Chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland | Yampu Tours

Custom Travel Experiences Since 1998

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Chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland

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PRIVATE/GROUP TOUR - 6 DAY SAMPLE ITINERARY

FROM £$ 6270

Private/Group Tour Highlights

  • Seeing the incredible nature display of the Northern Lights with the glowing colors dancing above your head.
  • Visit the beautiful Thingvellir National Park and learn about the geothermal area of Geysir and the spectacular Gullfoss waterfall.
  • Explore the exceptional geological beauty of Snaefellsnes' craters, lava fields, hidden coves and bizarre rock formations.
  • Feel like you're at the end of the world while on the ruggedly beautiful Reykjanes peninsula with its hot springs, tectonic rifts, volcanic craters and raw lava fields.
  • Trace Iceland's Viking history at the national museum in Reykjavik, the country's capital and largest city.
  • Enjoy the flexibility of choosing how much time you spend at each place with optional private tours with guides showing you some hidden treasures.
Interested in this tour?   Let us build you a customized quote based on your budget.

Tour Overview

Imagine standing outside in the frosty Icelandic winter night,  gazing up at the night sky as enormous streaks of colorful lights dance across the black canvas, lighting up the snow-covered valley below. This natural phenomenon known as Aurora Borealis illuminates the island nation’s frigid night skies each winter, drawing visitors from around the globe. Though Mother Nature is in control of this natural light show, Chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland will take you on a journey that you will never forget.

The tour begins in the biggest city in Iceland, Reykjavik. Though the capital is still comparably small, Reykjavik packs in a long history while beautifully contrasting with modern culture and amenities. Visitors can trace the ancient Viking history at the local museums before an evening of chasing the Northern Lights far away from the city and its artificial lights for an optimal experience.

The next day, the tour takes travelers through the Golden Circle on a private tour of Thingvellir national park to see some of the Island’s highly sought out sites including Strokkur geyser as it spouts water 30 metres (100 ft) into the air and the spectacular Gullfoss waterfall. Moving on to Snaefellsnes Peninsula, visitors will not only explore the region’s geological beauty but will enjoy an Icelandic home-cooked meal while visiting some friendly locals.

Taking in the ruggedly beautiful coastline and volcanic craters before heading home, adventurers will finish with a tour of Reykjanes Peninsula where lighthouses outnumber villages and mud boils as it is heated by underground volcanic activity.

 

Note;

For the best Northern Lights experience, this itinerary is best operated during the Icelandic winters when viewing conditions are prime.

Inclusions
Price includes domestic and regional flights within the itinerary; all hotel accommodations including daily continental or buffet breakfast and daily city tax; all transfers between airports and hotels with assistance and baggage handling; guided tours in English including entrance fees.
Exclusions

International airfare (unless specifically included), airport departure taxes that must be paid on-site, gratuities, meals not mentioned, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages with meals, early / late check-out, room service, visa fees/services, and other personal items or services not mentioned.

Best Time to Travel
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN
JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Best Good Consult

Package Price: From £$ 6270

Prices shown above are per person. Hotel categories do not adhere strictly to international ratings; Yampu has evaluated the hotels according to destination and availability. Prices include local airfare (where applicable), hotel accommodation including daily breakfast; all transfers with baggage handling, all guided tours in English and all entrance fees.

Please note that prices are subject to change based on availability and seasonality, especially during the holiday season from December 20th through January 5th each year. Please contact a Yampu Travel Specialist for more information on best times to travel.

Trip Type:

All our trips are operated on a private basis unless specified otherwise. This is only a sample itinerary; your Yampu Tour Consultant will personalize this trip for you according to your available dates, interests and type of hotels. This is your trip and we will work on making it perfect!

Tour Itinerary

Day
1

International Flight to Iceland

Overnight International Flight to Keflavik, Iceland.

Overnight International Flight to Keflavik, Iceland.

