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Guide to Iceland
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Midnight Sun Tours in Iceland
During midsummer in Iceland, the sun never sets, providing the island with twenty-four hours of effective daylight. Midnight sun tours allow you to fully experience the mesmerising amber nights by embarking on excursions to some of Iceland's most iconic natural attractions while others are fast asleep.
1. What time of the day do midnight sun tours operate?
Midnight sun tours operate throughout the night, usually beginning in the evening and finishing in the early hours of the morning.
2. Can I see the midnight sun in early August?
The sun will descend beneath the horizon for a few hours, but the nights will still be bright. By mid-August, there will be a few hours of darkness each night—but then, the black sky will provide the perfect canvas for the northern lights to appear.
3. Where is the best spot in Iceland to see the midnight sun?
The midnight sun is a phenomenon that occurs all across Iceland, meaning that your experience only depends on the natural scenery in which you choose to immerse yourself.
4. Why does the midnight sun only shine during summer?
The Earth’s axial tilt causes yearly seasonal differences as the planet spins around the sun. During summer, the North Pole leans toward the sun, but in winter, the North Pole leans away from the sun.
5. Is the midnight sun visible in other parts of the world?
Yes, north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle, the midnight sun shines during summer. You can, for example, also see the midnight sun in Canada, Nunavut, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Greenland, Denmark, Russia and Alaska.
6. Is it safe to look directly at the midnight sun?
Doctors and scientists maintain that you should never look directly at the sun because the human eye is very sensitive, and prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can lead to blindness. With that said, advocates of sun gazing believe that looking at the sun is restorative and therapeutic. The practice is performed at sunrise and sunset, a few seconds at a time—and technically, the midnight sun is a prolonged sunset.
7. Does the midnight sun change colour like the northern lights do?
During nighttime, the sun will take on deeper shades of orange and red than during daytime. The exact colour spectrum, however, depends on atmospheric conditions.
8. Can you sunbathe under the midnight sun?
Technically yes, but you don’t get many opportunities to sunbathe in Iceland, and the temperatures are rarely high enough for it to be warm and cosy. However, people often get a tan in Iceland, especially if they spend time on glaciers where the ice reflects the sunlight.
