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Putting collectively the proper Iceland packing record is among the most essential issues you are able to do earlier than your journey! Iceland is a vacation spot identified for its chilly and windy climate.
Not solely that, Iceland is moist, moist, moist — and should you’re not adequately lined in waterproof clothes on a wet day, you’ll be depressing.
Additionally, Iceland is a rural nation. Most of the time, I like to recommend shopping for issues domestically if you could. That’s not as straightforward in Iceland. Unless you’re in Reykjavík or Akureyri, you gained’t be capable of simply discover respectable purchasing.
I do know this sounds powerful — however please, don’t fear! I’m right here to make your journey to Iceland simpler. I’ve been to Iceland a number of instances, together with a two-week street journey across the Ring Road, and I’ve found out what to pack for Iceland, what to put on in Iceland, the objects that you really want, and the objects you’ll be able to go away at residence.
This information has 4 sections: Weather in Iceland, The Most Important Items to Pack, What to Wear in Iceland, Winter in Iceland, the Iceland Packing List, and What Not to Bring to Iceland.
And as you propose your journey, don’t neglect to take a look at my different Iceland posts: the finest issues to do in Reykjavík, issues to know earlier than you go to the Blue Lagoon, and the small print on how a lot my Iceland street journey price.
Weather in Iceland: What to Expect
Iceland has chilly climate year-round and is incessantly wet. The forecast adjustments usually and climate circumstances can flip harmful while you don’t anticipate it. In brief, you could be prepared for something — however particularly precipitation!
You would possibly luck out and get a string of sunny days (I definitely have on all 4 of my journeys). You could also be right here two weeks and never see the solar as soon as. You might need dreadfully foggy or wet days while you least need them. In brief, be prepared for something.
If you’re visiting through the summer time (May-September), the most effective time to go to for good climate, you need to be prepared for common temperatures round 40-60 F (7-15 C).
If you’re visiting through the colder months, you need to be ready for common temperatures to fall under freezing (usually 15-32 F, or -9-0 C). The wind chill can deliver that a lot decrease.
This Iceland packing record is primarily focused towards summer time vacationers, who comprise the overwhelming majority of Iceland guests, however I’ve added a supplemental part for winter Iceland vacationers as properly.
Most Important Items on Your Iceland Packing List
Some objects in your Iceland packing record are essential. Here is the record of things that I feel needs to be on each Iceland traveler’s record, it doesn’t matter what the time of yr is.
Do not skip any of those — besides presumably the tripod and lightweight make-up.
Head-to-Toe Waterproof Gear
Waterproof gear is the one most essential factor you could deliver to Iceland. And not only a waterproof jacket — you want rain pants, waterproof mountain climbing boots, and a waterproof backpack cowl.
It WILL rain sooner or later in your journey to Iceland. It would possibly rain daily, and closely. I do know individuals who had been rained out daily of their Iceland journey.
There are additionally some waterfalls which you could stroll behind or get near, like Gljúfrabúi and Seljalandsfoss, and also you’ll be drenched afterward. Going behind them is tremendous cool — so that you want outer layers that can maintain you dry.
But the quickest method to being depressing in Iceland is being soaked to the bone in a sweatshirt, like that one household I noticed at Kvernufoss waterfall.
Waterproof Jacket
You have two choices for a water-resistant jacket to put on in Iceland: an all-in-one insulated raincoat, or a rain jacket shell worn over an insulated jacket.
There are arguments for each. I wore a fundamental raincoat shell (I wore an area Czech model however this Columbia one is great) and a Uniqlo extremely mild down jacket. We had quite a lot of sunny days and it was good to solely put on my pink Uniqlo jacket.
But it’s undoubtedly extra handy to have one jacket which you could put on in all climate, like this one.
Top Tip: Get a brightly coloured coat; it seems to be superb in pictures towards the gray-green Icelandic panorama. Reds, oranges, yellows, and scorching pinks particularly stand out.
Rain Pants
I by no means wore rain pants in my LIFE till my most up-to-date Iceland journey — and so they ended up being lifesavers. What are rain pants? They’re waterproof pants you put on on high of your common pants. Such a good suggestion!
