northern lights

How to see Aurora in Iceland

How to see Aurora in Iceland

When to visit Iceland to see Northern Lights? What is the best month for Northern Lights in Iceland? How to maximize your chances of seeing Aurora in Iceland? These are some of the most asked questions when it comes to Northern Lights in Iceland.

Many websites write something about Northern Lights, but we haven’t seen any website with all necessary information combined in one article. That’s what we attempt to do today 🙂 Of course, you can write a scientific thesis on how to see Northern Lights in Iceland, also known as Aurora. But, we will try to keep our guide to Northern Lights brief, yet still give you all the details you need to know.

This post is part of our Winter Iceland articles series:

1. How to see Northern Lights in Iceland?

Here is the very quick and simplified guide:

  • Come when the days are dark (September to April)
  • Come when the skies are clear (better chances in September, October, March, April)
  • Center your visit around new moon phase
  • Watch forecast for days with no clouds
  • Watch forecast for high aurora activity
  • Stay away from cities and light

Discounts for the best Northern Lights Tours in Iceland for our readers

northern lights tour reykjavik

A picture by @r3dmax

2. When to visit Iceland to see Northern Lights?

The shortest answer is between September and April. You need to balance good weather with dark skies. The best balance seems to be somewhere around September/October and then March/April. No guarantees, due to unpredictable weather. Also, I suggest you read our entire article to understand what are your chances to see Northern Lights.

All you need to know about Iceland in Winter – a full guide

3. How to maximize your chances of seeing Aurora in Iceland?

There are 3 most important criteria that need to be met so that you can observe aurora in Iceland:

While dark days are quite easy to predict, clear skies are a bit harder to predict, but still possible. The most complicated thing to forecast is the aurora activity, a.k.a. solar activity. These are the most important factors that determine the quality of your Northern Lights show in Iceland. Besides these, there are also some smaller factors like time of the day, location and looking into right direction. Let’s dig deeper into all of these.

guided aurora tour reykjavik

Northern Lights next to Kirkjufell

3.1. Dark days

Dark days in Iceland are the easiest thing to predict. You know these with certainty. The shortest daylight hours are in December, with only 4 hours of daylight and the longest daylight hours are in June, with 21 hours of daylight.

It’s impossible to observe Aurora during the brightest season in May, June or July with a bare eye. This does not mean there’s no Aurora at that time. There is. You just can’t see it, because the skies are just too bright. On the other hand, in December you have almost a 20-hour long window to catch a glimpse of Northern Lights, which is pretty long. If it was only about dark days, the easy answer would be – come in December. But it’s also about weather and clear skies.

daylight hours in iceland

Daylight hours in Iceland by month

Secondly, skies are the darkest between 10PM and 12PM. These are the hours with biggest chances of seeing Northern Lights. This is also when most of the Northern Lights tours go out for the hunt.

Last but not least, dark skies also mean no light pollution. Stay away from cities, settlements or any substantial light sources and you will see a much stronger aurora, once it happens. This is where it’s useful to have a 4×4 car also in winter, so that you can reach more remote places with better (darker) light conditions also in winter.

3.2. Clear skies

Clear skies are a bit harder to forecast, because they all depend on weather. And as you have probably heard, weather changes quickly in Iceland and is quite unpredictable. That being said, the most stable weather outside of summer in Iceland is usually during early autumn – September, October and early spring – March, April. Not always though, for example October often has some nasty storms and weather alerts.

Can you see Northern Lights on a cloudy day? Either not at all, or just weak Northern Lights. Clear skies are very important for a beautiful, high-quality aurora show. There are 3 types of clouds – low level clouds, medium level clouds and high-level clouds. Ideally, you want none of these. You can easily observe the cloud forecast at en.vedur.is. Just bear in mind, the most reliable forecast is for the next 1 or 2 days.

how to read cloud forecast for aurora

Comparison of a good cloud forecast and a bad cloud forecast for Northern Lights from en.vedur.is

How is it possible then that Northern Lights tours go out every day? Well, the guides will try to find a spot with as little clouds as possible, based on both the forecast and recommendation of locals. With some skill and practice you can actually find some northern lights pretty often, at least the weaker ones, though not always.

3.3. Solar activity

The third very important factor is the solar activity, sometimes called aurora activity. Solar activity actually produces Northern Lights as sun gases. If there is no solar activity, there are no Northern Lights. If there is a strong solar activity, there may be a beautiful aurora on a clear and dark day.

Now how do you know if there’s a strong solar activity? Look at the solar activity forecast, measured by KP index, on en.vedur.is and/or in Northern Lights apps. Official Icelandic Meteorological forecast is, however, usually the most reliable one. KP index is the summary number for the solar activity. It’s a simplification. Of course, you can go much deeper than just KP index, just read below. 

glaciers and waterfalls aurora tour

Pictures from a guided Northern Lights tour from Reykjavik by Glaciers and Waterfalls, 10% discount code: EPICICELAND

3.3.1. KP Index

KP index basically measures the strength of the solar activity in a single number, combining several factors. It’s not perfect, nor universal, but often helps a lot.

