Hunting for the Northern Lights

Expert Tips from Tröll Expeditions, Iceland

We asked Michelle at Tröll Expeditions to give us some tips on how to go hunting for the Northern Lights. Unlike their other daytime tours in Iceland, which focus on landscapes and landmarks, their aurora hunts are dynamic and flexible.

“Each evening, our expert guides study cloud forecasts, aurora activity charts, and solar wind data to decide where conditions look most promising. No two nights are ever the same and it is truly an adventure.”

“Our Northern Lights tours are far more than sightseeing. They are about chasing one of nature’s most breathtaking phenomena with patience, knowledge, and a little Icelandic intuition.”

Ireland and the UK

It is possible to see the aurora from Ireland and the UK during strong solar storms. The best chances are in remote, Dark Sky areas with minimal light pollution — coastal headlands, high viewpoints, or rural areas facing north.

“For a successful sighting of the Northern Lights, you need three things: clear skies, darkness, and solar activity. We monitor these using specialist apps and NASA’s space weather data, but local experience often proves just as valuable — our guides know where microclimates might reveal a clear patch of sky when forecasts look uncertain.”

“Be patient, dress warmly, and give your eyes 15–20 minutes to adjust to the dark. Often, the first faint grey glow is the aurora beginning to appear, cameras may pick it up before your eyes do.”

Tröll Expeditions

To give yourself the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights, Iceland offers some of the darkest, clearest winter skies. Tröll Expeditions specialise in the nightly hunt and would be delighted to guide you beneath the northern stars. The season runs from late August to mid-April, when the Arctic sky comes alive after dusk.

More Information: Tröll Expeditions

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