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Of all of the international locations that I’ve visited, Iceland is one which I maintain returning to time and again. There is one thing concerning the open, rugged panorama that speaks to my soul. Now that I’ve visited Iceland in each summer season and winter, I undoubtedly have some ideas on which I preferred higher. And whereas Iceland is a rugged and lovely place whether or not it’s draped in snow or a shining inexperienced jewel, the experiences had been actually fairly completely different.
The nation solely acknowledges two seasons, summer season and winter — making Iceland’s winter lengthy and notoriously unpredictable. It is vital to be ready, so I’ve put collectively the following tips for visiting Iceland in winter. But first, let’s speak about why you must think about taking a winter journey to Iceland.
Not Sure About Iceland in Winter? 8 Reasons it Rocks
Note: This submit was written in collaboration with Ryan Connolly from Hidden Iceland, my most well-liked Iceland tour associate. If you e book a tour utilizing my promo code, I’ll obtain a small fee for free of charge to you.
An Iceland winter journey offers you a chance for actually once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Sure it is going to be colder, and darker, however for those who observe these winter packing options, you can be ready. Given the unpredictability of the climate and highway circumstances, I extremely suggest reserving excursions if you’re visiting Iceland within the winter, versus planning to self-drive.
My beneficial tour associate is Hidden Iceland. I’ve traveled with them personally and have additionally gotten nice suggestions from readers who’ve booked via them. If you e book one in all their scheduled group excursions (not personal excursions) via Hidden Iceland, use my associate promo code WE3TRAVEL to obtain 10 % off your tour.
1. Discover Blue Ice Caves
Glacier hikes are attainable year-round and all the time secure if you’re with the suitable information. But in summer season the glaciers are transferring and melting so rapidly that it’s not secure to go ‘into’ the glacier so to talk. It’s solely when the typical temperature drops from November to March that any ice caves that had been shaped from all of the melting, erosion, and motion of the glacier in summer season will briefly freeze in place.
You may be a part of Hidden Iceland’s 2-day Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon & Ice Cave Discovery tour yr after yr and by no means repeat the identical cave tour.
2. Hunt for Northern Lights
Visiting Iceland in winter means you could have an opportunity of seeing the Northern Lights. On any given night time you could have the prospect to see something from a uninteresting grayish-white streak, all the best way as much as a shimmering inexperienced or purple dancing curtain throughout the sky. The latter is much much less frequent, however actually breathtaking once they do happen.
If Northern Lights are your precedence, I’d counsel becoming a member of a multi-day tour that spends the night time in a secluded visitor home or lodge so that you could ‘hunt’ proper out of your window. Or keep at a lodge like Hotel Ranga on the south coast, which provides Northern Lights wake-up calls and even has its personal observatory!
3. Hike on Blue Glacier Ice
If you additionally wish to do a glacier hike and get the blood pumping then the glacier ice transforms into a phenomenal blue glass when not engulfed by snow. This may be very completely different from the crunchy and infrequently soiled summer season crust of the glacier. This phenomenon happens in winter as a result of the solar just isn’t robust sufficient to soften and refreeze the floor of the ice permitting it to stay in its stable blue kind at floor stage.
It’s a bit slippier than the summer season model, however with the right spikes to your ft (crampons) and a passionate information holding you secure, it’s a spectacular expertise. (Don’t fear, the information gives the crampons and different crucial gear. Just ensure you put on heat, waterproof boots.)
4. Experience a Winter Wonderland
Snow just isn’t assured in Iceland, however snow-capped mountains and lava fields caked in ice and snow remodel the setting. The elusive reindeer and Arctic fox typically make appearances at the moment of yr. If you might be visiting throughout Christmas, it’s also possible to participate in some Icelandic vacation traditions or take pleasure in fireworks in Reykjavik on New Year’s Eve.
5. Enjoy Fewer Crowds
Winter is way quieter than summer season, excluding Christmas week. The solely disadvantage right here is that regardless of there being fewer vacationers, there’s additionally much less time within the day to unfold out the actions so some spots could seem artificially ‘busy’ on account of time restrictions.
But usually, in all places you go, for those who do it correctly, will likely be quieter. Availability of accommodations and restaurant reservations additionally turns into much less of an issue at the moment of yr.
6. Take Photos at Midday Golden Hour
Photographers know the magic of the “golden hour” proper after dawn or proper earlier than sundown. But few locations can supply a noon golden hour. In the darkest days of winter, if the sky is evident, the solar barely rises above ‘pre-sunset’ part within the sky. This is a photographer’s dream with mainly the whole day being crammed with good mild for getting the perfect shot.
