New Year's Eve Cruise in Iceland

Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to the Land of Fire & Ice

Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at your own leisure exploring the Iceland capital.

Overnight at Fosshotel Baron 3* or similar.

Day 2: Golden Circle & Northern Lights Chase

09:30 – 18:00 GOLDEN CIRCLE TOUR (~ 8 hrs)
The Golden Circle Classic Tour takes you from Reykjavik city to Þingvellir National Park, arguably the most important site in Iceland in terms of history, culture, and geology. A UNESCO world heritage site, Þingvellir National Park is home to Iceland‘s largest natural lake and the place where the tectonic plates of North America and Eurasia split and drift apart. Þingvellir is also the birth place of the Old Icelandic Commonwealth and the Alþingi assembly, where Iceland’s most powerful leaders met to decide on legislation and carry out brutal viking-age justice. From Þingvellir, the tour continues through an area of beautiful scenery towards two of Iceland's greatest natural attractions at Gullfoss waterfall and Geysir hot spring area. At Gullfoss waterfall you can take a short walk down a pathway and get right up close to this powerful waterfall and feel the mist of glacial water on your face as it cascades down into the narrow Hvítárgljúfur Canyon. Leaving Gullfoss, lunch break is usually taken in Gullfoss Cafe or at the Information Centre at Geysir area. Home of "The Great Geysir" hot spring, which all geysers are named after, this area is an impressive collage of bubbling mud pools, hissing steam vents, and colourful algae deposits. It also features one of the world's most reliable fountain geyser, Strokkur hot spring, that every 4 to 8 minutes blasts out a column of super heated water up to 20 metres into the air. From Geysir hot spring area, the return journey takes you past lakes Laugarvatn and Apavatn and on to Skálholt Church that for 800 years was the place of religious and political power in Iceland. Back on the Golden Circle route towards Reykjavik, the tour includes a short stop at the Icelandic Horse Park, Fákasel where you can stretch your legs, grab a cup of coffee or learn about the Icelandic Viking horse breed.

21:00 – 24:00 NORTHERN LIGHTS MYSTERY TOUR
Seeing the northern lights weaving their way across the night sky is a captivating experience. This Northern lights tour takes you out of Reykjavik city to the best places to see Northern lights swirling across the night sky in their fantastic shapes and colours. Located under the "Auroral Oval," Iceland is one of the best places on earth to experience the beautiful and mysterious northern lights. Northern lights (Aurora Borealis) are most frequently seen around the North Pole, within an oval shaped region drawn around the Northern hemisphere called the "auroral oval." Iceland lies within this most active region meaning that the Northern lights are potentially visible from every place in Iceland. In reality viewing conditions for Northern lights depend on many factors including geography, weather, the time of day and many more. Crisp cold evenings with skies clear enough to see stars is a good indicator for auroral activity. Operating Northern lights tours in Iceland for 10 years has taught us a thing or two about this elusive phenomenon and how to decide where each trip should lead for best possibilities and viewing conditions.
If you don’t see the Northern Lights this night, you will get a free tour the following day.

Overnight at Fosshotel Baron 3* or similar.

Day 3: South Soast Adventure & New Year's Eve Fireworks Cruise

09:30 – 18:30 SOUTH COAST & WATERFALLS
On this tour you will journey through south Iceland that features many of Iceland‘s most awe-inspiring destinations, including the iconic Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, Dyrhólaey promontory and Reynisfjara volcanic beach to name but a few. Travelling across the lush farmlands that cut between the coast and the mountain ranges and glaciers of the interior highlands you‘ll enjoy breathtaking panoramic views, visit the main natural attractions and get to know the fascinating history of the region. Experience the top sights of south Iceland on this comprehensive tour and discover the amazing diversity in Iceland's landscape.

22:30 – 00:30 NEW YEAR’S EVE FIREWORKS CRUISE
Join us on this evening cruise as we set off from the city centre by boat to watch the magnificent fireworks display from sea! One of our excellent guides will meet you on board our Visitor Centre, permanently docked in the Old Harbour. Once on board you will be handed a complimentary welcome drink to celebrate the New Year. During the cruise, there will be an open bar with select drinks for you to enjoy! If we're lucky, you might even get to see the Northern Lights!

Overnight at Fosshotel Baron 3* or similar.

Day 4: The Blue Lagoon & Reykjavik

10:00 – 13:00 BLUE LAGOON INCL. ADMISSION
This Blue Lagoon tour takes you from Reykjavik to the Blue Lagoon where you can relax and soak in the soothing, milky blue waters, and enjoy the breathtaking scenery. Fed by geothermal seawater from deep under the lava, the Blue Lagoon holds a staggering six million litres of milky blue seawater which is the equivalent of three Olympic size swimming pools! The flow is tremendous entirely renewing the lagoon every 40 hours. If you really want to pamper yourself, you can enjoy a range of luxurious massages, either in the Blue Lagoon itself or in their world class spa.

Overnight at Fosshotel Baron 3* or similar.

Day 5: Farewell Iceland

Breakfast at your hotel and enjoy the rest of your time in Iceland before your return flight back to the UK.

This map uses Google Maps, so you can zoom and interact with it as we hope it is familiar to you.

For a larger version of this map which opens in a new window, click here

The lines shown give you an indication of our destinations and are not the exact route used.

You'll see...

