Northern Lights Boat Tours Reykjavik

Reykjavik's street lights wash out a faint aurora, but twenty minutes out on Faxaflói Bay the sky goes properly dark. From early autumn to spring, boats leave the Old Harbour on clear evenings and drift with their lights low while everyone watches the north. Five of those cruises cover every kind of night on offer, from a classic heated boat with overalls to a small motor yacht. Each one's price sits below next to what happens if the sky stays grey.

  • Aurora season: September to mid-AprilThe boats sail while the nights are dark enough. Nobody can tell you weeks ahead which evenings will be clear
  • Go on your first free nightA cloudy evening gets you a free retry on most boats, but only if you still have nights left in Reykjavik

In a hurry? Our top pick is Elding's classic aurora cruise: ~$105 a person for a heated boat with warm overalls to borrow and a guide who calls out the lights. A cloudy night earns you a free second try. Book it here.

Book on Viator Book on GetYourGuide Compare all 5

Aurora cruises at a glance

  • Two hours, not a whole nightMost cruises last two to two and a half hours from the pier and back, so you are in bed before a bus tour gets home
  • Yachts and classic boatsA wood-panelled yacht with a bar, a motor yacht for 35, or a sturdy red-and-white boat that lends you overalls
  • Walk to the pierEvery boat here leaves the Old Harbour on Ægisgarður, a short walk from the city center, with hotel pickup as an option
  • Lights likely, never promisedThe aurora needs a clear sky and an active sun on the same evening. Cloud is the usual reason a boat comes home empty

If you only have a minute

Which Reykjavik aurora cruise should you book?

If a friend asked us how to see the northern lights from a boat in Reykjavik, this is what we would tell them over a coffee by the harbor.

The best northern lights boat tour from Reykjavik for most visitors is Elding's classic cruise, from ~$105. It lends you warm overalls for the open deck and has a heated saloon for warming up between bursts. A naturalist guide watches the sky with you, and if no lights appear you come back another night for free.

Want a warmer, more polished boat? Sea Trips' three-deck yacht at ~$103 has a bar and the most reviews in town, and Harpa Yachts' motor yacht at ~$93 can be as small as 35 guests. On a tight budget, the Sea Trips sightseeing cruise costs ~$98 with a return ticket valid for three years. For whales and lights on one day, Reykjavik Sailors' combo costs ~$194.

None of them can promise the aurora. Check what each cruise really costs and which months give the best odds, see how the evening runs, then read what the listings play down before you pay.

Our pick

The aurora cruise we would book: Elding, overalls included

Not the fanciest boat in the harbor. It is the one that keeps you warm on deck, tells you where to look, and gives you a second night when the first one is cloudy.

A smiling couple in red Elding overalls on the deck at night with a green aurora over the bay behind them Our pick

Northern Lights Cruise from Downtown Reykjavik, Elding

★★★★★ 4.5 from 600+ reviews on Viator · free cancellation up to 24 hours before

Elding is one of the long-standing whale-watching companies at the Old Harbour, and its winter evenings are spent hunting the aurora instead. You check in at its office on Ægisgarður and board a red-and-white boat with a heated indoor saloon and open viewing platforms. Warm overalls and raincoats are there to borrow, with blankets as well.

The boat sails past the lit waterfront while Harpa and Hallgrímskirkja glow behind you. Between October and early December the lit beam of the Imagine Peace Tower on Viðey is on the route too. Then it heads out into the darker water of Faxaflói Bay, where the naturalist guide explains the forecast and calls out the first arc of green.

Price
from ~$105 per person
Duration
About 2–2.5 hours
Boat
Heated saloon, open platforms, toilets
Group
Up to 150 guests (Viator listing)
Check-in
Elding office, Ægisgarður 5c, Old Harbour
To borrow
Warm overalls, raincoats, blankets
No lights?
Sail again another night, free
Cancellation
Free up to 24 hours before
Viator GetYourGuide

Live availability and prices on GetYourGuide

Powered by GetYourGuide

How the evening runs, step by step

The start time moves with the month and the sunset, so check it on the listing. The outline itself stays the same:

At the Old Harbour

  • Check in at Elding's office on Ægisgarður and pick up overalls
  • Sail out past the lit waterfront with Harpa and Hallgrímskirkja
  • The Imagine Peace Tower beam on Viðey, when it is lit (October to December)

On Faxaflói Bay

  • Engines slow, deck lights dim, the guide reads the sky
  • Watch from the platforms, warm up in the saloon with a drink from the café
  • Back at the pier about two to two and a half hours after leaving

What the price covers

The ticket pays for the warm kit and the second chance. What it leaves out is mostly the café and the sky itself.