  • KP 0-1 usually means you can’t observe aurora with bare eye, only with your camera.
  • KP 2-3 usually means weak, but already present Northern Lights, usually green only
  • KP 4-5 is already pretty good, with higher chances to see even colorful Aurora
  • KP 6-9 means strong Northern Lights of various colors, with KP of 8-9 happening only very rarely

Once again – there’s no guarantee you will see northern lights even if the KP index shines at 5. The KP index is just a forecast, changes frequently and locally in a matter of hours and it’s impossible to exactly predict. The same however applies to low KP index – sometimes you can see amazing Northern Lights even if the index is low.

kp index aurora iceland

KP index as stated on en.vedur.is

3.3.2. Long-term sun cycle (11 years)

Now you know you need dark days, clear skies and high solar activity. But is there any pattern in aurora activity? Actually, there are several notable patterns.

There’s a long-term sun cycle lasting approximately 11 years which has a strong influence on quality of Northern Lights. The most solar storms and the strongest solar winds (i.e. the highest solar activity) occur around the so-called “solar maximums”. The nearest solar maximum is predicted to happen around 2024-2025. Year 2020 was actually a year of a “solar minimum”.

This means, the chances for seeing spectacular Northern Lights in 2023, 2024 and in 2025 are pretty high!

long term aurora cycle iceland

Long term sun cycle that strongly determines the Northern Lights activity. Source: SWPC NOAA

3.3.3. Yearly equinox cycle (1 year)

On a yearly basis, solar activity often peaks during autumn and spring equinoxes, i.e. in September and in March. These are the months when (usually) chances of seeing the most beautiful Northern Lights rise considerably. Once again – no guarantees, because the overall aurora show depends on all of the other aspects mentioned in this article.

3.3.4. Short-term moon cycle (29 days)

Not many know, that moon cycle also affects your chances of seeing Northern Lights in Iceland. Specifically, a full moon makes the sky much brighter and, thus, lowers your chances of clearly seeing vibrant aurora.

On the other hand, skies are darkest during new moon phases. We recommend to come to Iceland a few days before new moon, or just center your visit around new moon to maximize your chances of seeing Northern Lights.

moon cycle aurora

Moon cycle explanation. Source: griffithobservatory.org

3.3.5. Solar storms

Apart from long-term sun cycles and short-term moon cycles, the so-called solar storms (or “substorms”) may occur every now and then. Solar storms are great for Northern Lights. They mean that strong solar winds will be hitting the earth’s magnetic field and this implies strong aurora. How to detect solar storms? Once again, the simplest way is to watch out for KP index, which already includes solar storm forecast.

If you insist of digging deeper, then you can watch out for so-called Coronal Mass Ejections (solar flares) of the sun. They indicate a potentially strong aurora in the upcoming hours.

aurora forecast iceland

Aurora forecast for Iceland from https://auroraforecast.is/

3.3.6. Interplanetary Magnetic Field

Want to go even deeper? Interplanetary Magnetic Field activity (or IMF), is an important component of the KP index. Sometimes KP can be low, and IMF can still be favorable. Many “aurora hunters” often claim that KP index is not everything, and you should rather be looking at IMF and the so-called BZ index (which is just the direction of IMF). You can read more about IMF here or here. To simplify it as much as possible, you need to be looking for:

  • Negative BZ index / IMF direction – the more negative, the better; this means solar winds going towards earth, not elsewhere
  • Strong IMF – the stronger, the brighter and more visible aurora
  • Fast Solar Wind – the faster, the better
aurora forecast metrics iceland

Aurora forecast for Iceland by https://hello-aurora.com/

3.4. Location

Guess why Northern Lights are called “northern”? Because most of the time they really appear in the north and in the northern direction of the sky. So, what does this mean for you? Look at the northern direction. And try to avoid any bigger obstacles (like mountains) in that direction. There are not many of them in Iceland, but just in case 🙂

Does it make sense to travel to the Northern Iceland to see Aurora rather than staying in the South? Not really, the difference between the North and the South will most likely be only minor. However, it makes huge sense to travel to spots where there are no clouds and which are away from lights and cities. Regardless of the direction.

guided aurora tour Myvatn

A picture from a guided aurora tour from Mývatn by Star Travel, 10% discount code: EPICICELAND

4. What is the best month to see Aurora in Iceland?

Best months to see Northern Lights in Iceland are September, October, March and April. This is just a very simplified recap of everything written above. If we take into consideration stability of weather, dark skies and sun activity, we will arrive at these 4 months to most likely have the best chances. Does it guarantee you to see Aurora? Not really, this is just about odds of seeing them.

What about November, December, January and February? You can surely experience a spectacular Northern Lights show also during these months. Just bear in mind that weather may be more cloudy and solar activity slightly lower.

Can I see Northern Lights in August? Yes, you can! Especially in the second half of August aurora already starts to appear. Although chances for a huge vibrant show are lower compared to winter, autumn and spring months, it’s still possible to see it.

