Skip to content
iceland northern lights over hotel ranga

Aurora Nights Fly Drive

From £799

Excluding Flights

3 Nights

Jan-Apr & Oct-Dec

Overview

This three-night break has fast become one of our most popular winter self-drives in Iceland. It has been designed to maximise your chances of a northern lights sighting by basing you at Hotel Ranga, a fabulous rural bolthole renowned for its dazzling dark-night skies.

Just two hours’ drive from Reykjavik, yet deep in the heart of South West Iceland, you’re also in prime position to explore the natural wonders of Iceland’s breathtaking South Coast and Golden Circle. Days with the freedom of your own hire car; nights relaxing in comfort as you anticipate a display of the aurora borealis.

A 4-star ranch-style hotel located beside a salmon river with distant views of Mount Hekla, Hotel Ranga has a reputation for excellent service, yet retains an intimate and friendly atmosphere. It offers an extensive wine list and acclaimed gourmet menu. Ranga also has its own observatory with a retractable roof and two high-powered telescopes – perfect for seeing beyond the aurora into the depths of the cosmos.

Itinerary

Collect your rental vehicle at Keflavik International Airport and enjoy the two-hour drive to Hotel Ranga, following the coastline towards Reykjavik before heading southeast through stunning scenery. Your home for the next three nights, Ranga is located far from artificial light pollution – ideal for sightings of the aurora. To ensure you never miss the spectacle, the hotel offers an aurora wake-up call service. There’s also a high-tech observatory where a local astronomy guide will take you on an unforgettable journey through the night sky, revealing planets, constellations, nebulae and distant galaxies. The two high-powered telescopes have camera attachments to help you record the extraordinary experience.

hotel ranga restaurant exterior rowellphotography

Hotel Ranga, near Hella

A 90-minute drive from Reykjavik (or two hours from Keflavik airport), this cosy riverside lodge offers four-star comfort and fine dining in the volcanic heart of rural Iceland. According to MICHELIN’S One Key award, it offers ‘a very special stay’ and is ‘a true gem with personality.’ We couldn’t agree more.

Set off in your hire car, using excellent roads to discover the dramatic scenery of the South Coast. Visit the magnificent waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss – both just a short stroll from the ring road. Visit the coastal town of Vik with its hilltop church and walk along vast black-sand beaches with views of basalt cliffs and surf-pummelled sea stacks.

Another full day to explore in your hire car. We suggest you head north to drive the famed Golden Circle route. You’ll see three of Iceland’s most famous natural wonders: the rainbow-misted double falls of Gullfoss, the geothermal hotspot of Geysir (where the Strokkur geyser regularly emits a 30m-tall fountain of steaming water), and Thingvellir National Park, a geological wonderland where you can walk (or even snorkel) between the tectonic plates of North America and Eurasia.

After a final delicious breakfast at Hotel Ranga, make your way back to Keflavik. If your flight time allows, we recommend stopping at the Blue Lagoon en route. It’s the perfect place for a relaxing dip in the warm therapeutic waters before your journey home.

Optional Experiences

Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is, quite simply, a rite of passage for anyone visiting Iceland – and with a pre-booked ticket, we’ll get you into those soothing naturally-heated, mineral-rich waters in no time at all. Ask us about adding a super-indulgent spa ritual to your experience.

Prices & departures

What's Included

  • Accommodation in standard rooms with private bathroom

  • Daily breakfast

  • Car rental throughout

  • Unlimited mileage

  • No charge for additional driver

  • 24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday

  • Full financial protection

From £799 Excluding Flights

3 Nights

Jan-Apr & Oct-Dec

Your Holiday Pricing
Prices are per person based on two people sharing and are subject to availability. Your Travel Specialist will provide a final price tailored to your specific dates and requirements.

 

What’s Included:
Items listed and all known compulsory taxes and charges.

 

What’s Not Included:
Variable local costs like tolls, parking or hotel taxes that cannot be calculated in advance. We will provide guidance on these expected costs within your personalised quote.

Our holiday prices also exclude flights. Flight prices and offers change daily, so we’ll provide a bespoke quote based on your preferred airport at the best price available.

Make this trip yours

Every trip you see here can be adapted to suit you using inside-out knowledge to create one-off experiences created just for you.

Eric in Norway
Eric
8

Sea turtles snorkelled with

10

Visits to Iceland

We create holidays that are as individual as you are. And we’ve been doing it for 40 years, crafting each and every holiday using our in-depth knowledge and enthusiasm for our destinations. Whatever your brief, we’ll create an amazing trip for you to get excited about. That might mean adapting one of our existing itineraries or we’ll build you one from scratch.

Experts with real experience