Iceland/Northern Lights in January?

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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!

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Many thanks for the replies to this thread. I'd certainly really like to do this...

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

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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!

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schmalex said:

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.

Hmmm...interesting, and I like the flexibility. Question...did you actually need a Land Cruiser? Are the roads really only suitable for a big 4x4 or can you get away with a more basic car? I am a 4x4 enthusiast and have a tooled up Defender in my garage, and whilst renting an Avis Defender in Iceland would be a dream come true, clearly I wouldn't be going anywhere too exciting unless I had a winch, all the kit/supplies and another vehicle.

Loving the idea of renting a proper 4x4 but it's a hell of a lot more money than just a normal car or soft-roader. I'm guessing winter tyres are standard fitment up there all the time anyway, right? I'm assuming that one main road (road 1?) around the island is "The Golden Circle", and I guess as there's only one road to maintain they keep it pretty clear?

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OK thanks all. It's looking like a package flight/hotel deal, and then hire a basic 4x4 for a bit of freedom to go where we want.

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OK, all booked up. Flying out on a Wednesday, be at the hotel in the evening, and then a mid morning flight back on the Sunday. Really looking forward to it and the missus has no idea...although the xmas present of an Iceland guide book will hopefully give the game away xmas morning!

So for those who have been, can you suggest an itinerary? A friend has advised against whale watching...and as yotties we can get our fix of marine life spotting in other ways. Same friend (female) has also said as the trip is for my missus the blue lagoon is a must.

I quite fancy the golden circle...is it doable in a day as a self drive?

And what about Northern Light spotting? I understand we'll need to leave Reykjavik and light pollution behind (unless we're very lucky). Are we best off signing up to a tour, or just heading out one evening in our own vehicle?

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NRS, as per Craig192's post my friend didn't see anything either. And TBH as cruising sailors in the UK we've seen porpoises, dolphins, basking sharks, blue sharks, jellies, Sunfish, etc etc so a whale's a whale TBH. And sadly a lot of Icelandic eateries serve Minke whale as a "traditional" dish however I'm led to believe it's nothing more than a tourist dish so it seems a bit hypocritical.

4x4 tours...should we be able to pick something up when we are there, or via the hotel, or is it a good idea to book in advance?