Included
  • Warm overalls and raincoats, plus blankets
  • A naturalist guide on board
  • A free retry if no lights appear
  • Heated saloon with seats and toilets
Not included
  • Hot drinks and snacks (café on board)
  • Hotel pickup, which costs extra
  • Your own hat and gloves
  • A guarantee of the aurora

Between us, before you go

A word from one night-sky amateur to another. This is a big boat, and on a clear weekend night it fills. Get on board early and claim a spot on the upper platform before the first call from the guide. Faint aurora looks grey-white to the eye and green on a phone, so take a test shot when the guide points.

Overalls go over your own layers, not instead of them. Our guide to dressing for the deck covers the rest.

Why it beats the yachts

The yachts are prettier inside, but they hand you a blanket where Elding hands you overalls. On an open deck in a winter wind, that decides whether you stay out for the whole show or watch it through a window. The free retry is written plainly on the listing too, which is not true of every boat. Small yacht or big boat sets them side by side.

Who we would not send on it

Couples after a quiet, polished evening with a drink in hand, who will be happier on Sea Trips' yacht with its bar. Travelers who dislike crowds, who should try for the smaller of Harpa Yachts' two boats. And anyone flying home the next morning, for whom the free retry is worth nothing.

Book it if

You want the best odds of staying warm outside while the lights build. You like having a guide explain what you are seeing, and you have a few nights in Reykjavik to use a retry. It suits first-timers and families, and photographers too.

Skip it if

Ready for a dark night on the bay?

The cruise is on Viator and on GetYourGuide. Viator shows the higher score and far more reviews, and both let you cancel for free up to 24 hours before, so you can watch the cloud forecast before you commit.

Viator GetYourGuide

The evening itself

How a Reykjavik northern lights cruise works

Every trip on this page answers two questions differently. Do you want a plain two-hour sail out of the city glow, or a whole day on the water with whales first? And will you watch from a warm lounge or an open deck in overalls?

Style · one evening cruise

Out of the glow and back

Elding, Sea Trips yacht, Harpa Yachts, Sea Trips sightseeing

2–2.5 hOld Harbour, out onto Faxaflói Bay, wait for the sky, back

You walk to the pier after dinner and are back before midnight. The boat cannot outrun a cloud bank the way a bus can, but it leaves the street lights behind within half an hour and keeps a warm cabin a few steps away.

Style · whales by day, lights by night

A whole day on the bay

Reykjavik Sailors combo

About 6 ha whale-watching cruise in daylight, then an evening aurora cruise

Two trips on one ticket, with a break ashore in between. It costs nearly twice as much as a plain cruise and asks for a lot of cold air in one day. In return you get two chances at something wild instead of one.

Reykjavik darkness and weather, month by month

  • Rough hours of darkness each night
  1. Jan2°C high36 °F

    Longest nights but more cloud and storms

  2. Feb3°C high37 °F

    Still long nights, the light coming back

  3. Mar3°C high37 °F

    Equinox month, often a lively aurora

  4. Apr6°C high43 °F

    The last cruises sail by about mid-month

  5. May9°C high48 °F

    Too bright, the aurora season is over

  6. Jun12°C high54 °F

    Midnight sun plus puffin and whale trips

  7. Jul14°C high57 °F

    The warmest weeks, no night sky at all

  8. Aug13°C high55 °F

    Dark returns late in the month

  9. Sep10°C high50 °F

    First cruises, mild nights on deck

  10. Oct7°C high45 °F

    Peace Tower lit, nights long enough

  11. Nov4°C high39 °F

    Long dark evenings, before the holiday rush

  12. Dec2°C high36 °F

    Deepest dark, busy around the holidays

Temperatures are rough daytime highs in Reykjavik; out on the bay at night the wind makes it feel several degrees colder. The bars show roughly how many hours each night are dark enough for the aurora. Highlighted months are the ones we would pick for a mix of dark nights and calmer weather. The season in detail.

