Leave central Reykjavik after dark in a super jeep with a small group and a guide who reads Icelandic weather and aurora forecasts. The evening combines aurora hunting with stargazing through a powerful telescope, homemade hot chocolate and guest photos when the sky turns green.
After pickup, your guide drives away from city light pollution toward the clearest skies the forecasts allow. The route is not fixed: you may stop more than once as clouds move, stepping out onto lava fields or coastal viewpoints when safety and visibility allow. While waiting for aurora activity, the telescope is aimed at bright objects such as the moon, Saturn or distant star clusters whenever humidity and wind cooperate.
When the northern lights appear, you pause to watch and photograph the display before continuing the hunt if activity shifts. Between stops you are offered traditional homemade hot chocolate and pastry, and your guide captures photos of your group under the aurora when conditions allow. The evening ends with drop-off back at your Reykjavik address, typically in the early hours depending on how long the sky stays active.
Departures are tied to Reykjavik pickup rather than a single fixed pin, because aurora hunting follows the weather across southwest Iceland. Your guide chooses among darker areas outside the capital where forecasts show the best mix of clear sky and aurora potential for that night.
Southwest Iceland sits within the auroral oval, but success still needs darkness, solar activity and breaks in the cloud. Guides chase the clearest sectors they can reach safely rather than following a fixed route, because conditions can shift quickly through a winter night.
No previous aurora or stargazing experience is required. You should be comfortable standing outside at night in winter temperatures for extended periods and able to enter and exit a high-clearance jeep with moderate steps.
Guests aged ten and above are welcome on this shared departure. Dress as if you were skiing at night: layered wool, windproof outerwear, insulated boots, hat and thick gloves are essential.
Evening tours are led by guides who combine meteorology with space-weather monitoring rather than following a scripted sightseeing loop. Small groups keep the jeep unhurried, so stops can be extended when the aurora flares or cut short when clouds roll in.
Photography, warm drinks on cold nights and honest talk about forecast limits reflect how seriously the team treats hospitality under the Arctic sky.
Your guide meets you at your central Reykjavik accommodation between 21:00 and 21:30. After a short briefing on the evening forecast, the super jeep heads out of the city toward darker skies chosen from live weather and aurora data.
Please be ready at the curb or agreed pickup point on time so the group can reach the best viewing areas before activity peaks.
Stops are made wherever forecasts suggest the clearest breaks in the cloud. You step out onto Icelandic lava or coastal viewpoints, use the stargazing telescope while waiting, and watch for aurora arcs when solar activity arrives.
Homemade hot chocolate and pastry are served during the wait, and your guide captures photos of your group when the northern lights appear.
When activity fades or clouds close in, the jeep returns toward Reykjavik with drop-off at your pickup address.
Your guide keeps you updated throughout the drive home so you know when to expect arrival at your accommodation.
There is no fixed meeting point for this tour. Share your central Reykjavik accommodation address ahead of the evening so the driver can collect you between 21:00 and 21:30.
Drop-off is at the same address at the end of the evening unless you agree another central Reykjavik location with your guide on the night.
This is a small-group evening tour in a super jeep with a local guide. You share the vehicle with other guests (minimum two, maximum ten per guide, with up to two jeeps travelling together when needed). Pickup is door to door anywhere in central Reykjavik between 21:00 and 21:30.
Optional extras such as tripod rental and hand or foot warmers may be available when offered. The core experience focuses on guiding, transport, stargazing and time under the sky.
Central Reykjavik pickup is included. Your guide collects you from your accommodation or agreed address in the city centre between 21:00 and 21:30, then drops you back at the end of the evening once the final viewing stop finishes.
There is no separate meeting point to find in the dark. Share your pickup location ahead of the tour so the driver knows where to stop, and be ready at the curb with outer layers on because the first clear sector may appear quickly.
Plan for roughly three to five hours out, depending on cloud cover, driving distance and how long the sky stays active. Most of that time is spent outside the city where light pollution is lower, with several potential stops as forecasts shift through the night.
The evening is unhurried: you may pause multiple times as clouds move, with time for stargazing through the telescope while you wait for aurora activity to arrive on the horizon.
The minimum age is ten years because of the late hours and time standing outdoors in cold conditions. Younger children are not accepted on the shared small-group departure, which keeps pacing suited to guests who can tolerate a long winter night.
Teens and adults share the same small-group format. Contact us before you travel if anyone in your party has mobility concerns so we can advise on vehicle access and standing time at each stop.
Dress in serious winter layers: wool base layers, a thick sweater, windproof jacket and trousers, insulated boots, hat and mittens. You will stand still on cold ground while watching the sky, so clothing matters as much as forecasts.
Heat pads, ski-style outerwear and spare socks make a noticeable difference. Tripod rental and disposable warmers are optional extras when offered, which helps if you plan longer aurora exposures.
Your guide uses meteorology and space-weather data to choose routes away from city glow. While waiting, a powerful telescope is set up so you can explore the moon, planets and deep-sky objects when skies are clear enough for stable viewing.
Stargazing depends on humidity, wind and cloud, and visible targets change through the year. Aurora displays themselves can never be guaranteed on any single night, even when the telescope session is memorable.
Homemade hot chocolate and a traditional Icelandic pastry are served during the outing. Guest photos under the aurora are taken when conditions allow, alongside professional guiding, super jeep transport and Reykjavik pickup.
Tripod rental and hand or foot warmers are optional extras rather than part of the standard inclusions unless you choose those add-ons when they are offered.
A phone or mirrorless camera works well when the aurora appears, and a tripod helps for longer exposures if you rent one or bring your own mount with a stable head. Your guide can suggest simple settings while you stay warm at the side of the jeep.
Photos of your group under the lights are part of the experience when the sky cooperates, which gives you a shared memory even if your own camera battery struggles in the cold.
Most stops involve stepping out onto snow or lava beside the jeep rather than long hikes. Distances stay short so the group can move quickly when forecasts shift, though ground can be uneven and slippery in winter.
Wear insulated boots with good grip and tell your guide if anyone in your party needs extra time getting in and out of the vehicle at each stop.
Southwest Iceland sits inside the auroral oval, yet any single night still needs darkness, solar activity and breaks in the cloud. Your guide reads live forecasts and chooses routes away from city glow rather than following a fixed loop.
Displays can flare for minutes or linger for hours, and stargazing through the telescope fills the waits when the sky is clear even if aurora activity stays quiet.
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About the centre
Reykjavik
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