How do you find the Northern Lights in Reykjavik?
Question by AndreaJ: How do you find the Northern Lights in Reykjavik?
I am going on a 3 night break at the beginning of February to Reykjavik. My husband and I are renting a car for the time and really want to see the Northern Lights. Can anyone suggest a place where we could drive to in the evening to find the Northern Lights. We don’t really want to go on a pricey tour but we would like to find them on out own… any suggestions?
Best answer:
Answer by Dimmy
I was there and frankly, you just see them! You don’t really have to go anywhere.
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Depends which city you are driving from?
yeah like i really know, but i guess find the nothern star them look south.
Hi there. Been there – done that!
You don’t need to do anything other than take one of the roads out of town and drive out into the country to get away from Reykjavik’s lights.
When you are out in the complete dark just pull of the road and wait. You may be lucky – you may not be!
If you are flying Icelandair from UK you will arrive late at night, so on your way into Reykjavik (long deserted no lights road – takes about 45 minutes) you might be lucky and see them!
If you don’t see them do it again on your 2nd and if necessary 3rd night. February is the ideal time of the year to see them so cross your fingers!
It is a one of the most eerie wonders of the world, it changes much faster than you expect and can cover the whole sky!
Other essentails:-
**Golden Circle Tour (take a coach tour don’t try and do it yourself).
Blue Lagoon swimming.
The Cathedral.
The science fiction looking multi round building on top of the hill – it’s the very well insulated hot water storage tanks for the city! Look for the geyser just outside, I think it was every 18 minutes.
Try the hotdogs available everywhere (all the same brand) – best in the world (and I don’t eat hotdogs normally!!!)
**Take a SUPER JEEP trip out into the wilds – hair-raising but great fun!
**Go snowmobiling, usually out of town on the SE Glacier.
You haven’t got enough time to do everything – like us you will return – we’ve been 5 times now!
As you aren’t there long book your ** trips with a tour company before you go to maximise your time/days! Remember it get dark very early! You will shattered every night – but it’s great fun!
If you go back in the summer take the plane to the North and go to Husavik for the whale watching. We stayed at an Icelandic horse breeding station in the middle of nowhere, just the river and snowcapped mountains!
There is no guarantee of seeing them – if it’s overcast you won’t see them. But if you head out of town, like you are going towards Thingvellir, you should be able to see them once you get away from the city lights.