How each trip is spent

  • Sailing out and back
  • On the dark bay, watching the sky
  • May run longer

Hours count from departure and come from the listings; the split between sailing and waiting on the bay is approximate, because the captain stops wherever the sky looks best that night. The combo's two cruises run separately with a break ashore, which is not counted here.

  1. Watch the cloud forecastA clear patch matters more than a high aurora number. Book a cancellable ticket and decide on the day. The months and the odds.
  2. Go early in your tripIf the sky stays grey, most boats let you sail again for free. That only helps with nights to spare. The retry rules.
  3. Dress for wind on deckWool next to the skin, a hat over the ears and spare gloves. Overalls on top if your boat lends them. What to wear.
  4. Set your camera up ashoreNight mode or manual settings, flash off, before the boat is rocking in the dark. Photo tips.

Northern lights by boat or bus weighs a cruise against a land tour that drives out to dark fields. It also covers when the bus is the smarter choice.

How to choose

How to pick the right aurora cruise

The sky is the same for all five. What differs is the boat and the warmth on deck, plus what you get back when the clouds win.

Boat type

A classic boat with overalls, two kinds of yacht with lounges, or a plain budget cruiser. The boats compared.

Group size

Harpa Yachts can be as small as 35, Sea Trips takes up to 98 and Elding up to 150. Room at the rail.

Warm kit

Elding and Reykjavik Sailors lend overalls; the yachts give you a blanket. Dressing for the deck.

No lights?

Four of the five offer a free retry or a return ticket; Harpa Yachts' listing promises none. The retry rules.

Finding the boat

Elding checks in at its own office, the others at the Old Harbour House a few steps away. The pier explained.

Price

From ~$93 a person for a motor yacht to ~$194 for whales and lights on one day. Every price in one table.

Everything else to do in Reykjavik

The 5 tours

Five ways out onto the dark bay, side by side

We read every northern lights boat listing for Reykjavik on both booking sites and kept the strongest of each kind. Each card gives the price and the length along with the boat company. It also names the catch, with a button for each site that sells it.

Elding's boat lit up on the dark water of Faxaflói Bay with a band of green aurora above it Our pick

Northern Lights Cruise from Downtown Reykjavik, Elding

The one we would book for a first aurora night.

A classic red-and-white boat from Elding's own pier office that has a heated saloon and open platforms. Overalls and raincoats are there to borrow, and a naturalist guide calls out the lights. It passes the waterfront and the Peace Tower beam on the way out.

  • Rating4.5 from 600+ reviews on Viator
  • DurationAbout 2–2.5 hours
  • Tour companyElding
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsOveralls to borrow; guide on board; free retry if no lights
  • Ideal forFirst-timers and families, or anyone who wants to stay outside

Good to know: Up to 150 guests on the Viator listing, so the platforms fill on clear nights. Hot drinks and snacks cost extra, and hotel pickup is an added charge. How the retry works.

~$105per person
Viator GetYourGuide
A white yacht with its decks lit, sailing on the dark bay under a wide green aurora Most reviewed

Reykjavik Northern Lights Yacht Tour, Sea Trips Reykjavík

The polished yacht with a bar and three decks.

Two hours on a yacht with three panoramic decks outside and a bar and lounge inside. Blankets and seasickness tablets are on board, with Wi-Fi too. You check yourself in at a kiosk in the Old Harbour House half an hour before sailing.

  • Rating4.4 from 1,300+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • DurationAbout 2 hours
  • Tour companySea Trips Reykjavík
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsRoom on three decks; bar and lounge; free reschedule if no lights
  • Ideal forCouples and friends who want a drink and a warm seat

Good to know: Up to 98 guests, and it is sold on GetYourGuide only. You get a blanket rather than overalls, and drinks are for sale. Yacht or big boat.