Are May, June and July totally off the table? Yes, most of the time they are. Especially in June and July the skies are simply too bright for Aurora to be seen with the bare eye.

aurora tour akureyri

A picture from a guided aurora tour from Mývatn by Star Travel, 10% discount code: EPICICELAND

Advantages and Disadvantages of a specific month to see Aurora in Iceland:

  • June, July – impossible by bare eye, too light days
  • May – hardly possible by bare eye, too light days
  • August – sometimes possible in the second half; usually weaker show (not so dark days); but very good weather; no snow
  • September – pretty possible; medium show (still not very dark days); stable weather; yearly equinox peaks
  • April – same as September, just weather is a bit less stable and there may still be snow
  • October, March – high chances; good show; usually more storms and clouds (less stable weather); often also snow; yearly equinox peaks
  • November, February – similar to October and March, just more snow, less daylight, and weather may again be less stable
  • December, January – darkest days; a lot of snow; storms and weather alerts; no yearly equinox; if skies are clear and solar activity is high, show may be great

5. Is Iceland the best country to see Northern Lights?

Iceland is a great country to go for a Northern Lights hunt. It probably isn’t the best, though. I suggest you look at the map below, which shows with green/orange/red the areas with the highest likelihood of seeing a big Northern Lights show.

Global aurora forecast

Global aurora forecast

6. Why does everyone have amazing Northern Lights pictures?

The trick is, Aurora often looks much better on camera than in real life. This is due to the fact that you can set up your phone or camera’s settings in such a way, that they can capture presence of Northern Lights even if you can’t see them yourself. Specifically, you need a long shutter speed (20 seconds). Try googling “how to shoot northern lights”, you will get tons of results.

northern lights iceland cell phone photo

Our first-ever northern lights picture, near Höfn, 3rd September

6.1. Real life example of hunting for Northern Lights

A positive example to begin with. Once, we visited Iceland on September 3rd , in a year of a solar minimum. Despite all of these, our neighbors from the apartment next to us woke us up around midnight, all staring at the sky. Northern Lights were there! Not very strong, with green colors only, but they were there. We didn’t even try to chase Aurora at this time of the year, yet aurora turned out to be chasing us.

Next time, we spent 2 weeks in Iceland during the last week of February and the first week of March, and, unfortunately, we’ve clearly seen Northern Lights on one evening only. Moreover, the sight was very similar to the one experienced in September. Not very strong and green colors only. We were watching forecast every day, chasing the spots with clear skies and we didn’t see any major show over entire 2 weeks of this winter trip.

aurora seydisfjordur iceland

Our first winter Aurora “show” in Seyðisfjörður. Shot by simple cell phone. 28th February.

Our advice is simple, though. Don’t visit Iceland only because of Northern Lights. Don’t make Aurora the ultimate purpose of your trip. Go and explore the beautiful winter Iceland, and when the conditions are right for Northern Lights, they will be an amazing bonus to experience. Don’t let not seeing them ruin your holiday, because it’s perfectly possible you may not see them even after reading this guide.

7. Useful Northern Lights websites and apps

  • The most reliable aurora forecast in Iceland is always done by Icelandic Meteorological OfficeEn.vedur.is
  • There are many other websites, for example www.auroraforecast.is, in our experience, though,  Vedur was always the best
  • For a global aurora forecast watch SWPC NOAA website, it forecasts with a 45min lead time
  • What are the best Northern Lights Apps? We are getting the best feedback on on App called Hello Aurora; nevertheless, we prefer Icelandic Meteo Office website

8. Best Northern Lights guided tours

Does it make sense to book a guided tour for Northern Lights? Yes and no. On one hand, you are definitely able to observe Northern Lights in Iceland on your own.

On the other hand, a tour guide will surely maximize your chances of seeing the Aurora. The guides have the best weather forecast available and they can ask locals about the current Northern Lights conditions all around Iceland. This is the huge advantage. If you don’t want to bother about forecasts yourself, then go for the Aurora tour in Iceland.

We have hand-picked the best Northern Lights tours, all with 5* reviews only, and amazing and knowledgeable guides.

aurora tour troll expeditions reykjavik

A picture from a guided Northern Lights tour from Reykjavik, 5% discount code: EPICICELAND23

8.1. Aurora Tours from Reykjavik

The only difference between the tours below is the number of participants and the vehicle used for transport.

8.1.1. Cheapest tour by Minibus 

This is the most popular Northern Lights tour by minibus. It’s the cheapest, with the biggest number of participants, departs from Reykjavik, and is operated by a minibus.

You can use a 5% discount code for the tour: EPICICELAND23

northern lights tour troll expeditions

A picture from a guided Northern Lights tour from Reykjavik, 5% discount code: EPICICELAND23

8.1.2. Semi-private tour by Super Jeep

This is an amazing semi-private Northern Lights tour operated by family-owned company called Glaciers and Waterfalls. You will be transported by a super jeep and the maximum number of participants will be limited to 6. You can have a 10% discount on all Glaciers and Waterfalls tours with the discount code: EPICICELAND 

8.1.3. Private tour by Super Jeep

Want to go for a private Northern Lights tour with a super jeep from Reykjavik? Private Aurora tour by Glaciers and Waterfalls is most likely the best tour for you. You can have a 10% discount on all Glaciers and Waterfalls tours with the discount code: EPICICELAND 

northern lights tour reykjavik

A picture from a guided Northern Lights tour from Reykjavik by Glaciers and Waterfalls, 10% discount code: EPICICELAND

8.1.4. A 3-Day Northern Lights Hunt by Jeep

Planning a Northern Lights tour for just one day is almost always a hit or miss. You can never be sure the show will be going on your day. That’s why we also recommend trying an amazing 3-day Aurora Hunting tour by Jeep.

