New Year’s Celebration in Reykjavík

Throughout your multi-day trip with Iceland Tours, you’ll be based in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavík or Akureyri the capital of the North. From here, you can join guided tours into the surrounding countryside to soak up the mind-blowing scenery. Your package will include at least one day trip, and depending on the length of your tour package you can opt to add more.

It’s worth bearing in mind that you won’t have the same guide throughout your trip. In fact, on each escorted group day trip from Reykjavík or Akureyri, you’ll get to meet a new guide and new fellow travelers.

What’s more, spending each night in the same accommodation means you don’t need to worry about unpacking and repacking during your trip. It also gives you the chance to experience more of the city’s restaurants, food halls, and bars. And you’ll have time to browse the local shops and visiting the city’s attractions.

When you opt for a multi-day package, you won’t be traveling with the same guide and group throughout your trip. This means that number of fellow travelers you meet on your guided excursions will vary depending on the activity.

For instance, if you’re going on an ice cave tour, your group could include a just a handful people. Meanwhile, a tour of the Golden Circle by bus will often be a larger group as you’ll likely be traveling by coach. And you’ll find evening Northern Lights tours are usually by coach too, although you have the option to upgrade to a small group, super jeep, or boat tour.

Depending on the excursion, your bus could be either a minibus or coach. Most buses will have free onboard Wi-Fi and charging points for your phone. Larger buses also have overhead compartments for stowing your bag and jacket.

It’s good to know that although there’s no restroom on the bus, your guide will make sure to include regular breaks throughout the journey.

Yes, all of these multi-day trips include airport transfers by bus from Keflavík International Airport to Reykjavík on arrival and departure.

On each morning of your trip, you’ll get a tasty continental breakfast at your accommodation. In most places, this is served buffet-style in a communal dining room.

With most packages, lunch and dinner are not included so you’re free to choose from all of the options available. In Reykjavík and Akureyri, you’ll be spoiled for choice when deciding where to eat.

Some festive packages include special meals. Check the ‘What’s included?’ section for the individual package to find out exactly what you’ll get.

If your package features longer day tours, you’ll find that the guide will factor in lunch and restroom stops. But it’s still good to come prepared by packing a few snacks and plenty of water. And if you prefer, you could bring a picnic lunch rather than eat out.

Absolutely! You can customize your package by:

• Picking your level of accommodation (Budget, Comfort, or Quality)
• Extending your stay with extra nights in Reykjavík at the start or end of your trip
• Adding optional activities, such as a food tour or glacier hike

Start by checking out the New Year’s tours. Because of the public holidays at this time of year, they have fixed departure dates to make sure you can get the most out of your trip.

Once you’ve found the one for you, go ahead and book via the tour package page. You’ll be able to customize your trip with extra days and activities if you like.

Pay a 5% deposit or the full amount up front, it’s up to you. Then you’ll get a confirmation and we’ll be in touch with your travel documents closer to your trip date.

Because a multi-day trip is made up of different excursions every day, you won’t always be with the same group. That said, Iceland is small enough that you might just bump into someone from the day before!

If you’re looking for the kind of experience where you can hang with the same group and make new friends, we also offer guided group tours of Iceland. These are led by local experts who will take you and your travel buddies all over the country.

It’s possible to see the Northern Lights at any time during winter if the conditions are right, including New Year’s! If you go to a firework show on New Year’s Eve though, they might get in the way.

To see the Northern Lights, you need dark nights, clear skies, and high solar activity. December and January offer the most hours of darkness, so there’s plenty of time for them to appear.

If you’re lucky enough to get a cloudless night, you may well spot the Northern Lights on your New Year’s trip to Iceland. In fact, some of these packages even include a special excursion for hunting them in the countryside.

Determined to see this natural marvel? Take a look at these Northern Lights tours in Iceland.

Most Icelanders kick off the festivities at around 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. This is the more formal part of the evening, where people visit family and friends for dinner.

Afterwards, it’s traditional to go to a bonfire in the local neighborhood. Wander the streets of Reykjavík at this time of night and you’ll feel the magic starting to build.

Now it’s time for the party to properly start! You’ll see plenty of locals out and about in town, so why not join in? Sip on sparkling wine at your hotel as the big moment draws near.

At midnight, the fireworks begin. You’ll find it hard to miss the displays around Reykjavík. And with that, New Year’s Day arrives and the next year begins!

Read this blog to learn more about the New Year’s festivities in Iceland.

In Reykjavík, Iceland’s capital, the main New Year’s firework show is in the old harbor area. People gather near the Harpa concert hall in the city center to watch the gigantic display.

Towns and villages across Iceland also have their own local firework shows. This means that wherever you are, you’ll get to experience the New Year’s magic!

A short break of 4–6 days around New Year’s would give you enough time to enjoy the celebrations and see some of Iceland’s nature. You’d be able to join a guided group tour or multi-day tour by bus to get out of town.

If you want to see more of Iceland, you could extend your trip. With Iceland Tours, you can add extra nights in Reykjavík to the start or end of your package when you book online.

You can fill these up with a range of day tours, so you can see even more on your trip.

Feel like you need more time to explore the land of Fire and Ice? Check out all of our winter trips to Iceland and find the one for you.

Apart from the celebrations, there’s plenty you can do in Iceland around New Year’s. Here’s just some of what you could get up to:

• See the Gullfoss waterfall and Strokkur geyser on a Golden Circle tour
• Relax in the warm, soothing waters of geothermal spas like the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon
• Spot frosted waterfalls on Iceland’s south coast
• Marvel at glistening glaciers in Vatnajökull National Park
• Watch icebergs floating on Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
• Roam the site of Iceland’s Viking-era parliament at Þingvellir
• Wander a black sand beach studded with diamond-like chunks of ice
• Check out the cool cafés, bars, restaurants, and food halls of downtown Reykjavík
• Join a Northern Lights hunting excursion in the countryside
• Add exciting activities like a super jeep glacier tour

Want even more inspiration for your trip? Check out these Iceland winter must-sees and must-dos. And get the low-down on Iceland's unusual traditions and customs.

At New Year’s, you might be spending a little more time outdoors than you usually would in the middle of winter!

With that in mind, it’s a good idea to bring everything you’ll need to stay warm and comfy:

• Thick winter coat
• Waterproof outer layers
• Sweaters and fleeces
• Thermal socks and inner layers
• Wooly hat, scarf, and gloves
• Walking boots
• Swimsuit

A swimsuit is a must if you plan to go to the Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon, or local swimming pools. You might also want to bring a special outfit for the New Year’s festivities.

For more info on Iceland’s winter weather and what to bring with you, see this winter packing guide.

No worries! Iceland Tours is already offsetting the carbon footprint of your tour package. We've teamed up with an environmental fund in Iceland to cover the carbon offset for all our tours.

Carbon offsetting for international flights is not included, but we suggest checking with your airline or through a local environmental fund for options.