New Year's Eve in Reykjavik: Bonfire Tour and Fireworks Display
1.5
New Year's Eve in Reykjavik: Bonfire Tour and Fireworks Display
By Gray Line Iceland
About
New Year in Iceland is always a memorable event, but knowing the best spots to experience Reykjavik’s festivities can be tricky. Meet like-minded revelers on this New Year’s Eve tour, kicking off your night at a traditional bonfire before seeing in the new year watching the city’s largest firework display. Coffee and sparkling wine are included, as well as round-trip transfer from your hotel.
Ages 0-99, max of 100 per group
Duration: 5h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
English
Highlights
- Learn about Iceland’s New Year customs from your local guide
- Watch a traditional bonfire and firework display among like-minded revelers
- Unwind over a complimentary coffee and glass of bubbly
- Enjoy a hassle-free night with round-trip transfer from your hotel included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)
- Beverages
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Professional guide
What's not included- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Departure details
- Traveler pickup is offered.
- Pick-up is offered from most hotels and guesthouses in the capital area, as well as from cruise ports. Pick-ups from hotels in the city center are not possible from directly in front of the hotel due to traffic restrictions, instead passengers must come to the nearest bus pickup point.
- Bus stop #1 - Ráðhúsið - City Hall, Vonarstræti 101, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland Recommended for following hotels: Centrum Hotel Reykjavik Black Pearl Reykjavik Kvosin Downtown Hotel Hotel Hilda CenterHotel Plaza City Center Hotel
- Bus Stop #2 Tjörnin The Pond, 43W6+7JR, Lækjargata, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland Recommended for following hotels: Baldursbrá Guesthouse
- Bus Stop #3 Lækjargata, Lækjargata 4, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland Recommended for following hotels: 1919 Radisson Blu Konsulat Hotel Apotek Hotel Borg Hotel Loft Hostel CenterHotel Thingholt
- Bus stop #4 Miðbakki, 5325+4PG, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland Recommended for following hotels: Exeter Hotel
- Bus stop #5 Harpa, Sculpture & Shore Walk 101, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland Recommended for following hotels: Ion City Hotel The Reykjavik Edition
- Bus Stop #6 - Safnahúsið The Culture House, Ingólfsstræti 1, 101, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland Recommended for following hotels: 101 Hotel Canopy by Hilton CenterHotel Arnarhvoll CenterHotel Klöpp CenterHotel Skjaldbreid Frón Hotel Room with a View
- Gray Line Iceland bus stop in city center - pick-up and drop off for tours and transfers, Hverfisgata 4, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland Pick-up at Bus Stop 6 - Safnahúsið / Culture House
- Bus stop #11 Austurbær, Snorrabraut 37, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland Recommended for following hotels: Eric the Red Guesthouse Aurora Leifur Eiriksson Loki Guesthouse Sunna Guesthouse Holt Hotel Odinsve Hotel
- Bus Stop #9 Snorrabraut, Snorrabraut 24, 101, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland Recommended for following hotels: Skuggi Hotel CenterHotel Laugavegur Von Guldsmeden
- Bus stop #10 Hlemmur Square, 43VM+7X6, Laugavegur, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland Recommended for following hotels: 100 Iceland Hotel 101 Guesthouse 4th Floor Hotel Alda Hotel Reykjavik OK Hotel
- Bus stop #11 Austurbær, Snorrabraut 37, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland Recommended for following hotels: Reykjavik Hostel Village Snorri Guesthouse
- Bus Stop #12 Höfðatorg, Þórunnartún 6, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland Recommended for following hotels: Fosshotel Reykjavik Storm Hotel
- Bus Stop #13 Rauðarárstígur, Laugavegur 120, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland Recommended for following hotels: CenterHotel Midgardur Fosshotel Lind
- Bus Stop #14 - Skúlagata, Klapparstígur 5, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland Recommended for following hotels: Reykjavik Residence Hotel Swan House
- Ports:
- Skarfabakki cruise port
- Miðbakki cruise port
- Hotel pickup is offered. View the hotel list on our checkout page to see if yours is included among the pickup points.
