Magical Northern Lights

We got lucky at 6pm in December!

The Northern Lights is on many people's bucket list, is it also on yours?

If seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland is a must for you, take note of the following:

Faint streak of green on a most cloudy night over Ísafjörður

• Darkness is a must, therefore the lights are visible only in winter, never in summer
• The lights are never as vivid with the naked eye. What you see in photos online are due to long exposure and other settings on the camera
• They can appear anytime between 6pm to 3am. People say the 'prime' time is between 11pm to 2am
• You never know when they will come up from. Just drive around secluded places, away from city lights, and you might get lucky!
• Tripod is necessary for good photos
• Use an app like Aurora Buddy that will alert you if forecast is good
• Even if forecast is good, the lights are not guaranteed. Conversely, even if the forecast is just 2 or 3, the lights can be dazzling
• Be patient, they may come and go, especially on cloudy nights
• Always have enough warm clothing! I can't emphasize enough the importance of good, warm clothing. They will save your life on sub-zero, windy nights. Skip the cotton and go for good insulation, like fur and wool. After going through countless brands, I personally favor 66°NORTH and Patagonia

Streaks of green over Hotel Budir in Snæfellsnes on a fairly cloudy night 

You may ask, would it be better to join a bus or cruise tour to chase the lights?

For me, I have always rented a vehicle on my trips to Iceland, so I would prefer driving out, and camping in the car with a hot drink and some snacks. It offers more flexibility instead of being confined for a few hours. Also, if you are only spending a few nights in Iceland, particularly Reykjavik, your chances are slim should you miss them on eg. two nights.

But if you prefer having an experienced guide taking you to some of the best secret spots, you should definitely take a look at these awesome Northern Lights tour packages!  

You can also click here to read more about this natural phenomenon.