This Aurora tour is run by the legendary Icelandic super jeep company – Midgard Adventure. You will never make a mistake by booking their tours. They are the stars in what they do in Iceland!

Our readers can also enjoy an exclusive 5% discount code for the Midgard Adventure northern lights tour: EPICICELAND5

northern lights jeep tour iceland

Picture from a fantastic 3-day Northern Light tour by www.midgardadventure.is, 5% discount code: EPICICELAND5

8.2. Aurora Tours in the North

The only difference between the tours below is the number of participants and a vehicle used for transport.

8.2.1. Cheapest tour by Minibus 

Start Travel is an amazing family-owned tour company with only 5* reviews, conducting tours for more than 10 years already. Star Travel offers 3 variants of the Northern Lights tour. The first one is operated by minibus, it’s the cheapest and with the biggest number of participants. Here is the cheapest minibus Aurora tour from Mývatn. You can have a 10% discount on all Star Travel tours with the discount code: EPICICELAND

northern lights tour myvatn

A picture from a guided aurora tour from Mývatn by Star Travel, 10% discount code: EPICICELAND

8.2.2. Semi-private tour by Super Jeep

This Super Jeep Northern Lights tour by Star Travel is operated by a jeep and limited to 8 people. If you want a semi private Aurora tour from Mývatn or Akureyri with your own guide, then this is in our opinion the best tour you can take. You can have a 10% discount on all Star Travel tours with the discount code: EPICICELAND

8.2.3. Private tour by Super Jeep

Do you want a Northern Lights private tour with a super jeep from Mývatn or Akureyri? We think the Private tour by Star Travel is the best option. Moreover, you can have a 10% discount on all Star Travel tours with the discount code: EPICICELAND

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Posted by Igor in Guide, Winter, 0 comments
Iceland in Winter – What you need to know

Iceland in Winter – What you need to know

Iceland in winter is very specific and you need to both prepare well and set your expectations right. We’ve put together a list of all important nuances you should prepare for when visiting Iceland in winter.

This post is part of our Winter Iceland articles series:

1. Quick tips for Iceland in Winter

  • Be flexible. Weather may entirely change your plans for the day. Tours may get cancelled. Roads can get closed. Flight schedules can change pretty often too. Be mentally ready for that.
  • Plan shorter days. It will take you longer to hike. It will take you longer to drive. It will take you longer to change the clothes. Weather alert may even squeeze your day into 2 hours only.
  • Drive carefully. And choose a proper car. Driving on icy roads is no joke. But it’s doable if you drive with respect, caution and practice gradually. Watch www.road.is daily.
  • Don’t underestimate. Wind, ice, driving, weather alerts, dark days. It may not end up well.
  • Dress accordingly. It’s not that cold, but it’s very windy, it may rain and snow. No jeans.
  • Bring shoe spikes. Or buy them once you arrive. It’s very icy on every hike. It’s Iceland.
  • Set your expectations right. Read this article for many more tips 🙂
  • Enjoy Iceland!! No matter the weather or your plans, Iceland will be amazing!
iceland in winter

Winter in Iceland

2. Winter weather in Iceland

Want a real life example of what the weather in Iceland is like in winter? Last time we visited Iceland for 2 weeks at the end of February / beginning of March, we experienced the following weather:

  • 3 days with weather alerts (strong winds and rain) – two of them on the days of our flights (yes, flights were postponed)
  • 2 days with sun, clear skies and no wind
  • 2 days with sun, clear skies and very strong wind
  • 2 cloudy and windy days
  • 1 rainy and foggy day
  • 4-5 days with the mixture of all of the above in one day
road to seydisfjordur winter

Road to Seyðisfjörður in winter

2.1. Winter temperatures in Iceland

It’s actually not so cold in Iceland in winter as you might expect. In February, we had days ranging from -5°C (i.e. 23°F) to +8°C (i.e. 46°F). The ocean warms up the coastal areas (i.e.  basically almost the entire ring road), so it’s never -20°C in here. It can be that cold in the highlands, though. But you probably aren’t going to Icelandic highlands in winter, unless on a tour or unless you have some Icelandic friends with super jeeps 🙂

2.2. What is the weather like in Iceland in winter?

Expect a wild and unpredictable mixture of sunny days with blue skies, rainy days (yes, rainy!), cloudy days, windy days, snowy days and a mixture of those and anything in between and all of that sometimes changing even several times during the day.

skogafoss winter iceland

Wind blowing famous Skógafoss to the left

2.3. Wind in winter

Expect wind. A lot of it. Expect it to be strong, usually stronger than you are used to. It is not the cold, nor the rain/snow that may interrupt your plans, most of the time it is the strong wind, that, simply occurs every now and then during the winter. And it often causes weather alerts. Both our inbound and outbound flights in February/March were postponed due to strong winds by 8 hours and 2 hours respectively. Some airlines rather cancel the flights, see section on flights below.

