The big bus
The cheapest way out of town
- Typical length
- 3.5–7 h
- Goes to
- A known dark spot
- If it clouds over
- Can't go far
The catchIf that spot clouds over, there's only so far a coach full of people can go.
On a short trip, book a small-group chase for your first clear night, one with a free retry if you see nothing. A bus is cheapest, a boat is easiest, and a heated camp is warmest. None of them can promise the sky.
A tour can't make the aurora appear. What it buys you is a guide who reads the cloud maps, a driver who knows the dark spots, and not having to drive icy roads at midnight after a long day. That's worth a lot. Here's how the different kinds compare, and what the “guarantees” really mean.
Best valueSmall-group minibus
EasiestBoat or big bus
GuaranteeFree retry, not a promise
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The kinds of tour
| Type | What it is | Typical length | Example prices | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big bus | A coach to one or two dark sites near town | 3.5–7 h | Gray Line, Reykjavík: ISK 8,999 · Best Arctic big bus, Tromsø: 1,190 NOK | A cheap first look |
| Minibus, small group | A guide who chases gaps in the cloud, sometimes hundreds of km | 3–9 h | Gray Line small group: from ISK 14,999 · Arctic Explorers, Tromsø: from 2,200 NOK | Most people, especially on short trips |
| Super jeep or 4x4 | A small group in an off-road vehicle, able to reach rougher spots | 4–5 h | Arctic Adventures, Iceland: from US$214 | Iceland in snow; small groups |
| Boat | A cruise out of the harbour to open, dark water | 1.5–3 h | Elding, Reykjavík: ISK 14,500 · Special Tours: ISK 12,998 · Best Arctic, Tromsø: 990 NOK | No car, short on time, a calm night |
| Camp, cabin or viewing station | A warm base at a dark site; you wait, it doesn't move | 4.5–5 h | Chena Hot Springs yurts, Alaska: $125 · Aurora Sky Station, Abisko: 1,070–1,295 SEK | Cold nights, families, comfort |
| Glass igloo or aurora lodge | You sleep under glass; staff wake you if it appears | Multi-night | Borealis Basecamp, Fairbanks: $1,990–4,098 per party for 2–4 nights (packages) | A special trip, not a budget one |
| Private | Your own guide and vehicle; you set the pace | Varies | Priced per group; no verified figure yet | Photographers, families, groups |
| Self-drive | You, a car and the forecast | As long as you like | Free, plus the car | Confident winter drivers |
Bus, minibus or 4x4
The minibus chase
The classic
- Typical length
- 3–9 h
- Goes to
- Wherever the sky is opening
- Range
- 200+ km in a night (Tromsø)
- Hours
- Pickup 6–7pm, back 1–3am
- The guide checks satellite cloud images and the aurora forecast, then drives to wherever the sky is opening
- In Tromsø, Arctic Explorers says its chase may travel more than 200 km, or into Finland or Sweden, “all in one night if needed”. That flexibility is the point.
The catchA long night, and it can still end with nothing.
The super jeep
The same job in a smaller group
- Typical length
- 4–5 h
- Goes to
- Wherever the sky is opening
- Handles
- Snow and rough tracks
The catchIt costs more than a minibus.
Boats, camps and glass roofs
Boats
The surprise
- Typical length
- 1.5–3 h
- Dark sky in
- About 15 minutes
- View
- Open 360° horizon
- From Reykjavík's Old Harbour you get an open, 360° horizon and almost no light pollution within about 15 minutes, without a long drive
- Elding's boats have heated indoor areas, and it lends thermal overalls
- In return you might see the aurora reflected in black water, with the city glow low on the horizon
- The two Reykjavík operators compared: northern lights boat tours from Reykjavík
The catchA fixed, short window, and the North Atlantic can be lively.
Camps and viewing stations
They trade mobility for warmth
- Typical length
- 4.5–5 h
- Moves if cloudy
- No
- Comfort
- Heated yurts, teepees, a sky station
- Chena Hot Springs, Alaska: a tracked vehicle takes you up Charlie Dome to heated yurts and hot drinks, above the valley and away from the town's glow
- Aurora Sky Station, Abisko: an open chairlift to 900 m, with 40 places a night. It stops in strong wind, and there's no refund when it does.