Return details- Returns to original departure point
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 2970AH51- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 2970AH51
Itinerary
- You’ll have 14 starting optionsOr, you can also get picked upSee departure details
- 1ReykjavikStop: 5 hoursMeet your guide at the local operator's bus terminal or alternatively, start your evening with a pickup from your Reykjavik hotel. Then, head off by bus to discover the city’s legendary New Year’s Eve celebrations. Few places in the world rival the atmosphere of New Year’s Eve in Reykjavik, when the city pulls out all the stops for its single biggest night of the year. Every neighborhood of the city has a bonfire on New Year’s Eve, and your guide will tell you about the the tradition behind the bonfires, as well as customs and myths that surround this holiday in Iceland. After seeing the city's roaring bonfires crackle and spit against the frosty buildings and dark night sky, visit one of the major bonfires with your guide. Having enjoyed the party atmosphere around the bonfire, visit a nearby viewing spot for a hot drink and warm your hands from the Icelandic cold. While there are lots of small fireworks displays throughout the evening, Reykjavik’s New Year’s Eve crowd-puller is the fireworks extravaganza that starts around 11:30pm and lasts until well after midnight. Travel by bus to one of the city’s finest viewpoints, and then countdown to midnight alongside the locals to see the city erupt in a dazzling fireworks display set against the backdrop of Reykjavik’s wintery streets. Ring in the New Year in Iceland’s capital with a glass of sparkling wine. After enjoying the party for roughly an hour after midnight, your tour finishes with a drop off at or near your hotel.Read more
- You'll return to the starting point
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About the operator
Gray Line Iceland
8,234
Reykjavik, Iceland
Joined in July 2011
#95 of 324 Outdoor Activities in Reykjavik
- Danielle Z00Good tour for the highlights of IcelandThe tour itself was good. Enjoyable sights but the tour guide was only just ok. She honestly put us to sleep during the bus ride. There could’ve been way more information of value for what we were seeing. And when we got off the bus she’d say she was walking us somewhere and she would never even wait for you to get off the bus LOL. Regardless, glad we went and could see Iceland outside of the city.
- Trip47398300Amazing and awe-inspiringThis is an amazing excursion! You and a small group are lowered into a dormant volcano, where you can climb among the boulders and take in the amazing colors the eruption left behind. It is awe-inspiring and a little scary, but so worth it! The hike to the volcano was cold and windy, but the gravel path made it fairly easy to navigate. All of the guides were friendly, enthusiastic, and engaging. We had a terrific, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Highly recommend!
- jakeabm00Book now!Darren and Helgi are the bees freaking knees. Great tour to get a bunch of cool sites in for a short time period.
- Zech B00Organized Way to See the Golden CircleThis was a great experience and organized way to see the Golden Circle in Iceland. If you are visiting over the winter like we were, driving yourself can be intimidating and I highly recommend this tour to see some of the most famous tourism sites in Iceland.
- 740irvingb00Reykjavík Golden Circle on Gray lineThe time spent at each was good. Amazing views and best of all a great tour guide and driver. Helgi our driver was professional and courteous. Smooth ride. Darren our guide gave us colorful details of each stop, the things we passed snd comments about Iceland and the people. Great job Helgi and Darren I would want the two of them to be available for others to enjoy
- Poushali G00Brilliant tripIt was a great tour. The driver was superb and he explained the history of Iceland very nicely while in the bus. The waterfalls were majestic and beach was very beautiful
- 371aayushs00NO SERVICE PROVIDED EVEN AFTER REMINDER & FULL PAYMENTSIMPLY PATHETIC - THEY ARE NOT BOTHERED TO PROVIDE SERVICE AFTER RECEIVING THE PAYMENT. WE HAD OUR AIRPORT TRANSFER BOOKED FOR EARLY MORNING 5 AM AND NOBODY TURNED UP FOR THE SAME. THEIR EMERGENCY NO. IS USELESS TOO AS NOBODY PICKED UP TO ASSIST US
- J6570NRmichaels00A well organised and interesting tourDarren and Helgi provided us with a great trip. Darren was a fantastic guide, he had a good clear voice and provided a lot of interesting information along the way as well as some comical anecdotes. He was clear in his instructions which made the trip run very smoothly. Highly recommended tour
- miffytastic00Great tour, just what we wanted in the ‘standard’ golden circle dayDarren and Helgi - guide and driver were great. Looked after us, informative chat and nice atmosphere on the bus. Timekeeping was good too which was important for our day. Saw all we wanted to. Thanks
- 589liaj00Wonderful and Informative Golden Circle TourDarren and Helgi were very nice and gave a lot of information. We had plenty of time at each stop! Felt like we got the “inside scoop” at each location!
