Iceland/Northern Lights in January?
Discussion
It's my O/H's 40th in Jan, and I'd like to take her away for a few days to celebrate, and one thing she has always wanted to experience is the Northern Lights. And that's the aurora borealis variety right up north, not the schmokin' variety in Amsterdam. 
How reliable is it? Doing my research would indicate "not very", so TBH I'm a bit torn between going to the effort (and expense!) of going to Iceland and perhaps being dissapointed, compared to say booking a cheeky few days on the slopes in the Alps or even a posh hotel in a city somewhere.
What are people's experiences? If you don't see them is it still a good place to go to? I understand you are best staying away from the cities if you want to see them, but does that mean there's not much to do apart from drink beer at a tenner a pint or whatever it is? Do the very short daylight hours in January get in the way of sightseeing?
Any tips/experiences/good deals gratefully received!
How reliable is it? Doing my research would indicate "not very", so TBH I'm a bit torn between going to the effort (and expense!) of going to Iceland and perhaps being dissapointed, compared to say booking a cheeky few days on the slopes in the Alps or even a posh hotel in a city somewhere.
What are people's experiences? If you don't see them is it still a good place to go to? I understand you are best staying away from the cities if you want to see them, but does that mean there's not much to do apart from drink beer at a tenner a pint or whatever it is? Do the very short daylight hours in January get in the way of sightseeing?
Any tips/experiences/good deals gratefully received!
Its luck of the draw if you see them or not, we had a great show in the Highlands on Tuesday even with a pretty bright moon. They can be fleeting, don't look out once and write the night off. There are lots of solar flare/ aurora alerts on twitter that are pretty accurate. Good luck.
Not very is correct. You can have not much solar activity meaning there is none. Or you can have the best solar storm and yet it's hidden behind clouds.
From living in the arctic and seeing it loads I'd say the best thing is to wait for a big display to kick off. Then book your tickets for around 1 week after, and stay for at least 3 days. Generally a good storm will be visible on the first and third day, with the max being in the middle. Then repeat the same around 1 week after.
Presumably it will cost more to book late (?) but you should see something, rather than risk travelling for nothing. The lack of sun will affect other things you can do. Only a few more weeks here until no sunshine!
From living in the arctic and seeing it loads I'd say the best thing is to wait for a big display to kick off. Then book your tickets for around 1 week after, and stay for at least 3 days. Generally a good storm will be visible on the first and third day, with the max being in the middle. Then repeat the same around 1 week after.
Presumably it will cost more to book late (?) but you should see something, rather than risk travelling for nothing. The lack of sun will affect other things you can do. Only a few more weeks here until no sunshine!
We went on a 4x4 Trip to see the Northern Lights in Iceland last Feb.
Great fun and saw nothing. £170 each.
Lots of standing around and got very cold. Wrong clothing !
They do offer a further 2 chances for free. In a Minibus though.
Highly recommend Iceland. Northern Lights or not.
We went in late Feb for 4 Nights. No problems with getting around and seeing things.
Not a cheap break but well worth it.
Great fun and saw nothing. £170 each.
Lots of standing around and got very cold. Wrong clothing !
They do offer a further 2 chances for free. In a Minibus though.
Highly recommend Iceland. Northern Lights or not.
We went in late Feb for 4 Nights. No problems with getting around and seeing things.
Not a cheap break but well worth it.
We went to Iceland in January 2014 (it was very cold and very snowy) mainly to see the Aurora, the companies that take you out to see them are pretty professional, have good (Icelandic) Met. Office advice about best viewing areas. We spent most of the night standing in a raging blizzard seeing nothing before the skies cleared and we saw a fantastic display, got back to the hotel about 3am. Most (maybe all) have an offer that if you don't see the lights when you go out, you get a free invite the following night.
Went in September and saw them- not stunning but pretty good. Were taken out to the top of a hill- freezing cold. We went with a company called Extreme Iceland who are very professional.
Three days after we left the had one of the best displays in years where you could see them from Reykjavik centre (they turned the street lighting off)
Three days after we left the had one of the best displays in years where you could see them from Reykjavik centre (they turned the street lighting off)
Been a couple of times in November and April and didn't see anything, too much cloud both times. However, we did enjoy Iceland and the scenery it has to offer, and will be going back next year. We are working on the basis that we will be there to enjoy ourselves and if we happen to see the lights, then that's just a bonus.