~$103per person
GetYourGuide
A sleek white motor yacht cruising out of Reykjavik harbor with Harpa concert hall behind it Smallest boat

Northern Lights Motor Yacht Cruise, Harpa Yachts

The small yacht, if you draw the small one.

Two and a half hours behind the islands of Faxaflói Bay, past Viðey, on one of two motor yachts. MY Harpa takes up to 35 guests and MY Amelia Rose up to 95. Inside seating and warm blankets come with it, plus Wi-Fi.

  • Rating4.1 from 130+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • DurationAbout 2.5 hours
  • Tour companyHarpa Yachts
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsFewest guests on the small yacht; the lowest price here
  • Ideal forCouples who want a quieter deck

Good to know: You don't choose which yacht you get, and the listing promises no retry if the sky stays dark. Its scores are the lowest of the five. When the lights don't show.

~$93per person
GetYourGuide Viator
A two-deck white cruise boat on black water under swirling green northern lights Longest retry

Northern Lights Sightseeing Cruise, Sea Trips Reykjavík

The budget cruise with a ticket that keeps.

A plainer two-hour cruise from the Old Harbour House, with a double observation deck and a blanket for every seat. There are guides on board and drinks for sale. If the sky stays dark there is no refund, but you get a free return ticket valid for up to three years.

  • Rating4.3 from 400+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • DurationAbout 2 hours
  • Tour companySea Trips Reykjavík
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsLower price; a return ticket that lasts for years
  • Ideal forBudget travelers and anyone planning to come back

Good to know: Up to 98 guests and blankets only, on a simpler boat than the yachts. The Viator listing matches the GetYourGuide one in what it describes. Prices compared.

~$98per person
GetYourGuide Viator
A humpback whale breaching out of deep blue water on Faxaflói Bay, white spray around it Whales too

Whale Watching & Northern Lights Combo Cruise, Reykjavik Sailors

Two chances at the wild in one day.

A whale-watching cruise of two and a half to three hours in daylight, then a two-to-three-hour aurora cruise in the evening. Minke and humpback whales are the usual hopes, though the listing names white-beaked dolphins and harbor porpoises too. Warm flotation overalls and heated cabins are included, with seasickness tablets on board.

  • Rating4.4 from 130+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • DurationAbout 6 hours on the water, in two trips
  • Tour companyReykjavik Sailors
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsWhales and lights on one ticket; free retry if no sightings
  • Ideal forShort stays and wildlife fans

Good to know: Sold on GetYourGuide only, and nearly twice the price of a plain cruise. At some times of year it may run on a partner's shared boat. Planning both.

~$194per person
GetYourGuide

A small heads-up. These are GetYourGuide and Viator affiliate links, so when you book through one we earn a little commission and you pay exactly the same. It keeps this guide going and never touches our ranking or the catches we point out.

Before you go

Eight things about aurora cruises that no listing puts in big letters

None of these sits at the top of a booking page, and each one decides whether you come home with green on your camera roll or a cold, grey evening.

What you should know

  1. Cloud beats everything. A strong aurora forecast means nothing behind solid cloud. Watch the cloud map on the day and keep your booking cancellable. The odds by month.
  2. The retry is the real value. Elding and both Sea Trips cruises offer another try when the sky stays dark, as does the combo. A retry only helps if you book an early night of your stay. The rules, boat by boat.
  3. Faint aurora looks grey. To the eye a weak display is a pale band, while a phone in night mode shows it green. Ask the guide where to point.
  4. Blankets are not overalls. The yachts hand out blankets. Elding and Reykjavik Sailors lend full overalls, which matters on an open deck in wind. What to wear.
  5. The bay can roll. Faxaflói is sheltered, but a winter swell still moves a boat. Take a tablet before you board, not when you feel it. Seasickness.
  6. Two piers, one harbor. Elding checks in at its own office, the yachts at the Old Harbour House. Both are on Ægisgarður, a few minutes apart. Finding your boat.
  7. Pickup costs more. Elding charges extra for a hotel pickup, and on the others it is an option at a higher price. From most central hotels the walk is shorter than the wait for the bus.
  8. The deck is colder than town. A night near freezing feels far colder on a moving boat in the wind. Wool underneath keeps you outside when the lights come. Layers for the deck.

