The red layers you see are caused from the iron deposits in the soil.

Getting excited for my first trip to Iceland. I know it's not super exciting doing a package thing but I figured it would be easy to get the lay of the land. I've been lurking for a bit reading posts but I figured I should say hi. I'm thinking on the non-planned days I want to wander around the city and check out a lagoon/hot springs

Day 1 northern lights by boat

Day 2 golden circle direct

Day 3 south coast wonders

Day 4 explore city?

Day 5 hot springs/lagoon?

My 9day solo trip in Iceland. My primary goal was hotspring. I went to nearly all the FREE hotsprings. This was in April btw

Bottom Half of Golden Circle

Hveradalir 9.7/10 - Amazing mud bath
Reykjadalur 10/10 - 50min hike + amazing hot spring
Geysir 7.5/10 - pretty cool
Gullfoss 7/10 - waterfall, right next to Geysir
Hrunalaug 6.9/10 - not free hotspring, water not hot enough, very clean
Seljalandsfoss 8/10 - iconic waterfall
Skogafoss 8/10 - iconic waterfall
Seljavallalaug 7.2/10 - free swimming pool, water clean but cold
Dyrholaey 8/10 - can see Diamond beach
Silfra snorkeling 7/10 - iconic continental snorkeling, water yummy
Landmannalaugar ?? - was closed when I went, looks fun tho

UPPER CIRCLE

Into the Glacier 7/10 - cool glacier but expensive
Barnafoss 7/10 - pretty waterfall, other waterfalls were better imo
Gudrunarlaug 7/10 - free warm hot spring, lots of algae
Krosslaug 8/10 - free hot spring, very hard to drive
Raudasandur 1/10 - don’t go
Ytri Tunga 9/10 - beautiful seal beach, saw lots of seal close up in morning
Landbrotalaug 7.5/10 - free hot spring, blazing hot
Pollurinn hot spring 9/10 - amazing free hotspring, clean, hard to drive
Reykjafjardarlaug 7/10 - free hotspring, algae in pool, hard to drive
Hvitserkur 7.5/10 - pretty beach, famous, seal far away
Hjalteyri 8.5/10 - stunning view, free hotspring
Foss 6.5/10 - free hotspring, don’t go, cold
Hverir 0/10 - disgusting egg Geysir, smell yuck, expensive parking
Storagja 8.7/10 - mysterious hidden cave pool, very unique
Dettifoss 7/10 - most powerful waterfall in Europe, not bad, hike
Husavik whale watching 1/10 - did not see whale
Camping 66.12 North 9/10 - Beautiful campsite, stunning, shower kitchen. Cheap

Hi all,

I kinda hate myself for making a stressed post like this, but just need a few new thoughts on Iceland in February. I am surprising my partner with a trip to Iceland in late February, and I had thoughts of viewing stunning landscapes, exploring ice caves, visiting the hot springs, snowmobiling, cozy stays at unique hotels, and maybe getting the opportunity to possibly catch the northern lights. But the more I read about this time of year, the more nervous I get.

We are from Florida, so the climate will definitely be more intense than we are used to, and I was planning on that for appropriate clothing and a structured way of navigating the country. But I now wonder if I chose just the worst time ever to do this, and I'm feeling a bit freaked out about whether I am going to be taking him on a trip where it will be miserable for him/us.

I would love to hear some success stories of those of you who visited in February (especially as a first-timer). What did you love most about it, and would you do the trip again?

Appreciate the firsthand experiences before I fully pull the trigger here.