Day
2

Private Blue Lagoon and Group Northern Lights Tour

Your Iceland adventure gets off to a great start, heading straight from the airport to the Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon offers visitors a chance to rekindle their relationship with nature whilst soaking up scenic beauty and breathing in pure fresh Icelandic air. This unique spa features a huge outdoor lagoon filled with geothermal hot water whose active ingredients (namely: natural mineral salts, white silica and blue green algae) have become internationally known for providing visitors with an unforgettable bathing experience. You will be privately transferred to your hotel after this wonderful relaxing experience. The 45-minute drive between the Blue Lagoon and Reykjavik takes you through a great lava field, making it not only a transfer, but also a sightseeing adventure.

In the evening, after settling into your hotel, take part in a group Northern Lights tour!

Imagine standing outside in the frosty Icelandic winter night, dressed warmly and looking up to the sky to find enormous streaks of green lights moving across the sky. Seeing this incredible nature display of glowing colours dancing above your head is a sight you'll never forget!

We prefer not to drain the magic of this phenomenon by telling you all about the physics behind it, we'll leave the explaining to your guide on the tour. You will be collected by your guide and drive outside the city where there is no light pollution. Here you will have a chance to enjoy this amazing show of lights with your friends or loved ones. The fleeting nature of the Northern lights explains the constant changing location for this tour, we basically go where mother nature tells us to go each night.

Note: If the forecast does not look promising, we will reschedule your tour for a brighter night.
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Day
3

Private Golden Circle Tour

The Golden Circle needs little introduction - it is, without doubt, the most famous sightseeing route in Iceland. For those that want to avoid the big buses and crowds, a private tour is a great option! On the Golden Circle tour, we visit the beautiful national park Thingvellir, the geothermal area of Geysir and the spectacular Gullfoss waterfall. On your private tour, you have the flexibility of choosing how much time you spend at each place and our guides will show you some hidden treasures as well.

The Golden Circle needs little introduction - it is, without doubt, the most famous sightseeing route in Iceland. For those that want to avoid the big buses and crowds, a private tour is a great option! On the Golden Circle tour, we visit the beautiful national park Thingvellir, the geothermal area of Geysir and the spectacular Gullfoss waterfall. On your private tour, you have the flexibility of choosing how much time you spend at each place and our guides will show you some hidden treasures as well.

Day
4

Group Snaefellsnes Peninsula Tour

Snaefellsnes read more...

Snaefellsnes is an area of exceptional geological beauty - craters, lava fields (some more recent than others) idyllic, hidden coves and bizarre rock formations all lie in wait to be explored and discovered. Local legends and folk stories abound and are an essential element of this multifaceted tour. The day would not be complete without an Icelandic home-cooked meal along with some local interaction - so, naturally, this is also included, as are some light snacks and bottled Icelandic water. A fabulous tour that really hits the spot when it comes to observing volcanic phenomena, discovering Iceland's dramatic coastline and experiencing a more spiritual and mystical side of Iceland. ...read less

Day
5

Private Reykjanes Peninsula Tour with Blue Lagoon Experience

This tour will take you around the ruggedly beautiful Reykjanes peninsula (180km / 112miles, approx. 6 hours) with its hot springs, tectonic rifts, volcanic craters and other moon-like landscapes. The endless lava fields in the raw and mysterious surroundings will make you feel like you're at the end of the world! On a peninsula where lighthouses outnumber villages, we will also visit the Krysuvik geothermal area where you'll get to see mud springs in all different colors, and watch mud boil in the ground heated by the underground volcanic activity. This breathtaking area with its rugged treeless landscape is located directly on the Mid-Atlantic ridge is something you can't experience anywhere else in the world!

Overnight in Blue Lagoon Retreat which includes usage of the Blue Lagoon and their excellent spa facilities.
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Day
6

International Flight Home

At the appropriate time, you will be met at your hotel and privately transferred to the Keflavik airport (approx. 30 minutes) for your flight home. As you travel through the Reykjanes Peninsula, you'll catch your last glimpse of Iceland's mossy lava fields and desolate volcanoes before arriving at Keflavik International Airport. Your guide will ensure that you are at the airport 2-3 hours before your departure from the land of fire and ice.

