Hand-picked by our editors — only the best 5 aurora sailings from 40 reviewed.
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2 hr
Sail into darkness beyond the city to witness the aurora borealis dancing above Iceland's coastal waters
Reserve
2 hr
Watch the aurora borealis dance across Arctic skies from a yacht sailing Iceland's coastal waters
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4 hr
Chase the Aurora Borealis away from city lights with expert guides and enjoy warm beverages under the Arctic sky.
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The landmarks, rooms, and views travelers on this tour remember — all visible on a single visit.
Escape the city lights of Reykjavik to reach the dark waters of the bay where the aurora is most visible. The bay provides 360-degree views perfect for sky-watching
Located near the departure point, this landmark's glass facade reflects the coastal lights and provides a stunning backdrop for your evening. Its architecture is inspired by Icelandic basalt columns
The departure point for every northern lights boat cruise reykjavik and a hub of maritime history. You will find colourful fishing sheds and local galleries lining the quay
This stationary boat acts as a unique Visitor Center and café at the Old Harbour. It is the primary check-in point for your northern lights boat cruise reykjavik tour
Located in the Old Harbour, this multimedia exhibition is often accessible to cruise passengers. It provides educational context on the marine life you might encounter during your journey
The northern lights boat cruise reykjavik provides a serene, maritime perspective, while the bus tour offers superior ground mobility to track clear skies. These northern lights boat cruise reykjavik tours complement each other, though most visitors who do both call the land-based excursion the more versatile option for chasing gaps in cloud cover.
| Feature | Top pick Boat Cruise | Bus Tour |
|---|---|---|
Viewing Perspective |
Open-deck ocean views | |
Mobility |
Fixed maritime route | |
Group Size |
Medium to large groups | |
Motion Sickness Risk |
Possible due to waves | |
Interior Comfort |
Heated cabin with amenities | |
Flexibility |
Limited to coastal areas | |
| See tickets → |
Verdict: Choose the boat for a peaceful experience on the water, or select the bus if you require the northern lights boat cruise reykjavik tickets flexibility to chase clear weather across inland Iceland.
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Arrive at the entrance, show your voucher on your phone, and walk in. Most tickets include priority or skip-the-line access.
Practical details for your visit straight from our verified partners — hours, access, rules, and how to get there.
Dress in multiple warm, moisture-wicking layers including a windproof and waterproof outer shell. While warm overalls are provided for the cruise, personal hats, gloves, and sturdy footwear are essential.
Travel light as storage space on board is limited. The operator requires check-in at the Old Harbour ticket office where staff can confirm boarding procedures.
Bringing a stabilizer is recommended for camera steadiness on a moving boat. Staff may offer basic assistance with equipment, but guests should be prepared for low-light conditions.
Foldable wheelchairs can be accommodated on larger boats. Please advise the office in advance to ensure the staff can assist with boarding the northern lights boat cruise reykjavik vessel.
The cruise is suitable for families, offering a heated indoor lounge if children need a break from the coastal breeze. Always check the current schedule for specific age requirements.
An onboard café is available where you can purchase warm drinks like hot chocolate to enjoy while waiting for the aurora. Complimentary warm beverages are often included with your ticket.
Best time to go, insider tips, nearby landmarks, and the cancellation fine print — flip through to skim what matters to you.
Flexible, no hidden fees.
Individual bookings may be cancelled up to 24 hours before departure without penalty. If a northern lights boat cruise reykjavik tour is cancelled by the operator due to weather, a full refund is offered or you may reschedule.
