Chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland: A 5-Day Winter Itinerary

Chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland has been at the top of my bucket list for years, but I’ll be honest: I was a total skeptic. I wasn’t sure I could handle the tiny daylight windows or if there were enough things to do in Iceland in winter to make the trek “worth it.”

Spoilers: I was so wrong. Seeing the Aurora Borealis with my own eyes was life-changing, but here’s the real kicker—Iceland is so magical in the winter that the trip would have been a win even if the lights never showed up. We truly got to have our cake and eat it too. Whether you’re here for the solar flares or the frozen waterfalls, this Iceland winter itinerary ensures you’ll have an unforgettable adventure, lights or no lights.

Ultimate 5 Day Itinerary for Chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland

Days 1 & 2: Exploring Reykjavik & The Blue Lagoon

We kicked things off in the world’s northernmost capital. Reykjavik in winter is incredibly charming, and it serves as the perfect “home base” to shake off the jet lag.

• Soak in the Blue Lagoon: It’s a classic for a reason. Soaking in those milky blue waters while the air is freezing is the ultimate “Welcome to Iceland” moment.
• The Reykjavik Lava Show: This is such a cool way to see real molten lava up close without, you know, the danger of an actual eruption.
• City Strolls: Take some time to walk the quaint streets, visit the iconic Hallgrimskirkja church, and just soak in the vibes.
• New Year’s Eve Magic: If you’re lucky enough to visit during New Year’s, stay in the city. The fireworks are literally everywhere—it’s pure chaos in the best way possible.
• Where to Sleep: We loved the Center Hotels (specifically Grandi and Plaza).

Pro Tip: For your first Northern Lights attempt, drive about 25 minutes outside the city off Highway 1 to escape the light pollution. Most of our Northern Light photos are taken from a pull off right here. 

Day 3: The Golden Circle

You can’t visit Iceland without doing the Golden Circle. It’s the perfect mix of geology and “wow” moments.

• Thingvellir National Park: We literally walked into the Intercontinental Rift. It’s wild to stand between tectonic plates!
• Waterfall Hopping: Don’t miss Bruarfoss and the massive Gullfoss Waterfall.
• Geysir: Watching the ground literally blow its top never gets old.
• The Secret Lagoon: After a day of hiking, soak here. We stayed at Gardur Stay Inn to get easy access to the pools.

Day 4: Southern Iceland & Black Sand Beaches

The South Coast is where the scenery gets really dramatic. 

• Seljalandsfoss & Skógafoss: These are the heavy hitters. At Skógafoss, make sure to climb the stairs for a view from the top.
• Reynisfjara Beach: The black sand and basalt columns look like something off another planet.
• Where to Sleep: We stayed in Vik at Welcome Lambafell and got to soak in the hot tub under the stars.
• Chase the Lights: We set up at Skógafoss for Northern Lights photos. Having a massive waterfall as your backdrop is a total core memory.

Day 5: The Snæfellsnes Peninsula

For our final day, we headed north to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

• Kirkjufellsfoss: This is the most photographed mountain in Iceland, and seeing it with its icy waterfall is stunning.
• The Drive Home: This stretch is perfect for one last Northern Lights viewing. The drive back is dark, with beautiful mountain silhouettes in the foreground to frame your photos.

Expert Tips for Chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland

Seeing the Aurora takes effort, flexibility, and a whole lot of luck. We saw them with our naked eyes 3 out of 8 nights because we obsessed over the data!

• Ignore the KP Index: You don’t need a high KP index to see the lights in Iceland. We saw them at a 0 and 1!
• Watch the Bv (Magnetic Field): This was our secret weapon. The interplanetary magnetic field (Bv) needs to be negative. When those particles are negatively charged, they penetrate the atmosphere and “dance.” We followed a website that gave us a one-hour lead time based on this.
• Perfect Conditions: You need clear skies, zero light pollution, and—this is the hard part—little wind. Wind makes long-exposure photos blurry and waiting outside miserably cold.
• Apps vs. Reality: Aurora apps aren’t always 100% accurate. Use them for reported sightings, but trust the Bv meter more.
• Tours vs. Solo: Tours are great if you aren’t comfortable driving on snowy roads, but we actually preferred being on our own. It allowed us to find our own foregrounds for photos and celebrate as loudly as we wanted when the lights appeared!

5 Surprises About Iceland in the Winter

1. The “Two-Meal” Strategy: Food is expensive, but since the sun rises late, we slept in and only ate at 1 PM and 8 PM. We ended up saving money because we slept through our first meal! 
2. Flowing Waterfalls: I expected everything to be frozen solid, but thanks to geothermal hotspots, most waterfalls were still flowing beautifully in sub-zero temps.
3. The “Golden Hour” Sun: You only get about 4 hours of daylight, but because the sun stays low, it’s basically golden hour the entire time. The light is a photographer’s dream.
4. Winter Road Maintenance: I was worried about the driving, but the roads are incredibly well-maintained. Just keep a close eye on the traffic websites for storm updates!
5. The “Naked Eye” Reality: People told me you can only see the colors through a camera lens. That’s a lie! While the camera picks up pinks and purples better, seeing the vibrant greens dance with your bare eyes is a feeling nothing can prepare you for.

If you’ve been on the fence like I was, take the leap and book the trip; I can promise you that the “Land of Ice and Fire” is even better in person than it is on your bucket list! Contact me to personalize this trip for you!

Hi, I’m Kristin! I’m a Travel Advisor ready to help you go from bucket list to booked! My love for global exploration was sparked during a college semester in Europe and has since taken me to over 30 countries. Today, I combine that global perspective with a serious “Type A” planning obsession. I specialize in “Grit & Reward” travel: balancing the raw beauty of a backcountry trail with the blissful comfort of a luxury stay. Whether it’s a National Park expedition, a multi-day European trek, or a high-end all-inclusive beach retreat, I handle the logistics so you can trade the planning stress for more time spent outside.