- Explore57796000Great experienceDarren & Helgi the driver was excellent. Darren gave great Iceland history and get it fun. I enjoyed the day and drive back to hotel safe. I will recommend this tour! Kidos guys!!! Nicholson
- Voyage77380200Another amazing trip we'll worth the moneyGreat day out left hotel at 9.00 so not to early went of to park were you can see the tatonic plates then on to see the geysers one of wich still spouts to a great hight every 5 minutes be carefull if you stand at back of it to take photos as we did because when water came down we got rather wet so smelt of sulphur all day but it wasnr hot so did not get burnt and was well worth it next stop was a lovely waterfall there are several flights of steps down to it then walk up short muddy slope but I managed ok and I'm not that great on my feet we also saw a lot more nice scenery we had three toilet and refreshment stops during the trip so no worries there
- enatal00Great alternative to the ship-sponsored tourThe tour was better and cheaper than the ship tour. The guide was very knowledgeable and helped us very much. They even offered the option to drop us off at the Harpa city center to vie Reykavik snd catch the free cruise shuttle later. They operate as a Gray Line frachise.
- Sandra H00Golden Circle & Blue Lagoon TourOur guide and driver were called Darren & Emil - they were absolutely brilliant. Darren was very informative and gave clear instructions at every point of the trip. He did it with humour and professionalism and with a genuine love for Iceland. We booked the Golden Circle tour with the Blue Lagoon for the same day, which we thought when booking it that it was all one tour. It became clear during the Golden Circle tour that the Blue Lagoon part of the tour is completely separate. It was a waste of part of our day as we were returned back to the bus hostel where we waited 30 minutes for the designated bus to the Blue Lagoon. It took approx 45 minutes to reach the Blue Lagoon, and upon arrival there was no instructions given from the driver about the return journey. We and other passengers had to ask for the details of the return journey and what time - this information needs to be given by the driver before anyone leaves the bus so that they are clear about return journey details. Going back to the very start of the day when we had our instructions about our initial pick up in Reykjavik- what an absolute shambles to say the least. Our joining instructions told us to meet at the Sand Hotel and it would be a green and white bus. We arrived at the Sand Hotel at 7.30 as instructed. As there was no one else waiting, I went into the hotel to ask if they could advise if they knew of pick ups from the Sand Hotel for these tours. He said it would probably be bus stop 14 - which meant nothing to us and had never been mentioned in any of the communications. The receptionist kindly phoned Gray Line who eventually informed him that the bus had already been to the pick up point and would have to return back to collect us - but it would be from Bus stop 14, which was quite was distance. I have slight walking difficulties and this unexpected brisk walk was certainly not welcomed. We realised later that we were in fact within postcode area 101. Why did the initial booking allow us to arrange pick up from the Sand Hotel which is also within postcode area 101? Overall this is a good tour, and Darren was a brilliant guide for the day - one of our pet hates is walking behind a guide with a paddle board like sheep - Darren gives you the information in abundance and then lets you go where you want to go, this for me allows you to get what YOU want from the tour as not everyone wants to do the same thing. No issues at all with this part of the tour. The administration needs to be looked at and better information given for pick up etc. Also - please indicate that the Blue lagoon part of the tour is a separate part altogether. Regards Sandra & Colin Henderson
- travelingguy300Go For ItMy wife and I took the adventure. We are 67 and 68 and in good shape. The hike was not strenuous and we felt perfectly safe. The staff is highly competent and experienced. I would not get scared off of this if it piques your interest. The visit was highly memorable. We both rank it in the top one or two of our many activities across 12 days in Iceland. Bring layers as the conditions change rapidly across time and down in the volcano. Oh, and the lamb stew was outstanding.
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
1.5
11 reviews
Excellent
1
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
2
Terrible
8
ATWoodhall
Woodhall Spa, UK3 contributions
One star is one too many. A complete and utter waste of time and money. One bonfire in the middle of no where with nothing else. Then taken to a football stadium with hundreds of other people for a hot drink. Finally to the top of the hill to see fireworks. Do not under any circumstances think this is worth booking.
Written January 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trusted Customer
1 contribution
Dec 2018 • Solo
Not a way to celebrate New Year's Eve...
