Chasing the northern lights

Reykjavík and its geothermal pools, and Tromsø, above the Arctic Circle, to look for the northern lights on winter nights.

Day by day Open the itinerary in the app

Reykjavík → Tromsø · 5–6 days

The route on the map, in the itinerary’s order.

IcelandReykjavík
Days
2–3
When
Jun–Aug
Per person/day
Average 20,000–35,000 krMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
NorwayTromsø
Days
3
When
Jan–Mar · Sep–Dec
Per person/day
Average 1,700–2,800 krMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.

Who it is for

For anyone who wants to see the aurora and accepts cold, long nights and the chance of cloud.

Not for anyone who cannot try for more than one night, since the aurora depends on the sky and no night is guaranteed.

The strategy

Reykjavik comes first and Tromso comes next, because that is where the nights are set aside for the aurora. The more nights in Tromso, the greater the chance the sky will clear.

What you will see

Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík. Lutheran church atop Skólavörðuholt, designed by Guðjón Samúelsson in 1937 in the shape of basalt columns and built between 1945 and 1986.
Fjellheisen and Storsteinen, Tromsø. A cable car opened in 1961 that climbs in about four minutes to the Storsteinen lookout, at 421 m, with a platform and the Fjellstua restaurant.