You don’t must put on your rain pants all day. Just throw them in your backpack, and if it begins to rain, throw them on high. You don’t even must take off your boots!
Since that journey, I’ve been extolling the advantages of rain pants to anybody who will pay attention, and considered one of my readers informed me she purchased them for her Iceland journey with skepticism however couldn’t consider how a lot she beloved them!
Waterproof Hiking Boots
You are probably going to be mountain climbing by way of mud or rain sooner or later. That’s simply an inevitability in Iceland. Regular mountain climbing boots or path runners aren’t sufficient: you want good high quality waterproof mountain climbing boots.
Additionally, there are some locations the place you is perhaps strolling by way of ankle-deep water, like Gljúfrabúi waterfall or Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
Some individuals deliver one pair of waterproof mountain climbing boots to Iceland, and a few deliver one pair of normal boots and one pair of waterproof boots. Take my recommendation: deliver one pair of waterproof boots (ideally fabricated from Gore-Tex).
You by no means know when a sunny Icelandic sky will immediately cloud over and start raining.
Waterproof Backpack Cover
Imagine being half-hour right into a two-hour hike and it begins to rain. And you’ve acquired an costly digicam simply sitting in your material backpack.
That was me at Studlagil Canyon this previous August. Whoops.
You completely want a waterproof backpack cowl. It prices lower than $10 and retains all of your digicam gear dry, even should you’re mountain climbing for hours!
I often advocate a dry bag for vacationers, particularly should you’re taking rides on small boats, however most individuals don’t take small boats in Iceland, so I feel a water-resistant backpack cowl will cowl you.
Sleep Mask
Most individuals who journey to Iceland go through the summer time months, when you’ll be able to have slightly little bit of daylight as late as 2:00 AM. Ever slept by way of that? It’s not straightforward!
Surely, each Iceland guesthouse should have high-quality blackout curtains, you’d suppose. You’d be incorrect. (And don’t name me Shirley.) I used to be shocked how usually the midnight solar peeked in from Icelandic curtains.
You’ll wish to deliver a sleep masks if you wish to sleep peacefully. Ear plugs are additionally useful, particularly should you’re staying in dorms or different shared room lodging.
Multiple Swimsuits
One of probably the most enjoyable issues about visiting Iceland is visiting all of the completely different scorching springs! From the basic Blue Lagoon to the horny Sky Lagoon in Reykjavík and my private favourite, the Vök Baths in Egilsstaðir, East Iceland, they’re in every single place!
Even should you skip the expensive thermal resorts, there are many scorching tubs and pure scorching springs all through Iceland. And almost each city in Iceland has its personal heated outside swimming pool. These swimming pools are an affordable, enjoyable, and really native exercise.
Translation? You’ll be in your bathing swimsuit a LOT.
One mistake I see individuals making incessantly is simply bringing one swimsuit to Iceland. The purpose? A showering swimsuit takes a very long time to dry and also you is perhaps continuously placing on one which’s chilly and damp.
For that purpose, it’s a good suggestion to deliver a minimal of two bathing fits to put on in Iceland. I introduced three. We would dangle our bathing fits within the automotive, on the again of the entrance seats, however usually 24 hours wasn’t sufficient to dry them.
All of my bathing fits are by Trina Turk — she’s all I purchase. They are beautiful, colourful, and final for years. Some are available in plus sizes.
Quick-Drying Travel Towel
Almost each scorching spring or swimming pool in Iceland fees you for a towel should you don’t have already got one. And charges are sometimes round 900 ISK ($6 USD). Those actually add up!
So what do you want? A journey towel! A fast-drying microfiber journey towel will prevent plenty of cash.
Top Tip: Shower at evening in Iceland. Your towel will dry in a single day, you’ll be capable of get a quick begin the following morning, and should you’re staying in a spot with shared bogs, you gained’t have to attend for everybody else to complete.
Reusable Water Bottle
The faucet water in Iceland is protected to drink. Don’t add to the plastic downside by shopping for bottled water in Iceland. Just deliver your reusable water bottle and fill it up at any time when you’ve a faucet.
