The Best Time to See the Northern Lights in Iceland

The Northern Lights are a big reason why travelers are keen to book our Iceland journeys outside peak season. The long daylight hours from late spring to early August are perfect for scenic road trips, though it does mean the Aurora takes a summer break.

But don’t worry — that still leaves plenty of time during the rest of the year for your Northern Lights adventure. Here’s everything you need to know to plan your trip just right.

Think of the Northern Lights, also called the Aurora Borealis, as Earth’s ultimate light show, powered by the Sun. When solar flares send bursts of energy (called CMEs) toward Earth, these charged particles meet our atmosphere and bump into oxygen and nitrogen atoms.

The result? A sky that glows green, purple, or even red, depending on which gas gets excited. Earth’s magnetic field gives the aurora its iconic wavy patterns, making it look like the sky is dancing. Fun fact: this isn’t random. The sun’s activity follows an 11-year cycle, and we’re currently in one of the most active phases, which is great news for aurora hunters.

Several factors must align for you to have optimal conditions for viewing the Northern Lights. You will need complete darkness, clear skies, and a touch of solar magic.

Keep track of the cloud cover maps on the Icelandic Met Office website; these will give you some information about where you are most likely to encounter clear skies. If you book a tour, this will be taken care of for you. Another forecast that’s helpful is the Kp Index. This scale goes from 0 to 9, with 9 being the highest.

Many travelers to Iceland assume that, as observing the Aurora Borealis requires dark skies, it follows that winter is the right time to come to Iceland. While it’s not a mistake to time your Northern Lights hunt for this time of year, there are a few disadvantages, too. Let’s briefly take a look at what those are as we weigh up the pros and cons.

Winter in Iceland comes with early sunsets, cozy nights, and a strong shot at seeing the Aurora. It’s a favorite time for Northern Lights tours, especially if you're traveling with kids and don’t want to stay up too late.

But be warned: the weather can be wild. Think icy roads, snowstorms, and freezing rain. If you’re not used to winter driving, joining a guided tour is a smart (and stress-free) choice.

Icelanders are used to inclement weather; it is part and parcel of everyday life here, so it doesn’t have to be a deal breaker. That said, if you live at a lower latitude, you might not be so accustomed to such conditions. Taking a tour rather than seeking out the Northern Lights in a rental car is often less daunting if you don’t have a lot of experience driving on icy roads.

While winter seems like the obvious choice, seasoned travelers know that the shoulder season is where the magic really happens.

March and September are ideal. Why? They fall around the equinoxes, when day and night are almost perfectly balanced. During this time, there’s a statistically higher chance of geomagnetic activity (aka, more Northern Lights).

Better still, it’s not quite as cold, and you’ll get more daylight for exploring Iceland’s dramatic landscapes. In short, March and September offer the best of both worlds: long nights for aurora chasing and milder weather for everything else.

That’s to do with when the equinoxes occur: spring between March 19th and 21st, and fall between September 21st and 24th. This is when the length of Iceland’s days and Iceland’s nights is equal, resulting in a statistically greater chance of a geomagnetic storm and thus auroral activity. This, not winter, is the best time to see Northern Lights in Iceland.

Even in spring and fall, Icelandic weather can be cold and windy, so you’ll want to dress appropriately for the conditions. Watching the Northern Lights often involves standing outside in the cold, sometimes for a while. So you’ll want to bundle up smartly.

• Base layer: Go for wool or synthetic thermals.

• Insulating layers: Pile on cozy layers to trap warmth.

• Outerwear: Windproof and waterproof coats are a must.

• Accessories: A good hat, wool socks, gloves, and sturdy boots will keep you comfy.

It’s unlikely you’ll need to concern yourself with rainfall, as you’ll be seeking out clear skies in order to see any auroral activity. Nevertheless, Iceland’s weather is known for its unpredictability, and conditions can change over the course of the evening. It’s sensible to choose clothing and boots that are waterproof for any Icelandic vacation.

As you’ve seen, no sighting of the Northern Lights can be guaranteed – they don’t show up on a set timetable. Here are a few tips and tricks to bear in mind:

• Plan to fill your time in Iceland with a range of memorable activities. That way, if the Northern Lights don’t make an appearance, you won’t feel like you’ve wasted your vacation. Our tours feature a variety of fun activities such as snowshoeing, dog sledding and snowmobiling.

• Time certain outdoor activities to capitalise on the possibility of seeing the aurora. For example, this might mean booking an after-dark slot for a geothermal lagoon in case they show up while you’re enjoying a soak.

• Set out on a Northern Lights hunt on the first night of your vacation if conditions seem promising – it might be the only night they show up. This is especially important if you plan to book a tour, as it would then be possible to reschedule.

• Plan to spend at least some of your trip out in the countryside, whether you stay in a rural area overnight or take a trip out from Reykjavik to the Reykjanes Peninsula, the Golden Circle, or the South Coast. Light pollution is not your friend, but it’s easy to escape it on a Northern Lights evening cruise from the capital.