Hot Air Ballooning in Luxor
March 12, 2025
Geysers and the Golden Circle – Reykjavik, Iceland
April 10, 2025Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights, that miraculous, exquisite and evasive masterpiece of nature’s art, chased by enthusiastic travellers for nights on end in frigid temperatures and inky darkness.
It has long been a dream of mine to witness this glorious spectacle, and after a cancelled trip to Iceland courtesy a volcanic explosion that made flights over Europe impossible, I was finally headed to Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland and one of the world’s most popular destinations to witness the Northern Lights.
Since my trip was only 4 days long, giving me just 3 nights to try and see the Northern Lights, I booked my first tour for the night I arrived. In Iceland, as with other countries known for their Northern Lights tours, all bookings include a sort of guarantee where if you don’t spot the lights on night one, you are welcome to join the tour any (or every) other night of your trip to try your luck at no extra charge. Some, like the company I booked with will also extend that guarantee for a year or two, allowing you to return to Iceland and book another tour in case your trip ends without the Aurora making an appearance. While it might not be possible or practical for someone living far away to return, it is a valuable perk for those living in Europe or who are able to make it back within that time frame.
Knowing I had a long night or Aurora seeking ahead of me (the tours only begin at 9pm, or some, which include dinner may begin slightly earlier) with no chance of making it to bed before 2 or 3 in the morning, I decided to check in to my hotel in the very centre of Reykjavik and take a casual walk around to explore the city.
My walk took me down to the water and the old harbour of Reykjavik, past a modern building that I later discovered was City Hall and the city’s Maritime Museum, which opened in 2004 and was originally built as a fish freezing plant! Today, the former Coast Guard Vessel Oðinn can be seen on the pier next to the Museum, which features exhibits detailing Iceland’s long and storied relationship with the sea.
After a coffee and a stroll through the park I made my way back to the hotel for a quick rest before grabbing some dinner and heading out for a night of Aurora chasing!
Moving on, I made my way up the city’s famous Skólavörðustígur or Rainbow Street towards what is probably Reykjavik’s most recognisable landmark, the Hallgrimskirkja Church, the largest church in Iceland standing 244 feet tall! After admiring the building’s curved spire and side wings, I found myself following a path that took me towards the Parliament building, called Althingi and a beautiful park. The Icelandic parliament is actually the oldest and longest running in the world, originally formed as far back as 930AD at Thingvellir, which I was scheduled to visit the next day (read about my day at Iceland’s Golden Circle here).
After a coffee and a stroll through the park I made my way back to the hotel for a quick rest before grabbing some dinner and heading out for a night of Aurora chasing!
Unfortunately, the thought of Icelandic culinary specialities like dried fish and fermented shark seemed far from appetising, so I took another walk along the main street downtown to a small ramen shop for a hot and filling bowl of delicious noodle soup. I then stopped at the local supermarket for some Skyr, the famous Icelandic yogurt which was yummy!
Then it was time to don even more warm layers and head to the meeting point for my first Northern Lights tour. The tour started at 8pm and our group bundled excitedly into our bus where we were greeted by our driver and guide. We drove out of the city far into the countryside, with our guide telling us a little bit about Iceland’s landscape and history. After over an hour of driving, the lights of the city had faded away, giving us the best chance of spotting the elusive Aurora, unencumbered by light pollution. Unfortunately, to be great great disappointment, it was not to be. We continued to chase the lights for a few more hours with a stop for hot chocolate and snacks along the way. I drowned my sadness at not seeing the spectacle in a cone of ice-cream despite the sub-zero temperatures and finally crawled into bed dejected and exhausted at around 3am.
Thanks to the Aurora guarantee, I was able to try again the next night, this time with a stop for dinner at a traditional Icelandic inn. Sadly, both night two and three, my final night in Iceland all ended without the Aurora making an appearance leaving the spotting of the Northern Lights very much on my list of dreams and desires. I later found out that the week I chose to travel to Iceland was the week of the super moon, rendering the Aurora invisible due to the presence of too much ambient light. I suppose you live and learn, and now I have a reason to go back and visit Iceland, and so many other places in the region famous for the Aurora Borealis, and I know I will see them at least once in my life!
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Disha
Disha is a former corporate lawyer with a flair for writing. As an avid traveller, she is always seeking new adventures and loves telling stories about her globe trotting.
