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

The hunt starts after dark. This four-hour Reykjavik excursion pairs a small minibus group of up to 18 with an experienced local guide and photographer, then adds Viking costumes, replica weapons, hot chocolate, and professional night photography. I like the personal feel and the serious effort guides such as Emil, Tomas, Kobe, and BG put into finding clear skies. The main catch is simple: the Aurora remains wild and unpredictable, and the minibus can feel cramped when everyone returns inside wearing bulky winter layers.

I also like that a missed display does not end the story. Aurora Viking offers free retries until you see the lights, although there is no refund if the Northern Lights stay hidden. At $148 per person, this costs more than a basic bus chase, but the photos, smaller group, local stories, and patient guides make it a fair choice for anyone who considers the Aurora a main reason for visiting Iceland.

Key points at a glance

• Small-group chasing: The minibus holds no more than 18 people and can reach places large coaches cannot.
• Professional Aurora photos: A high-spec camera is used for portraits beneath the Northern Lights, with Viking outfits available for extra character.
• Free retries: If the lights do not appear, you may join again at no charge until you see them.
• Useful winter comforts: Hot chocolate, gingerbread or cookies, blankets, and a heated minibus help during long waits.
• Local Viking angle: Guides explain Icelandic and Viking connections with the Aurora while you handle museum-sourced replica weapons.
• Four hours from Reykjavik: Hotel and designated bus-stop pickup and drop-off keep the evening simple.

Why this Northern Lights tour is different

Many Aurora outings are built around one thing: driving away from Reykjavik and hoping the sky cooperates. This one gives you something to do during the waiting, which matters more than it may seem. Clouds, weather, and solar activity rarely follow your schedule. A costume photo and a cup of hot chocolate cannot create the Aurora, but they can keep a slow night from becoming four hours of staring at clouds.

Aurora Viking is run by owners Kolbeinn and Emil, who have decades of experience searching for the lights. Guides named in recent outings include BG, Tomas, Kobe, Johan, Felix, Trond, Jonas, and Emil. The names may change from night to night, but the pattern is consistent: watch the forecast, search for openings in the clouds, and keep moving when a better patch of sky appears.

That effort is the heart of the experience. One evening, Emil drove roughly two hours toward Seljalandsfoss to find a break in the clouds. On another, Kobe shifted plans quickly when the Aurora appeared near Reykjavik. This is not a promise that you will see anything. It is a sign that the company treats the chase as an active search rather than a fixed drive to one viewing point.

Pickup around Reykjavik and the first drive

Pickup is offered from 16 locations around Reykjavik. These include major hotels such as Icelandair Hotel Reykjavik Natura, Hotel Iceland, Hilton Reykjavik Nordica, and Hotel Klettur, along with central bus stops including Tjornin, Lækjargata, Skulagata, Safnahusid, City Hall, Hallgrimskirkja, Snorrabraut, Miðbakki, Höfðatorg, and Rauðarárstígur. You can also meet at the Reykjavik Bus Terminal.

The pickup system is practical, but pay close attention to your exact location. At the designated point, the driver will call out your name. Reykjavik uses numbered bus stops for tour transport, and a hotel door is not always the same thing as a pickup point.

After collecting the group, the minibus heads out of the city glow. That smaller vehicle is useful in two ways. It limits the group to 18, and it gives the guide more flexibility to use roads and stopping places that are not suited to a full-size coach. You might still share the evening with a full minibus, but the setup is far more personal than a large coach with dozens of people.

There is one practical tradeoff. A full minibus means less room for bulky coats, camera bags, and extra layers. One person specifically found the vehicle cramped after dressing for the cold. Wear your warm clothing, but organize your layers so you can sit comfortably and store what you remove.

The secret stop and the real Aurora chase

The published plan lists a secret stop for sightseeing and photography rather than naming a fixed destination. That flexibility is a strength. The guide can choose a darker area based on cloud cover, activity, and the best chance of seeing the sky open.

Do not expect a neat sightseeing loop with a string of famous attractions. The point is to get away from city light and find a useful view. On different nights, guides have driven toward lakes, snowy mountains, open fields, and the south coast. One outing used two separate stops, while another continued more than two hours from Reykjavik before finding a clear patch.