2.4. Weather alerts

Related to the wind are the so called weather alerts. This usually means a very strong wind, sometimes combined with rain and/or snow. Wind may reach a hurricane force speed. No, you don’t want to drive or hike, or even walk outside when this kind of wind blows! There are three types of weather alerts – yellow, orange and red.

iceland weather alert

This is how you may end up driving in a weather alert. Source: www.ruv.is

  • Red is the worst, as you probably suspected. Stay in a safe, indoor place under all circumstances
  • Orange is the next,  don’t drive in the orange alert. It may be possible to drive some really short distances but expect strong wind blows and usually wet and slippery roads. An ideal recipe for an accident. So, better don’t drive at all.
  • Yellow alert is the least bad, but still pretty uncomfortable. And dangerous. Drive only when necessary and only short distances. Expect strong wind blows and usually also wet and slippery roads, just not that much as with the orange alert. Don’t drive through mountain passes at all (e.g. to Seyðisfjörður). Don’t plan any hikes. You can try walking outside but it won’t be very comfortable.
storm in iceland

An ugly storm may make streets look like this for a while. Source: www.ruv.is

All alerts are much more bearable in cities. So, if you are staying in Reykjavik or Akureyri, you may try having a walk in yellow or even orange alert and see how it goes. Never in a red alert. Usually, you will want to avoid areas with any kind of alert, because neither driving, nor staying outside is very pleasant, and may actually even be dangerous. Things may be flying in the air during orange and red alerts.

iceland weather alert roads

This is what roads during weather alert in Iceland may look like

3. What to check before heading out

Every day, before heading out, check the:

  • Official Icelandic Meteorological website en.vedur.is for weather and weather alerts.
  • Official Icelandic Road Administration website www.road.is for current road conditions. Roads may easily get closed or impassable in winter in Iceland. See the section about roads below.
  • www.safetravel.is just to be sure you haven’t missed any alert or warning
icelandic horses in winter

Wind playing with horses’ hair. One of our favorite shots.

4. What month is the best to visit in winter?

Everybody has different priorities. You, and only you need to choose based on your priorities. You will never get everything 🙂 Every month in Iceland has some advantages and some disadvantages.

How to see Aurora in Iceland? A full guide to Northern Lights in Iceland

4.1. Best month in Iceland daylight-wise

When it comes to daylight hours, the closer you get to December, the shorter the daylight hours. This, on one hand, means much shorter days for any tours, hikes or sightseeing. On the other hand, this means higher chances for observing Northern Lights. Moreover, if you want to experience a fairy-tale-like Iceland full of snow, your chances are again higher the closer you get to December.

daylight hours in iceland

Daylight hours in Iceland by month

A good compromise may be months like October, February, or March, when there’s still enough daylight, but also dark enough skies for northern lights and most likely also snowy surroundings.

4.2. Best month in Iceland weather-wise

Weather-wise – you cannot predict it. It’s different each year. It’s impossible to say whether March has better weather compared to December or anything like that. The same applies to weather alerts. There are years and months when they don’t happen at all and then you have a week with 3 weather alerts. Get used to it. It’s part of traveling to Iceland in winter.

winter road iceland

Clear skies in Iceland in March, next to Kirkjufell

Generally, weather is slightly more stable around September, March, or April. But, these are already kind of autumn/spring months, not exactly winter ones like November, December, January and February. October is often a good balance of chances for northern lights, still warm enough weather, less tourists and cheap prices, however there are often storms and weather alerts.

4.3. Best month in Iceland northern lights-wise

The shortest answer is between September and April. You need to balance good weather with dark skies. The best balance seems to be somewhere around September/October and then March/April. No guarantees, due to unpredictable weather. The drawback of these months may be less snow. Also, I suggest you read our Detailed Guide to Northern Lights to understand what are your chances to see Northern Lights and how to maximize them.

aurora seydisfjordur iceland

Our first Aurora “show” in Seyðisfjörður. Shot by simple cell phone.

4.4. Best month in Iceland snow-wise

Many visitors come to Iceland to experience a winter full of snow. If you come between November and February, you will most likely have a lot of snow everywhere. As we mentioned above, the more you head into central Iceland, away from the coast, the more snow you will see. Pretty often, you will experience snow also anytime from October until April, though not always. For example, on one occasion we visited Iceland at the end of February/beginning of March and there was almost no snow at the coastal areas. Temperatures reached up to +8°C (i.e. 46°F) and it rained, instead of snow.

kirkjufell in winter

Kirkjufell in winter covered by snow

4.5. Best month in Iceland for Ice Caves

Oh and Ice caves! They are usually open from sometimes in October until sometimes in April. They change in shape and accessibility as the ice freezes or melts, with the peak ranging from November to March. These are the months when all of the ice caves are usually fully accessible. The most beautiful ice cave is usually the “crystal blue ice cave” near Jökulsárlón. You can visit ice caves only with guided tours, because it’s dangerous to go there alone. Once too much of snow and ice melts around end of April, most of the ice caves become too dangerous to visit and only some less (but still) beautiful ice caves stay open, like Katla ice cave.

