Routes · Europe

Auckland to Iceland in winter: Reykjavík and Akureyri for the northern lights

Auckland → Reykjavík → Akureyri

Northern lights Best season (general guide): Oct–Mar

Watching the northern lights is the main reason to visit Iceland in winter, and splitting the trip between the south-west and the north gives you two chances at clear skies. From Auckland it's a long journey via Asia or North America and Europe to Keflavík. A domestic flight connects Reykjavík and Akureyri, so you don't have to drive icy roads across the country.

How to pace it: Spend days one to three in Reykjavík: day one, city walk; day two, pools and museums, then evening aurora tour; day three, Golden Circle tour or free day. Then spend days four to six in Akureyri: day four, fly to Akureyri, then town; day five, Goðafoss and Lake Mývatn; day six, nature baths, then aurora watch.

In Reykjavík, evening aurora tours head out of the city's lights when the forecast is promising. Daytime can be spent at the geothermal lagoons, swimming pools and museums, or on a guided Golden Circle tour. Akureyri, near the Arctic Circle, has a quieter feel. From there, day trips go to Goðafoss waterfall, the lava fields and steaming vents of Lake Mývatn and the Mývatn Nature Baths. When the sky is clear, the darkness outside town is often good enough for aurora watching without a long drive.

The northern lights are visible in Iceland from roughly late August or September to mid-April, and the darkest months, about October to March, give the most viewing hours. Clouds are the main obstacle, so stay several nights in each place and check the forecast every day. Daylight is very short around midwinter, so plan sightseeing around it.

Winter weather changes quickly. Use guided tours, or check road conditions and closures before setting out if you hire a car. Domestic flights can be delayed by storms, so leave a spare day before your flight home.

Splitting the nights between the south-west and the north also splits your weather risk. If one region is under cloud, the other may be clear, and the Icelandic Met Office publishes a combined cloud-cover and aurora forecast that guides and independent travellers use to decide where to go. Keep evenings free rather than booking dinners, so you can head out as soon as the sky opens.

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