The guide’s decisions matter most here. Tomas has been praised for explaining why he chose a particular location and for waiting when the first signs were weak. Kobe has driven to isolated spots where no other tour vehicles were present. Emil has stayed out beyond the planned end when the display looked possible. These choices can produce a memorable night, but they also mean the exact route and stop length are not fixed.

The best advice is to treat the tour as a search, not a scheduled show. You could see the Aurora within minutes of leaving town. You could also spend most of the evening waiting for a hole in the clouds. The company cannot control solar activity or weather, and no guide can predict the lights with certainty.

The retry policy helps soften that risk. If you do not see the Aurora, you may join again free of charge until you do. There is no refund for a night without a sighting, and once you join the tour, the booking itself is not refundable. Still, the retry offer is one of the strongest points in the package, especially if you have several nights in Reykjavik.

Viking costumes, weapons, and stories

While you wait, the guide brings out Viking costumes and replica weapons sourced from a local museum. You can dress up for portraits, handle the replicas, and pose beneath the night sky. The activity is playful rather than a formal museum visit, so it works best if you enjoy a little theater with your photography.

The Viking theme is not random decoration. Guides explain local beliefs and the connections Vikings made with the Northern Lights. Trond, for example, used stories about the old gods while the group searched under uncertain skies. That sort of storytelling gives the waiting time a sense of place, even if the Aurora refuses to appear.

The costume photos may be polished, funny, or both. The company openly accepts that some images turn out wonderfully while others become comic souvenirs. I consider that a plus. You are not being pushed into a solemn postcard pose all evening. The Viking gear gives families, couples, and friends a reason to laugh while the camera is being set up.

Children under seven cannot join. For older children, the costumes and replica weapons may make this easier to enjoy than a plain Aurora drive, especially during a long wait. Keep in mind that this is still a late, cold outing, so the length of the evening matters for younger members of your group.

Professional photos under the Northern Lights

The included photography is a major reason to compare this tour with cheaper options. Aurora Viking uses high-spec cameras suited to dark conditions, then takes portraits with the Aurora behind you. Guides have also used the equipment to photograph each person in the group, repositioning the camera as needed so nobody is left out.

Northern Lights photography is not as easy as pointing a phone at the sky. Long exposures, darkness, wind, and moving people all make the job tricky. Tomas has been praised for producing strong results in those conditions, and several guides have sent images to participants after the outing.

You should not assume every picture will look identical. The brightness and color of the Aurora change from night to night, and some displays are faint to the naked eye but show more clearly through a camera. On stronger evenings, the photos may capture green, red, orange, or purple tones and the shape of the lights above snowy mountains or open country.

The company’s approach is generous with photo time. Guides make sure each person gets at least one portrait, then allow additional turns when time permits. A small group makes this much easier than a large coach outing, where dozens of people may be competing for a short turn beside the camera.

If photography matters to you, bring your own phone or camera too, but do not expect it to replace the included setup. The professional camera is the real advantage here. You can take the finished images home and print them, giving the $148 price a lasting value beyond the night itself.

Hot chocolate, gingerbread, and staying warm

The cold is not a minor detail. You may spend time outside in darkness, waiting for the sky to change, then return to the vehicle to warm up. The tour includes hot chocolate and cookies, often described as gingerbread, and some outings have also included blankets.

The warm drink is more than a sweet extra. It gives the group a natural pause and makes a long wait easier. One guide served multiple cups, while another kept the minibus heated so people could step inside between checks of the sky. These small touches matter when the wind picks up or the Aurora takes its time.

Bring warm clothing as instructed. A good winter coat, hat, gloves, and sturdy footwear are sensible choices, though the provided information does not specify particular clothing or footwear requirements. Dress for standing outside, not just for sitting in the minibus.

The heated vehicle is helpful, but do not treat it as a substitute for proper clothing. The van is not especially roomy when everyone is carrying layers. Pack light and keep your most useful cold-weather items easy to reach.

Is $148 a good value?

At $148 per person, this is not the cheapest Northern Lights trip from Reykjavik. The price makes more sense when you count what is included: four hours of transport, pickup and drop-off, a live English-speaking guide, professional photography, Viking costumes, replica weapons, hot chocolate, and cookies.

