If you’re considering a trip to Iceland in the winter months then be sure to read this post first. After spending two weeks exploring Iceland’s south coast by camper van in February, I have tons of helpful insights to share to ensure you have a safe and memorable experience!
Iceland has a reputation for wild, unpredictable weather, and this doesn’t just apply to visiting during the winter months. But it does mean you’ll need to arrive extra prepared, as snow and ice will add an extra layer of complexity to your trip.
For starters, be ready to wear micro spikes (crampons) pretty much everywhere you go. It’s not uncommon for sidewalks, parking lots and trails to be covered in layers of snow and ice during this time of the year.
To make sure you don’t forget crampons or other important gear, be sure to read my Winter Packing List (Iceland Edition) while preparing for your trip.
Not only will this affect your walking, but it’s also going to have a big impact on getting around the island itself in your vehicle.
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Fortunately, vehicles that you rent in Iceland during the winter will come standard equipped with studded tires. If you’ve never driven a vehicle with studded tires before, they’re quite amazing. They make traveling across solid sheets of ice and snow much, much easier.
While studded tires should be standard during the Icelandic winter, it never hurts to double check and confirm with your rental agency if it isn’t listed online.
And even though visiting during the winter presents a whole slew of unique challenges, there are also quite a few perks you’ll enjoy that summer travelers will miss out on (such as the Northern Lights)!
Not only that, but the colder temperatures do a great job keeping the number of visitors down. This means fewer crowds to contend with at popular spots like Skogafoss.
Keep reading as we deep dive into all of the things I learned (and wish I knew beforehand) when planning a winter trip to Iceland.
Once you’re done here, be sure to check out my 7 day Winter Iceland travel itinerary to help get your trip planned!
What to consider when visiting Iceland during the winter
How many days should I budget to visit Iceland in the winter
I would recommend starting with 2-3 days for experiencing some of the best that Reykjavik has to offer. A trip to either Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon will cost you about half a day and you need to visit at least one.
You can browse deals on hotels in Reykjavik here.
Some of my other favorite activities include a Reykjavik walking food tour, a whale watching safari or a winter hike with a volcano geologist to the active volcano fields around Fagradalsfjall.
From there I'd budget 1-2 days for experiencing the best that the Golden Circle area has to offer. Be sure to explore Thingvellir National Park, and don't skip over snorkeling in Silfra. This area is also home to Geysir and Gullfoss which are both worth the time, but can be quite busy even this time of year.
While I think you could spend weeks (or even months) exploring the rest of Iceland, for this trip I'd recommend budgeting another 5-7 days for driving out along the South Coast all the way to Hofn. If you choose to rent a camper van like I did, you should be able to sleep at the nearby Viking Village Vestrahorn camp site.
Iceland's South Coast has slightly better weather than the north this time of year, and the roads are better maintained which makes this a lower risk option than heading North.
Along the way you'll encounter tons of can't miss areas such as Vik and it's black sand beaches, Skogafoss, Seljalandsfoss, the Reykjadalur Hot Spring River, Vestrahorn and much, much more.
You'll also come across Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach and the Vatnajokull Glacier by going this route. Winter is peak season for ice caving, since the cold air makes the caves stable and safer. Be sure to schedule an ice cave tour on Vatnajokull Glacier during your visit, and be mindful that these will sell out!
To cover all of this ground I'd recommend at least 10 days on the island. I spent two weeks living out of a camper van to cover all of this, but I also took it slow and was taking my time with some photography along the way.
This will set you up nicely to explore the West, North Coast or Highlands of Iceland on a future trip!
Be sure to grab travel insurance
The weather in Iceland is especially unpredictable and volatile in the winter. Throw in active volcanoes that can close down roads or cancel flights, and you're looking at an ideal situation for purchasing travel insurance.
You have two other strategies you could employ for planning this trip.
The first is to make sure your airfare, vehicle rental and accommodations are cancellable. If it's a day before your departure and the weather forecast looks awful, you could always cancel and reschedule.
The other would be to stalk the weather and then book everything last minute, when you're ready to go. The risk of sellouts are lower in the winter, but Iceland is gaining popularity as a winter travel destination so this strategy isn't without risk.
However you choose to approach your trip, make sure you have an out in case volcanic activity or poor weather force you to cancel.
Seasonality and how it affects available activities
As you could probably guess, seasonality is going to affect what activities are available to you during a winter visit to Iceland.
However, unlike many other parts of the world, I would say it actually increases your opportunity set rather than diminishes it.
The biggest activity affected by the cold weather will be longer hikes. I set out along the Fimmvorduhals hike near Skogafoss but only made it a couple miles before the path was completely blocked by snow.
While longer hikes will take a hit, a lot of shorter hikes that take you to waterfalls and viewpoints will still be manageable.
On the flip side, there are tons of great cold weather activities that thrive during the winter.
Northern Lights viewing opportunities will be at their best, snowmobiling excursions, winter photography, ice caving and frozen waterfall viewing will all be at their best.
You can browse tons of great winter Iceland activities on GetYourGuide.
Not only that, but activities like snorkeling in Silfra or soaking in a geothermal spa are best enjoyed during this time of year!
Iceland is cheaper in the winter
The best part of planning your trip to Iceland during the winter is that it's the cheapest time of year to visit!
Cheaper flights, cheaper vehicles and cheaper accommodations versus visiting during peak summer season.
Not only that, but since these amenities are in lower demand, you'll also enjoy fewer crowds everywhere you go!