7. Enjoy Winter Warmth (Seriously)
it’s not almost as chilly as individuals assume. Sure, it’s chilly in comparison with summer season and it’s actually going to really feel chilly for those who come from a heat local weather. But would you imagine me if I advised you that the typical winter temperature is definitely hotter than New York City?
This is as a result of the Gulf Stream sends up heat water all yr spherical that spirals across the coast of Iceland. The common temperature in January hovers round 32-34 Fahrenheit. Some days you may expertise a balmy 45 with the odd day fluctuating as excessive as 50.
Be warned although, the chilly wind and the sporadic drops in temperature also can provide you with a “real feel” temperature near 0 Farenheit on the odd day, so be ready for all eventualities. Wearing layers with a totally waterproof outer shell is essential to happiness ranges in winter.
8. Take benefit of Winter “Bargains”
Iceland might be costly and for those who actually wish to see financial savings, then going to Iceland exterior of peak season is essential. Some lodge costs drop by half and lots of eating places will flirt with promotional provides to entice vacationers via their doorways.
Tips for Visiting Iceland in Winter
Note: This submit comprises affiliate hyperlinks. If you click on and make a purchase order, I could obtain a small fee. All opinions are my very own.
Have we satisfied you to go to Iceland within the winter? If so, make sure to learn these Iceland winter ideas earlier than you go!
1. Plan forward
Winter or summer season, tourism in Iceland continues to be robust. And whereas it’s busier in the summertime, for those who don’t plan forward you’ll nonetheless discover it onerous to get a lodge room within the winter, no less than in the course of the vacation season or in Reykjavik.
2. Be versatile
There are many locations that declare that for those who “don’t like the weather, wait a minute,” however in Iceland, that is notably true. This brings to thoughts one other favourite quote of mine…” the best-laid plans of mice and males, usually go awry.” With quickly altering climate, it’s essential be versatile together with your itinerary.
When we had been simply there in November, the plan was to go for a helicopter journey in the future and snowmobile on a glacier the following. Neither of these occurred. But did it break the journey? No. We had been in a position to lengthen our tremendous jeep tour to a full day with stops at a black sand seashore.
And as a substitute of snowmobiling as a result of the wind was too robust, we went for an ATV tour as a substitute. This is when it’s actually useful to work with a neighborhood tour operator that may not solely accommodate such adjustments, they’ll counsel acceptable substitutes. I extremely suggest reserving excursions with Hidden Iceland (obtain 10% off scheduled group excursions with my promo code WE3TRAVEL.)
3. COnsider a Tour vs. Self-Driving within the Winter
If you might be visiting in the summertime and wish to self-drive round Iceland I say go for it. Driving in Iceland is fairly easy for those who stick with the Ring Road. However, driving within the winter is usually a completely different story. Roads shut continuously and it’s not uncommon to expertise white-out circumstances and I didn’t discover any salt or sand vehicles out and about.
Keep in thoughts that the climate is continually altering in Iceland, so chances are you’ll arrive in winter to fantastic climate circumstances, however it’s essential plan for the worst-case state of affairs. Googling native climate for Iceland is just not sufficient.
Changes in wind velocity, precipitation, and temperature can come collectively in a crescendo of turbulence relying on the topography and course of the wind. What would possibly seem as a reasonably average day on the forecast could lead to a ‘storm in a teacup’ impact on one facet of a mountain. On the opposite facet, it might be calm and clear.
With Iceland’s volcanic, mountainous panorama this truly occurs way over you assume. Professional guides have native contacts that assist them make an knowledgeable resolution each time. An area information will know what spots to keep away from, but in addition what you may go and revel in in its place.
To make a winter go to much less nerve-racking and safer, I’d suggest both staying in Reykjavik and taking day excursions or taking a multi-day tour (with a driver) with a gaggle like Hidden Iceland.
4. Know earlier than you go!
Since the climate can differ drastically from place to position, you actually need to verify for highway closures and circumstances earlier than you allow your lodging. When we had been heading as much as the Golden Circle on our latest go to, we may go to Thingvellir however the highway as much as Gulfoss was closed so we needed to skip it. We additionally needed to take an alternate route from Reykjavik to get there.
Icelanders depend on the highway.is web site for up-to-date data. You also can obtain the 112 Iceland App (112 is the emergency quantity in Iceland) in case you need assistance on the highway. If you might be heading off-road in any respect, make sure to register your plans on safetravel.is.