A PROMO CODE EPICICELAND will get you a 5% discount with Local Guide of Vatnajökull, (in our opinion) the best Ice Cave and Glacier tour company.

best ice cave in iceland

Crystal Blue Ice Cave near Jökulsárlón

5. Planning the accommodations in winter in Iceland

Accommodations very rarely get fully booked in winter in Iceland. By fully booked I mean all of the accommodations in some area. Yes, if you really want to stay in this particular hotel or cabin, that particular one may easily get fully booked, of course. But chances are, you will find a different accommodation option pretty easily, just not such a great one, maybe.

5.1. Last minute bookings

As I pointed out above, one of the options is to book accommodations “last minute”. This is pretty doable in winter. Worst case, you will need to drive an hour (or less) to reach the next free accommodation.

iceland winter 4x4 car

Yes, 4×4 car may be very useful in winter in Iceland

5.2. Flexible bookings in advance

The second option involves booking everything in advance, with 3 (or less) days cancellation option. This is what we prefer. 3 days upfront you are often able to tell whether you will be able to reach your accommodation or not. But it takes time to manage it, of course.

5.3. Fixed bookings in advance

The third option is to book everything without the cancellation option. In this case, I do recommend not booking the places too far from each other. For example, not farther than a 2-3 hour drive, or the drive you can make even in bad weather, worst case in the yellow alert. In case of a weather alert, you can always call your accommodation and try to arrange for an adjustment. Trust me, Icelanders are used to weather alerts.

winter villages iceland

Picturesque houses in Hali

5.4. Campervans and Camping

The fourth option is booking a campervan, motorhome or for the most adventurous ones camping in tents. This is the least comfortable option, because Iceland can be pretty harsh in winter. But it’s definitely adventurous and often also cheaper. The important thing is – it is mandatory to stay in the designated campsites only, especially in winter. And only some campsites are opened in winter, check it before going!

We offer to our readers a 5% PROMO CODE for Go Campers rental.

5.5. Which campsites in Iceland are open in Winter?

To make it more challenging for you, there is no accurate, up to date list of Icelandic campsites that are open in winter. Campsites themselves make it harder for visitors, because every now and then some of them close and some of them open in winter. I highly suggest you call/write the campsite in advance to check whether the campsite is open around the time of your visit. Below are some useful sources that have tried to list campsites opened in winter in Iceland:

Secondly, bear in mind that even if the campsite is open, not all amenities may be in operation in winter. Some campsites operate as normally, while other ones close their kitchen areas and/or even showers and offer only a space for a tent. Check this by contacting the campsite.

hauganes hot pots in winter

Hauganes hot pots in winter

6. Essential clothes for winter Iceland

What I brought and it was fully sufficient for a 2-week trip in February:

  • pair of waterproof hiking boots with ankle support and anti-slippery rubber outsoles (like Vibram); ideally also insulated/winter ones
  • 2 lower layers – base one (wool or synthetic), and the outer one (water and windproof pants)
  • 3 upper layers – base one (wool or synthetic), middle one (fleece), and the outer one (water and windproof jacket with a hood)
  • 1 pair of waterproof gloves, 1 woolen hat, 1 thicker balaclava, sunglasses and shoe covers to not let the snow get into your shoes from above
iceland winter clothes

My winter “gear” for Iceland

My wife brought the same clothes, just one additional lower layer. What we wish we had brought were the shoe spikes. You don’t need real crampons for majority of normal hikes in Iceland. But you definitely need spikes, if you plan to do hikes longer than 15 minutes. We’ve done 4-5 such hikes and were struggling a lot with hiking shoes only. Everywhere is snow and ice. Be prepared for it and get yourself some spikes. You can also buy them easily in Iceland.

However, if you don’t plan any regular hikes and you want to only stop at typical touristy places like waterfalls, hot springs, ring road spots etc., majority of them are accessible within 10 minutes of walk even without spikes. That being said, spikes are always an advantage, so it’s always better to bring them or to buy them on arrival. Tour companies often rent them to their clients for free.

7. Icelandic Roads in winter

Always use www.road.is for checking the roads. Every day. They often get closed or impassable in Iceland in winter. What does impassable mean? It means an Icelander with a big jeep may be able to pass, but not you. Secondly, closed means closed – any drive is strictly forbidden! Thirdly, “no winter service” is very similar to “impassable”, see details in our article explaining the difference between impassable road and no winter service road.

7.1. Icelandic road color system in theory

Now what do all these colors on www.road.is mean? Here is an official description of the Icelandic road conditions’ colors:

iceland road conditions legend

Icelandic road conditions types

7.2. Icelandic road color system in reality

We drove a basic 4wd car, Dacia Duster in February and all colors except red (impassable) and black ones (difficult driving) were pretty much easily passable. Yes, even all these orange, blue or purple roads were OK to drive on. BUT. This depends a lot on your driving experience. We come from regions where we are used to driving in winter, even in 2wd cars. If you have driven your entire life in Florida and not seen the snow, then this may be harder for you and take special care.

