Forest Lagoon and Northern Lights Guided Night Tour

The best part of this Akureyri evening is the contrast: first you soak in warm geothermal water among birch and pine trees, then you head into the dark countryside to search for the Northern Lights. Forest Lagoon gives you a calm start, while guide Siggi keeps the second half active and hopeful.

I like the fjord view across Eyjafjörður and the fact that your lagoon entry and towel are included. I also like the guide’s flexible approach. Siggi has used scenic routes, tried several viewing spots, and made extra stops when the lights appeared. The main drawback is simple: the aurora is weather-dependent and never guaranteed, so you need to accept some uncertainty.

Key points to know before booking

• Two very different evening stops: Spend about two hours at Forest Lagoon, then around 90 minutes searching for auroras outside Akureyri.
• A scenic woodland setting: The baths sit among birch and pine trees with views over Eyjafjörður.
• A guide who keeps searching: Siggi has taken routes beyond the quickest drive and tried multiple spots to find clearer skies.
• Small group size: The tour is limited to 18 people, and a quiet night may feel much more personal.
• A late winter outing: Departure is at 7:30 pm from Hótel Kea, with the tour returning there after the search.
• No aurora promise: Poor weather can cancel the outing, and a completed tour without Northern Lights may be offered again free on a future booking.

Why this Akureyri night works so well

Akureyri is a smart base for a winter evening. You get the comfort of a town meeting point, then a short drive to a forest spa and open countryside. The tour does not ask you to choose between a relaxing bath and an outdoor aurora hunt. It gives you both in one compact outing.

That combination matters in Iceland. Northern Lights tours can involve long periods of waiting in the cold, with no guarantee of a show. Starting in warm water makes the evening feel worthwhile even before the sky gets interesting. If clouds block the aurora, you still had a proper visit to one of North Iceland’s newer geothermal bathing spots.

The order is also well chosen. You visit the Forest Lagoon after dark, when the experience becomes quiet and atmospheric, then go looking for the lights when the sky is fully dark. The fjord view will not look the same as it does in daylight, but the scattered lights and dark water create a peaceful setting.

Starting at Hótel Kea at 7:30 pm

The meeting point is Hótel Kea, at Hafnarstræti 87 to 89 in central Akureyri. The start time is 7:30 pm, and pickup is offered. Since the tour ends back at the meeting point, you do not need to arrange a separate return from the countryside.

The total time is about four and a half hours, including driving. That makes this a manageable evening activity rather than an all-night expedition. You should still keep the rest of your night fairly open. The aurora portion depends on conditions, and the guide may spend time checking more than one location.

The group can include up to 18 people. That is not a private tour by default, but it is smaller than many large coach outings. The size also has an upside on a successful night: you are less likely to feel lost in a crowd when the guide stops the vehicle for an aurora sighting.

If only a few people book, the experience may become especially personal. One evening had just two participants, allowing Siggi to run something close to a private outing. You should not count on that every night, but the 18-person limit keeps the possibility of a relaxed group alive.

Two hours at Forest Lagoon

Forest Lagoon is the first main stop, with about two hours set aside for the visit. Your admission and towel are included, so the price covers the central part of the spa experience rather than just transport and guiding.

The setting is the real reason to come. The baths are surrounded by birch and pine trees in Vaðlaskógur, with a view toward Eyjafjörður. Forests are not what most people picture first when they think of Iceland, which gives this stop a different character from the open lava fields and stark coastlines found elsewhere in the country.

At night, the trees frame the bathing area and the fjord view becomes subdued. You get time to settle into the warm water instead of being rushed through a quick dip. Two hours is enough to relax properly, dry off, and prepare for the second half of the outing.

I especially like that the lagoon is not treated as a hurried add-on. A shorter stop might leave you watching the clock, but this schedule gives the bath its own place in the evening. You can enjoy the quiet energy of the forest and the view across the fjord before turning your attention to the sky.