The good reviews in the past of this tour were all because of the breathtaking viewing point of the fireworks, the Perlan with the 360° observation deck.
But no longer access to the Perlan!
Without the access to the Perlan it was not worth the money for me and I am sure other people felt the same (see also comments from other people...).
The good reviews regarding this tour are certainly not valid anymore.
31DEC2018
Bonfire & afterwards a long queue to get a cup of coffee or a hot chocolate with a small sweet snack in the canteen of the Kopavogur sports arena.
For fireworks we went to the Perlan, but no access
So New Year's Eve between sitting in a coach and a walk outside at the surroundings of the Perlan,
A small glass of prosecco inside the coach (3 bottles of prosecco for a full coach...) about one hour prior to midnight.
Absolutely not the same as celebrating New Year's Eve inside the Perlan and watching the fireworks from their 360° observation deck!
A very big disappointment!
And really not the way you want to celebrate New Year's Eve!
The good reviews in the past of this tour were all because of the breathtaking viewing point of the fireworks, the Perlan with the 360° observation deck.
But no longer access to the Perlan!
Without the access to the Perlan it was not worth the money for me and I am sure other people felt the same (see also comments from other people...).
The good reviews regarding this tour are certainly not valid anymore.
31DEC2018
Bonfire & afterwards a long queue to get a cup of coffee or a hot chocolate with a small sweet snack in the canteen of the Kopavogur sports arena.
For fireworks we went to the Perlan, but no access
So New Year's Eve between sitting in a coach and a walk outside at the surroundings of the Perlan,
A small glass of prosecco inside the coach (3 bottles of prosecco for a full coach...) about one hour prior to midnight.
Absolutely not the same as celebrating New Year's Eve inside the Perlan and watching the fireworks from their 360° observation deck!
A very big disappointment!
And really not the way you want to celebrate New Year's Eve!
Written March 8, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jackie0630
Tampa, FL32 contributions
The description of the tour was not accurate.
The description says it includes fireworks, street parties, and bonfires. We did not go to ANY street parties and we only went to one bonfire (not multiple like the description says). The description says that it goes to “lots” of bonfires - NOT TRUE.
The description says it is on a minibus - that is not true at all. We were on a 100 person bus.
We went to the bonfire for an hour, then had to spend an hour inside waiting for coffee or hot chocolate and just standing around. There was nothing to do there. After that hour we drove around while the tour guide talked about pointless stuff on the microphone the whole time. She wouldn’t play any music and just wanted to talk the whole time about stupid and pointless facts that were not related to Iceland. Then we drove to a look out for fireworks, it was totally packed with people. There was nothing planned so our driver had to back out and go to another look out. We spent more time on the bus than anything else. We finally got to the second look out for fireworks.
We had to put together the cups for the champagne which we only received half a glass (which was a small glass to begin with).
We watched the fireworks and then boarded the bus to go back.
Also, the title says it’s a “party” - this was not a party at all. Only visited one bone fire and saw fireworks after driving around for over an hour.
Overall, the description was not accurate at all. We paid $120 per person for a tour that was misleading in the description.
The description says it includes fireworks, street parties, and bonfires. We did not go to ANY street parties and we only went to one bonfire (not multiple like the description says). The description says that it goes to “lots” of bonfires - NOT TRUE.
The description says it is on a minibus - that is not true at all. We were on a 100 person bus.
We went to the bonfire for an hour, then had to spend an hour inside waiting for coffee or hot chocolate and just standing around. There was nothing to do there. After that hour we drove around while the tour guide talked about pointless stuff on the microphone the whole time. She wouldn’t play any music and just wanted to talk the whole time about stupid and pointless facts that were not related to Iceland. Then we drove to a look out for fireworks, it was totally packed with people. There was nothing planned so our driver had to back out and go to another look out. We spent more time on the bus than anything else. We finally got to the second look out for fireworks.
We had to put together the cups for the champagne which we only received half a glass (which was a small glass to begin with).
We watched the fireworks and then boarded the bus to go back.
Also, the title says it’s a “party” - this was not a party at all. Only visited one bone fire and saw fireworks after driving around for over an hour.
Overall, the description was not accurate at all. We paid $120 per person for a tour that was misleading in the description.
