Seeing the Northern Lights has been at the top of my bucket list since forever. It was the main reason I visited Iceland (although I’ve since discovered many, many more reasons to visit Iceland).
I was ridiculously lucky to see the Northern Lights on the first night of my trip. It started with the sky turning a foggy shade of green. I watched as the fog disappeared and the sky weaved a colourful red, green and purple dance before my very eyes. It blew my mind!
Northern Lights, Iceland. It started a foggy shade of green
These are my top 10 tips to help you make the most of your Northern Lights experience in Iceland.
1. Check the Aurora Forecast
There are some really great websites that will help you check the forecast. The Icelandic Met Office provides an excellent, and easy to follow, 3 day forecast.
You’ll see the Aurora forecast at the top right hand corner of the page. It shows the Aurora activity on a scale from 0 – 9, with 0 being the lowest level of activity and 9 being the highest. The forecast rarely reaches 8 or 9 but you still have a good chance of seeing the Lights if the activity level is around 4 (or above), depending on the weather.
You’ll also see a map of Iceland on the page. The map shows white, light green and dark green areas. The white areas show where there are no clouds. That’s where you want to be for your best chance of seeing the Northern Lights.
If you go on an organised tour, the tour company will have checked the forecast, but it’s still a good idea to check for yourself so you can decide which is the best night to take your tour.
2. Stay in Iceland for at least a week
Aurora activity tends to be medium/high for around 2 or 3 days and then very low for 4 or 5 days. If you can stay for a week or longer, you have a much better chance of seeing them.
3. Get out of the city
To maximise your chances of seeing the Northern Lights, you need to be as far away as possible from any light pollution. Absolute, complete darkness is necessary. So get out of the city and head for the hills.
4. Dress appropriately
I can’t begin to explain how bitterly cold it gets during Iceland’s winter nights.
My advice is to cover your head and ears with a woolly hat, cover your nose and mouth with a thick scarf, wear as many layers as possible, preferably thermal base layers and a warm, waterproof jacket or coat (to cover your backside – there’s nothing worse than having blocks of ice for bum cheeks). I’d also suggest cozy waterproof gloves, at least one pair of thick socks and waterproof hiking shoes or boots.
5. Take a hot drink
Take a flask or 2 of tea, coffee, soup, hot orange, hot toddy. Whatever your hot drink of choice is, I would recommend taking it with you to give you a little boost of warmth and keep you going.
6. Be Patient
Patience is key. The Northern Lights dance to their own tune. And that might mean that you’ll have to wait around for a couple of hours or longer. But when the sky lights up, I promise it’s worth the wait.
7. Listen to music
Spending a couple of hours on a dark cold night with nothing to do but wait, can become a bit tedious even if you’re surrounded by new or old friends. At the risk of sounding completely anti-social, listening to your favourite tunes whilst you wait might help pass the time, at least for a little while.
8. Learn your camera settings
This was my epic fail. I didn’t learn my camera settings in advance and when the show began, I didn’t get a single photo.
Luckily I was on a group tour and our expert guide had that covered. He took, and later shared, some amazing photos.
Before my next visit to Iceland, I’ll definitely do a little research and make sure I know how to change my camera settings to (hopefully) get the perfect shot.
9. Enjoy the moment
Once I got over the disappointment of not being able to take my own photos, I realised it was probably a blessing in disguise.
Instead I was there, right there in the moment enjoying every last second. I didn’t spend precious time worrying about angles or aperture width or shutter release or vibrations. I just stood there, looked up in awe and happily breathed it all in.
So my advice is, master your camera settings in advance, take some photos, but then put your camera away and enjoy the moment.
10. Organised Tour
If it’s your first time, I’d recommend booking an organised tour for 3 reasons:
1) Most will have years of experience chasing the Northern Lights.
2) Typically, tours only go ahead if the chances of seeing the Northern Lights are good.
3) Most tour operators will take you out a second time for free (within 12 months) if you don’t get to see them on your first outing.
I chased the Northern Lights with Trex Travel Experiences and would highly recommend them. But you’ll find tour operators online, in Reykjavik travel agencies, or your hotel or hostel will be able to arrange an organised trip.
If you choose not to go on an organised tour, get some advice. Ask hotel staff or locals and get recommendations for the best viewing spots.
One more thing…
Seeing the Northern Lights is phenomenal. There’s no doubt about it. It was one of the most amazing and memorable nights of my life. But don’t let the Northern Lights be your only reason for visiting Iceland. There’s so much more to experience in Iceland. If you do see the Lights, I’m pretty sure you’ll be mesmerised like I was. If you don’t, there’s always next time…
Photo Credit: All photos by Trex Travel Experiences
I read your entire blog post and I agree with your point that there are many reasons to visit Iceland apart from just seeing the Northern Lights. I will definitely follow the tips you have given in this blog post. After reading your post even I feel like taking a trip to Iceland, especially to see the Northern Lights. I will definitely plan a trip with my family to Iceland.