There is one practical tradeoff. You visit after darkness, so you will not see the full daytime shape of Eyjafjörður or the surrounding woodland. If you want the clearest scenic view, visit the lagoon separately during daylight. If you want atmosphere and an easy start to an aurora night, the evening timing works well.

From warm water to Eyjafjardarsveit

After Forest Lagoon, the guide drives you outside Akureyri toward Eyjafjardarsveit. The goal is to get away from the town’s artificial light. That matters because dark skies make faint auroral activity easier to see, especially when the lights first appear as a pale arc or soft glow rather than a bright display.

The Northern Lights portion lasts about an hour and a half. That is long enough to search for a suitable place instead of stopping at the first roadside pullout. It is also short enough that you are not committing to a full night in a vehicle.

The strongest feature here is the guide’s willingness to keep trying. Siggi has taken scenic routes, stopped more than once, and looked for a location with a better view. That flexibility can make a major difference. The aurora may be hidden by cloud in one direction but visible a short drive away, and a guide who pays attention to conditions gives you a better chance than simply parking once and waiting.

When the lights appear, you may stop so you can get out and watch. Siggi has also taken photographs for the group and shared them afterward. That is a useful extra because night photography is not easy, and your own phone may record only darkness unless the settings and conditions cooperate.

Still, it is important to keep expectations in check. Northern Lights activity changes quickly, and no guide can control cloud cover or solar conditions. You may see a spectacular show, as happened on several outings, or you may spend the time searching without a clear sighting.

What makes the guide important

A Northern Lights tour is partly about location and partly about judgment. You need someone who can read the night’s conditions, decide when moving is worthwhile, and keep the mood steady when the sky is slow.

Siggi has earned particular praise for persistence. Rather than treating the first stop as final, he has tried different places until he found a strong viewing position. On a good night, that can turn a faint possibility into a memorable display.

His scenic route choices also add something beyond the basic transfer from spa to countryside. You are not only being delivered to a parking area. The drive becomes part of the evening, with more attention given to the setting around Akureyri.

The available information also names Sigi in one account, likely a spelling variation of Siggi. If having a particular guide matters to you, confirm the assigned guide when booking. The key point is the style of guiding: active searching, multiple stops, and help with photos when the conditions cooperate.

Is $176 a fair price?

At $176, this is not the cheapest way to spend an evening in Akureyri. The value depends on how you would otherwise arrange the two parts yourself.

The fee includes Forest Lagoon admission, a towel, transportation, and a licensed guide and driver. You also get a coordinated Northern Lights search rather than simply paying for a spa visit and then finding your own dark-sky location. For many visitors, the convenience is worth paying for, especially in winter when driving conditions and darkness can make independent planning less appealing.

The price is easier to justify if you want both experiences and have only one free evening. Forest Lagoon alone gives you the bathing stop, but not the guided search. A standard aurora outing alone does not give you the warm-water start. Combining them saves you from scheduling two separate activities and arranging transport between them.

The value is weaker if you already have a rental car, feel comfortable driving after dark, and plan to visit Forest Lagoon on your own. In that case, you are paying mainly for the guide’s local searching and the convenience of a single booking.

I would also factor in the free repeat offer if the tour operates but the lights do not appear. It does not remove the disappointment of a cloudy or quiet sky, and you need another suitable booking to use it. Still, it gives the tour more protection than an outing that simply ends without a sighting.

Who will enjoy this four-and-a-half-hour outing?

This suits you if you want a polished winter evening with both comfort and nature. It is a good match for couples, families with older children, and first-time Iceland visitors who want to see the aurora without planning every detail themselves.

It also works well for anyone staying in Akureyri for a short time. You can leave from a central hotel, enjoy the spa, and return to the same place later that night. The format keeps the evening focused and avoids a full-day commitment.

Families should note that children must be accompanied by an adult. The information provided does not give a child age minimum, so check that point before booking if you are traveling with young children.

