Northern Lights Exploration (Small Group) - 8 days

Northern Lights Exploration (Small Group) - 8 days

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8 Days From

$4055

$3447

Northern Lights Exploration (Small Group) - 8 days

8 Days Starting and ending in Reykjavik

Visiting: Reykjavík, Borgarnes, Borgarfjörður, Snæfellsnes, Thingvellir National Park, Geysir, Gullfoss Falls, Hella, Eyjafjallajökull, Skógafoss, Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Boat Tours and Cafe, Vatnajökull National Park, Seljalandsfoss, Vik, Blue Lagoon

Tour operator:

On The Go Tours

Specialist Group:

Family/Kids

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

4 - 40

Age range:

Child: 8 - 11.99yrs. Adult: 12 yrs+

Trip Styles:

Small Group

From:
$4055
$3447 (USD) Operator discount: -$608 -15%

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

SMALL GROUP TOUR WITH GROUP SIZE OF 10 - 16 PERSONS: Explore the best of West and South Iceland on our most inclusive winter tour. Start and end in Reykjavik, discover the Golden Circle, climb a volcano, meet Icelandic horses and relax in the Blue Lagoon all whilst looking out for the spectacular Northern Lights on this soft cultural adventure.

Highlights

  • Reykjavik - Become acquainted with the Capital of Iceland

  • Borgarfjordur Valley - Climb volcanoes, watch waterfalls and warm up next to Europe's most powerful hot springs

  • Vatnshellir Cave - Take a guided underground tour under Saefellsnesjokull glacier

  • Snaefellsnes Peninsula - Wander across rugged mountains, charming fishing villages and fjords

  • Golden Circle - Tour Geysir geothermal fields, the Gulfoss Waterfall, Strokkur geyser and Thingvellir National Park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site

  • Borgarnes - Explore the Icelandic Settlement Centre and geothermal pools

  • Eyjafjallajokull Glacier - See the site of the famous eruption of April 2010 that halted international air travel for a week

  • Vatnajokull National Park region - Witness Western Europe's largest national park and glacier

  • South Coast - Take in the beauty at Skógafoss waterfall, black lava beach & bird cliffs at Reynisfjara beach

  • Vik - Roam Lava fields, black lava beach and Seljalandsfoss waterfall

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Itinerary

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Day 1: Reykjavik

Location: Reykjavík

Meals Included: Breakfast

Reykjavik. Welcome to Iceland and the start of your Northern Lights adventure! Your transfer to our accommodation is by Flybus shuttle. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Day 2: Borgarnes

Location: Reykjavík, Borgarnes, Borgarfjörður

Meals Included: Breakfast

Reykjavik - Borgarnes -Borgarfjorour Valley - This morning we meet our tour guide and depart on a Reykjavik city tour exploring some of the highlights of Iceland’s capital before heading west to Borgarfjorour.



Along the way we stop in Borgarnes and learn about Iceland’s earliest days at the Settlement Center.



Borgarfjorour valley is known as the Saga valley of West Iceland because many important historical events took place there. You will have the opportunity to climb the Grabrok volcano crater and warm up at Deildartunguhver, Europe's most powerful hot spring, producing 180 litres of nearly boiling water (97°c) per second.



We continue to Hraunfossar, a series of waterfalls pouring from beneath a wide lava field. Barnafoss - the Children’s falls, is nearby with its own tragic tale. We spend the next two nights at Borgarnes in West Iceland. This afternoon includes a lecture about the Northern Lights and after dinner we head into the garden to search for the Northern Lights, followed by a hot cup of chocolate or tea.

Day 3: Borgarnes

Location: Borgarnes, Snæfellsnes, Borgarnes

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Borgarnes - Snaefellsnes Peninsula - Borgarnes. Today we explore the Snaellsnes Peninsula or the Peninsula of the snowy mountain. A rugged mountain chain runs its length.



Depending on the conditions, we may also visit the fishing village of Grundarfjorour. One of the most photographed and famous mountain in Iceland, Kirkjufell, can be seen jutting out into the bay. Visit Arnarstapi and Hellnar before experiencing the area from below, inside Vatnshellir cave. We take you 35 meters underground and about 200 meters into the lava tube under the glacier Saefellsjokull



Today our guide gives us some practical tips of how to photograph the Auroras as part of the Northern Lights Academy program. Once darkness falls, we venture into the hotel garden and relax in the outdoor hot tubs to hopefully await an appearance from the breathtaking Northern Lights.