At the appropriate time, you will be met at your hotel and privately transferred to the Keflavik airport (approx. 30 minutes) for your flight home. As you travel through the Reykjanes Peninsula, you'll catch your last glimpse of Iceland's mossy lava fields and desolate volcanoes before arriving at Keflavik International Airport. Your guide will ensure that you are at the airport 2-3 hours before your departure from the land of fire and ice.

Keflavík, Iceland

Reykjavík, Iceland

Thingvellir National Park, Selfoss, Iceland

Snæfellsnes, Iceland

Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

Places You'll See

  • Keflavik

    Serving as the main starting point for international travelers arriving via Keflavik International Airport, Keflavik serves as the perfect introduction to Iceland. Much smaller than Iceland’s capital of Reykjavik, Keflavik was founded as a fishing port and fish processing center. Come World War II, the tiny fishing village became home to an important allied military base that is now Iceland’s international airport. Visitors will appreciate the quaint atmosphere, numerous museums including Viking World, and the Icelandic Museum of Rock N Roll.

  • Reykjavik

    The perfect starting point of any Iceland itinerary is the country’s capital, Reykjavík. both cosmopolitan and small-town, Reykjavík is a flourishing city with a long history with many monuments new and old throughout its center. Admire the striking, modern Hallgrimskirkja church and trace back the Island’s Viking history at the National and Saga museums. No trip to Iceland is complete without a long soak at the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, just outside of the city.

  • Grindavik

    Located on the southern end of the geothermal Reykjanes Peninsula is the small fishing village of Grindavik. Home to the Iceland’s largest attraction, the Bllue Lagoon geothermal spa, Grindavik welcomes travelers from around the globe. Aside from relaxing at the lagoon, adventurers can enjoy the region’s gorgeous landscape via ATVs or horseback riding, fishing and trekking

Hotel Options

Featured Accommodation

Blue Lagoon Retreat

The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon offers spa, accommodation, and culinary experiences. Built into an 800-year-old lava flow in the heart of an astonishing volcanic frontier and surrounded by the mineral-rich waters of the Blue Lagoon, the Retreat is a place of relaxation, rejuvenation, and exploration.

Grindavík ,

4 Star Properties

Reykjavik : Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel, Curio Collection By Hilton

Testimonials

Joe F.

Traveled July, 2016

For a few days I felt like the President of Costa Rica

My son and I, no strangers to travel (South America, the Middle East, Iceland, etc.) enjoy hiking and photography in “off-the grid” locales that are as comfortable and safe as they are exotic. The more remote, the better; the more animal life, the better. So our travel company Yampu arranged a week in Costa Rica that packed a lot into our six days, which provided us with more of a “jungle punch” than, ironically, any of our other jungle experiences–Ecuadorian, Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon jungles.

This is because the company’s co-owner, whom we met in the Peruvian Amazon, makes it a point of business and honor to travel herself to check out the lodges and hotels. We were confident that wherever we ended up would be perfect for us. So we left everything to her and we were not let down. Every place was wonderful.

Traveled To

Erik M.

Traveled December 2017

A ++ experience!

We used Yampu last Christmas (2017) for a 2 week trip in Argentina. From the very first email to the follow up after our trip, everything was perfect with Yampu. The hotel selection was matching our needs, the transfers between locations and airports all went very smoothly, the overall trip plan was a good balance of sightseeing, discovery and personal time. The guides were all so friendly and knowledgeable. This was a A+ experience. Our main point of contact in the USA was Christine Cronin. She did an amazing job for us. We like their services so much that we are now planning another trip with Yampu.

Traveled To

Lisa

Traveled March, 2017

Already planning a return for next year!

Kenya is on record on FB and Instagram as the best vacation ever that the Ahmads have taken! Thank you for all your efforts and attention to detail which made transfers and bookings so easy. I am still in Nairobi with friends about will reach out when I return to share details. Already planning a return for next year! 🙂

Traveled To

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