Generally, all these different colors mean there will be some ice and some snow on the roads. Practically this means, you have to drive slowly and be careful, not jump on breaks, not make quick turns. Otherwise, the roads are usually passable also with a 2wd car (yes, even the orange, blue, purple, white marked roads). A 4wd car is always an advantage, though! But don’t drive the black and the red roads. These are for super jeeps with experienced drivers only. Sometimes even they get stuck.

roads winter iceland

This is a well-maintained winter road without snow

What, however, can change the situation dramatically, is weather. If it rains, snows or there’s a strong wind, it is much more dangerous to drive on an icy or snowy road. You need to be more careful and experienced if this is the case. The only way how to be sure about this, is to slowly try all these conditions yourself. Observe very carefully and gradually what you are and what you are not capable to drive through. Most importantly, if feeling unsecure, better stop, wait or find a different road.

7.3. Driving times in winter

In summer, you can more or less rely on time estimates produced by Google Maps, or any similar GPS software. In winter, this is not the case at all. In fact, the opposite is the case. It always takes us longer to complete the drive in winter. For obvious reasons – snow, rain, wind. I suggest counting with roughly double the summer/normal times – if you insist on any estimates.

snowy road iceland

A typical winter road condition in Iceland – a little bit of ice, a little bit of snow

8. Car rental in winter

Do you need a 4wd car in winter in Iceland? Well, I always recommend taking at least a cheap 4wd car like Dacia Duster when traveling to Iceland in winter. You never know where and when you can get stuck in the snow. It may even be just at the car park. Here’s where 4wd comes handy. The longer you plan to stay in Iceland and the more you plan to go away just from the ring road, the more you need a 4wd car.

For majority of beautiful and accessible places in Iceland a simple 4wd car would be enough. If you plan to drive the less driven roads (e.g. the 3-digit roads or mountain passes, or the roads marked with black) the bigger 4wd car like Toyota Land Cruiser comes really handy. And as always – the bigger car you rent, the bigger the chance you will not get stuck!

road to svínafellsjökull in winter

Road to Svínafellsjökull in winter

What about highlands, super jeeps and all these roads marked as “no winter service” or “impassable”? Technically, it’s not forbidden to drive them, we explain more about Icelandic roads being impassable here. BUT. You need a huge vehicle for it, let’s call it a super jeep, and a good local knowledge of the roads. This means – either team up with someone local or better book a super jeep tour.

8.1. Our winter car rental experience

We have already had a great experience with Go Car rental in summer, so we rented with them again in winter. We rented a 4wd Dacia Duster, the best price to value car for any ring road trips in my opinion. Our trip was scheduled for the last week of February and the first week of March. Dacia Duster is a great choice for simple F-roads in summer, for the entire ring road, and also for the majority of winter trips, because it is a 4wd car for a very affordable price. We write more about it in our guide on How to choose the best car for Iceland.

A PROMO CODE epic5 will get you a 5% discount with Go Car Rental and us a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Go Car rental already includes super collision damage waiver, gravel protection and theft protection in their rental prices. These are the insurances you’re gonna need the most in winter in Iceland. In most of the cases, you basically don’t have to do anything additional with the insurance anymore. If you want to fully understand how Icelandic car rental insurance works, we wrote a guide on Icelandic car rental insurance.

iceland winter car rental

We strongly suggest to rent a 4wd car, at least a simple one.

Once again, we had a great and smooth experience with the rental from Go Car. They have an office located just a 5-minutes walk from the airport hall (right next to the Aurora airport hotel). No need to take expensive taxis or wait hours for a shuttle. We collected our car within 15 minutes, not waiting in their office at all. The staff just quickly explained to us some basic car rental rules and we were good to go. The (great) experience is very similar also with Lotus car rental and MyCar rental.

A PROMO CODE epicicelandd5 will get you a 5% discount with Lotus and us a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

The car itself was a great choice. We didn’t have a single problem with our Duster. We got everywhere we needed and everything worked just as it should have. We had a huge luggage suitcase which fit right into the car trunk and all our backpacks and food could easily be stored on back seats. For 3 or more people I would recommend bigger car, though. Duster is the most popular choice in Iceland and for a reason.

A RARE PROMO CODE EPICICELAND will get you a 5% discount with MyCar and us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Go Car Rental is not the only great car rental company in Iceland. We have used several times in the past also Lotus Car Rental and MyCar Rental. We can more than just recommend all these 3 companies. Lotus is special in Iceland, because they offer a full platinum insurance that insures absolutely everything, even F-roads and river crossings (in summer). MyCar offers the best customer service and rents brand new Toyota cars for affordable prices.

We offer to our readers a 5% PROMO CODE for Go Campers rental.