Everything in one table

Five aurora cruises, catch included

The five tours side by side. Each row sets the strength of a cruise against its catch.

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →

Tour Ideal for Price Length Starts from Tour company and rating Strength and catch Book
Elding classic cruise (our pick) A first aurora night ~$105per person About 2–2.5 h Elding office, Ægisgarður 5c Elding
4.5 on Viator		 Overalls, guide, free retry. Big boat, up to 150 guests.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Sea Trips three-deck yacht A warm seat and a drink ~$103per person About 2 h Old Harbour House, Ægisgarður 2 Sea Trips Reykjavík
4.4 on GetYourGuide		 Bar, lounge, free reschedule. Blankets only, GetYourGuide only.
GetYourGuide
Harpa Yachts motor yacht A quieter deck ~$93per person About 2.5 h Old Harbour House, Ægisgarður 2 Harpa Yachts
4.1 on GetYourGuide		 As few as 35 guests. Boat assigned, no retry promised.
GetYourGuideViator
Sea Trips sightseeing cruise A tight budget ~$98per person About 2 h Old Harbour House, Ægisgarður 2 Sea Trips Reykjavík
4.3 on GetYourGuide		 Return ticket valid 3 years. No refund for no lights, plain boat.
GetYourGuideViator
Reykjavik Sailors whale and aurora combo Short stays, wildlife fans ~$194per person About 6 h, two trips Old Harbour Reykjavik Sailors
4.4 on GetYourGuide		 Whales by day, overalls, free retry. Nearly double the price, a long day.
GetYourGuide

About the numbers. Prices are "from" rates per person in US dollars and can show lower on either site. Dates and exchange rates move them, so check the booking page, which has the final word.

Who went

Reviews from travelers who sailed out at night

Fourteen travelers, some who watched green curtains fill the sky and some who came back under solid cloud, on what won them over and what they would do differently.

★★★★★Elding classic cruise

We almost skipped it because the forecast said partly cloudy. Twenty minutes out of the harbor the guide came on the speaker and said look north, and a pale band over Esja turned green and started to ripple. I stayed out on the open deck in the borrowed overalls for over an hour and never once felt the wind. Going back in past the lit-up waterfront with a hot chocolate from the café was the perfect end to it.

MWMegan W. · Portland, USALights out
★★★★★Elding classic cruise

Red overalls over my coat, aurora overhead, the Peace Tower beam behind us. I will not forget it.

KHKenji H. · Yokohama, JapanLights out
★★★★☆Elding classic cruise

Thick cloud the whole way, so no lights for us, and the boat was busy. The guide was honest about it from the start and we got a free ticket for another night. Two nights later the sky cleared. Book it early in your stay so the retry is actually usable.

SFSophie F. · Brussels, BelgiumCloudy night
★★★★★Elding classic cruise

The naturalist explained the forecast before we sailed, then called out the first arc. Calm, warm, well run.

DADavid A. · Tel Aviv, IsraelLights out
★★★★★Three-deck yacht

The yacht is lovely inside, all wood and soft seats, and the bar meant my husband had a beer while I froze happily on the top deck. The lights came in waves for most of the second hour. Two hours felt just right for a first try.

LCLaura C. · Madrid, SpainLights out
★★★★★Three-deck yacht

Self check-in at the Old Harbour House took one minute. Three decks, plenty of room for everyone.

OBOliver B. · Bristol, UKLights out
★★★★☆Three-deck yacht

We saw a soft green glow low over the water, nothing like the photos, and the swell made a few people queasy (they hand out seasickness tablets, which helped). The blankets are thin against the wind, so wear everything you brought. They let us reschedule for free, but we were leaving the next morning, so that did not help us.

NRNadia R. · Toronto, CanadaCloudy night
★★★★★Small motor yacht

We got the smaller yacht, and with only a few dozen guests there was always a free spot at the rail. When the aurora finally came over Viðey it filled half the sky, and the crew turned off the deck lights so our phone cameras could cope. Inside it was warm and quiet. You cannot pick which boat you get, so I would call us lucky.

