Golden Circle and Northern Lights: the 11 Best Combined Days

1.Golden Circle and Northern Lights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 673 reviews · 9 hours · from $153Our pick

Join Gray Line Iceland for a split-day Golden Circle and Northern Lights trip from Reykjavik. You’ll visit Þingvellir, watch Strokkur erupt at Geysir, and see Gullfoss before taking a 3 to 6 hour break. At night, a trained aurora guide searches the countryside and helps with camera settings.

“Fantastic trip, success finding the lights. Guide was very helpful in keeping us patient pointing out the slow start of the lights. Would do it again for sure!”

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2.3-Day Ice Cave, South Coast, Golden Circle and Northern Lights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 634 reviews · 3 days (approx.) · from $1,058Top rated

Travel from Reykjavik in a minibus with an English-speaking guide, sleeping two nights along Iceland’s South Coast. You’ll see the Golden Circle, waterfalls, black-sand beaches, Jökulsárlón, a glacier, and a naturally formed blue ice cave reached by super jeep. Breakfast, transfers, safety gear, and guided glacier activities are included.

“This trip was fantastic. Our guide was very knowledgeable and kind. He gave us an excellent tour of this incredible country. Everything was exactly as described if not better. I was impressed at how meticulously planned the whole thing was. Additionally, they were constantly watching the weather so that they could adjust our itinerary around storms and make sure we could still see everything. While we did have a huge storm roll in, our guide still made sure we saw everything listed, and more importantly, he made sure we were safe on our trips through bad weather. I would not have wanted to drive in that myself (blinding snow, heavy…”

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3.Golden Circle and Northern Lights Combo

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 393 reviews · 9 hours · from $165

Travel by bus from Reykjavik to Þingvellir, Geysir and Strokkur, and Gullfoss with an English-speaking guide. Return to the city for a short break, then head out again after dark to search for the aurora. Guides such as Eric, Albert, Jonas, and Niko have been praised for lively facts and clear advice.

“Hershey or hers was informative. Well worth the price despite the snow during the day. The lady that took us to northern lights was amazing. We were lucky enough to be the first bus there and to see the northern lights. This company has amazing tour guides. Very impressed!”

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4.Golden Circle, Blue Lagoon & Northern Lights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 245 reviews · 15 hours · from $345

From Reykjavík, spend a full day at Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, Kerið, and the Blue Lagoon, then search for the aurora after dark. Guides such as Siki, Addi, Monica, and Roman have made this long route lively with stories, extra stops, and photo help. You get a towel, face mask, drink, Wi-Fi, and hot chocolate.

“It was a very nice tour, well organised. Our tour guide was a very good driver, and also a good storyteller. We really enjoyed this tour, even weather wasn’t the best. It was very nice to warm-up in the Blue Lagoon in the end and we were also able to catch the Northern lights.”

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5.Golden Circle and Northern Lights Superjeep Tour from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 220 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $239

Spend about 10 hours touring Iceland’s Golden Circle in a Superjeep, with hotel pickup, hot drinks, WiFi, and a guide such as Adam or Peter. Visit Þingvellir, Geysir, and Gullfoss, then leave Reykjavik’s light pollution behind to search for the northern lights. The flexible route suits small groups, but auroras are never guaranteed.

“It was a fantastic tour! Adam was a great guide, he was knowledgeable and shared a lot of great facts with us. At each stop, he shared interesting stories about the location. Dinner was great and we were lucky to get a beautiful and long show of the Northern Lights. Thank you Adam!”

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6.Iceland: South Coast and Northern Lights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 90 reviews · 13 hours · from $173

Spend a full day exploring Iceland’s South Coast by comfortable bus, with stops at Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull, Reynisfjara, and Vík. Return to Reykjavík, rest, then head out with a specialist guide to search for the Northern Lights. Wi-Fi, USB charging, and multilingual audio are included.

“The south coast tour was an amazing trip start to finish, the places you see on this tour are truly magical and couldn't be more glad we picked this tour. Our Bus Driver Norbert and Tour guide Amelia were fantastic and made this experience even more special, keeping us right the whole way with a perfect route for all the stops while making sure it was a comfortable journey for all. Amelia told the most interesting stories about Icelandic culture along the way which have stuck with us all. We enjoyed every minute of the tour and saw some of the outstanding beauties of Iceland, with many laughs along the…”

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7.4 Day Blue Ice Cave, South Coast, Golden Circle, Snæfellsnes & Northern Lights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 90 reviews · 4 days (approx.) · from $1,523

Travel from Reykjavík in a small group of up to 18, visiting Snæfellsnes, the Golden Circle, and the South Coast. You’ll hike a glacier, explore a blue ice cave by super jeep, sleep three nights, and get breakfast each morning. Guides have included Siggy, João, Gummi, Jon, and Thales.

“Whole entire journey was awesome! Thank you for the tour guide and the crews feed us with Iceland information , if you want to experience the leisure with Abit adventure sport to touch this beautiful land I highly recommend this tour . Once again thank you the troll expectations crew with quick response communication , despite our tour has been postponed one day . But we are truly enjoy it .”

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8.Golden Circle & Northern Lights Tour from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 77 reviews · 12 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $151Best value

Spend the day with local guides such as Sunny, Barbara, Thor, or Doolie exploring Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, and Kerid Crater. After a two-hour Reykjavik break, head into the countryside for a four-hour Northern Lights search. The aurora is never guaranteed, but guides track clouds and forecasts to improve your chances.

“The tour was informative, educational, insightful and fun - this was a whole day your and to say we has been surprised is an understatement. From seeing the volcano’s to the northern light hunt”

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9.The Golden Circle & Northern Lights Guided Combo tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 74 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $157

Spend the day visiting Þingvellir, Geysir, and Gullfoss, then return after dark to search for the northern lights. The tour includes bus transport, guides, Wi-Fi, and selected Reykjavik pickup points. The aurora depends on weather, but if you see nothing, you can request a free return tour.

“Our tour guide for the Golden Circle was very knowledgeable and her love for Iceland shone through loud and clear. I gained appreciation for Iceland, including the culture. The Northern Lights guides were very solicitous and they gave tips to optimize our experiences. It was a successful trip.”

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10.South Coast, Glacier Hike & Northern Lights Combo

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 68 reviews · 16 hours · from $270

You’ll travel from Reykjavik to Seljalandsfoss, Sólheimajökull, Reynisfjara, and Skógafoss with an English-speaking guide. A certified glacier guide supplies crampons, helmet, harness, and ice axe for the glacier walk. After dinner, return for a countryside Northern Lights hunt with complimentary photos.

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11.Golden Circle & Northern Lights Combo

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 24 reviews · 11 hours · from $185

Spend the afternoon at Thingvellir, Geysir, and Gullfoss with an English-speaking guide, then return to Reykjavík for dinner before a countryside Northern Lights hunt. Greta has led especially lively Golden Circle outings, and the aurora portion can be rebooked free for up to three years if the lights stay hidden.

“Ondanks dat we het Noorderlicht niet gezien hebben een geweldige dag gehad. De stop plaatsen waren interessant en er was genoeg tijd om hiervan te genieten. Vriendelijke gids.”

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