ETA: Thank you kindly for the comments so far, they are incredibly helpful! I am self-aware enough to know a post like this is vaguely (or even explicitly) annoying at times, but I have to say that these comments really are making me feel better about this. I appreciate you all.

hi everyone, has anyone here had any experience going on Arctic Adventure's 8 day ultimate hitter ring road tour in winter? or something similar? was thinking of going on this tour as my family and i have no experience in winter driving at all, and we are definetely not confident driving in winter.

if you had went on this tour before, could i know on:

1. the communication. ie. will there be anyone contacting you on the day of pickup? saw from a few posts that arctic adventure's communciation isn't very good, but given that this is quite a long tour, was hoping it would be better for this specific tour
2. the itinerary. since it will be winter with pretty less daytime hours, will we still get to go to all the spots listed in the website, or will it be cut short? also how will the northen lights viewing experience be on this tour?
3. food. how are the lunches and dinners on this tour?
4. guide. what is your experience with the guides you got?

thank you so much in advance!😄

Golden Circle, South Coast + Reykjavik

Hey everyone! We’re currently in Iceland and have booked the ferry back for this Thursday. However, some locals told us there might be delays.
We also noticed on the ship tracker that the ferry seemed to be stuck near Norway and even appeared to turn around at one point.
We contacted the ferry company, but they told us that everything is running as scheduled for now.
Is anyone currently on board or does anyone have any updates about what’s going on? We’d really appreciate any information! Thanks!

Just one of the waterfalls you’ll stop at on a tour or following a guide on your own. This one is Skógafoss

Hi everyone! 😊

I’m planning to spend my birthday in Iceland toward the end of November, and it’s a bit of a spontaneous trip for me! I have a few questions for those who have traveled there, especially around that time of year.

1. Sky Lagoon timing: My inbound flight arrives around 6:00–6:30 AM on Sunday, and I’ve booked a 10:00 AM reservation at Sky Lagoon. I also have a flexible Flybus ticket to the BSI terminal. Realistically, will I have enough time to get through immigration/customs, catch the bus, and make my reservation? Or would it be safer to reschedule for 11:00 AM?

2. Making the most of three days: Since I’ll only be there for three days, I’m worried I might be trying to squeeze too much into a short trip. I already have the Glacier Lagoon and Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon tour booked, but I’m debating whether to add a snowmobile experience on a glacier or a Golden Circle tour.

I’m leaning toward snowmobiling because I don’t know when I’ll get another opportunity to do something like that on a glacier, but the $330 price tag is making me hesitate! 😂 For those who have done either (or both), what would you recommend? Are there any must-see sights or experiences you think are worth prioritizing in late November?

1. Blue Lagoon and airport timing: I also have Blue Lagoon booked for my departure day. My flight leaves KEF at 4:30 PM, and the only shuttle times available are 12:00 PM and 2:30 PM. I currently have the noon shuttle booked, but I’m worried that might get me to the airport way too early. On the other hand, the 2:30 PM shuttle feels like it might be cutting it too close. Would you stick with noon or risk the later shuttle?

I’d really appreciate any suggestions, recommendations, or advice from those who have been there! I’m so excited for this trip and want to make the most of it without completely exhausting myself or spending money on experiences that might not be worth it.

Thank you so much! ❤️🇮🇸

Past Nice Travel, Nordic Visitor, or Intrepid travelers, can you give me a sense of how much time was spent on the bus versus at the actual stops? Did you ever feel rushed at the locations? Understand there's lots of bus travel time. Hoping for March trip. Thanks!

Hi everyone!

I have a slightly unusual and passionate hobby: I collect tiny pieces of roadside tarmac/asphalt from every country I can. Right now, my collection includes the Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Spain.

Could you please pick up a tiny piece of loose asphalt from the side of the road? Please avoid sending pebbles, stones, or sand, as nature protection laws in Iceland are very strict regarding natural elements

Ok so on one of our longer drives when we visited Iceland someone looked up lesser known facts about Icelandic culture.

One that stuck with me was something like "Icelandic people are touchy about their horses, and will get defensive if you ask about them or why there are so many."

Now i didn't want to be rude to the locals so I didn't want to ask folks just living their lives and be a nuisance to them, but it really stuck with me. Is this really a thing that icelandic people don't like tourists asking about the horses? Does it really make them defensive about it? Is there a cultural thing about it? Was it just some fake factoid some internet list thought would be funny?

