Golden Circle & Northern Lights Tour

Combine Iceland’s most famous sights with a night-time aurora chase on this flexible golden circle and northern lights tour combination. With Sterna Travel you book two real tours together: the daytime Golden Circle Classic and the evening Northern Lights Hunt, with the option to choose the Northern Lights Boat Cruise as a sea-based alternative.

One day, two of Iceland’s biggest experiences

This winter combo is designed for travellers who want to make the most of a short stay in Reykjavík without rushing or joining huge groups. Instead of a single, continuous package, you reserve two coordinated tours that fit neatly into one winter’s day: a classic Golden Circle coach tour in daylight, followed by a dedicated northern lights departure after dark.

During the day you explore Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall with an experienced guide. After a break back in Reykjavík, you head out again in the evening to hunt the aurora with guides who actively monitor cloud cover and space weather.

You are free to choose the dates that suit you best within your stay. Many guests do both tours on the same calendar day, but you can also spread them over two evenings if that works better with your plans and the forecast.

Your Golden Circle by day

The Golden Circle is Iceland’s classic sightseeing route, and Sterna’s Golden Circle Classic focuses on the three essential stops with enough time at each place to actually look around, take photos and ask questions.

Þingvellir National Park

Your first major stop is Þingvellir, a UNESCO World Heritage site where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are slowly pulling apart. You walk through the rift valley, see the cliffs that mark the edge of the continents, and learn how Iceland’s first parliament met here in 930 AD.

In winter, the ground can be snowy or icy, but the paths are well-trodden and your guide will point out the safest routes. On clear days you get wide views over Þingvallavatn, Iceland’s largest natural lake, and the surrounding volcanic landscape.

The Geysir geothermal area

Next, you continue to the Geysir geothermal field, where steam vents, hot pools and mineral deposits colour the ground. The star here is Strokkur, a reliable geyser that erupts every few minutes, sending a column of hot water up to 20 metres into the air.

You have time to watch several eruptions from different angles, take photos and feel the contrast between the cold winter air and the heat rising from the earth. Your guide explains the geothermal forces at work and how Iceland uses this energy for heating and electricity.

Gullfoss waterfall

The final main stop on the Golden Circle Classic is Gullfoss, one of Iceland’s most powerful waterfalls. Fed by glacial meltwater from the Langjökull ice cap, the river plunges in two stages into a rugged canyon.

In winter, the rocks and banks around Gullfoss are often coated in ice and snow, giving the falls a dramatic, frozen frame. The paths can be slippery, so good footwear is important, but the viewpoints are close enough that you still feel the spray and hear the roar of the water.

After visiting Gullfoss, the coach returns to Reykjavík, usually in the late afternoon, giving you time to rest, have dinner and add extra layers before your evening aurora tour.

Chasing the aurora by night

For the evening part of your golden circle and northern lights tour combination, you join Sterna’s Northern Lights Hunt. This is a separate, dedicated departure focused entirely on finding the best possible conditions for seeing the aurora.

The team monitors cloud cover, solar activity and local weather throughout the day. Once it is dark enough, the coach leaves Reykjavík and heads towards areas with clearer skies, away from the city’s light pollution. The exact route can change from night to night, which is an advantage: it allows the guide and driver to react to real-time conditions rather than following a fixed loop.

If you prefer to look for the aurora from the water instead of by road, you can choose the Northern Lights Boat Cruise as an alternative evening experience. This separate tour departs from Reykjavík’s harbour and takes you out into Faxaflói Bay, where city lights fade and the sky opens up above the sea.

On both evening options, the guides explain what creates the northern lights, how to read the forecast and how to adjust your camera or phone settings. If the aurora appears, there is usually time to move around, find a darker corner and capture your own photos.

Sterna is honest about the fact that the northern lights are a natural phenomenon and can never be guaranteed. To reduce the risk of disappointment, there is a free re-try on the Northern Lights Hunt if the lights do not show on your original booking night, subject to availability during your stay.

The best season and conditions for the northern lights

This winter combo is available from roughly September to April, when nights in Iceland are dark enough for aurora viewing. The deepest winter months (November to February) offer the longest nights, while autumn and early spring can bring slightly milder temperatures and more varied skies.

Good northern lights conditions require three things at the same time:

Darkness – the sky must be dark enough, which is why summer is not suitable.

Clear or partly clear skies – heavy cloud will block any aurora, even if activity is strong.

Solar activity – charged particles from the sun need to reach Earth’s atmosphere.

Sterna’s guides cannot change the weather or the solar wind, but they can choose routes that avoid local cloud where possible and adjust departure decisions based on the latest data. Some nights the aurora is faint and diffuse; on others it can be bright, fast-moving and colourful. Both are real, natural displays.

What to bring for the night

For the evening northern lights part of your golden circle and northern lights tour combination, it is important to dress more warmly than you might expect. Standing still outside a coach or on a boat deck feels much colder than walking around Reykjavík.

Thermal base layers (top and bottom)

Warm jumper or fleece

Insulated winter jacket

Windproof trousers or ski pants

Warm hat and scarf or buff

Gloves or mittens (ideally with a thin liner for camera use)

Wool or thermal socks and sturdy, closed shoes or boots

Power bank and charging cable for your phone or camera

Tripod or mini-tripod if you are serious about photography

Snacks and a hot drink in a flask can also make the wait more comfortable, especially on colder nights.

Frequently asked questions

Is this one ticket or two tours?

This is a combination of two separate Sterna Travel tours rather than a single continuous ticket. You book the Golden Circle Classic for the daytime and the Northern Lights Hunt or Northern Lights Boat Cruise for the evening. Booking them together simply helps you plan a full winter day that covers both the Golden Circle and the northern lights.

When can I do it?

The Golden Circle Classic runs year-round, but the northern lights part of this combo is only available from roughly September to April, when nights are dark enough. Within that window you can choose dates that fit your itinerary. Many guests do the Golden Circle in the morning and the aurora tour the same evening, but you can also split them across two different days if that works better with your schedule and the forecast.

Are the northern lights guaranteed?

No, the northern lights are never guaranteed. Even on nights with a good forecast, cloud cover or low activity can mean there is nothing visible. Sterna’s guides use real-time weather and aurora data to give you the best possible chance, and if the lights do not appear on your Northern Lights Hunt, you are offered a free re-try, subject to availability during your stay. The boat cruise has its own conditions and policies, which you should check when booking.

How long is the day in total?

If you choose to do both tours on the same calendar day, you should expect to be busy from around 08:30 in the morning until late evening. The Golden Circle Classic usually takes most of the daytime, returning to Reykjavík in the late afternoon. After a break for dinner and extra layers, the Northern Lights Hunt typically lasts around three to four hours, depending on conditions and driving distances. Exact timings can vary slightly by date and season.

Where does it depart from?

For the Golden Circle Classic, Sterna offers pick-up from selected hotels, guesthouses and designated bus stops in Reykjavík, as well as from Harpa Concert Hall. The Northern Lights Hunt and the Northern Lights Boat Cruise also depart from central Reykjavík locations, with details confirmed in your booking documents. You should always check your voucher for the exact pick-up point and time, and be ready a little early, as coaches cannot wait for late arrivals.