- Aurora Village, Yellowknife: heated Dene teepees, and full winter kit to rent
The catchIf cloud sits over a camp, you can't drive out of it.
Glass igloos and aurora lodges
The dream version
- Typical length
- Multi-night
- Wake-up
- Staff call or an alarm
- Sold as
- Basecamp: multi-night only
- Borealis Basecamp, near Fairbanks: staff will call your room at any hour when the lights appear
- Arctic SnowHotel, Finnish Lapland: glass igloos with electric defrosting and an “Aurora Alarm”
The catchBasecamp only sells multi-night packages, so check what's included.
What's usually included
Read the listing for five things before you book.
- Pickup. In Tromsø, tours include hotel pickup. Some boats charge extra: Elding adds ISK 3,750.
- Warm clothing. Aurora Sky Station provides warm clothing, and Yellowknife operators rent down parkas, boots and mitts. Elsewhere, check.
- Hot drinks. Many listings include hot chocolate, and Chena's yurts serve hot drinks. Welcome at −20°.
- Photos. Some tours photograph you under the aurora, which saves fiddling with a tripod. See our phone photography guide if you'd rather do it yourself.
- Extras. In Reykjavík, Gray Line and Reykjavík Excursions include free entry to the Aurora Reykjavík Northern Lights Centre, which they value at ISK 3,900.
“Guarantees”: what they actually say
Nobody can guarantee the aurora. What some operators offer is a free second go if you see nothing. Here are the terms in their own words.
| Operator | Where | Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Special Tours | Reykjavík (boat) | Another ticket if there are no sightings, “valid indefinitely” |
| Arctic Adventures | Iceland | Free retry, “valid for up to 3 years” |
| Reykjavík Excursions | Iceland | Rebook “as many times as you need… valid for two years” |
| Gray Line | Iceland | Retry “up to 2 years”; the same page says “No, seeing the northern lights is not guaranteed” |
| Aurora Sky Station | Abisko | “No refunds are made if weather conditions affect the cable car's ability to operate” |
The small print that matters
- A retry only counts if the tour actually goes out. If it's cancelled for weather, you get a refund or a new date, not a retry.
- The operator decides whether you “saw nothing”.
- A retry valid for three years is worth little on a three-night trip, unless you book the tour for your first night and keep the others free.
- Some operators advertise their own success rates (for example Arctic Explorers in Tromsø, 96.39% for 2025/26, and Arctic GM in Finnish Lapland, 99%). These are their own figures, self-reported, with no method published.
How to choose, in five questions
How many nights do you have?
On three nights or fewer, book a chase for the first clear night and keep the rest free for a retry. On a week, you can afford to wait for a good forecast. See how many nights you need.
Is the weather the problem, or the cold?
Cloudy coasts like Tromsø and Iceland reward a mobile chase. In the deep cold of Fairbanks or Yellowknife, a heated camp can make a long wait bearable.
How big is the group?
Smaller groups move faster and stay later. Check the stated maximum: Arctic Explorers runs 2–15 per vehicle; Reykjavík Excursions' small-group tour caps at 25 per guide.
What happens if you see nothing?
Look for a written retry policy, and check how long it lasts. It should cover the rest of your stay at least.
Will you drive yourself?
Self-driving is free and nobody makes you leave. But it's night driving on icy, unlit roads after a full day. Iceland's official road-safety site, safetravel.is, warns about exactly this. Many people take a tour on night one, then drive once they know the roads.
Some tours to start with
A few real listings, one of each kind. Compare the pickup, group size and retry terms on the booking page. Everything on this page is compiled from the operators' published terms and prices and GetYourGuide's listings as checked on 17 September 2026; we have not taken these tours ourselves.
Big bus · Reykjavík
Northern lights bus tour from Reykjavík, with hot chocolate
The simple, cheap first look: a coach out of the city to a dark site.
- 4 h
- 4.3★ (15,012 reviews)
- Free retry if no aurora
- Pickup available
4x4 minibus · Reykjavík
Go Further: northern lights hunt by 4x4 Sprinter, Reykjavík
A 4x4 van for up to 19 people. One free retry if you see nothing, subject to availability.
