Icelandic Met Office) provides cloud cover and aurora activity (KP index) forecasts updated every 3 hours, checking this in the evening before planning a viewing excursion is essential.

Best viewing locations

In general, the best viewing locations from Reykjavik are those with low light pollution to the north and east, the Grótta lighthouse at the western tip of the Seltjarnarnes peninsula (10 minutes' drive from central Reykjavik), the Öskjuhlíð hill behind the Perlan building, and the Elliðaárdalur valley park are all accessible from the city. Leaving the capital entirely gives dramatically better views, the Reykjanes Peninsula lava fields to the southwest, the Þingvellir area 45km northeast and the South Coast to the east are all within reasonable driving distance and offer much darker skies.

Northern Lights tours

Northern Lights tours from Reykjavik (about ISK 8,000–12,000 per person, 3–4 hours) offer the advantage of experienced guides who monitor the aurora forecast throughout the evening, adjust the destination based on real-time cloud cover data, and provide photography assistance. Most tours offer a guarantee of a repeat tour or refund if no aurora is seen (dependent on weather rather than solar activity, since weather is the primary limiting factor). Self-driving with a rental car and the vedur.is forecast app is equally effective for experienced travellers.

Photographing the Northern Lights requires: a camera with manual exposure control, a wide-angle lens (14–24mm), a tripod, and a remote shutter release or self-timer. A starting exposure of ISO 1600, f/2.8, 10–15 seconds captures most displays. Bright activity may need ISO 800 and 5–8 seconds for detail. Faint activity may need ISO 3200 and 20–25 seconds. Modern smartphone cameras (particularly the iPhone 15 Pro and Samsung S24 and later models with their dedicated Night Mode and Astrophotography modes) can capture aurora displays that would have required a dedicated camera five years ago, making Northern Lights photography accessible to most visitors.