April is the last month of the northern lights season in Iceland as days are getting longer and daylight replaces the green light in the dark sky. Iceland is one of the best places in the world for viewing northern lights on clear winter nights. The ideal location for viewing the lights varies but is usually away from the city lights. However, people tend to flock towards Grótta lighthouse on the edge of the capital area when conditions are favourable. 

Various tours are organized during the season to view the aurora borealis and organizers are skilled at catching the lights, in other words to find locations where conditions are optimal for viewing the lights on a given night. But there are never any guarantees for seeing northern lights as they do not obey human will any more than the whales on whale watching tours.

Your chances of seeing northern lights are greatly improved outside the light pollution of populated areas. Dark clear skies are optimal and patience is preferable. Advancements in smartphone technology mean that you can catch great photos (and videos) of the northern lights dancing in the sky with your smartphone. 

There are some tricks that you can use to improve your northern lights photos snapped on the phone, including locking the focus, excluding flash and experimenting. Here are some more tips on capturing aurora borealis with a smartphone. 

Northern Lights Tours in April

There is a range of northern lights tours available from Reykjavík. These include Northern Lights Small Group Tour with Hot Cocoa & Photos Included and Northern Lights and Stargazing – Jeep tour – Professional photos – Free re-run. On the small group tour, you travel with a minibus for maximum 19 people and avoid crowded areas to find the best vantage points for viewing. On the stargazing jeep tour, you get to try a powerful stargazing telescope to explore crude details on the planets in our solar system. The northern lights viewing takes place where sightings are most likely according to forecasts.