Northern Lights & Geothermal Baths Adventure

Warm water beats any cold night. This Reykjavik-to-Laugarvatn outing is built around an easy rhythm: guided bus ride, free time at Fontana, and a chance to catch the sky while Iceland still glows with the midnight sun. The geothermal setting by Lake Laugarvatn turns the whole evening into a calm reset button, even if the weather throws a curveball.

I love how you get real breathing room at the baths, not just a quick stop. You can move between three interconnected outdoor mineral pools at different depths and temperatures, plus the optional steam cabins known as the Gufan. I also like that you’re not paying only for the spa experience; the northern lights hunt is included, with a free option to join another tour if you don’t see aurora.

The main consideration is simple: northern lights sightings depend on conditions, and the tour’s exact timing can shift with weather. If your heart is set on aurora, go in with a plan B mindset and let the geothermal part be the real win.

Key highlights to know before you go

• Three connected outdoor baths: Dip between pools with different temps and depths without feeling rushed.
• The Gufan steam cabins: Naturally heated steam cabins add a totally different kind of warmth than the pools.
• Optional cold lake plunge: If you want the full hot-and-cold contrast, there’s a platform for the lake dip.
• Guided ride with live commentary: You’ll learn how Iceland’s volcanism powers the geothermal water.
• Northern lights hunt included: Aurora isn’t guaranteed, but the tour includes a hunt and a no-sightings remedy.

How the Fontana spa shapes the whole evening

This tour lives or dies by the Laugarvatn Fontana geothermal baths stop, and that’s a good thing. You’re leaving Reykjavik in the evening (starting at 6:00 pm at BSÍ101 Reykjavík) when daily sightseeing can feel like a blur of buses and schedules. Here, the pace changes. You arrive, change, and get time to settle into the heat.

Fontana is set on the shores of calm Lake Laugarvatn, so you’re not just soaking in a tank. You’re outside, with water around you and open air beyond you. In summer, that matters even more. Iceland’s long twilight can stretch into the kind of evening where you feel like you’re living on a different clock, and the tour leans into that with a late return to Reykjavik just after midnight.

Also, this is a “comfortable and practical” kind of experience. The vehicle is described as air-conditioned, and you get free Wi‑Fi on the bus. That sounds small until you realize you’ll likely be checking the sky, reading a map, or just sending a message while you’re en route.

Value angle: Most tours charge extra for the spa admission or treat it like a quick photo op. Here, admission to the Fontana Wellness is included, and the bus ride plus guide plus lights hunt are part of the same package. At $249 for roughly 7 hours, the cost makes more sense when you treat Fontana as the centerpiece.

Entering Fontana Wellness: pools, steam, and real time to choose

Once you’re at the complex, you’ll head inside to get ready for the water. Bring your bathing suit and a towel if you have them, but the good news is you can also rent towels on the spot. Plan to dress warmly too, because you’ll be in and out of heated water and steam, and Iceland evenings are not the forgiving kind.

Here’s what Fontana gives you, and why it works:

Three outdoor mineral baths

You’ll use your time at disposal in three interconnected outdoor mineral baths. Since each pool has its own depth and temperature, you can match your mood:

• Want gentle warmth? Stick to the more comfortable temperature pools.
• Want a longer soak? Choose the pool that feels right for the time you have.
• Want to ease in after the cold air? Start warm, then shift.

Interconnected pools are more than a nice feature. They reduce friction. You aren’t constantly changing, walking back and forth, or spending your best minutes just figuring out where to go.

The Gufan steam cabins

The tour calls out the Gufan, three steam cabins where steam seeps naturally up from the ground below. This is a different sensation than the water. Steam warms your face and breathing space and feels more like a sauna you can adjust through time spent inside.

If you’re the type who enjoys variety, this is where you’ll feel like your ticket gives more than “just hot water.” It’s a geothermal duo: water heat plus steam heat.