Een aantal hoogtepunten van de reis

1. The tours are worth it. I did the Golden Circle and the South Coast tour. Waterfalls were the only “crowded” areas. Tours will save you tons of time and money. Met some really great people from all over the world.

2. Reykjavik is very walkable. I’d say 20-30 minutes walk to get most places. In 1 day I walked from my hotel to the church, Rainbow Street, the Perlan and the marina. Caveat; I did take a taxi back to my hotel only because it was late and freezing. $20 USD for that ride

3. Disappointing: The Glacier - Only because of how much it has melted. It’s actually sad to see and it makes for a less exciting experience. If you go, do the tour where they give you a helmet and special shoes to walk on the glacier. That’s what I would do differently.

The Northern Lights - Yes they are amazing and look beautiful… when it’s clear, dark enough and they’re bright enough. I was only able to get down to the marina to see the lights over the water. Not the best place for the best experience due to the city lights still being nearby. What I didn’t expect was to only be able to see the Northern Lights through my camera lens and not with my naked eye. That was truly surprising. Still cool to see rather than nothing at all.

1. The Blue Lagoon - Do it once and don’t look back. Way too overpriced in my opinion. $100+USD to soak for 1 hour or 2 max. After 75 minutes I got bored. There are plenty of cheaper options closer to Reykjavik that are just as good if not better.

2. The food - Eating out is expensive. I spent $40-$60 USD for 1 meal per person and we aren’t talking fancy. Stop and grab stuff from Bonus or Kronan grocery stores. It’s way cheaper.

3. The weather. It’s unpredictable and it’s cold and it will be windy at some point. It doesn’t matter what the forecast says or what it looks like outside. One day I went from overcast, to rain, to snow, to sunny and to overcast again. Layer and bring a backpack to store your removed clothes or extra layers.

Bottom line - It’s beautiful and has amazing landscapes and wonderful people. Off-peak is definitely cheaper and you don’t have to deal with the crowds. Would I go back? No. Not because it’s not beautiful or I didn’t enjoy myself. Only because the world has so much more to offer that I still need to see. Purchase a package or bundle your flights and hotel and even your tours if you can such as on Expedia. It will save you money. Lastly, plan on spending a good amount of money when you’re there. Create a budget for yourself

Are microspike crampons and trekking poles available on a hire basis in Akureyri?

Hi fellow travellers ! We’re a couple planning a trip to Iceland in early September, covering the Ring Road, Landmannalaugar via the easier northern F208 route, and Þakgil.

We’re trying to decide between renting a Suzuki Vitara and a Kia Sportage. We’ll both be driving and carrying two suitcases plus backpacks. Neither car is familiar to us, and there’s a noticeable price difference between them.

We won’t be doing any river crossings or extreme F-road driving, but we’d like a car that feels comfortable and capable on gravel roads and our planned routes. And my wife only drives Automatic transmission.

For those with experience driving either car in Iceland, would you say the Kia Sportage is worth paying extra for, or would the Suzuki Vitara be perfectly sufficient for our trip, also in terms of comfort and fuel costs.

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and advice!

My wife and I just got back from a long weekend, our second trip to Iceland. Our first trip was a summer week with the kids in the Westfjords. Primary purpose of this trip was to attend the Eivør concert on Friday. Secondary purpose was to see the aurora if possible. Tertiary purpose to explore more of the Reykjavík region.

We arrived morning of Oct 22, rented from Blue, and spent the day exploring Reykjanes with lunch at Sjómannastofan Vör in Grindavik (yummy fish casserole). In the evening checked into Hotel Múli (recommended, would stay again), ate at Olifa La Madre Pizza (yum!), and successfully viewed the aurora out near Grótta Lighthouse (yay!)

Friday, we hit a few stops on the Golden Circle that we skipped in the Summer. Crowds were manageable, but I did feel compelled to yell at some British teens who were vandalizing Kerið crater. They were suitably chastened.

