any tips on a 3 - 4 day stop over mid December in Iceland - how to see the aurora? We visited two years ago in mid summer and loved it. Best place to go, where to stay.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
The advice is usually to stay for at least a week for a chance of seeing the aurora. You will need to be up late at night and you need to have a night when there is no cloud. Location wise - you need to be somewhere where there are no lights.
Posted by
Freedonia
15134 posts
It's hit or miss. I was there for four nights last October. The northern lights were supposed to be active but there was rain and clouds every night so I saw nothing. I may go back again this fall.
There are tours out of Reykjavic most evenings when they expect good light activity. Your hotel can arrange them. They drive you out of the city to a dark spot to best see them. (Many will allow you to try again for free if you didn't see any.)
Posted by
4537 posts
Note that about 75% of the land-based aurora viewing is from North America. It's not centered on the North Pole so it's always skewed toward the western hemisphere, away from Europe.