This can also make it a bit easier to book guided activities closer to your trip. I would say the only exception to this rule is for ice cave tours, since it's peak season for this activity.
Download these apps before driving in Iceland
Before you hit Iceland's Ring Road make sure you download two important apps to keep you informed during your travels.
The first is Vedur, which is the preferred weather app for tracking conditions across Iceland. Since the weather here can change on a dime, it's best to check it periodically throughout the day so you don't get caught off guard.
The next app you'll want to download is called Safe Travel which provides real time updates on road conditions and closures across the island. If the weather is bad, or there has been recent volcanic activity, this is an absolute must when planning your route each day.
If you're renting a vehicle, your rental agency should provide you with phone numbers for road side assistance should you need it. Make sure to save these in your phone and do your best to plan your day to avoid being caught in between towns when bad weather hits.
Always drive with your lights on, keep a safe distance between yourself and other vehicles and drive smoothly to avoid accidents!
Spotting the Northern Lights during your visit
One of the big draws to visit Iceland during the winter is to have a shot at spotting the Aurora Borealis, aka the Northern Lights.
Long nights during the winter create ample opportunities for spotting them, just be sure to get away from the city lights of Reykjavik to give yourself a shot.
If you plan to hunt them on your own, be sure to download the Aurora app to assist in your search. It's the same one that I use when tracking them down here or while in Norway.
Not only do you need aurora activity, but you'll also need clear skies to have a chance at seeing them.
During my two week camper van trip I only had 1 good viewing opportunity where the aurora activity was moderate and the skies were clear. Be mindful that there's no guarantee you'll see them even if you visit for more than a week.
You could also consider booking an Iceland Northern Lights tour if you don't have the gear or expertise to do it yourself.
If you want the absolute best chance of seeing the Northern Lights, you should also consider checking out my group tours to Tromso, Norway that take place each November.
The conditions there are even better for Aurora hunting, since Tromso sits well above the Arctic Circle and there are tall mountains we can use to find breaks in the clouds when the weather isn't ideal.
Limited daylight hours
If you visit Iceland during February like I did, you should enjoy somewhere between 7 and 10 hours of daylight each day.
This should be sufficient for exploring during the day, while providing longer nights and ample opportunities to spot the Northern Lights.
I'd be wary to visit Iceland during December or January. The weather is going to be colder, and your daylight hours will be limited to 4-5 hours.
While this increases your window for spotting the Northern Lights, it's really going to limit the amount of exploring you can accomplish during the day!
Winter photography
This topic is pretty self explanatory, but the winter photography opportunities will be epic!
There are a wide range of landscapes available to shoot, tons of waterfalls, glaciers, black sand beaches, you name it.
Iceland during the winter is a photographers playground. The only thing I'd point out is that you might not have as many golden hour shooting opportunities as you'd like, since cloudy skies are common.
What to pack for winter travel
For help figuring out what to pack for your trip, check out my dedicated winter packing list.
But I'd still like to make it a point to call out a few critical items from that list.
For starters, micro spikes (crampons) are an absolute essential for visiting Iceland during the winter. I mentioned it earlier, but anticipate lots of snow covered and icy surfaces. Buy something that slips on easily over your water resistant boots.
I'd also strongly recommend investing in a neck gaiter or scarf to help protect your face from the wind.
My advice would also be to pack clothing that allows you to dress in layers, as opposed to relying on one really heavy coat.
The temperature can fluctuate significantly over the course of the day and it's also easier to regulate your temperature when popping in and out of your vehicle or from restaurants.
Don't forget to pack a rain coat and some really warm winter gloves as well!
Campsite options will be limited
If you'll be renting a camper van like I did (which I recommend, even during the winter) then be mindful that you can't rely on the typical campsite lists since many are closed during the winter.
I rented from Go Campers and they provided a super helpful map of campsites that are open during the winter months.
This list should be pretty accurate, although I did have one incident where I showed up at a campsite marked as open, that was actually closed which forced me to move on to the next nearest option.
I'd also mention that laundry and shower facilities can be closed due to frozen pipes during the winter. I had a few instances where I had to skip a shower or forgo doing laundry because of this!
As a reminder you can't wild camp in Iceland, so you must park your camper at one of these facilities overnight.
Check out my group camper van tour of Iceland (Summer)
Interested in joining me in Iceland?
Check out my 8-10 day Iceland Ring Road Tour.
This trip takes place during the summer which allows us to experience Iceland's Midnight Sun and tons of daylight while we set out to cover the entirety of Ring Road.
If you've always wanted to visit Iceland, but aren't comfortable spending the time to research and plan it yourself, let me take care of the dirty work for you!
Not only that, but you'll have a great guide (that's me!) to help ensure everything goes smoothly.
I've custom curated the itinerary to make sure we hit all of the best stuff, all you've got to do is show up and enjoy!
You can read more about my Iceland Group Tour at the link.
Watch my Winter Iceland Road Trip Vlog on YouTube
Check out top Iceland activities to fill out your trip
Additional Travel Planning Resources
My Favorite Cheap Flight Hacks
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I've put together a guide that will help you work through all of the things you need to consider when planning a trip abroad.
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Is visiting Iceland during the winter worth it?
After taking into account all of the pros and cons of visiting Iceland during the winter, I’m a believer that it’s well worth it!
The opportunity to see the Northern Lights, take part in epic winter photography, cheaper costs, fewer crowds and more all factor into my decision.
If you don’t mind putting in the extra time to prepare, or the risk that adverse weather could affect your travel plans, then go ahead and pull the trigger on that winter trip to Iceland!