Reykjavik's Old Harbour was dredged out of a shallow tidal flat between 1913 and 1917, built for cod trawlers rather than sightseers. A century later the same quays send passengers out in the opposite direction — away from the city, toward the dark. The shift is recent. Aurora sailings became a fixed part of the Old Harbour's winter schedule only in the last two decades, after whale-watching operators discovered their vessels sat idle through the darkest months. The physics behind a northern lights boat cruise reykjavik departure is unglamorous and precise. Charged particles from the solar wind strike oxygen and nitrogen in the thermosphere, between 100 and 300 kilometres up. Oxygen produces the familiar green at roughly 100 kilometres and a rarer deep red far higher. Iceland sits beneath the auroral oval, the ring of near-permanent activity centred on the geomagnetic pole. Reykjavik is at 64 degrees north. The oval passes almost directly overhead. Water matters more than latitude here. Reykjavik's streetlights cast a dome of light pollution that flattens all but the strongest displays. Two kilometres out into Faxaflói Bay, that dome falls behind the stern. The horizon opens to roughly 270 degrees, unbroken by buildings, and the sea returns the display as a second, softer image. Snæfellsjökull's glacier cap marks the northwestern edge of the bay on clear nights. Mount Esja rises to the north, black against whatever the sky is doing. The fleet reflects that geography. Reykjavik northern lights tour operators run everything from converted oak-hulled fishing boats to purpose-built catamarans and small sailing yachts, most departing from Ægisgarður and the adjacent piers. Elding, founded in 1995 and still family-run, pioneered the format. Crews carry thermal overalls because the bay's wind chill routinely drops fifteen degrees below the air temperature reading on shore. What distinguishes a northern lights boat cruise reykjavik outing from a land-based chase is patience rather than pursuit. A coach can drive for hours hunting a gap in the cloud. A vessel simply holds position in open water and waits, engines cut, hull rolling in the swell. Nothing is guaranteed. The Kp index, the geomagnetic scale running from 0 to 9, can promise a great deal and deliver an overcast ceiling instead. Icelanders have watched this sky for eleven centuries and built no certainty from it.
"Two kilometres out into Faxaflói Bay, the city's dome of light falls behind the stern."
A step-by-step walkthrough of the visit — what you'll see, how long each stage takes, and the details that matter.
You walk down to Ægisgarður at the Old Harbour, Reykjavik, Iceland, and find the pier lit by sodium lamps and the smell of diesel and cold saltwater. Check-in happens at the operator's hut. You collect a thermal overall — pull it on over your coat, not under it — and a pair of gloves if you forgot yours. Boarding takes ten minutes. You choose your position early: the bow for an unbroken view, the heated saloon below for warmth and hot chocolate. Most people alternate. The vessel clears the breakwater, and the harbour lights compress into a low orange line astern. Within twenty minutes the engines drop to idle and the deck goes dark. Crew kill the running lights where regulations allow. Now you wait. You let your eyes adjust for a full fifteen minutes before deciding anything is or isn't happening — a faint grey smear overhead often resolves into green once your rods take over. You brace against the rail, because the swell is real and a long exposure needs a steady elbow. Someone calls out a shape near Esja. You look up. The northern lights boat cruise reykjavik sailings turn back after two to three hours, depending on the vessel. You come in past the trawlers and the whale-watching hulls, faces stiff with cold, and step onto the quay a short walk from Grandi's restaurants. Ticket price starts at 10,490 ISK per person.
Sightings are natural and cannot be guaranteed, but if no lights are seen, you receive a complimentary ticket for a future cruise.
You can cancel your northern lights boat cruise reykjavik tour 24 hours before departure for a full refund; weather-related cancellations by the operator also qualify for a refund.
The prime season for these northern lights boat cruise reykjavik tours is September through April when dark skies are most prevalent.
Large vessels accommodate foldable wheelchairs, though guests should contact the Old Harbour office to coordinate the northern lights boat cruise reykjavik boarding.
Yes, you must wear warm, windproof layers as temperatures drop significantly at sea during any northern lights boat cruise reykjavik excursion.
Onboard cafés sell drinks and snacks, so outside food is generally unnecessary during your northern lights boat cruise reykjavik trip.
All tours depart from the Old Harbour, where you check in at the main office before your northern lights boat cruise reykjavik experience.
Yes, children are welcome on the northern lights boat cruise reykjavik, provided they have warm clothing for the duration of the journey.
If your northern lights boat cruise reykjavik is cancelled due to poor conditions, you will be notified and offered a full refund or a chance to reschedule.