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Thingvellir Dark-Sky Spot (Aurora Viewpoint)
Best time to visit
Late autumn to early spring provides the longest, darkest nights and highest aurora chances. Visit between about 21:00 and 02:00 on clear, moonless nights for the best displays.
Budget tips
No separate aurora-viewing fee, however Thingvellir National Park charges parking and seasonal entrance tickets; buy parking tickets in advance via the official website or app to avoid fines. Save money by carpooling or joining a small-group tour that includes transport.
Recommended for
Photography enthusiasts, Aurora hunters, Couples and solo travelers, Geology and nature lovers
Plan your visit
1-3 hours
About
Fatos rápidos: Clear, dark skies often reveal the aurora dancing in ribbons of green and violet, sometimes streaming across the horizon for more than two hours on active nights. Observers often spot satellites and meteor trails against a Milky Way so bright the band resembles a dusty road, thanks to the near-total absence of city glow.
Destaques: A jagged tectonic rift slices the foreground, its cliffs and ledges only a few hundred meters from the main viewpoint so aurora curtains appear to ripple just overhead. Local guides watch for a Kp-index of 4 or higher to call a night 'prime', and visitors often count color shifts aloud while warming their hands on 800 ml thermoses of hot chocolate under a cold, crackling wind.
Insider tips
- Dress in insulated layers, windproof outerwear, thermal boots, hat and gloves; temperatures drop sharply at night.
- Bring a tripod and a wide-aperture lens, set camera to manual, use 10–20 second exposures at high ISO for aurora shots.
- Park at the lower visitor car park and walk 10–20 minutes along the ridge to find darker, less crowded viewpoints.
- Check Vedur.is for cloud cover and the aurora forecast, and avoid nights with a bright moon for best contrast.
Practical info
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