Optional cold lake swim

If you want the full Iceland style contrast, you can take a dip in the pure, cold waters of Lake Laugarvatn. It’s reached via a nearby platform, and the tour frames it as a circulation-boosting, toxin-releasing switch from warm to cold.

Even if you don’t buy the detox story, you can still appreciate the practical truth: the shock is real, and it often makes the rest of the soak feel extra satisfying. I’d just treat it as optional fun, not a must-do.

Changing facilities and comfort

The changing setup is described as clean, with communal facilities. That’s normal for geothermal sites, but it does mean you should plan to keep an eye on your basics and wear something easy to change out of. You’ll have enough time to do it without rushing, but don’t count on private dressing-room luxury.

The guided bus ride: science lessons that make the heat feel earned

You’re not just watching scenery from the window. The ride includes live onboard guided commentary about Iceland’s volcanic geology and geothermal springs—how warm, natural pools are heated by underground volcanic rock.

This matters because once you understand the basic mechanism, the spa experience feels more intentional. Hot water by the lake isn’t magic. It’s geothermal energy doing its job, and that makes you look at the place a little differently while you’re standing there in the cool air waiting to get in.

You’ll also travel from Reykjavik east to Laugarvatn, so you get a sense of how quickly the atmosphere shifts as you leave the city behind. The tour then includes a scenic detour on the return route around southern countryside before heading back.

Practical tip: If you’re arriving in winter in another season, you’d bundle up even more. In summer, you still need layers. The baths are warm. The air outside is not.

Northern lights hunt: how the plan works when the sky is stubborn

The big headline is northern lights, but the smarter mindset here is to treat aurora as bonus value.

The tour includes a Northern Light Hunt, and the itinerary explicitly sets time at Fontana (about 2 hours listed) before heading out to look for aurora. What happens next depends on conditions. The tour notes that it runs in all weather, but the sighting part is not guaranteed.

Here’s the key detail that keeps this from feeling like a gamble-only ticket: if you don’t see any lights on the tour, they will offer you the chance to join a Northern Lights Tour for free by contacting customer service. That’s not a guarantee of aurora, but it does reduce the risk that you pay for a hunt that turns into just a long night drive.

I’d still plan your expectations like this:

• If the sky cooperates, you’ll be set up in a tour format designed to search for lights.
• If the sky doesn’t cooperate (rain, cloud, wind), you still end the night with a great spa experience and a supported next step to try aurora again.

One more thing: the tour mentions summer evening timing and the possibility of midnight sun. In that kind of light, aurora visibility can be hit-or-miss depending on conditions. The tour doesn’t oversell it—your best bet is to enjoy the hunt as part of the day’s rhythm rather than demanding a result.

Timing and logistics: what your 7 hours actually feel like

This is an evening adventure, not a day trip. Start is 6:00 pm, and the tour ends back at the meeting point in Reykjavik just after midnight (with return times that can vary).

That schedule is actually smart if you like two things:

1) You want a long evening experience, not a quick taste.

2) You’d rather spend time in warm water than standing around waiting for night to happen.

The typical flow is:

• Depart Reykjavik (with optional pickup from central hotels, otherwise meet at a central location).
• Arrive at Fontana, change, and spend time in the baths (the schedule lists 2 hours here).
• After the spa portion, you go out to search for northern lights.
• Head back to Reykjavik with a scenic detour around southern countryside.

Group size note: The tour caps at 99 travelers. That’s fairly large, but the baths time is self-paced. You’ll likely enjoy the water more than the crowd pressure, especially since the experience is centered on your own soaking schedule.

What about dinner, snacks, and energy management?

Dinner is not included. That’s not a dealbreaker, but it changes how you should manage hunger.

Fontana does have a buffet food offering, and one review specifically noted that the buffet food was good but that you should get in quickly. You may find vegetarian-friendly options there, which is handy if you’re eating without a lot of planning.

