Maybe the very best thing about Iceland is that you can start chasing the Northern Lights right after leaving your plane in the airport.
I once managed to convince guests arriving dead tired after a long flight to stop on the way from the airport to the hotel in Reykjavík because the Northern Lights were just too good to be missed. And did they get a phenomenal welcoming act to Iceland!
Seeing the Northern Lights is something you can expect between September and March each year. The summer has just too much day light, with the Midnight Sun keeping the island lit up 24 hours a day for three months. But in the winter it is just a question of clear skies, a starry night and then; those whimsical lights may appear. You see, there is never a guarantee even though the conditions are great and the Met’s office web site says that the activity level expected should be great. Sometime they just don’t show up!
But when they do, you want to make sure you are at the right place at the right time to witness the greatest show on earth.
All the South coast is pretty amazing when it comes to viewing especially the places where you have the glaciers as a great backdrop. The Glacier Lagoon is probably the single most exciting place on the entire southern part of Iceland when the Lights come out. You have the play of water, icebergs and glacier with the swirling lights above making the whole scenario unforgettable.
The difference in general cloud cover between each regions of Iceland is negligible. You can not go up to the extreme north thinking you would be better off there. Not necessary so but, of course if the Northern Lights are very weak you will have better sightings at lake Mývatn in the North then you will at Thingvellir in the South.
But is it worth taking the trip from Reykjavík up North? Give us a moment to ponder on the idea … yes, definitely. Some of our favourite spots like Lake Mývatn and the seaside villages Húsavík and Siglufjörður are fantastic destinations when it comes to Northern Lights hunting and also having that something extra to make the trip worth the effort.
If you are staying in Reykjavík you have multiple choices to find good Northern Lights spots. If you don’t have the time to leave Reykjavík and the city lights (always best to go as far as possible from the city lights) you can head out to Grótta lighthouse or walk the promenade from Harpa concert hall to the Sólfar sculpture. That will give you the best place in Reykjavík with the city lights in your back and the Lights facing the other direction.
If you are staying in Reykjavík and looking for a good spot, say within one hour’s drive, make sure you check cloud cover well before leaving, to see where chances will be the best. Iceland at Night and the Met Office are the best local web sites.
And off you go! Thingvellir national park has many good places to park the car just don’t go to the visitor centre unless you love herds of buses. Going out on the Reykjanes peninsula around lake Kleifarvatn is a nice spot and if best chances are going North of Reykjavík, aim for Borgarnes village and make a right just before crossing the bridge and aim for Húsafell.
Good luck with your Northern Lights hunting!