I exploit a BPA-free Blender Bottle. It’s massive, it’s sturdy, and it is available in plenty of colours (I’ve it in scorching pink). Mine is sitting subsequent to me as I write this.
Eye drops, lip balm, and hand cream
Iceland can dry you out — particularly should you’re visiting a number of scorching springs throughout your go to. I ended up with shiny pink eyes midway by way of my most up-to-date journey and wanted drops badly. It wasn’t enjoyable attempting to trace down an open pharmacy in the course of nowhere!
You would possibly wish to deliver eye drops, lip balm, and hand cream.
Sunscreen
But it isn’t that sunny in Iceland, you say. Hey — should you’re spending plenty of time outdoors, even when it’s a cloudy day, even should you’re not fair-skinned, you want sunscreen. You can simply burn while you’re not anticipating it.
I all the time put on moisturizer or BB cream that incorporates sunscreen. If not, deliver sunscreen with an SPF of at the very least 45. I like Neutrogena SPF 55 sunscreen.
Extra SD Cards, Camera Battery, and External Hard Drive
You will take far extra pictures than you often tackle journeys. Iceland is among the most visually spectacular locations I’ve ever visited.
It’s all the time smarter to have a number of SD playing cards reasonably than one massive card, simply in case it fails. Just a few SanDisk 64 GB playing cards ought to maintain you over.
It’s good to have some backup batteries, and should you’re packing for Iceland within the winter, know that batteries drain faster when it’s under freezing.
Back up your pictures in a number of locations should you can. A tiny thumb drive most likely gained’t be sufficient — as a substitute, deliver an exterior arduous drive.
Tripod
A tripod is an non-compulsory merchandise, however one which extra severe photographers ought to pack. If you’re trying to do long-exposure pictures on Iceland waterfalls, or make the most of low-light conditions, it would be best to have a tripod.
However — should you’re not a photographer, you don’t essentially want this. (Plus, lugging your tripod and setting it up in every single place could be a big ache should you’re not captivated with pictures.)
Top Tip: If you’ve an iPhone, set your digicam as much as take Live Photos. Hold your digicam as nonetheless as you’ll be able to when photographing a waterfall. On your picture, contact the “LIVE” placing within the high left nook and alter it to “Long Exposure.” Hello, easy waterfall!
It takes a little bit of apply, and I like to recommend taking pictures on a wide-angle as a result of this will chop off quite a lot of the perimeters.
Enough Makeup to Look Extra Nice in Photos
Obviously that is non-compulsory as properly, however should you put on make-up in your day-to-day life, you’ll most likely recognize carrying a bit in Iceland. Not a full face — simply sufficient to look slightly bit nicer than you’ll be bare-faced.
Each day in Iceland, I wore BB cream, mascara, forehead shadow, and lip balm. Not a lot, however sufficient to make a distinction.
For the identical purpose, I wore earrings — little stud earrings that I stored in the entire journey. I like having a little bit of shimmer in my pictures.
What to Wear in Iceland
My outfits in Iceland had been just about the identical factor, again and again. Pick a formulation and keep it up!
In the picture above, taken at Hvalnes Lighthouse in southeast Iceland, I wore a medium-weight sweater, Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Jacket, leggings, merino wool socks, boots (these ones are a discontinued type of Hunter boots however I’d get waterproof mountain climbing boots subsequent time), and sun shades.
That’s an excellent outfit for a sunny day in Iceland in the summertime.
For the day I hiked into Múlagljúfur Canyon, considered one of my absolute favourite locations in Iceland, I wore my typical mountain climbing outfit: an Icebreaker merino wool pullover, mountain climbing pants, rain pants on high simply in case, merino wool socks, and path runners (once more, ought to have worn waterproof mountain climbing boots).
For the hike I wore my two jackets — the Uniqlo Ultra Light Down jacket and my rain jacket shell — and tied them each round my waist after I acquired scorching.
They’re out of the body on this picture, together with my backpack.