Written December 31, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Jackie06:30 for writing your review. Unfortunate that you had something else in mind when booking our tour as the itinerary is described as follows:
"Tour Itinerary
On the Bonfire & Fireworks tour we’ll experience two Icelandic New Year’s Eve traditions. We’ll begin with a Nordic bonfire, a tradition dating back to the Viking Age. The family-friendly atmosphere and the fire will warm us up as we sing along together, bid farewell to the old year and prepare to welcome in the new.
As midnight draws near we’ll find a good spot to enjoy the second tradition—a fireworks display like no other. In Iceland, everyone sets off fireworks at midnight all over the city, and when we say everyone, we mean everyone. We’re not talking sparklers, we’re talking real, dazzling fireworks. From a carefully selected vantage point we’ll get a view of the colorful explosions erupting all over the city, with a glass of sparkling delight in hand"
Written January 1, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
dja
San Jose5 contributions
Dec 2022
TLDR: Gray Line is horrible. Thor was amazing. People who get on a bus obviously ill suck.
This was the most poorly organized tour I've ever had the misfortune to endure. Poor communication: "meet the bus back here in 1 hr". Except they neglected to note that there were half a dozen identical buses that would be picking people up or what bus number we were on. The description also completely neglected to mention the hike to the bonfire. Thank goodness for our guide Thor, who took it upon himself to escort my 84 year old mother through the deep snow. "You're served complimentary drinks to warm your frosty extremities" meant enduring a crowded bus ride to a more-crowded gymnasium (all six buses at once) with crappy coffee and cocoa, and no water. Then, back on the bus to watch the fireworks from the Perlan. Except there was zero traffic control & we waited on the bus for over an hour to get to a place where we could disembark. We were told to meet near the entrance for the traditional NYE toast, but instead of pouring there, they were pouring back at the bus as the less-than-happy participants scrambled back in. Thankfully, we had a special bottle of wine to open when we finally made it back to our accommodation--it salvaged our 2023 NYE celebration. Unfortunately, the celebration was short lived. We were the only ones wearing masks on the bus or at the indoor "refreshment" break, there were multiple people hacking and coughing, so...yes, we all had Covid when we got home.
This was the most poorly organized tour I've ever had the misfortune to endure. Poor communication: "meet the bus back here in 1 hr". Except they neglected to note that there were half a dozen identical buses that would be picking people up or what bus number we were on. The description also completely neglected to mention the hike to the bonfire. Thank goodness for our guide Thor, who took it upon himself to escort my 84 year old mother through the deep snow. "You're served complimentary drinks to warm your frosty extremities" meant enduring a crowded bus ride to a more-crowded gymnasium (all six buses at once) with crappy coffee and cocoa, and no water. Then, back on the bus to watch the fireworks from the Perlan. Except there was zero traffic control & we waited on the bus for over an hour to get to a place where we could disembark. We were told to meet near the entrance for the traditional NYE toast, but instead of pouring there, they were pouring back at the bus as the less-than-happy participants scrambled back in. Thankfully, we had a special bottle of wine to open when we finally made it back to our accommodation--it salvaged our 2023 NYE celebration. Unfortunately, the celebration was short lived. We were the only ones wearing masks on the bus or at the indoor "refreshment" break, there were multiple people hacking and coughing, so...yes, we all had Covid when we got home.
Written February 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rachel M
10 contributions
Jan 2018 • Friends
I bought tickets through iHeartReykjavik.com for a New Year's Eve bonfire and fireworks tour in Reykjavik. The information I received said to be at the pickup location 30 minutes prior to the actual pickup time, which we did. The bus finally arrived about 30-45 minutes after the actual pickup time, meaning that we'd been waiting out in the cold for over an hour. Then the driver didn't have us on the list. You'd think this wouldn't have been a problem because I had my printed ticket in hand. However, it was an issue and we had to wait for everyone else to board the bus. Finally I think the tour guide just let us on because there were extra seats.
Then we had to go to the bus station to get our tickets. This made absolutely no sense, because everyone already had printed tickets with them. It really just took time away from doing fun things, and served as an additional step in the chaos of the evening.
Finally, we got to a local bonfire. It was nice and a fun thing to see. Then after an hour or two, we boarded the bus to go to The Pearl to see fireworks. On the drive there, we were given a very weird and thrown together tour of the city. The guide told the driver "Don't drive to the Pearl yet. We are way too early." So we ended up driving about 25 miles an hour around the city while the tour guide talked to us. This wasn't a planned tour by any means. The guy pointed out the local mall, and not actually any cool sites in the city. He made a bunch of off color and racist jokes, which I found to be offensive and totally unprofessional.