The Eivør concert at Harpa on Friday evening was wonderful, and not just because we are fans. She gave a very high energy performance, perhaps due to friendly, familiar location at the start of a tour. I highly recommend attending a concert in the Eldborg Concert Hall if there’s something that appeals to you. It’s a lovely venue, and it was fun to be surrounded by Icelanders instead of tourists.

Saturday morning we visited the National Museum of Iceland. What a gem! I was fascinated by the exhibits from the migration/viking era, and the temporary exhibit “A Voyage in History—The Bridal Costume” is not to be missed. Saturday afternoon we visited Hallgrímskirkja and the flea market and paid our respects to Ofelia the cat (she was asleep).

Saturday evening, we wanted inexpensive Plokkfiskur, so we headed to IKEA. They had their holiday menu and the restaurant was very crowded (but line moved fast). Like the concert at Harpa, this was one of the few times we were surrounded by locals.

Sunday, gave ourselves plenty of time to check-in, clear security, and clear passport control. The whole process took about ten minutes total.

eta: forgot to mention that the iPhone maps app led us to a completely wrong location for Hotel Múli. Use the street address, not hotel name, for navigating.

Hi all,

I’m heading back to Iceland this winter and I’m desperate to see the south coast as we missed this completely last time.

No car hire due to me not being used to driving in such cold climates.

What is the best tour for the south coast? I’d like to see all the main generic tourist attractions.

If possible, would also like to do the secret lagoon during this tour too. Many which I have found do not include this as I presume this is more of a golden circle visit? (I did blue and sky lagoon last time)

Any advice is very welcome, thank you!

LINK!

NOTES:

Confirmed hours mean the hours are confirmed, not that a place is necessarily open on any given holiday. You have to read the information for the details on specific dates.

Use Dineout.is to make reservations, this is easiest.

DO NOT WAIT to make reservations for Christmas or NYE.

This site will continue to be updated as it has been in the past, so checking back isn't a bad idea.

We’ve been to winter Iceland several times and I think the weather part might be useful to share here. It's the thing people either underestimate or overestimate the most.

We wrote a detailed guide about Iceland in winter for those interested in a deep-dive: https://epiciceland.net/how-is-iceland-in-winter/

I share below the essence of it + experience form our last winter trip as that one was quite a good example of what you can generally expect in winter in Iceland.

Short version: it's not that cold. It's windy. And it changes all the time.

Our last winter example

Our last winter trip was 2 weeks, end of February / beginning of March. This is what we got:

• 3 days with weather alerts (strong wind and rain). Two of them exactly on the days of our flights. Yes, both flights got delayed
• 2 days sunny, clear skies, no wind
• 2 days sunny, clear skies and very strong wind
• 2 cloudy and windy days
• 1 rainy and foggy day
• 4-5 days with all of the above in one day

That's about normal for Iceland in winter. Plan for it.

Temperatures

Some people expect -20°C. It's not like that. In February we had between -5°C and +8°C. The ocean keeps the coast warmer, and the ring road is basically all coast. In the highlands it can get much colder, but you're probably not going there in winter anyway, unless on a super jeep tour.

And yes, it rains in winter. On our last trip there was almost no snow on the coast, it was +8 and raining. Other years it's full of snow. You can't know in advance.

Wind

Wind is the main thing. It’s rarely that much about the cold or the snow (although it rarely can be). The wind. It's stronger than what most of us are used to, and it's the reason most plans get cancelled.

Small tip: hold your car door when you open it. Wind can bend it backwards, and door damage is usually not covered by rental insurance.

Weather alerts

Iceland has yellow, orange and red alerts. Mostly for wind, sometimes with rain or snow.

• Yellow - drive only short distances and only if you have to. No mountain passes (e.g. the one to Seyðisfjörður), no hikes. Walking around is possible, but not nice
• Orange - don't drive. Strong gusts plus wet and slippery roads = recipe for an accident
• Red - stay inside. Things fly in the air

In Reykjavik or Akureyri, yellow or even orange is more bearable, you can try a walk and see how it goes. Never in red.