Day 4: Hella

Location: Borgarnes, Thingvellir National Park, Geysir, Gullfoss Falls, Hella

Meals Included: Breakfast

Borgarnes - Golden Circle - Hella. This morning we travel along the scenic shores of the Hvalfjörour fjord, stopping at an Icelandic wool outlet store before continuing inland to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. After a stop at the park, we continue to the Geysir geothermal fields, where there's a variety of hot springs and bubbling pools. The original geyser is now dormant but Strokkur, "the Churn“ is very much still active and erupts every 5-10 minutes. When we get to Geysir, we visit the restaurant and taste freshly baked hot spring bread served with delicious Icelandic butter, geothermally boiled eggs and local herring. This is best served with a small glass of ice cold (nearly frozen) Geysir Schnapps. Leaving the geyser fields, we stop at the last site on Iceland's Golden Circle - Gullfoss “the golden falls“. This double waterfall tumbles 34 meters into the Hvítá River.



This afternoon, we learn about the history of the hardy Icelandic horse and the special qualities they possess. We also visit a geothermal greenhouse, before reaching our accommodation in South Iceland.

Day 5: Hella

Location: Hella, Eyjafjallajökull, Skógafoss, Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Meals Included: Breakfast

Hella - Eyjafjallajökull - Kirkjubaejarklaustur. Today we travel along the South coast. At our first stop of the day we will learn about the geology and the active volcano's in Iceland at the Lava & Volcano Exhibition centre.



Further east we visit one of Iceland's finest folk museums. This museum contains an outstanding collection of farm and domestic artefacts typical of Iceland’s past as well as several turf-built houses. Nearby is the waterfall of Skógafoss which stands 60 meters tall and is one of the most impressive waterfalls in Iceland.



This afternoon we take a stroll along black lava beach and the bird cliffs at Reynisfjara beach in South Iceland. We spend the next 2 nights near Kirkjubæjarklaustur in the Vatnajökull National Park region, located in complete darkness and ideal for Northern Lights search.

Day 6: Seljalandsfoss

Location: Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Boat Tours and Cafe, Vatnajökull National Park, Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Meals Included: Breakfast

Kirkjubaejarklaustur - Jökulsárlón - Kirkjubaejarklaustur. Today is all about glaciers, ice and icebergs. This morning we travel to Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon which is filled with floating icebergs. Exploring this extraordinary site we keep an eye out for seals swimming in the freezing Arctic waters. We then can walk along the black sandy beach where some large icebergs have gotten stranded.



This afternoon we visit the tiny turf church in the town of Hof before heading to the National Park. The Vatnajökull National Park covers about 12,000 square kilometres and is the largest National Park in Europe. Here we find Iceland’s highest mountains, an alpine environment, and Europe's largest glacier which the park is named after. Alternatively we can take an optional Ice Cave tour (between Nov 15th and March 15th only) - see Trip Notes for more details.



Tonight we enjoy a movie presentation about the Northern Lights as a part of the Northern Lights Academy program before hopefully seeing the Northern Lights shimmering and dancing across the night sky.

Day 7: The Blue Lagoon

Location: Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Seljalandsfoss, Vik, Blue Lagoon

Meals Included: Breakfast

Kirkjubaejarklaustur - Vik - Reykjavík. This morning we depart Kirkjubæjarklaustur and head across the Eldhraun lava field to the village of Vik where we make a photo stop. We take a stroll on the black lava beach and along the bird cliffs at Reynisfjara beach in South Iceland. Further west we reach the high but narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall which plunges over the mountain. Those wishing to get a bit closer can take a trail that goes behind the falling water but be prepared to get wet!



This afternoon we head to the famous Blue Lagoon for a relaxing soak.

Day 8: Reykjavik

Location: Reykjavík

Today our Northern Lights Icelandic experience comes to an end with included FlyBus transfer to Keflavik Airport.

What's Included

  • Accommodation
    3 star

  • 7 breakfasts

  • Keflavik Airport arrival and departure transfer (FlyBus shuttle)

  • 7 nights standard hotels and cottage accommodation

  • Guided underground tour into Vatnshellir cave situated under Saefellsnesjokull glacier

  • Visit to Icelandic horse stables & geothermal greenhouse

  • Visit to multi media presentation at Eyjafjallajökull Volcano Information Center

  • Entrance with towel into the Blue Lagoon

  • Entrance into Skogar folk museum and turf houses

  • Services of an English Speaking Icelandic Guide

  • Transportation in heated coaches with free Wi-Fi on board

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What's Not Included

  • International Flights and Visas

  • Gratuity for your tour guide. Tipping your tour guide is an entirely personal gesture

Check out our Q&As

  • What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

    Ensuring our footprint is light and that the benefits of travelling reach the local communities you visit is paramount to us. We’re proud to say that when travelling with us, the large majority of your holiday funds remain within the countries you visit, supporting local economies at a grass roots level.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Since 1998

  • Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?