5. Layer up
While winter just isn’t all the time that chilly in Iceland, it does get very windy. You’ll must layer up in opposition to that wind. Start with a base layer, add a fleece and a few waterproof/windproof outer layers and you might be good to go. Just don’t neglect a very heat hat and gloves (particularly ones with touchscreen-friendly fingertips so that you don’t freeze your palms off taking footage.)
Whatever you do, don’t put on denims, these will get moist and also you’ll freeze your tush off. Oh, and chances are you’ll wish to skip the Blue Lagoon on a windy day — it isn’t enjoyable to be in your bathing go well with and get pelted with hail.
Don’t miss my Iceland Winter Packing List for extra concepts!
6. Don’t be afraid of the darkish
The benefit of all that darkness is that you could be get to see the Northern Lights. The draw back is that you just don’t get a lot daylight to sightsee. In November the solar rose round 10 am and set by 4 pm. In January, it will get even shorter, with the dawn after 11 am and sundown round 3 pm.
If you will get to see something, you will have to move out at the hours of darkness. Plan on getting up and having breakfast at 8 am and hitting the highway round 9 am so you may arrive at your vacation spot by first mild. The excellent news is that you can be handled to some wonderful sunrises and sunsets. If you aren’t comfy driving at the hours of darkness, that will be another excuse to base out of Reykjavik and take some excursions.
7. Be ready
The chilly can sap the life out of you…and your batteries. It appeared like each time I stepped exterior my cellphone went lifeless, even when I had a reasonably good cost. My resolution was to deliver alongside backup energy packs. Turning on that cost introduced my cellphone again to life. If solely it had been really easy to deliver life again to my frozen palms.
And it isn’t simply telephones that go lifeless rapidly, digital camera batteries get used up rapidly too. Make certain you deliver backups with you all through the day and think about a weatherproof digital camera or a great journey digital camera.
8. Be secure!
In the U.S., we’re so used to having sanitized vacationer experiences. Our waterfalls have good security rails, upkeep crews are diligent about placing salt and sand on slippery ice, and we warn folks that peanut butter could include peanuts. Not so in Iceland.
First off, if there’s a warning signal, it’s for a great motive. Likely there was an accident that occurred there so don’t blow it off, take warning. When you might be strolling as much as the waterfalls, the mist from the falls makes it actually icy.
You will likely be finest off you probably have heat, waterproof mountaineering boots with spikes or get some clip-on crampons. Lastly, when visiting the seashores, particularly these round Vík, don’t get too near the water’s edge, particularly for those who flip your again to the waves. They are recognized to expertise rogue waves that may sweep you in and tough undercurrents that may pull you out rapidly. And all the time maintain an in depth eye (and/or hand) on any younger youngsters.
9. Think about your actions
It is simple to get enthusiastic about all there’s to do in Iceland, however not every part is out there year-round. So do your analysis upfront earlier than reserving your journey. You don’t wish to be disillusioned which you could’t go whale watching as a result of it isn’t the suitable season.
10. Don’t pin all of your hopes on the Northern Lights
It was my best want to see the Northern Lights once we visited in November, however alas, it was not meant to be. While I used to be disillusioned, we nonetheless had some wonderful experiences and I loved each minute. (Luckily I used to be in a position to lastly see them once I visited in September at one other time.)
There are some things you may remember when selecting your dates which will enhance your probabilities of seeing the Aurora Borealis. First, September – April is the Northern Lights “season” however you’ll have the best probabilities in late November via March.
Since mild air pollution interferes with seeing the aurora, you’ll have a greater likelihood of seeing them for those who keep exterior of the town. We cherished our keep at Hotel Ranga, the place not solely have they got their very own observatory and an astronomer that is available in on clear nights, however it’s also possible to elect to have them wake you must the aurora make an look.
Since we visited proper after the Supermoon, we had been disillusioned to study that the aurora borealis often doesn’t seem on or close to a full moon. If you wish to verify the forecast for predictions, go to the Icelandic Met workplace web site.
If they do seem, you’ll want to be ready. Sleep together with your heat garments on the prepared. Keep your digital camera gear at your fingertips. Make certain you deliver a wide-angle lens, tripod, a distant/shutter launch (to keep away from shaking your digital camera), and further batteries (due to that chilly.) If you might be renting a cabin, think about leaving the digital camera exterior set on the tripod so you might be able to go and it doesn’t fog up going from heat to chilly.
Whether you go to Iceland in winter or benefit from the longer days of midnight solar in the summertime, I hope you fall in love with Iceland the best way that I’ve.
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