Packing List for Iceland in Winter
Traveling to Iceland in winter requires extra objects. It’s all about staying heat and dry in a chilly, moist setting! Let’s check out crucial objects on your winter Iceland packing record:
Base layers (thermal underwear). Base layers are important — these are what maintain you really feeling heat when it’s chilly out! I’m an enormous fan of Uniqlo WarmthTech Base Layers (high and backside). They are so snug, so heat, and surprisingly inexpensive!
I like to recommend two pairs of every on your journey to Iceland. Good base layers will be worn a number of days in a row.
Mid-weight layers. This further layer is what you put on between your base layers and outerwear. I want a heat sweater on high and heat leggings on the underside.
Warm parka. You’ll desire a heavyweight winter coat with a hood. I like to recommend one which goes to mid-thigh or decrease; coats that cease at your waist let in quite a lot of chilly air. (People from Texas and Florida: speak to your cold-weather-living pals. They know higher.)
Waterproof, windproof snow pants. Like rain pants, besides constructed for low temperatures.
Warm hat. I’m a fan of North Face beanies, however something cozy and wooly will do properly.
Waterproof, windproof gloves or mittens. I really want mittens, like these ones from Outdoor Research. You might wish to put on glove liners or working gloves as properly.
Warm scarf. I’m an enormous fan of Speakeasy Travel Supply scarves that include a hidden pocket — and so they have a set of heat heavy weight scarves which might be good for Iceland within the winter!
Base layer socks and heat socks (I like to recommend merino wool socks if attainable). Base layer socks, once more, maintain you hotter than simply common socks.
Hot Hands hand heaters. Crack these and so they’ll maintain you heat for hours. These saved my life in Antarctica! They promote particular toe heaters as properly, however I don’t suppose you want them — hand heaters work for each.
I like to recommend carrying the Hot Hands between your base layer socks and heavier socks, or between your glove liners and mittens. You also can maintain them in your pockets.
Northern lights pictures gear. The Northern Lights are considered one of Iceland’s largest attracts through the winter months. If you’re hoping to see them, you’ll want a tripod, as you could take lengthy publicity pictures to make the colours actually pop.
(You would possibly wish to see my Antarctica packing record for examples of my winter outfits for being lively in a chilly setting.)
Iceland Packing List
Here it’s: the complete packing record for Iceland.
Clothing
Outerwear
Winter Travelers
Toiletries
Medical
Items to Pack
Camera Gear and Tech Gear
Optional
Should you do laundry in Iceland?
If you’re staying in Iceland for lower than every week, you most likely don’t must do laundry. But should you’re staying for longer than every week, you’ll most likely must.
Top Tip: Book lodging with laundry included midway by way of your journey. Amanda and I booked an condominium in Akureyri that had a washer and drying rack. This was good timing and we didn’t must go discover a laundromat!
You also can do laundry within the sink should you’d like. Bring journey laundry detergent if that’s the case.
What NOT to Bring to Iceland
Here are some issues that you just completely don’t must deliver to Iceland:
Umbrella. If you packed correct rain gear — hooded raincoat, rain pants, waterproof boots, and backpack cowl — it fully negates the necessity for an umbrella. You gained’t use it!
Cash. Iceland accepts bank cards for nearly the whole lot (there are a couple of exceptions, like metropolis buses in Reykjavík). On my most up-to-date two-week journey, neither Amanda nor I used money as soon as.
Dressy garments. You don’t want dressy garments — not even for that nice-looking restaurant in Reykjavík. Wear your nicest sweater and your black mountain climbing pants and also you’ll slot in simply high-quality.
Horseback driving gear. Icelanders don’t permit any driving gear from overseas nations to be worn in Iceland. This is to guard the horses from outdoors pathogens. Please don’t suppose they’ll make an exception for you. They gained’t.
A digicam you don’t know the best way to use. Lots of people get fancy new cameras for his or her Iceland journey — however they don’t know the best way to use them. Make positive you spend an excellent period of time attending to know your digicam’s settings and working towards earlier than you go to Iceland.
More on Iceland:
My Favorite Places in Iceland:
Have you been to Iceland? What did you recognize bringing?