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Northern Lights Cruise: Unique Reykjavik Experience with Expert Guide

3.9

311 Ratings

Reykjavík

Embark on a unique Northern Lights cruise from Reykjavik and witness the mesmerizing aurora borealis away from city lights. Learn about the myths and scientific phenomena from an expert guide.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Special Tours - Board a comfortable viewing boat and sail out from Reykjavik’s coast toward Faxaflói Bay to begin your once-in-a-lifetime northern lights experience.

The northern lights (aurora borealis) create a natural light formation in the sky in the Arctic’s upper atmosphere, about 50 miles (80 km) high. The overwhelming appearance was named by the French philosopher Pierre Gassendi after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek god of the north wind, Boreas.

Your expert guide will tell you all about the fascinating and beautiful northern lights, including the folklore and superstition behind them, as well as the underlying scientific facts that make this magical light show possible. Admire the stellar lights from the luxurious and cozy viewing area and warm yourself up with hot coffee, tea and chocolate and light refreshments (refreshments on own expense).

What's Included

Free photography assistance from crew members
Complimentary tour photos available for download
Thermal overalls provided in all sizes
Access to free WiFi and warm indoor seating
New Special Tours App in multiple languages
Free retry-ticket if no sightings occur on the tour

What's Not Included

Food and drink (can be purchased on board)
Hotel transfers (can be added for an additional fee)

Additional Information

Experience the mesmerizing northern lights, otherwise known as aurora borealis, aboard a cozy cruise embarking from Reykjavik. Step away from Iceland’s coastline to witness this natural marvel, detached from the city’s illumination. Embark on a unique lifetime journey as you gain insights into the legends and scientific aspects of the lights from your proficient local guide.

Subject to favorable weather conditions.
If cancelled due to inclement weather you will be given the option to reschedule or receive a full refund (if you have not joined the tour previously). If conditions to see the lights still look good, but sea conditions are poor, you will be offered a Northern Lights by Bus tour instead. Please note that the coach tour is the same price as the boat tour, and therefore if you choose to join the coach tour in these circumstances, a refund will not be offered.
If you join the tour and there are no sightings you will get another ticket to join on the next available day. No refund if you have already been on the tours and used the service. This offer does not expire and can also be used in a few years.
Hotel pick up: Available to book directly with supplier (Extra Fees Apply).

Location

Special Tours

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

3.9

(311 Ratings)

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1 star

Frances_b

Mar 31, 2024

Dancing lights in Reykjavík. - I had wanted to go and see the Northern Lights for ages. The challenge was to find a way to do this without having to freeze for hours driving around without access to a bathroom. The boat tour was a perfect solution- 2 hours long and access to warmth and amenities throughout. Some aspects of seeing the lights are down to luck. We were very lucky! We sailed slowly out into the harbour and almost immediately, there was an arc of lights above us, like a pale green rainbow. As we sailed on, further away from the shore, the lights grew stronger, eventually waving and dancing, a beautiful green curtain across the sky. The lights we saw were spectacular and completely visible to the naked eye. A true lifelong memory!

Review provided by Viator

Daniel

Mar 28, 2024

Informative and enjoyable boat tour - After trying to find the northern lights ourselves, we decided to bite the bullet and purchase the tour. On the first night, although we did see a weak sighting, they decided that we would be able to come back another day free of charge, and we attended the following day. Our second visit was much more successful than the first night with plenty of sightings and even a couple of strong arches. The staff aboard the boats both nights were kind, informative, and very helpful - teaching all on board how and why the lights form, what each country’s ancestors believed they were, and were very accommodating for all levels (children and adults). Aboard the boats, there were hot and cold beverages, as well as snacks to keep us busy in between sightings. If you are lucky to see some lights on the tour, you don’t need to worry about taking photos yourself if you’d rather focus on the moment - the staff take photos and upload them for you to download free of charge. Overall, it was a really good experience and we’re all glad we chose to head out on the hunt with this company!