Finally, we got to The Pearl around 10:00 or 10:30. Everything there was completely disorganized. There was nothing for people to do but stand around, and they had blocked off the top floor and observation deck until 11:30. Turns out the staff didn't think to block off the elevator, they just thought to block off the stairs. The staff member blocking the stairs eventually told people "I was told to not let anybody up the stairs until 11:30. But you can try the elevator."
Later we got a champagne toast. The tour guide had repeatedly told us to never give our tickets to anybody, or else we wouldn't be able to get back on the bus. This turned out to be entirely untrue, as we needed to give up the ticket in order to get champagne, and also the tickets were never again checked on the bus.
I would really highly recommend spending New Year's Eve in Reykjavik. The bonfire and fireworks were both sights to behold. However, this tour was the most poorly orchestrated thing I've ever seen.
Then we had to go to the bus station to get our tickets. This made absolutely no sense, because everyone already had printed tickets with them. It really just took time away from doing fun things, and served as an additional step in the chaos of the evening.
Finally, we got to a local bonfire. It was nice and a fun thing to see. Then after an hour or two, we boarded the bus to go to The Pearl to see fireworks. On the drive there, we were given a very weird and thrown together tour of the city. The guide told the driver "Don't drive to the Pearl yet. We are way too early." So we ended up driving about 25 miles an hour around the city while the tour guide talked to us. This wasn't a planned tour by any means. The guy pointed out the local mall, and not actually any cool sites in the city. He made a bunch of off color and racist jokes, which I found to be offensive and totally unprofessional.
Finally, we got to The Pearl around 10:00 or 10:30. Everything there was completely disorganized. There was nothing for people to do but stand around, and they had blocked off the top floor and observation deck until 11:30. Turns out the staff didn't think to block off the elevator, they just thought to block off the stairs. The staff member blocking the stairs eventually told people "I was told to not let anybody up the stairs until 11:30. But you can try the elevator."
Later we got a champagne toast. The tour guide had repeatedly told us to never give our tickets to anybody, or else we wouldn't be able to get back on the bus. This turned out to be entirely untrue, as we needed to give up the ticket in order to get champagne, and also the tickets were never again checked on the bus.
I would really highly recommend spending New Year's Eve in Reykjavik. The bonfire and fireworks were both sights to behold. However, this tour was the most poorly orchestrated thing I've ever seen.
Written January 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lorimarran
Grand Blanc, MI5 contributions
Dec 2017 • Couples
Dee Dee from Grayline was our tour guide. Both she and the driver were excellent. They were on time, efficient and Dee Dee was extremely engaging and entertaining. Had a great time and would love to do it again!
Written January 5, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Norman1916
Edmonds, WA17 contributions
Tour is not as described! We spent a great deal on the bus rather than enjoying the Bonfire and Fireworks. Once we finally got to the Bonfire drop off area it was quite a long down to the bonfire through deep snow. Our guide on the bus Thor was very helpful and deserves 5 stars for helping my 84 year old sister through the snow and his genuine friendliness and caring. When were returned to the bus we discovered that Grayline had 5 busses for this tour! We were not given a bus number when we disembarked and ask for help but ended up on the wrong bus. We were then transported to our refreshment stop. Definitely not what we were expecting! All 5 busses arrived at a stadium for bathrooms and refreshments. This tour was a super spreader Covid 19 event. Many people on the bus were coughing and we were the only ones wearing masks. Once inside the stadium were were in a crowded space with no social distancing with people crowding around for bathrooms and refreshments. This appeared to be a fund raiser for a youth group with less than appealing cookies, and only coffee to drink. There was no bottled water and we were offered a paper cup to go get water from the bathroom. Ugh! After we used the bathroom we waited outside and tried to untangle the wrong bud issue. Our bus with our guide Thor arrive last as they had waited for us at the Bonfire. Thor did contact the other busses to find our whereabouts. When our bus arrived we boarded after waiting in the cold outside for quite awhile. When the other passengers arrived, many again were coughing uncontrollably and we again were the only ones wearing masks. Then we drove to the Perlan to watch the fireworks . This is a great vantage point to see the fireworks all around the city. It was an amazing view of the fireworks at Hallgrimskirkja. The traffic was horrible! We sat in the bus for nearly an hour waiting to be able to park and disembark. The coughing continued and we felt trapped with a bus load of sick passengers. Once off the bus the view was amazing and at midnight the Perlan had an spectacular fireworks display of its own. The Bonfire and Fireworks were amazing. The tour was not! We expressed our concern for that lack of concern for the spread of Covid19 as cases were on the raise worldwide. We were told it was not a mandated requirement to wear masks. Mandated or not, the company could require masks to participate in their tours that had people in such close quarters with the inability to social distance. Five days after this tour, we tested positive for Covid 19. Happy New Year, Not! We are sure we got Covid-19 on this tour. We did not get it at the airport or plane as we flew 1st class and we were wheelchair escorted through the airport so did not have exposure in crowded areas. Grayline needs to look seriously at their health safety protocol.