The outing may be less suitable if you need a guaranteed attraction. Forest Lagoon is dependable as the scheduled stop, but the Northern Lights are not. You should book this because you like the idea of a search, not because you expect a fixed show at a fixed time.

It is also not the best choice for someone who wants a long, dedicated spa day. Two hours is generous for this tour, but the lagoon visit is one part of a larger night. You will leave for the countryside afterward.

How to prepare for the dark-sky search

Bring warm clothing for the outdoor portion, even though the lagoon is the first stop. The supplied information does not list specific clothing or equipment, but you will be outside in winter after spending time in warm water, so layers are a sensible choice.

Keep your phone charged if you hope to take photographs. Siggi may share photos after the tour, but you should not rely on that as your only record of the evening.

Wear footwear suitable for short outdoor stops. The tour includes several possible viewing locations, and the guide may ask you to get out when conditions look promising. Exact walking distances are not specified, so simple practical footwear is safer than anything chosen only for appearance.

Most people can participate, according to the tour information. If you have a specific mobility concern, ask the operator before booking, since the details do not explain the surfaces or access at each possible aurora stop.

Weather, cancellations, and the Northern Lights promise

The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, not a scheduled performance. Even on a clear night, activity may be weak or absent. A tour can operate properly and still fail to produce the bright green ribbons shown in photographs.

Weather and sky conditions can also lead to cancellation. If the outing is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered another date or a full refund. The tour may also be canceled if its minimum number of participants is not reached, with a different date or experience, or a full refund, offered instead.

If the tour goes ahead but you do not see the aurora, the operator offers the trip again free the next time there is a booking. This is useful, but it is not the same as an automatic refund. You need to be able to return to Akureyri and find another available date.

For ordinary cancellations, you can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the 7:30 pm start. Cancellations or changes made inside that 24-hour window are not refunded or accepted. The cut-off follows local Iceland time.

Should you book Forest Lagoon and the Northern Lights?

I would book this if you want a balanced Akureyri evening and understand that the aurora part is a search, not a guarantee. The two-hour lagoon visit gives the night a worthwhile foundation, while the drive into Eyjafjardarsveit gives you a real chance to get beyond city light.

The strongest reason to choose it is the combination of a peaceful forest spa, fjord views, and a guide who keeps looking when the sky demands patience. Siggi’s multiple stops and photo help can turn a standard outing into a much more personal memory.

Skip it if you want a guaranteed spectacle, a full-day spa visit, or the lowest possible price. For everyone else, especially visitors with one free winter night in Akureyri, the $176 cost buys comfort, transport, entry, and an organized attempt at one of Iceland’s most elusive sights.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at Hótel Kea by Keahotels, Hafnarstræti 87 to 89, 600 Akureyri, Iceland.

What time does the tour depart?

The scheduled start time is 7:30 pm.

Where does the tour finish?

The activity ends back at the meeting point at Hótel Kea.

How long does the experience last?

The total duration is approximately four hours and 30 minutes, including travel time.

Is Forest Lagoon admission included?

Yes. The entrance fee to Forest Lagoon and a towel are included.

How long do you spend at Forest Lagoon?

The planned visit lasts about two hours.

How long is the Northern Lights search?

The Northern Lights portion in Eyjafjardarsveit lasts about one hour and 30 minutes.

Are the Northern Lights guaranteed?

No. The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, and sightings cannot be guaranteed. The tour can also be canceled because of weather or sky conditions.

What happens if the tour runs but no Northern Lights appear?

If the tour goes ahead and the Northern Lights are not seen, the operator offers the trip again free the next time there is a booking.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 18 people.

Can children join?

Yes, children can participate, but they must be accompanied by an adult.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations within 24 hours are not refunded.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

You will be offered a different date or a full refund.

Is pickup available?

Pickup is offered, with the listed meeting point at Hótel Kea.