Check every morning

• en.vedur.is - weather and alerts
• road.is - roads. They close a lot in winter. Closed = closed, no driving at all. Impassable = some local with a big jeep may pass, you won't
• safetravel.is - just to be sure you didn't miss anything

Driving

Last time we drove a basic 4x4 Dacia Duster in February and everything except the roads marked as impassable or very difficult was ok. BUT. We come from a place where you drive on snow every winter.

If you've never seen snow on a road, it’s worth considering a guided tour. Or - take it really slowly. No sudden braking, no quick turns. And try the conditions gradually before you go for longer drives.

I'd always take at least a cheap 4x4 in winter. You can get stuck even in a car park.

And forget Google Maps times. In winter count more, sometimes roughly double.

Flights

Both of our last flights were delayed. Inbound by 8 hours (orange alert), outbound by a few more hours (wind). From what we see, flights within Europe mostly just get delayed, flights from the US or Asia get cancelled more often. So I wouldn't book anything important for the day you land.

Clothes

As I said, it's not about the cold, but more about wind and wet. No jeans. This is what I took for 2 weeks in February and it was enough:

• waterproof hiking boots with good grip, ideally insulated
• 2 lower layers - base (wool or synthetic) + water and windproof pants
• 3 upper layers - base, fleece, water and windproof jacket with a hood
• waterproof gloves, wool hat, balaclava, sunglasses, shoe covers so the snow doesn't get into your boots

My wife took one more lower layer. As always 🙂

Spikes

The thing we regretted the most not taking on our first trip. Lesson learnt. We didn't bring them and every hike longer than 15 minutes was a struggle. Quite often, everything is ice. You can buy them at home or in Iceland. For quick stops at waterfalls next to the car park you'll be ok without, but better have them.

Since that first trip we always take shoe spikes. Doesn’t have to be proper crampons, just about spikes, so that you don’t slide on the ice.

Hiking

Harder hikes like Fimmvörðuháls, Landmannalaugar, Kerlingarfjöll or Þakgil are closed from around October until the snow melts and mud disappears from the trails, i.e., usually sometime in June. You can still hike, just pick something shorter, easier, and a day with good weather. Hiking times roughly double too.

In summer I always tell people to go remote. In winter it's the opposite. Remote in winter means deep snow, no footsteps, and nobody to help you. Even the touristy spots make sense in winter - a warm café, a toilet, and people around if you get stuck.

Which month?

Weather-wise, no answer. Every year is different. A month can have zero alerts, or three in one week.

• More daylight but still winter - February, March (and sometimes October if snow/ice arrives soon)
• Most snow - November to February, typically more inland than on the coast
• Northern lights - September to April, best balance imo around September/October and March
• Busiest winter month is March, quietest December

We like end of February the most.

Iceland in winter is amazing, just don't expect it to follow your plan. It won't :)

Please share your winter Iceland experience too! We’d be glad to hear it :) What are your winter lessons learnt (the hard or the easier way)?

Hello. I’m leaving for Iceland in a few days and was looking to round out my itinerary. I feel like I may need more to do my second night in Vik. Please let me know if anyone has recommendations or can let me know of some cool spots I may have missed. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Nov. 7- Reykjavik
- Land & spend the day exploring Reykjavik
- Visit Sky Lagoon

Nov. 8- Reykjavik
- Golden Circle: Thingvellir —> Brurarfoss —> Geysir —> Gullfoss Waterfall —> Faxafoss —> Kerio Crater

Nov. 9- Vik
- Seljalandsfoss
- Gljufrabui
- Skogafoss
- Kvernufoss
- Reynisfjara Beach
- Reyniskirkja Church

Nov. 10- Vik
- Fjaðrárgljúfur
- Stjórnarfoss

Nov. 11- Jökulsárlón
- Ice cave tour
- Diamond Beach

Nov. 12- Reykjavik
- Drive back to Reykjavik in the morning
- Explore Reykjavik and do things we may have missed on day 1

Nov. 13- Departure
- Return car & fly out in the afternoon

P.S. That little ball of cuteness just hopped in my car 🥹