These incredible lights don't need a special introduction - we all know them and we all want to see them while in Iceland. But they always pose a few challenges. Here's a few tips to increase your chances of success:

WHEN TO SEE THEM?

To see the Northern Lights you need three things, darkness, clear skies and... well, the Northern Lights. This means that the seasonal window is the winter months when it‘s the darkest - usually between beginning of September and end of April. The darkest month in Iceland is December, which means you‘ll have longer nights and thus a bigger window of opportunity for Northern Lights but on the other hand, the most active Northern Lights are often found during the autumn and spring equinox (end of September and end of March). So there‘s not a clear cut answer to this. After all, when it comes to Iceland, you really can‘t predict much when it comes to the weather!

HOW TO FIND THEM?

We‘re all busy people and we don‘t have endless time to run around looking for pretty lights in the sky. This is where certain apps and websites come into play.

How can we predict the combination of high aurora activity, clear skies and darkness? Each country probably has it‘s own weather forecasts but here are some recommendations for Iceland:

Websites:

• Daylight/Darkness hours

• Weather in general

• Cloud cover

• Aurora forecast (w. cloud cover)

• Aurora forecast

Apps:

• My Aurora Forecast: A simple app, mostly based on the KP index.

• Hello Aurora: Offers a more professional and reliable forecast based on a few other different metrics.

GOOD LOCATIONS:

Aside from a lack of light pollution, there's no place where you're more likely or not to see the Northern Lights. But if you want an epic scene to accompany the lights, here's a few personal favourites:

• Karlinn: Google Maps

• Kirkjufell: Google Maps

• Stokksnes: Google Maps

• Goðafoss: Google Maps

• Skógafoss: Google Maps

• Arctic Henge: Google Maps

• Yoda Cave: Google Maps

• Glacier Lagoon: Google Maps

• Sólheimasandur: Google Maps

I also have an e-book coming out that goes into all this in more details as well as photography tips and tricks. If you're interested in that, make sure you sign up to my newsletter to get notified!