MJMarcus J. · Copenhagen, DenmarkLights out
★★★★★Small motor yacht

Quiet motor yacht, a warm blanket, the city lights behind us and a green curtain ahead. Lovely evening.

ATAna T. · São Paulo, BrazilLights out
★★★★★Budget cruise, 3-year retry

The cheapest of the boats we looked at, and it did the job. From the upper deck you have open sky all round, and when the lights got strong the whole boat went silent. Our phones caught far more green than our eyes did.

PHPriya H. · SingaporeLights out
★★★★☆Budget cruise, 3-year retry

Our night stayed grey, so we only saw city lights and stars between the clouds. No refund for that, but the free return ticket is valid for three years, which suits us because we already plan to come back for the Golden Circle and the south coast. The crew were friendly and the coffee on board was fine. Bring gloves you can use a phone in, the deck is cold once the boat stops.

JKJonas K. · Munich, GermanyCloudy night
★★★★★Budget cruise, 3-year retry

Booked it for the price and the three-year retry. Ended up with a bright arc on night one anyway.

EMEmily M. · Sydney, AustraliaLights out
★★★★★Whales and lights combo

Whales in the afternoon, aurora in the evening, and both actually showed up. The whale trip found two humpbacks feeding near a cloud of gulls, and a group of white-beaked dolphins rode beside the bow for a while. We had a few hours ashore for dinner before the lights cruise, which I needed after so much cold air. The flotation overalls are warm but bulky, so wear thin layers under them.

FGFernando G. · Mexico City, MexicoLights out
★★★★★Whales and lights combo

A long day on the water, so plan the rest of it around the boat. Minke whale at noon, faint but clear aurora at ten, and the heated cabin in between. Eat before the evening part, the snacks on board cost more than in town.

HSHelena S. · Oslo, NorwayLights out

Been already?

Tell the next traveler how it went

Share your night on the bay, whether the sky lit up or stayed grey. We read every review before it goes up, and we publish the critical ones too.

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The sky that night

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Hat on

Book Elding for your aurora night

If you are in Reykjavik between September and April and want one evening under the northern lights, we would book Elding's classic cruise. Overalls for the open deck, a heated saloon to retreat to and a guide who knows where to look. If the clouds win, another night costs nothing.

Cancelling is free until 24 hours before, so book for your first clear-looking evening and keep an eye on the forecast. Bring wool and spare gloves.

~$105

per person · about 2–2.5 hours · from the Old Harbour

Viator GetYourGuide
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • ✓ Free retry if no lights appear
  • ✓ Warm overalls to borrow on deck
  • ✓ Naturalist guide on board

Good to know

Why the bay works for the aurora, and what you are watching

Five minutes of reading makes a pale band over the mountains far easier to recognize, and tells you when to stop looking at your phone.

The aurora is light given off high in the atmosphere when particles from the sun hit it, and Iceland sits under the oval where it shows most often. Reykjavik is close enough to see it on many winter nights. The problem is the city itself.

01Leaving the glow behind

Street lights and lit windows brighten the sky over town and swallow a faint display. Out on Faxaflói Bay the boat turns its back on that glow. The captains dim the deck lights so your eyes can adjust. Boat or bus.

02Two things on the same night

The lights need an active sun and a clear sky together. The aurora forecast tells you about the first, the cloud forecast about the second. On the water, the cloud usually decides it. The months and the odds.

03What the eye really sees

A weak aurora starts as a pale arc low in the north, easy to mistake for cloud. When it strengthens it turns green and starts to move, and on a strong night you may see pink along the lower edge. Cameras pick up color long before eyes do. Photos from a moving boat.

The moment most passengers remember is the whole deck going quiet as a grey arc over Esja turns green and starts to ripple.

04Landmarks from the water

On the way out you see Harpa's glass front from the sea, and the spire of Hallgrímskirkja. Across the bay is the long ridge of Esja. Each autumn between John Lennon's birthday and the anniversary of his death, the Imagine Peace Tower on Viðey throws a beam of light straight up into the dark.

05Manners on deck

Turn off your flash and your phone torch once the boat stops, because one bright screen spoils everyone's night vision. Take your photos, then give the rail to the people behind you. Step inside to warm up between bursts. What to wear helps you stay out longer.