Written January 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Evie S
6 contributions
Dec 2018 • Family
Nothing as described at all, other than Dee dee being s great host , the whole night was a shambles of being drove around in a bus filling in time.
Get to the bonfire yourself and then to the church at Reykjavik to see the fireworks.
Get to the bonfire yourself and then to the church at Reykjavik to see the fireworks.
Written January 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Sightseer783971 for writing your review. Unfortunate that you were not pleased with our tour to see the bonfire and then the fireworks at midnight. The tour is described as participating in 2 of the traditions of the Icelandic celebrations on New Year´s Eve and the transportation between those two venues.
I hope that you enjoyed your visit to Iceland
Written January 6, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jroseChicago
Chicago, IL5 contributions
Dec 2018 • Couples
Do not book this trip. This tour was absolutely not what it was advertised to be. I wish I had read ALL of the reviews before I booked it. I agree with other reviewers who said that the description is misleading. It is completely so. The fact that the company continues to keep the description suggests that this is intentional.
There are not multiple bonfires, only one. We did not stop at a hotel for a drink - we waited in long lines at a field house for coffee and Swiss Miss cocoa. The guide had no training - he was rambling on, repeating himself about various Icelandic Christmas stories, had no excitement, and looked miserable. There was no "minibus" - it was a full size coach and there were several other coaches - hundreds of people. At one point, the guide told us he would stop talking and he would take the scenic route. It was dark. We were driving through, essentially, a suburban area, and he then told the driver to decide where he wanted to drive, I guess to kill time. We saw no bonfires in the city nor did we see any street parties - unless you call people walking around drinking a "street party."
The only thing that saved us was that the guide realized in the middle of the trip that some people had booked a 3-hour trip and some had booked 5 hours. We had booked 5 but thank goodness made the decision to get off the bus with the 3 hour folks. So, rather than watch the fireworks from afar, we were at the church (which was not too crowded for someone like myself who does not like crowds) and experienced the excitement and beauty of the fireworks first hand.
Don't do this trip - get a cab to a bonfire or find some other way to get there. The bonfire was interesting and worth doing, but not via this trip. And, go see the fireworks at the church - super easy.
Also, I read some other reviews (in other places) where the provider offered a different description of the trip than I read (and thus contradicting the reviewer). So, I have included part of the description I read - on the Viator site below.
I will never book anything with Viator or Grey Line tours again.
"Meet your guide downtown or enjoy pickup from your local Reykjavik hotel to start off your New Year's celebration. Board a minibus to head off into the city for an exploration of the traditional New Year's celebrations, which include lots of fireworks and bonfires. Drive through the city and see that almost every street hosts a bonfire and a neighborhood celebration. Disembark your vehicle to attend some of the most famous ones with your guide, chatting it up with the locals and enjoying the atmosphere. Stop by a local hotel for a drink to warm your frosty extremities. Then head for the biggest fireworks display of the evening, the city's official blast off that begins around 11:30 pm. Your minibus will ferry you to one of the best vantage points to see the full display. Count down to the New Year with friends new and old, then clink glasses of complimentary champagne to start the year off right. Stay at the party until about 1am, then board your bus to head back to your drop-off point downtown or at your hotel."