For Campervans we can more than just recommend two amazing companies with amazing service and reliable Campervans. Probably the most famous Icelandic Campervan company is Happy Campers. They have a base at Keflavik airport. Slightly less known, but equally great company are Go Campers. They have a base in Reykjavik city.

winter car rental iceland

Dacia Duster is a very good 4wd price/value. It will not get you everywhere, though!

9. Flights to Iceland in winter

Flights to and from Iceland often get delayed in winter and sometimes even cancelled. All delays and cancellations are due to weather. For example, both of our February flights (inbound and outbound) were delayed. First one by 8 hours due to orange weather alert. Second one by 3 hours due to strong winds. Flight cancellations most of the time happen on intercontinental flights (flights from the US or Asia). Flights inside the Europe most of the time get just delayed.

10. Northern lights

How to see northern lights in Iceland? Where to see aurora in Iceland? When to see northern lights in Iceland? These are some pretty often googled questions. Yet, your googling may often bring confusing results. So, let’s get Northern Lights in Iceland straight. If you want to maximize your chances of seeing aurora in Iceland, I suggest you read our Detailed Guide on Northern Lights in Iceland, where we dive deeper into the topic. If you insist on a short answer then to see Northern Lights in Iceland, you need “only” 3 things:

  1. Dark skies
  2. Clear skies
  3. Aurora activity
iceland best place northern lights

Northern Lights show as witnessed at Aurora Viking guided tour

10.1. What are the best months to see Northern Lights in Iceland?

The shortest answer is between September and April. You need to balance good weather with dark skies. The best balance seems to be somewhere around September/October and then March/April. No guarantees, due to unpredictable weather. Also, I suggest you read our Full Northern Lights Guide article to understand what are your chances to see Northern Lights. A very very short summary is below:

Discounts on Best Aurora Guided Tours in Iceland

10.2. How to see Aurora in Iceland?

  • Come when the days are dark (September to April)
  • Come when the skies are clear (better chances in September, October, March, April)
  • Center your visit around new moon phase
  • Watch forecast for days with no clouds
  • Watch forecast for high aurora activity
  • Stay away from cities and light
northern lights guided tour

Northern lights guided tour by Glaciers and Waterfalls, 10% discount code: EPICICELAND

11. Hiking in winter in Iceland

Firstly, expect majority of tougher hikes (like Fimmvörðuháls, or hikes in Landmannalaugar, Kerlingarfjöll, or Þakgil) to be impassable and closed to general public. This is true once the first real snow settles in the highlands, which usually happens beginning of October. The snow then remains in the highlands until May, June, or sometimes (2022) even July. These tougher hikes then re-open to visitors once the major snow-packs melt, i.e. usually sometimes in June. If you are unsure about a specific hike, please contact safetravel.is for reliable information.

Secondly, don’t worry, of course you can hike also in winter in Iceland. Just try to pick a shorter hike, an easier hike, and a day with good weather (no strong wind, rain, snow or fog). While we often recommend going “off the beaten path” in summer, we recommend totally the opposite in winter. Remote places in winter mean no traces of footsteps, deep snow and no help anywhere – avoid them.

kvernufoss winter

An easy hike to Kvernufoss in winter

Thirdly, buy spikes and wear them on your shoes! Spikes are totally invaluable for almost all winter hikes in Iceland. Winter hiking trails in Iceland are very often frozen, icy and slippery – you need a good grip and no winter shoes will guarantee that. Finally, similarly to driving times, expect your hiking times to roughly double. You will be hiking on an icy terrain and/or through snow and pretty often against wind. Such hikes are also much more strenuous, count on that.

12. Tourists

There are less tourists in Iceland in winter compared to summer (June, July, August and September). BUT. Winter is still a pretty popular time to visit Iceland, so don’t expect to be alone there. The typical touristy sights like a golden circle, silver circle and south coast can get pretty packed even in winter. That’s why we prefer visiting mostly places where tour buses don’t go, or where they go only seldom.

monthly visitors iceland

Visitors in Iceland by months

The busiest winter month is March, because the daylight is longer, Iceland still looks like a winter fairytale and there’s still a good chance to see northern lights. Prices are highest in March out of all winter months. March is then followed by February, January and November. The least visited winter month is December.

We prefer to visit Iceland in winter at the end of February, because the chances for northern lights are pretty good, the country is still covered in snow, the number of tourists is bearable and the daylight hours are sufficient. And as always, we try to avoid the most touristy places like Golden Circle. That being said, in winter it makes much more sense to visit also touristy places in Iceland. Why?

reynisfjara beach winter

Reynisfjara beach can easily get crowded also in winter. This is one of the most touristy places in Iceland.

First of all, there will be less tourists compared to summer. Secondly, imagine hiking in a strong wind, sometimes rain and snow and a cold weather. You will more than just welcome all these “touristy infrastructure” places, where you may warm up a little bit, eat or drink something hot and just relax inside for a while.

Last but not least, it’s much safer to stay around more touristy spots in winter. Believe me, you don’t want to get stuck in snow somewhere alone, be it a road, a hike, or a remote accommodation. In summer, this is not much of an issue, but in winter it may be. That’s why we are strong advocates of remote places in summer, not that much in winter, though.

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Posted by Igor in Guide, Winter, 0 comments