The free retry policy also changes the value calculation. A single unsuccessful night is disappointing, but you can return without paying another tour fee until you see the lights. That is especially useful if you are staying in Reykjavik for several nights. If you fly home the next morning, the policy is less useful because you may not have time to try again.

The small group is another real benefit. A maximum of 18 people means less waiting for portraits and a better chance to ask questions. You also avoid the feel of a large coach operation. The compromise is the compact minibus, which can feel tight when everyone is bundled up.

I would choose this tour over a cheaper option if the Aurora is one of my top Iceland priorities. If you mainly want a low-cost drive outside the city and do not care about portraits or Viking activities, a basic chase may be enough.

What the strongest outings have in common

The best nights depend on nature, but the guide’s work can make the difference between a poor chance and a good one. On difficult evenings, guides have continued searching after other companies canceled. One outing went ahead despite a forecast showing no apparent chance, and the group eventually saw the lights.

That does not mean you should expect the guide to defeat bad weather every time. It means the team uses the four-hour window actively. Guides check for clear skies, drive toward better conditions, and sometimes move between locations instead of settling for a weak glimpse.

Communication is another strength. When weather made an outing unwise, the company contacted people and made rescheduling easy. A few bookings were shifted more than once without an extra charge. That flexibility is useful in Iceland, where conditions can change quickly.

Safety also matters on a night drive. One account described icy and foggy roads on the return, but the driver felt careful and experienced. You should still expect winter driving conditions and understand that a determined search can mean a longer ride than planned.

Who should book this experience?

I would recommend it to couples who want professional portraits, families with children aged seven and older, and first-time Aurora hunters who want both science and local stories. It also suits anyone who has only a few nights in Iceland and wants a serious attempt rather than a casual outing.

The tour is a good match if you enjoy small groups, flexible routing, and a guide who keeps trying when the first stop is disappointing. It is less suitable if you dislike waiting outdoors, need lots of vehicle space, or want a precise sightseeing itinerary with named attractions.

Photographers should appreciate the included camera work, while casual photographers can simply enjoy receiving images without learning night photography on the spot. The Viking costumes make the evening less formal and give non-photographers something fun to do.

I would be cautious about booking it for a child under seven because the age restriction rules it out. I would also avoid putting this on the last possible night of an Iceland trip unless you accept the risk of no sighting and have no time for a retry.

Practical advice before you book

Choose a pickup point you can reach easily and arrive ready for the driver to identify you. Keep warm layers accessible, since you may move between the minibus and open-air viewing areas several times.

Build flexibility into your Iceland schedule if you can. The retry policy is valuable only when you have another evening available. If the forecast looks poor, contact the company and ask about moving your booking, since several outings have been rescheduled smoothly because of weather.

Expect the exact route to change. The secret stop may be near a lake, an open field, snowy mountains, or farther along the south coast. That uncertainty is part of the hunt, and it is also why the experience cannot promise a particular view.

Should you book Aurora Viking?

Book it if you want more than a bus ride and a faint green smudge. The small group, serious search effort, professional portraits, Viking dress-up, hot chocolate, and free retries give this tour a strong case at $148.

I would book it with realistic expectations. The Aurora is never guaranteed, and a guide cannot order it into the sky. But if you give yourself a flexible evening, dress warmly, and value the personal service, Aurora Viking offers a thoughtful way to chase one of Iceland’s most unpredictable sights.

FAQ

How long is the Aurora Viking tour?

The tour lasts four hours, including pickup, the evening search, photography, sightseeing, and drop-off.

How many people can join the minibus?

The minibus carries a maximum of 18 people. This allows a smaller group and access to places that large buses may not reach.

What happens if I do not see the Northern Lights?

You can join the tour again free of charge until you see the lights. There is no refund for a night without an Aurora sighting.

Are professional photos included?

Yes. A guide and photographer are included, along with high-spec cameras for Northern Lights portraits and Viking-themed photos.

What food and drinks are included?

Hot chocolate and cookies are included. The cookies are also described as gingerbread in the tour details.

Can young children join the tour?

Children under seven are not permitted to join. The activity is available for children aged seven and older, subject to the tour’s general conditions.