Northern Lights & Golden Circle Combo

Iceland's two most sought-after winter experiences — the Golden Circle and the northern lights — are usually sold as separate tours on separate days. This combo from Arctic Adventures packs both into a single day, which is particularly clever for travellers with limited time in Reykjavik who want to make every day count.

The Golden Circle by Day

The morning begins with hotel pickup in a minibus, heading east toward the Golden Circle's three iconic stops. First is Thingvellir National Park, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates visibly pull apart and where Iceland's medieval parliament was founded in 930 AD. The guide walks you through the rift valley, explaining both the geology and the history.

Next comes the Geysir geothermal area, where the geyser Strokkur erupts every five to ten minutes, shooting a column of boiling water up to 30 metres into the air. Even if you have seen photos, the sound and heat of the eruption in person are genuinely startling.

The final stop is Gullfoss, one of Iceland's most powerful waterfalls. In winter, the cascade is partially framed by ice, and the mist catches the low Arctic light in ways that make photographers lose track of time entirely.

The Break

You return to Reykjavik in the late afternoon with a few hours to rest, eat dinner, and warm up before the evening departure. This break is important — it prevents the day from feeling like a marathon and gives you time to recharge.

Northern Lights After Dark

The evening portion departs around 21:00 and follows the same format as a dedicated northern lights tour. The guide drives to locations selected based on real-time aurora forecasts and cloud cover, making multiple stops across a wide area. With the minibus format, you avoid the lengthy pickup routes of larger coach tours.

When conditions align, seeing the northern lights after a day of waterfalls, geysers, and tectonic plates creates a cumulative sense of wonder that is hard to achieve through any other combination of activities. Iceland's daytime and nighttime landscapes feel like two different countries, and this tour shows you both.

Value Assessment

At ISK 16,900, the combo is priced lower than booking a Golden Circle tour and a northern lights tour separately. The savings are typically around ISK 2,000 to 4,000, depending on which individual tours you compare. The free rebooking policy on the northern lights portion means you are not penalised if the aurora does not appear.

The main consideration is stamina. You are out from roughly 08:30 until 01:00 or later, with a break in between. For most travellers, this is manageable and well worth it. For those who prefer a more relaxed pace, booking the two experiences on separate days may be a better fit.