A Guide to Winter Travel in Iceland
A Guide to Winter Travel in Iceland
As a fan of Game of Thrones, apart from visiting Croatia, Iceland was next in the list. Iceland is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, and I don’t know about you, but it is even more stunning in winter, PLUS it is cheaper and less crowded to travel here during winter.
This season presents a HUGE opportunity to capture the enchanting northern lights, explore ice caves and see the iconic attractions covered in snow and ice. So I had to embrace the full spectrum of what this country has to offer in winter.
I highly recommend to rent a car and do a self driving tour around Iceland for 2 weeks. The country looks small on Google Maps but the distances between each towns are fairly large due to its landscape and a lot of times there are plenty of hidden gems along the road to stop and explore.
What You Can Expect to See in Iceland during Winter
Things To Know about Winter in Iceland
Keep Your Plans Flexible
When travelling in Iceland during winter, I suggest to keep your plans loose because weather can be pretty UNPREDICTABLE. You can have sunny conditions and then next minute, strong winds, icy roads and snowstorms and then back to sunny again. Snowstorms can mess with your travel plans which means give yourself some extra time between destinations.
During my trip, there was a severe snowstorm that closed all roads for 2 days, fortunately the accommodation that I was staying allowed me to stay for an extra day, and the accommodation I was going to allowed me to cancel and refund. Which means I had to skip the next spot and head straight to the following destination in order to make up the loss of 1 day.
Check out websites like the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration on live weather and road conditions. Red warnings mean do not travel, yellow and orange are very common so just exercise caution while driving.
Limited Daylight
It’s a double edge sword, limited daylight would mean that you will spend less time on outdoor activities and sightseeing. On the other hand, longer darkness would mean more chance to spot the Northern Lights.
My tip is to plan your winter trip in Iceland in late winter (eg March) which will allow some extra daylight yet still have a good chance to chase the Northern Lights.
Book Popular Activities in Advance
Just because there are less tourists coming in doesn’t mean you don’t need to book popular activities such as ice cave tours and Blue Lagoon hot springs. Due to unpredictable weather conditions, activities and tours may be cancelled and rescheduled especially for ice cave tours.
So I highly recommend to book these activities way ahead in advance (Blue Lagoon should be booked months in advance).
Fuel Up Whenever You Can
Petrol stations are pretty limited in Iceland, so I strongly suggest to fuel up whenever you see one as you might not be able to in the next few days. Winter conditions also increase fuel consumption as well as deter you from fueling up.
Do note that they do not accept cash as they are self-service stations, in fact the whole country is run as a cashless society, so do make sure you have an international friendly travel credit card with you.
Stay in Hostels & Check Their Leftover Pantry Items
Accommodations in Iceland are super EXPENSIVE. So I just sticked with hostels and to be honest, hostels there are fantastic. Super clean, comfortable and convenient.
My tip is to check pantry items left by previous travellers in the shared kitchen and put them in your basket. They are free to take and also help you to save cost. So make sure to check what they have and then head out to get groceries (as groceries and food are crazy EXPENSIVE in Iceland). In fact, everything is expensive in Iceland lol.
Driving in Iceland in Winter
A lot of people mentioned to rent 4 x 4 jeep but I went ahead to rent a normal small car since I was travelling by myself and not intending to go to the Highlands. The cost of renting a car in Iceland is high.
Make sure not to switch on your vipers when you start the car first thing in the morning. I learnt the hard way and had to pay $500 USD in damage as the vipers were damaged by going through the icy windscreen. Just let your car run for a long time in the morning or start driving and you can operate the vipers after awhile.
In case of poor visibility due to high winds or snowstorms, pull over in a safe location and wait for conditions to improve. Do drive in low speed, maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. Be careful when approaching bridges, shaded areas, and blind curves, as these spots are more likely to have black ice (please do some research on what black ice is as this is very dangerous, I have encountered a few times and it is not to be looked over).
Summary of Iceland in Winter
In summary, I had a great time in Iceland in winter even though I had to make minor changes to my trip halfway through but managed to navigate around it. A winter visit to Iceland is simply stunning! The picturesque natural wonders, exhilarating outdoor pursuits and unexpected weather changes just makes the experience even more memorable.
Just make sure to check weather forecast regularly, prioritise safety and embrace the inherent spirit of adventure that defines Iceland.
Till next time, take care and stay inspired!
xoxo EM
