Iceland’s Northern Lights: Nature’s Celestial Dance
The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are one of Iceland’s most captivating natural phenomena. This ethereal light show illuminates the dark winter skies, drawing visitors from around the world.
Best Time to See:
- September to April
- Dark, clear nights
- Away from light pollution
What Causes the Aurora: Solar particles colliding with Earth’s atmosphere create colorful displays, typically green but sometimes pink, purple, or red.
Top Viewing Locations:
- Þingvellir National Park
- Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
- Kirkjufell Mountain
- Reykjavik (from darker areas like Grótta lighthouse)
- Ásbyrgi Canyon
Viewing Tips:
- Check aurora forecasts
- Be patient and prepared for cold weather
- Use a tripod for photography
Tours and Activities:
- Guided Northern Lights tours
- Boat trips for unique viewpoints
- Photography workshops
While sightings are never guaranteed, Iceland’s location near the Arctic Circle makes it one of the world’s best places to witness this magical natural light show.
Remember: The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, so flexibility and a bit of luck are key to a successful viewing experience.
Overview
Travel is the movement of people between relatively distant geographical locations, and can involve travel by foot, bicycle, automobile, train, boat, bus, airplane, or other means, with or without luggage, and can be one way or round trip. Travel can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.
The origin of the word “travel” is most likely lost to history. The term “travel” may originate from the Old French word travail, which means ‘work’. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the first known use of the word travel was in the 14th century.
It also states that the word comes from Middle English travailen, travelen (which means to torment, labor, strive, journey) and earlier from Old French travailler (which means to work strenuously, toil). In English we still occasionally use the words “travail”, which means struggle. According to Simon Winchester in his book The Best Travelers’ Tales (2004), the words “travel” and “travail” both share an even more ancient root: a Roman instrument of torture called the tripalium (in Latin it means “three stakes”, as in to impale).
Trip Highlights
- The Glacial Lake of Floating Icebergs
- Icy Gems on Obsidian Sands
- The Black Falls Amidst Columnar Basalt
- Panoramic Viewpoint of Europe's Largest Ice Cap