RizzoTheRat said:
Been to Iceland 3 times, still not seen the Aurora. However I love Iceland and would happily go back again. Stunning scenery.
Tempted to do one of the trips they do in northern Norway where you go out on a reindeer sled and camp out over night
We also have whale watching (orcas, humpbacks and finn) in winter, although it's soon "ending" as we're close to the continual darkness so you just can't see them. They hang around until February or so.Tempted to do one of the trips they do in northern Norway where you go out on a reindeer sled and camp out over night
Im going with the family Boxing Day for 4 nights. Booked a Northern Lights tour first night on advice that if we dont see it we have a chance of going again. Also doing the Golden Circle and Blue Lagoon (yes yes I know its very touristy). Got a couple of tips on eateries, none cheap, but when in Rome etc.
Iceland has always been on my bucket list so really looking forward to it.
Iceland has always been on my bucket list so really looking forward to it.
I've visited Iceland 3 times over the last 5 years;
all by passenger ship, so we there's very low light pollution around us...
first two times didn't see anything and then start of September we had an amazing 3 hour set of the Aurora just as we approached the arctic circle between Reykjavik and Akureyri, started off faint and then the sky just lit up for 3 hours..
In my opinion its worth the chance you take to see it. Good luck if you do decide to go.
Heres a couple pics, not the best as makes for tricky shooting being on a moving platform in 30kts of wind... and keeping an eye on what the ships doing...
all by passenger ship, so we there's very low light pollution around us...
first two times didn't see anything and then start of September we had an amazing 3 hour set of the Aurora just as we approached the arctic circle between Reykjavik and Akureyri, started off faint and then the sky just lit up for 3 hours..
In my opinion its worth the chance you take to see it. Good luck if you do decide to go.
Heres a couple pics, not the best as makes for tricky shooting being on a moving platform in 30kts of wind... and keeping an eye on what the ships doing...
Many thanks for the replies to this thread. I'd certainly really like to do this...
However TXG399 says this...
Thanks
However TXG399 says this...
TXG399 said:
I would strongly recommend Tromso in Norway for the northern lights. It's a very nice town and it's significantly further north than Iceland which drastically increases the odds of a sighting.
OK, sounds interesting. But I guess that also means less daylight and I don't know if that might just get a bit wearing? Is Norway cheaper than Iceland (hotels, food, drink, tours etc)? Is Iceland dearer but more to do so better value? I want to make sure that if we don't see the lights, it still feels like it's been an exciting trip!Thanks
OK, I'm looking to book something this week for 4 nights in mid Jan. Couple of questions:
Ion Adventure hotel mentioned above looks good, but is being out of Reykjavik mean I'll be "missing out"?
If I book a flights/hotel package, is it easy to book excursions once I've got there? Or am I risking not being able to get places due to availability?
Any recommendations on tour/excursion companies out there?
Anyone aware of any good deals, or is it the usual trawl the usual holiday websites?
Thanks!
Ion Adventure hotel mentioned above looks good, but is being out of Reykjavik mean I'll be "missing out"?
If I book a flights/hotel package, is it easy to book excursions once I've got there? Or am I risking not being able to get places due to availability?
Any recommendations on tour/excursion companies out there?
Anyone aware of any good deals, or is it the usual trawl the usual holiday websites?
Thanks!
Worth checking with the hotel if they have any recommended excursions. Loads of tour companies will pick up from hotels in and around Reykjavik but when you're further out you might want to find a more local one. If you're hiring a car then doing stuff like the golden circle is easy on your own. Well worth doing a 4x4 tour as they'll take you places you'd never get on your own, again a lot of them operate from Reykjavik but there are also a lot based further out that the hotel will likely be able to point you in the direction of.
You're also going to be a bit more limited in food choices if staying in an out of the way hotel of course, but then again Reykjavik restaurants are expensive.
You're also going to be a bit more limited in food choices if staying in an out of the way hotel of course, but then again Reykjavik restaurants are expensive.
We did it DIY for my 40th and had a brilliant trip.
We hired a Landcruiser from Avis and stayed at the Hotel Holt in the centre of Reykjavik. I downloaded an Aurora app to my iPhone and we chose the nights to go and see the aurora. For whale watching, we just booked a ticket locally the night before the trip.
We hired a Landcruiser from Avis and stayed at the Hotel Holt in the centre of Reykjavik. I downloaded an Aurora app to my iPhone and we chose the nights to go and see the aurora. For whale watching, we just booked a ticket locally the night before the trip.
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