Iceland or Tromsø for the Northern Lights? We’ve Been to Both
Two winter trips, two very different aurora stories, and which one I’d pick for you
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If you’re torn between Iceland and Tromsø for a northern lights trip, I get it. I’ve been lucky enough to chase the aurora in both in winter, and they gave me two very different experiences. In Iceland we saw faint lights after standing in the cold for hours. In Tromsø we saw them from the plane, missed them on a guided tour, then got a magical show on a night we planned ourselves.
So which one is better for the northern lights? Honestly, it depends on what else you want from your trip. Here’s how they compare on the things that matter, with a dose of real-life experience.
I’ve only done one winter trip to each place, and the aurora is never guaranteed anywhere. What we saw depended on the weather and solar activity on those particular nights, so please treat our results as our story rather than a promise.
Iceland vs Tromsø at a Glance
| Iceland | Tromsø | |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora season | Late August to mid-April, with the best chances from September to March | Roughly September to March, as the midnight sun (mid-April to early September) rules out the rest |
| Where the lights show up | Best away from city lights, so tours head to dark spots like Þingvellir, the Reykjanes Peninsula and the South Coast | The city sits in the auroral zone, and tours head into the wilderness to get away from the lights |
| Winter weather | Storms and heavy cloud are possible | Coastal areas are milder but cloudier, and inland is colder |
| Flying from London | About 3 hours direct, from Heathrow and Gatwick | British Airways announced a direct Heathrow route in winter, about 3 hours 40 minutes (check current schedules) |
| Getting around | Compact, and doable as a self-drive with care in winter | The city centre is walkable, and tours get you further out |
| Beyond the lights | Waterfalls, geysers, glaciers, black sand beaches, lagoons and museums | Reindeer and Sámi culture, a cable car, the Arctic Cathedral, the Troll Museum and fjords |
| Whale watching | Tours run all year, peaking April to October | Mainly November to January |
Seasons, schedules and prices change, so check before you book.
When to Go: Aurora Season in Each Place
Good news: the two seasons overlap almost completely. The aurora needs darkness, so the midnight sun near Tromsø, which lasts roughly from mid-April to early September, rules out the summer months. Iceland’s season is listed as running from late August to mid-April, and in both places September to March is the sweet spot.
Daylight is worth thinking about too. Around the December solstice, Iceland gets only about 4 to 5 hours of daylight, which means over 19 hours of darkness. In Tromsø, the polar night ends in mid-January, and by early February you get about 5 hours of daylight, which is when we visited. A bright moon can also outshine the aurora, so it’s worth checking the moon phase when you pick your dates.
The northern lights need clear skies as well as activity. In Iceland, the Icelandic Met Office cloud cover map is the one to check, and in Tromsø the University of Tromsø explains that evening, roughly 8pm to 2am, is usually the best window.
Our Aurora Nights, Compared
Iceland
Our first northern lights tour was cancelled because of the weather, so we ended up going the following night. We went deep into the wild, into pitch black, and we were lucky enough to see faint activity, but we stood in the cold for a good few hours first. It was worth it, though, and the hot cocoa and snacks they gave us while we waited were a lovely touch.
Tromsø
In Tromsø we saw the aurora from the plane before we’d even landed, then caught a bit more from a beach on our first evening. Our guided tour on day 2 didn’t show us anything, although the frozen lake stop was a fun surprise. On day 3 we went out on our own with an aurora app, waited a few hours, and then the sky filled with blue and green. It was possibly one of the most magical moments of my life so far.
So who won on the lights?
On our trips, Tromsø gave us the stronger show, and Iceland gave us a gentler, fainter one. But we had one trip each, and weather and solar activity play a huge part, so I wouldn’t read too much into it.
Weather, Cloud and Plan B
In both places, the weather is the real boss. In Iceland, winter can bring storms and heavy cloud, and our own plans changed quickly: some excursions didn’t go ahead as planned, our first northern lights tour was cancelled, and we had to reorder our days. We also weren’t ready for the wind when we left the airport. In Tromsø, coastal areas are milder but cloudier, while going inland is colder, and we were in the minus double digits on our first night.
The best advice for either: give yourself several nights, stay flexible, and book your aurora tour early in your trip so you have time for a second go.
What to Pack and Wear
Whichever you choose, chasing the lights means standing still in the cold for hours, so what you wear matters just as much as where you go. The good news is that the packing list is almost the same for both. I’ve put it all together in my guide to what to pack and wear for chasing the northern lights.
Getting There and Getting Around
Iceland is the easier one to reach from the UK, with direct flights of around 3 hours from London Heathrow and Gatwick. Tromsø is further north. British Airways announced a direct winter route from Heathrow, listed at around 3 hours 40 minutes, but schedules change, so check what’s running for your dates.
Once you’re there, both work well without a car in winter if you’re happy to take tours. Iceland is compact, and the Golden Circle is doable as a self-drive if you take the right precautions. In Tromsø we got around the centre on foot, including across the bridge to the Arctic Cathedral and cable car, and used tours for the aurora and our reindeer day.
Beyond the Northern Lights
This is where the two really split, and for many people it’s what decides it.
Iceland
- The Golden Circle and Þingvellir, where you walk between tectonic plates
- Geothermal lagoons: the Blue Lagoon and the Sky Lagoon
- South coast waterfalls, a glacier and black sand beaches
- Perlan, the museum we spent half a day in
Tromsø
- Feeding reindeer and learning about Sámi culture
- The Fjellheisen cable car and views over the city
- The Arctic Cathedral and a walk across the bridge
- The Troll Museum and the Tromsø Museum
Want the full day-by-day plan for either? Here’s our Iceland winter itinerary and our Tromsø winter itinerary.
So, Which Should You Choose?
Choose Iceland if…
- You want more than the lights, with waterfalls, geysers, lagoons and glaciers in one trip
- You want the shorter, easier flight from London
- You like the idea of a compact country you can explore from a handful of bases
Choose Tromsø if…
- The northern lights are the main reason for your trip
- You love the idea of reindeer, Sámi culture and an Arctic town you can explore on foot
- You want a cosy, walkable city base with the aurora close by
And my honest take? I’d happily go back to both. If I were booking purely for the northern lights, Tromsø is the one that gave us our most magical night. If I wanted a bigger adventure with the aurora as the cherry on top, I’d go back to Iceland, which is a place that amazed me so much that I’ve been twice and I’m planning a third trip.
The Aurora Tours We Did
These are the two guided northern lights tours we took, one in each place.
From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Bus Tour with Hot Cocoa
A guided northern lights bus tour from Reykjavik, with hot cocoa included.
Tromsø: Northern Lights Tour with Minibus, and Free Photos
A guided northern lights tour by minibus, with photos included.
More Things to Do in Iceland
More Things to Do in Tromsø
Final Thoughts
There’s no wrong answer here. Both Iceland and Tromsø are wonderful in winter, and both will test your patience and your layers. Whichever you pick, give the aurora more than one night, stay flexible, and wrap up warmer than you think you need to. 💗
If you’ve got questions, want to share your own experience, or just want to say hello, I’d love to hear from you.
Welcome to the travel diary. I’m glad you’re here.
– Elena (and Cookie 🐾)
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