- 5 h
- New listing, no reviews yet
- Max 19 people
- Free retry if no aurora
- Pickup included
Boat · Reykjavík
Northern lights yacht tour, Reykjavík
Out of the harbour to dark water, with the aurora over the bay on a good night.
- 2 h
- 4.4★ (1,354 reviews)
- Free retry if no aurora
- Pickup available
Minibus · Fairbanks
Northern lights tour with photos, Fairbanks (Arctic Night Tours)
The most-reviewed northern lights tour in GetYourGuide's Fairbanks listings when we checked.
- 4.9★ (262 on GetYourGuide)
- Photos included
Dog sled + yurt · Fairbanks
Moonlight dog sled, dinner and northern lights, Fairbanks
A dog-sled ride, then a salmon dinner in a heated yurt while you wait for the aurora. The listing says the lights can't be guaranteed and there's no refund if they don't show.
- 6 h
- 4.5★ (140 reviews)
- Pickup included
Fairbanks prices as shown on GetYourGuide for 15–20 Feb 2027 (₹21,504 and ₹19,019), converted at ₹95.54 per US$, the rate the booking sites themselves applied on 23 Sep 2026. Reykjavík listings: check the price for your dates.
Tours by destination
| Destination | The tours | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks, Alaska | Tours head north of town to the hills, or out to Chena Hot Springs | Book for February or March if you can; autumn nights are far cloudier. Compared on our Fairbanks tours page. |
| Iceland | Buses, minibuses, super jeeps and boats, all leaving from Reykjavík | Compared on our Iceland tours page. |
| Tromsø | The home of the long minibus chase | Typically 1,000–2,300 NOK |
| Abisko | The Aurora Sky Station | It books up: 40 places a night against a tourist station with 377 beds. Book ahead. |
| Rovaniemi | Safartica lists aurora tours from €89 (a picnic) to €199 (small group or electric snowmobiles) | Some operators, like Arctic GM, advertise unlimited mileage to find clear sky |
Northern lights tours: FAQs
Are northern lights tours worth it?
On a short trip, yes. A guide who reads the cloud maps and drives to clear sky improves your chances, and you avoid driving icy roads at night. On a long trip with a car, you can do without.
Do northern lights tours guarantee a sighting?
No. Some offer a free retry if you see nothing, valid from two years to indefinitely depending on the operator. It only applies if the tour runs, and only helps if you have another night.
Is a boat or a bus better for the northern lights?
A boat gets you a dark, open horizon in about 15 minutes from Reykjavík, but for a short, fixed window. A minibus can chase clear sky for hours. On a cloudy night, the minibus usually has the better chance.
How long is a northern lights tour?
From about 1.5 hours for a boat to 7–9 hours for a long minibus chase in Tromsø. Most buses and small groups from Reykjavík run 3–5 hours.
What should I wear on a northern lights tour?
More than you think: you'll stand still outside for long stretches. Warm boots, layers, a hat and mitts. In Abisko and Yellowknife, operators provide or rent warm outer clothing.
Tours by destination, and how long to stay
Sources (14)
- Gray Line Iceland: northern lights tours and retry terms (checked 2026-09-17)
- Arctic Adventures: northern lights tours (checked 2026-09-17)
- Reykjavík Excursions: northern lights tour (checked 2026-09-17)
- Elding: Reykjavík schedule and prices (checked 2026-09-17)
- Special Tours: northern lights by boat (checked 2026-09-17)
- Visit Tromsø: northern lights minibus chase (checked 2026-09-17)
- Best Arctic: aurora tours, Tromsø (checked 2026-09-17)
- Chena Hot Springs Resort: activities and prices (checked 2026-09-17)
- Aurora Sky Station: night visit 2026/27 (checked 2026-09-17)
- Aurora Village: aurora viewing and clothing rental (checked 2026-09-17)
- Borealis Basecamp: packages (checked 2026-09-17)
- Arctic SnowHotel: glass igloos (checked 2026-09-17)
- Safartica: northern lights tours, Rovaniemi (checked 2026-09-17)
- Safetravel.is: driving in Iceland (checked 2026-09-17)