    With English-speaking tours, it's not a huge surprise that most on our travellers are from English-speaking countries or have English as their second language. Our group tours cater for everyone from 18 years old to 70+

  • Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

    Yes

Reviews of this Operator

Calvin  

Wonderful experience

05-Jan-2023

Jamal is our tour guide. Right from the start, he created a group chat in whatsapp and if any issues to make sure we contact him. He was on the ball with every issue thrown at him. Luggage being left behind, stragglers wondered off in a different path, hotel room etc. He explains the various site along our route to give us a better understanding of the local cultures. We had a great time, thanks to Jamal.

Trustpilot
Norma Sullivan  

Land of the Northern Lights 5 day tour of Iceland

10-Sep-2021

The Land of Northern Lights tour was a triumph! My tour of Southern Iceland was absolutely wonderful. The venues chosen, the timing allotted at each venue and the variety of things to experience was nearly perfect. Our guide, "Thor", was smart, amusing, full of history and anecdotal stories as well as being incredibly hospitable and helpful. This small group experience was my first, but not my last thanks to On the Go.

Trawls (Google Reviewer)  

On The Go Tours Sri...

05-Feb-2024

On The Go Tours Sri Lanka was an incredible experience that was made even better by our tour guide Akthar. He was incredibly knowledgeable about his country and he loved sharing it with us. The tour covers a wide range of activities so you can truly experience what Sri Lanka is all about. The beautiful 4-5 star hotels at the end of every day was an absolute bonus. Thanks for a great trip OTGT I’m sure this won’t be my last

Xtreme Floor Care (Google Reviewer)  

Traveled through Egypt with On...

30-Nov-2023

Traveled through Egypt with On the Go Tours, professional service, very informative and helpful tour guides. The choice of hotels was excellent... Definitely recommend this company

Gavin Harrigan  

King Tutankhamun 10 day tour of Egypt

16-Sep-2021

I have just returned from my tour with On The Go and it was an amazing trip! From arriving at the airport and meeting the OTG representative, everything was well organised and hassle free.  Our tour guide was Amir. He is awesome!! From the beginning he was so friendly and enthusiastic about showing us around Egypt, giving us loads of information at each place and time to explore ourselves. Learnt so much from him about this fascinating place, and he was always happy to answer more questions.   The trip itself was amazing. There's lots of travelling on this trip, but it's really not too bad, and the sights you see when you get to where you are going are worth it. I'm not a big fan of boats, but the Felluca ride across the Nile was pretty fun too.  On the first day I also did the optional tour of Cairo with Ahmed Helal - another excellent guide from OTG. It's worth doing this add on as you don't spend much time in Cairo, and you go to three very different places.  I'm so glad that I decided to do this trip. It was just ace.  If you're thinking about it too, you should probably just book it. And hopefully you get Amir as your guide.

Paul Kelly (Google Reviewer)  

TOTALLY MOROCCO We booked a 9...

26-Feb-2023

TOTALLY MOROCCO We booked a 9 day tour of Morocco visiting many main cities and places of interest. The coach was very comfortable and we felt safe with the driver Suliman. The guide was Hicham Touraouine and he was fantastic. He spoke perfect English as well as French, Arabic and Berber. He was so kind and considerate and made a good tour great. We particularly enjoyed ‘glamming in the Sahara Desert. So much to see and do and great food and company. We would definitely use On The Go Tours again, especially if Hicham was the guide. Paul & Penny

Rolly Hay hay (Google Reviewer)  

Gallipoli tour. The guide was...

28-Sep-2023

Gallipoli tour. The guide was awesome. Everything went like clockwork.. My complaint is that you expect 4 people to cramp together on the back seat of the van for 4 hours. That is poverty travel. Not really acceptable for the price paid. So uncomfortable. If was to do this trip again I'd just rent a car. Although the guide was amazing, but that's 3 hours of the trip.

Sarah Paterson (Google Reviewer)  

Terrible tour of India. For...

