Iceland & the Northern Lights

Search for the ethereal Northern Lights on this unique, eight-night land journey designed to immerse you in one of nature’s most incredible displays. Set off to explore this Nordic nation, from cosmopolitan Reykjavík to the picturesque harbor town of Siglufjörður and beyond. By day, immerse yourself in the rustic splendor of this “land of fire and ice;” by night, enjoy guided excursions to chase the aurora borealis dancing across the sky. See Iceland’s “Big Three” wonders, known as the Golden Circle — the UNESCO World Heritage site of Þingvellir National Park; the “Golden Waterfall” of Gullfoss; and Strokkur, an active geyser. Play hide and seek around the towering lava formations of Dimmuborgir, gaze at gurgling sulfur pools and step back in time at the Herring Era Museum, just miles from the Arctic Circle. Visit a family-run tomato greenhouse, meet Icelandic horses and sink into the warm, soothing waters of the thermal Blue Lagoon. This outstanding itinerary features authentic farm-to-table experiences, local cuisine tastings, museum visits, and local expert enrichment.

Guest Speaker - Elín Björk Jónasdóttir
Iceland native Elín Björk Jónasdóttir is a climate science and policy expert at the Icelandic Ministry for Environment, Energy and Climate. She is a former head of the Icelandic Meteorological Office’s (IMO) natural hazard monitoring and weather forecasting department and has considerable experience in land, aviation and marine forecasting. For the past 15 years, she has worked on numerous severe weather events in Iceland as a weather forecaster and coordinator, including volcanic eruptions. Jónasdóttir spent over seven years delivering the evening weather forecast on the Icelandic national television station and working on numerous science communications projects.

Trip Highlights:

• Journey to Iceland and enjoy stays at landmark hotels: 4 nights at Hótel Borg in Reykjavík and 3 nights at Kea Hótel in Akureyri.
• Specially arranged excursions in search of the otherworldly beauty of the naturally occurring aurora borealis, more commonly known as the Northern Lights.
• Guest speaker Elín Björk Jónasdóttir is head of the Icelandic Meteorological Office’s natural hazard monitoring and weather forecasting department.
• Discover Iceland’s first permanent settlement in Reykjavík, which is today the most northern national capital city in the world.
• Explore the wondrous Golden Circle, including the UNESCO World Heritage site of Þingvellir National Park; the two-tiered “Golden Waterfall” of Gullfoss; and Strokkur, an active geyser.

When: October 24 - November 1, 2026
Cost: $4,495 per person, based on double occupancy

You can contact travel program coordinator Sarah Doody with questions or to register. 

Phone: 904-432-3141
Fax:      866-427-5335
Email:  sarahdoo@buffalo.edu