Still, because dinner isn’t officially included in the tour package, don’t assume you’ll be fed in a structured way. If you want a smoother night, eat something light before you go, or plan to grab food at Fontana during your time there if you feel like it.

A common rhythm that works:

• Eat early, so you’re comfortable while changing and soaking.
• If you want a meal, use the on-site options during Fontana’s free time.
• After the lights hunt, you’ll be tired and ready for something simple back in Reykjavik.

Price and value: what you’re really paying for

At $249, this isn’t a “cheap and cheerful” Reykjavik add-on. You’re paying for four things bundled together:

• Round-trip transport
• A professional guide
• Fontana Wellness admission
• The northern lights hunt

When you look at it this way, the price starts to make sense. Many Iceland tours charge extra for geothermal entry or treat the lights portion as the premium upsell. Here, the geothermal piece is included up front and gives you a real core experience even if the aurora doesn’t show.

The best value comes when:

• You want geothermal baths and you don’t want to coordinate buses or timing on your own.
• You want a guide explaining the geothermal and volcanic context.
• You’re okay treating northern lights as a bonus with an included retry pathway.

Who should book this tour (and who should skip it)

This fits best if you want a “warm-outdoor-reset” with a guided night drive.

Book it if you:

• Want a geothermal experience with real free time to choose your pool temps and spend time in steam cabins.
• Like the idea of hot pools plus an optional cold lake dip.
• Prefer guided logistics over DIY planning in Iceland.
• Still want northern lights, but you’re realistic that weather decides the outcome.

Consider skipping it if you:

• Only care about seeing northern lights and would be disappointed if clouds or rain block them. The tour does provide a free alternative if no lights show, but you may still prefer a different plan that’s less dependent on sky conditions.
• Hate communal changing spaces. The facilities are clean, but they are communal.

What to pack so the night feels easy

Even in summer, plan for cold air outside the water. You’ll be outside before and after soaking, and you’ll likely be moving between heated areas and cooler platforms.

Bring:

• Swimsuit
• Towel (or rent on site)
• Warm layers for outside
• Simple footwear that works around wet areas

If you run warm easily, you might still feel chilly between pools or while changing. The trick is layering so you can remove what you don’t need and keep enough warmth for the moments outside the spa.

Final verdict: should you book?

If your travel style is “do something real, not just look at it,” this tour is a strong pick. The geothermal side is built to be satisfying on its own: multiple outdoor pools, steam cabins, and the optional cold lake dip. The northern lights hunt is a bonus layer, and the tour’s backup plan helps protect your time and money.

I’d book it if you want a guided, low-stress evening with Fontana as the heart of the experience. I’d think twice if aurora is your only goal and you cannot handle the weather reality that comes with Iceland evenings.

FAQ

What time does this tour start?

The tour starts at 6:00 pm.

Where is the meeting point in Reykjavik?

The meeting point is BSÍ101 Reykjavík, Iceland, and the tour ends back at the same meeting point.

Is hotel pickup available?

Pickup is offered from central Reykjavik hotels, or you can meet the guide at a central location.

How long is the experience?

The duration is approximately 7 hours.

What’s included with the ticket?

Included are bus fare, a professional guide, admission to the Fontana Wellness, a northern light hunt, and free Wi‑Fi on the bus.

Do I need to bring a swimsuit and towel?

You should bring a swimsuit and a towel, but towels can also be rented on the spot.

Is swimming in the lake required?

No. The lake swim is optional, and you can choose whether to use the cold water platform.

What happens if we don’t see the northern lights?

If you do not see any lights on the tour, you can join a northern lights tour for free by contacting customer service.

Does the tour run in bad weather?

The tour operates in all weather conditions, but northern lights sightings are not guaranteed and depend on the weather.

Is dinner included?

Dinner is not included.

What if I cancel—do I get a refund?

You can cancel for a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours in advance. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the start time, the amount paid is not refunded.