06When the sky says no

Some nights the cloud never breaks. Most boats on this page then give you another evening for free, and one gives you three years to use it. The crews decide on the day whether to sail, and a cancelled trip means a new date or a refund. The retry rules.

2–2.5 hA typical cruise on the bay

64° NReykjavik's latitude, under the aurora zone

Sep to AprNights dark enough to sail

3 yearsThe longest free return ticket here

Want whales as well? Our guide Whales by day, aurora by night shows how the combo day works.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about northern lights cruises in Reykjavik

Fourteen questions we hear again and again, with the full answer.

How much does a northern lights boat tour from Reykjavik cost?

The five cruises on this page start at ~$93 per person for Harpa Yachts and ~$98 for the Sea Trips sightseeing cruise. Sea Trips' yacht starts at ~$103 and Elding at ~$105. The whale and aurora combo costs ~$194. Prices move with the date. Every price and extra is in our cost guide.

Which northern lights cruise in Reykjavik is the best?

For most visitors, Elding's classic cruise, because it lends warm overalls for the deck and offers a free retry, with a guide on board. Sea Trips' yacht suits people who want a bar and a lounge; Harpa Yachts suits those hoping for a smaller boat.

When is the northern lights season in Reykjavik?

Roughly from September to mid-April, when the nights are dark enough. The longest nights come from November to February. October and March often bring calmer weather, and February can too. The season in detail.

How long is a northern lights cruise?

The four evening cruises each take two to two and a half hours, pier to pier. The Reykjavik Sailors combo adds a daytime whale cruise, about six hours on the water in all.

Are the northern lights guaranteed on a boat tour?

No. The aurora needs solar activity and a clear sky on the same night, and no listing can promise either. Most boats here offer a free retry or a return ticket instead. What happens if you see nothing.

What happens if we see no lights?

It depends on the boat. Elding and the combo give you a free ticket for another night, the Sea Trips yacht lets you reschedule, and the Sea Trips sightseeing cruise gives a return ticket valid for three years. Harpa Yachts' listing promises nothing, so read its terms.

Is a boat better than a bus tour for the northern lights?

A boat is shorter and warmer. Its cabin and toilets are a few steps away, and it escapes the city glow quickly. A bus can drive away from cloud, which a boat cannot. Boat or bus compared.

Should I pick a yacht or a big boat?

A yacht is more comfortable inside and can carry fewer people, but you get a blanket instead of overalls. A bigger boat like Elding's rolls less and lends you full warm kit for the open deck. The boats compared.

What should I wear on a northern lights cruise?

Start with wool or synthetic base layers and a fleece under a warm windproof jacket. Add a hat over the ears and two pairs of gloves, plus boots with grip for the icy pier. Elding and Reykjavik Sailors lend overalls on top. What to wear.

Will I get seasick on Faxaflói Bay?

Probably not on a calm night, as the bay is sheltered and the trip is short. A winter swell can still roll a boat, so take a tablet before boarding if you are prone to it. Sea Trips' yacht and Reykjavik Sailors hand tablets out. Seasickness on the bay.

Where do the boats leave from?

All five leave from the Old Harbour in central Reykjavik. Elding checks you in at its office at Ægisgarður 5c; Sea Trips and Harpa Yachts use the Old Harbour House at Ægisgarður 2, with a self-service kiosk. Finding your boat.

Can I photograph the aurora from a boat?

Yes, though a rocking deck makes long exposures harder than on land. Use a phone's night mode or a high ISO with a short exposure. Brace against the rail and turn off the flash. Seven photo tips.

Can I see whales and the northern lights on the same day?

Yes. The Reykjavik Sailors combo pairs a daytime whale-watching cruise with an evening aurora cruise on one ticket. Neither the whales nor the lights are promised, but the listing offers a free ticket to try again. Planning both.

Can I cancel a northern lights cruise for free?

Yes. All five can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before on GetYourGuide, and Elding's listing on Viator offers the same. If the operator cancels for weather, you get a new date or your money back.

Read before you travel

Guides to the aurora from the water

Ten questions that keep coming up, each with the long answer instead of the short one.