Northern Lights in Iceland

Unforgettable Northern Lights experiences in Iceland.

The Northern Lights are one of the best reasons for visiting Iceland. However, they are also one of the country's most elusive and unpredictable attractions.

What is the Northern Light

Iceland is one of the best places in the world to see the northern lights or aurora borealis. Here, at 65° N on the southern edge of the Arctic Circle.

The Northern Lights result from electrically charged particles from the sun colliding with gaseous particles in the Earth’s atmosphere, causing displays of bright, colourful dancing lights. They can range in colour from white, green, pink and purple.

When to watch the Northern Lights

Guaranteed darkness is the first important factor. The best season to see the Northern Lights in Iceland is from September to mid-April when there are fully dark nights.  To see the Northern Lights, the skies need to be very clear. This often coincides with some of our coldest nights since clear dark weather in Iceland usually means temperatures below freezing.

You can see the Northern lights in Iceland as early as August if you are lucky and when the weather conditions are favourable, and the moon is small so it`s easier to spot this special natural phenomenon.

It`s possible to see the Northern Lights as late as April, from many places in Iceland, anytime between dawn and dusk. It`s exceptional seeing the Northern lights concurrently with a sunrise.

Where to watch the Northern Lights

Taking out of the capital  Reykjavik and into the countryside increases your chances of catching the Northern Lights. There are many great small towns around the country with beautiful country hotels and guesthouses where you can watch the Northern Lights.

Thingvellir National Park is a popular place to go from Reykjavík, while the Reykjanes peninsula, including the famous Blue Lagoon, is also a great place to discover the Northern Lights.

Related: The Northern Lights in Reykjavik