27-Dec-2023

Terrible tour of India. For some reason On the Go hadn't realised that my room mate had booked her own room for the first night of tour. So the hotel in Delhi had tried to put me in her room after midnight, by wheeling in an extra bed. She went Crazy!! I then had to sit in hotel reception for hours. While the tour guide said he couldn't find me a room. Throughout the tour the guide consistently ask me and my room mate for money for my room, causing more friction between us. Don't book with this company had the worst experience ever. Go with Intrepid or G Adventure

brandy hoffman (Google Reviewer)  

I had used them once...

09-Aug-2023

I had used them once before and loved them. I decided to try them again for a Baltic tour not knowing that they put me on another Tour group- Baltic vision. Loved that tour but was not impressed they marked up the cost for me over 100%. I understand taking some for yourself because of paperwork, but over double the cost everyone else paid on the tour. Just double check before you book with them that you’re not over paying.

Giovanni Guidi (Google Reviewer)  

I booked three tours with...

19-Aug-2023

I booked three tours with this agency. While the first two experiences were very nice, with well-thought-out itineraries and knowledgeable guides, the third tour was an absolute nightmare for us. Due to the unavailability of an hotel from the trip notes, the agency opted to replace it with another they claimed was "similar." To our dismay, this alternative was nothing short of a decrepit, filthy establishment that threatened to ruin our entire safari experience in South Africa. But the fiasco didn't end there. This so-called hotel began proposing and organizing activities starkly different from what we were promised in the trip notes, together with an awful services of their guides and vehicles. And when this disaster struck and we desperately needed their support? The agency ghosted us. It took them an entire day to respond, and when they did, they simply shrugged off our concerns, asserting it was too late to fix anything, even though three nights of our trip were still ahead. The level of unprofessionalism was staggering. Forced to salvage our experience, we took matters into our own hands, leaving that awful place to book another hotel and activities for the remainder of our trip—all at my own expense. Based on my experience, I suggest travelers to think twice before considering this agency. Seek out reputable companies known for their commitment to customer service and integrity.

Dates & Availability

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Sep 03, 2024 - Sep 10, 2024
$4795 $4076 (USD)

Operator discount: -$719 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Sep 10, 2024 - Sep 17, 2024
$4795 $4076 (USD)

Operator discount: -$719 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Sep 17, 2024 - Sep 24, 2024
$4795 $4076 (USD)

Operator discount: -$719 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Sep 24, 2024 - Oct 01, 2024
$4795 $4076 (USD)

Operator discount: -$719 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Oct 01, 2024 - Oct 08, 2024
$4265 $3625 (USD)

Operator discount: -$640 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Oct 08, 2024 - Oct 15, 2024
$4265 $3625 (USD)

Operator discount: -$640 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Oct 15, 2024 - Oct 22, 2024
$4265 $3625 (USD)

Operator discount: -$640 (USD)

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Tuesday - Tuesday

Oct 22, 2024 - Oct 29, 2024
$4265 $3625 (USD)

Operator discount: -$640 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Oct 29, 2024 - Nov 05, 2024
$4265 $3625 (USD)

Operator discount: -$640 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Nov 05, 2024 - Nov 12, 2024
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

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Tuesday - Tuesday

Nov 12, 2024 - Nov 19, 2024
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

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Tuesday - Tuesday

Nov 19, 2024 - Nov 26, 2024
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Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

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Tuesday - Tuesday

Nov 26, 2024 - Dec 03, 2024
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

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Tuesday - Tuesday

Dec 03, 2024 - Dec 10, 2024
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

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Tuesday - Tuesday

Dec 10, 2024 - Dec 17, 2024
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

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Tuesday - Tuesday

Jan 07, 2025 - Jan 14, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Jan 14, 2025 - Jan 21, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Jan 21, 2025 - Jan 28, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Jan 28, 2025 - Feb 04, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Feb 04, 2025 - Feb 11, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Feb 11, 2025 - Feb 18, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Feb 18, 2025 - Feb 25, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Feb 25, 2025 - Mar 04, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Mar 04, 2025 - Mar 11, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Mar 11, 2025 - Mar 18, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Mar 18, 2025 - Mar 25, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Mar 25, 2025 - Apr 01, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Apr 01, 2025 - Apr 08, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Instant Booking Available

Tuesday - Tuesday

Apr 08, 2025 - Apr 15, 2025
$4055 $3447 (USD)

Operator discount: -$608 (USD)

Book with Confidence

  • Low Deposit

    On The Go Tours requires a minimum deposit of 300 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of on the go tours charges.

    Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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