• Northern Lights »
• Northern Lights in Iceland »
• Photographing the Northern Lights »
• Reykjavik City »
• The Blue Lagoon Iceland »
• The Pearl »
• The Saga Museum »

Will I see the Northern Lights?

Please scroll down to see the specifics for the country you wish to visit:

Iceland:
The Northern Lights are in the Northern sky from September through April but are only visible when the sky is clear and free of clouds. Like many of natures wonders, it’s ephemeral – they may be visible, they may appear for a bit and then be gone. But it’s worth it to be patient. Because they’re a winter event, you need to be prepared to wait outside, while looking for them. It’s best to dress very warmly, in layers, with good footwear, gloves, hats and whatever else will make you comfortable while you await this truly amazing event. The Northern Lights can be pretty spectacular, and for the best photos we recommend using a tripod. Much of Iceland offers a very a good chance to see the Northern Lights when conditions are right. Remember – the Northern Lights are natural phenomena, not guaranteed, but appreciated all the more for their elusive qualities.

Norway:
Northern Norway is one of the world's best places to experience the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). In Northern Norway, Northern Lights occur in up to 90% of every clear night in the period from late September to late March. Most Northern Lights occur in the time span from 6pm to slightly after midnight, with an absolute peak at around 10-11pm. 

In Norway, the area north of the Arctic Circle is prime aurora territory. The various destinations in the High North have a distinct personality, and are well worth exploring. Major places in Northern Norway are Tromsø, Kirkenes, Alta, Bodø, Lofoten and Vesterålen Islands and Svalbard.

Finland:
The best place to see the Northern Lights in Finland is in the Northern Lapland region, which is almost entirely located within the realm of the Arctic Circle. During the dark winter months here, when the sun rarely peaks its head over the horizon, you can expect to see the Finland Northern Lights with regularity, and other peak seasons include February through March and September through October. The most common colours of the Northern Lights are greenish-yellow and red.

The Finnish term for the Northern Lights, Revontulet, meaning fox fire, comes from an old tale where the fox was believed to swish its bushy tail on the snowy fell landscapes, throwing sparks into the air.

As mentioned, Lapland is the best place to see the Finland Aurora Borealis, with the Kilpisjarvi area offering the most abundant opportunities. The best time of the day to see the Finland Northern Lights is between 9 pm and 11:30 pm, though they are certainly not restricted to this time frame.

Sweden:
In Northern Sweden, the Northern Lights usually occur during the winter months through late March or early April, but they can be spotted as early as September in the Northernmost parts. Your best chance of catching a glimpse of the Northern Lights is on cold winter nights when the sky is clear and cloudless. You need to be away from city lights, which dilute the effects of these natural phenomena, so head out into the countryside. On clear nights, the Northern Lights can be visible from most locations in Swedish Lapland, occurring between 6 pm to and 2 am, with the strongest shows happening between 10 pm and 11 pm. For those willing to brave the cold on winter nights, here are some of the best locations in Swedish Lapland for viewing these phenomena:

Abisko National Park
Abisko National Park, a couple of kilometers north of Kiruna, is a prime location for viewing the Northen Lights. The scientifically proven “blue hole” — a patch of sky over the Torneträsk lake that usually remains clear despite overcast weather in surrounding areas — gives Abisko its own micro-climate, which is suitable for catching the lights.

Jukkasjärvi and the Torne Valley
Not only does the village of Jukkasjärvi (population roughly 541) boast the world’s first ice hotel (rebuilt ever year from Torne River ice), it’s also one of the best regions to view the Northern Lights. ICEHOTEL organizes guided tours for guests which takes the to the Esrange Space Center located 30 minutes from Kiruna. You can dine at a wilderness camp and get the chance to scan the Arctic winter sky for aurora borealis.

Other regions in Swedish Lapland
As mentioned earlier, if weather conditions are just right (clear, dark, cold, and cloudless), you might catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights from any location within subarctic and arctic Sweden — even close to larger towns such as Luleå, Jokkmokk, Arvidsjaur, and Gällivare.

Greenland:
The northern lights - or Aurora Borealis as it is officially known - actually occur all year round, but cannot be seen during the summer months in Greenland due to the midnight sun. The phenomenon is often seen around midnight and is best experienced on a dark, clear night in the period from September to the beginning of April. If you are travelling during this period, you can see the Northern Lights from anywhere in the country, whilst in South Greenland the northern lights can be seen from as early as the end of August.

Transportation

Railway mostly serves domestic routes and is used as an easy and quick way to get from the capital to major cities of the country. There are some international routes, like to Moscow and St. Petersburg, but time spent on the way will be quite long.

Buses are one of the most convenient ways to travel between the Baltic States. Eurolines will get you between Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn. One way tickets will cost £ 15 - £ 20 and approximate travel time is 5 hours between the cities. Ticket reservations in advance are recommended.

Taxis are the quickest and most convenient way of travelling round the city. You'll find them located close to the main hotels. Usually it's quite easy to catch a taxi on the street, however, it's much better and safer to order one by phone. Taxi costs in all of the Baltic countries and Poland are approximately the same and a ride in the centre of the city will cost you approx £ 5 - £ 7.  Taxis in Finland and Russia are considerably more expensive.  It is always a good idea to get your hotel to book a taxi for you and ask approximately how much the trip will cost before you get in.

We would not recommend you to take public transportation within the city, as it's usually crowded and it may cause you unnecessary anxiety about where to stop.