There are not multiple bonfires, only one. We did not stop at a hotel for a drink - we waited in long lines at a field house for coffee and Swiss Miss cocoa. The guide had no training - he was rambling on, repeating himself about various Icelandic Christmas stories, had no excitement, and looked miserable. There was no "minibus" - it was a full size coach and there were several other coaches - hundreds of people. At one point, the guide told us he would stop talking and he would take the scenic route. It was dark. We were driving through, essentially, a suburban area, and he then told the driver to decide where he wanted to drive, I guess to kill time. We saw no bonfires in the city nor did we see any street parties - unless you call people walking around drinking a "street party."
The only thing that saved us was that the guide realized in the middle of the trip that some people had booked a 3-hour trip and some had booked 5 hours. We had booked 5 but thank goodness made the decision to get off the bus with the 3 hour folks. So, rather than watch the fireworks from afar, we were at the church (which was not too crowded for someone like myself who does not like crowds) and experienced the excitement and beauty of the fireworks first hand.
Don't do this trip - get a cab to a bonfire or find some other way to get there. The bonfire was interesting and worth doing, but not via this trip. And, go see the fireworks at the church - super easy.
Also, I read some other reviews (in other places) where the provider offered a different description of the trip than I read (and thus contradicting the reviewer). So, I have included part of the description I read - on the Viator site below.
I will never book anything with Viator or Grey Line tours again.
"Meet your guide downtown or enjoy pickup from your local Reykjavik hotel to start off your New Year's celebration. Board a minibus to head off into the city for an exploration of the traditional New Year's celebrations, which include lots of fireworks and bonfires. Drive through the city and see that almost every street hosts a bonfire and a neighborhood celebration. Disembark your vehicle to attend some of the most famous ones with your guide, chatting it up with the locals and enjoying the atmosphere. Stop by a local hotel for a drink to warm your frosty extremities. Then head for the biggest fireworks display of the evening, the city's official blast off that begins around 11:30 pm. Your minibus will ferry you to one of the best vantage points to see the full display. Count down to the New Year with friends new and old, then clink glasses of complimentary champagne to start the year off right. Stay at the party until about 1am, then board your bus to head back to your drop-off point downtown or at your hotel."
Written January 2, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you jroseChicago for writing your review. Unfortunate that you did not enjoy the tour with us. The tour itinerary is as follows according to our booking page very sorry that you had the impression that the itinerary was different:
Tour Itinerary
On the Bonfire & Fireworks tour we’ll experience two Icelandic New Year’s Eve traditions. We’ll begin with a Nordic bonfire, a tradition dating back to the Viking Age. The family-friendly atmosphere and the fire will warm us up as we sing along together, bid farewell to the old year and prepare to welcome in the new.
As midnight draws near we’ll find a good spot to enjoy the second tradition—a fireworks display like no other. In Iceland, everyone sets off fireworks at midnight all over the city, and when we say everyone, we mean everyone. We’re not talking sparklers, we’re talking real, dazzling fireworks. From a carefully selected vantage point we’ll get a view of the colorful explosions erupting all over the city, with a glass of sparkling delight in hand.
Written January 6, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
John R
Tampa, FL1 contribution
The description did not match what we did. We saw one bonfire. The description says we would see multiple bone fires but we did not.
We were stuck on a bus with a tour guide that talked the whole time about things that were not relevant to anything. She would not play music. We spent more time on the bus than anywhere else.
I would recommend going downtown and watching the fireworks there. This is NOT worth the $120 and especially not your time!
We were stuck on a bus with a tour guide that talked the whole time about things that were not relevant to anything. She would not play music. We spent more time on the bus than anywhere else.
I would recommend going downtown and watching the fireworks there. This is NOT worth the $120 and especially not your time!
Written December 31, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you johnrF5701AD for writing your review. Unfortunate that you did not enjoy the tour with us. The tour itinerary is as follow according to our booking page:
Tour Itinerary
On the Bonfire & Fireworks tour we’ll experience two Icelandic New Year’s Eve traditions. We’ll begin with a Nordic bonfire, a tradition dating back to the Viking Age. The family-friendly atmosphere and the fire will warm us up as we sing along together, bid farewell to the old year and prepare to welcome in the new.
As midnight draws near we’ll find a good spot to enjoy the second tradition—a fireworks display like no other. In Iceland, everyone sets off fireworks at midnight all over the city, and when we say everyone, we mean everyone. We’re not talking sparklers, we’re talking real, dazzling fireworks. From a carefully selected vantage point we’ll get a view of the colorful explosions erupting all over the city, with a glass of sparkling delight in hand.
Written January 1, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience