Northern Lights and Hot Springs: 12 Tours to Book

1.Northern Lights & Chena Hot Springs Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,278 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $250Our pick

Leave Fairbanks at 4 p.m. for Chena Hot Springs, where you will tour an ice museum, soak in 106°F mineral water, and search for the aurora. Guides such as Savvy, Shannon, Jessica, Gina, and Tyler have earned praise for patient aurora chasing and photo help. Dinner and towels cost extra, and the lights are never guaranteed.

“Great experience! Kathy was an excellent guide who made sure we had everything we needed and enjoyed the trip. The hot springs were transcendent and the ice museum was super cool. Definitely worth your time even if you’re only in Alaska for a little bit! Definitely ask for Kathy, she was great”

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2.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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3.Northern Lights and Chena Hot Springs Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 115 reviews · from $215Best value

Travel 60 miles from Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs with an English-speaking guide such as Gina, Greg, or Ron. Tour an ice museum built from more than 1,000 tons of ice and snow, soak in 106 F mineral water, and search for the aurora. Dinner and drinks cost extra, and the return to Fairbanks is around 2 to 3am.

“Greg was too fun and the food was delicious. best part? we saw the northern lights. inspite of already viewing it from the Hot springs area he drove us to a spot further north with less light pollution where the view was spectacular. the lights danced across the sky.”

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4.Northern Lights and Chena Hot Springs Night Tour from Fairbanks

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 115 reviews · 10 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $240

Ride from Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs for an evening Ice Museum visit, a soak in the outdoor rock lake or indoor pool, and time to watch for the aurora. Guides such as Ed, Jake, Paul, and Randy have helped with forecasts, photography, and extra viewing stops. The 10.5-hour outing runs late, with hotel pickup and small groups of up to 12.

“Our driver, Joseph, was so kind and knowledgeable about the area, and drove safe on the ich roads to the Chena resort! I deducted 1 point because the Chena resort was disappointing. The ice museum was great, the restaurant awesome, but the pool area was smaller than anticipated. The changing area was DISGUSTING! I never saw such an amount of hair and garbage on the floor of any public pool. There was no toilet paper. Unacceptable for a resort. What you should know about this tour is that your driver isn't a guide for the resort or the Northern Lights experience - you are discovering everything on your own.”

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5.Private 2-Day Glacier Lagoon, Ice Cave and Northern Lights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 109 reviews · 2 days (approx.) Top rated

You’ll travel from Reykjavik along Iceland’s South Coast with a private driver-guide such as Einar, Robert, Arna, or Martin. Expect waterfalls, black beaches, a canyon, glacier lagoon, Diamond Beach, an overnight stay, and a small-group ice-cave and glacier hike. Weather may reshape the schedule, and Northern Lights sightings are never guaranteed.

“We visited in October when the weather is unpredictable, but our guide, Einar, was able to make sure we had the best conditions to see each sight. He was friendly and able to share so much about Icelandic culture and history with us. The glacier hike was a second day highlight. There is so much packed into this 2 day tour you will not regret booking this tour.”

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6.Blue Lagoon and Northern Lights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 80 reviews · 8 hours · from $318

Spend an afternoon at the Blue Lagoon with Comfort admission, a silica mud mask, towel, and one drink. Return to Reykjavík, then head out by coach with an English-speaking local guide to search for the Northern Lights. Sightings are not guaranteed, but a free repeat tour is offered if the sky stays dark.

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7.Spectacular Hot Spring Experience with Northern Lights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 70 reviews · 8 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $245

Ride from Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs with a small group and guides such as Tony, Chris, or Savvy. Visit the Ice Museum, soak in indoor and outdoor pools, eat at the resort if you wish, then search for the Northern Lights at several viewing spots. Pickup, entry fees, water, and locker quarters are included.

“Tony was really friendly and knowledgeable. He made sure we were having a good time and also that we got good pictures”

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8.Chena Hot Springs Northern Lights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 59 reviews · 10 hours · from $240

Spend an Arctic night traveling from Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs with an English-speaking guide and a group of up to 10. Tour the Aurora Ice Museum, soak for about two hours, and search for the Northern Lights after midnight. Guides such as Joe, Daniel, Ryan, and Ed are praised for their local stories and flexible viewing stops.

“The tour was nice and the springs were wonderful. Our guide Ryan was exceptional making sure we were comfortable and helped us to see the Northern lights after our mineral springs visit. The restaurant served good food in a nice atmosphere. Other than that the property did not have much to do for the long time you spend there. It was a little plain for what we expected for the price”

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9.Chena Lake: Aurora Borealis Viewing & Ice Fishing Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 7 reviews · from $239

Meet your English-speaking guide at Chena Lake Recreation Area for five hours of ice fishing and aurora watching from a heated cabin. Riley and Cody have hosted memorable evenings here, with fishing gear, hot cocoa, grilled reindeer sausage, and a fish cookout included. Bring a license, camera, and tripod.

“Amazing! It was an incredible opportunity and our guide Riley was great with information and creating an overall experience. Definitely recommend”

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10.5-Day Northern Lights Hunt & Glacier Lagoon

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 5 days · from $1,501

Travel from Reykjavík through Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, Friðheimar, Vík, Jökulsárlón, Diamond Beach, and Iceland’s south coast. You’ll stay four nights with breakfast, ride a modern bus, and follow an English-speaking guide. Guide Emir has been praised for careful driving and personal attention. Northern Lights sightings depend on weather.

“Great tour- so pleased we did the tour not just day trips from Reykjavik as felt we saw so much and would not have covered it all with the distance traveled otherwise. Tour guide effortlessly switched between English and German through the tour. Only thing was although he gave the information, at times it felt like a minimal amount- e.g. at the one waterfall stop it would have been nice to be told there were further waterfalls to walk round the corner rather than us then only noticing at rhe last minute and being too rushed to see it properly. Tour organised well though, stop regularly for breaks which is…”

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11.3-Day Northern Lights Hunt & Glacier Lagoon

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 5 reviews · 3 days · from $1,047

Travel from Reykjavik through Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, Friðheimar, Vík, Jökulsárlón, Diamond Beach, Reynisfjara, Skógafoss, Seljalandsfoss, and the Blue Lagoon. An English-speaking guide, two nights near Vík, breakfast, and Northern Lights searches are included. Blue Lagoon admission costs extra.

“An excellent way to see the sights without driving yourself. Just wish there was more time at each sight.”

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12.Northern Lights Hunt with Forest Lagoon Entry

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 5 hours · from $235

Spend two hours at Forest Lagoon with a towel and drink included, then head into the Eyjafjord area for up to three hours of Northern Lights hunting. An English-speaking guide handles transport from selected Akureyri hotels. Bring swimwear, warm layers, and a camera.

“They did a great job with transportation and Aurora hunting. Friendly, fun guides and we saw some pretty good lights! Forest lagoon is my new favorite in Iceland. Easy, beautiful, drinks were good, food too!”

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