Iceland has some amazing natural sceneries and is therefore considered one of the top destinations to visit in any season. At DMC in Iceland we often describe the seasons in Iceland as being three or more specifically, three coloured seasons. The autumn when the colours start to put on a show for you with multiple variations of brown into orange and then different hues of greens.The dazzling landscapes with blankets of white and icicle waterfalls. The gentle drifting of newly fallen snow can be quite beautiful to look at in the right light conditions. Forgetting yourself beneath the Northern Lights which puts on a spectacle with floating like threads of colours in the sky. On the contrary, the bright lights of the green summer promise outdoor adventure and different poetry. Romantic picnic in the middle of the night watching the sunset or sun coming up, Horse riding, bird gazing, whale watching, running behind a waterfall and there is so much more to pick from.
With a huge increase of visitors coming to experience the Magic in the North, spring is really the only shoulder season nowadays or the month of May specifically. Which sometimes stretches into mid June. This is a much desired period in iceland. The snow starts melting and the weather becomes dryer. The cows and sheeps are able to go outside again and so are the people. The month of May can often be stable and the weather sunny and bring promises of a great summer, which more than often fails to deliver. Although the Icelandic people have grown to be very adaptive in terms of living with the constant shifts in weather in Iceland, May is the month that brings things to life again.
With this article, we intend to help you discover the best time to visit Iceland as you would like to experience it. The magic and uniqueness of each season and the exclusive activities on offer.
Experience Iceland on a luxury private tour or discover the northern lights on a semi small tour.
Each time of the year has something special to offer. Here is what you can expect on the three seasons as we describe them above.
Autumn in Iceland – The Brown Season
Autumn appears to be the great artist in Iceland. It is the season with the most vivacious colours. The leaves on the trees turn golden at first before sifting to brown, thin layer of snow on the mountain tops adding a bit of a chilled drama to the show and the nature appears so intense it is a privilege to witness. However, the temperatures are dropping so one should be cautious, if travelling on your own, when walking close to lakes and rivers and or driving on a road that easily can create the black ice condition, where the slippery condition of the road can be hidden by a thin layer of ice.
The most popular nature sites can still be enjoyed and perhaps more so as there will be less tourists at this time providing you a more tranquil experience. As an example the Thingvellir national park will be like a stunning painting as all the colours of fall come to live.
Should you be attracted to the exceptional wildlife in Iceland, throughout September you can still adore migratory birds, especially on the Faxafloi bay.
The arctic fox, the only mammal living on land in Iceland and the Rock Ptarmigan, a sedentary bird in Iceland, are in tune with nature, changing their colour from brown to winter white.
The temperature drops to 3-8 degrees celsius on average.
Winter in Iceland – The White Season
The energy shifts. The days have gone shorter and the nights longer. There are layers and layers of snow in most places covering mountains and roads alike. For some it is this season that attracts the most. The winter activities that make Iceland so unique like ice caves, frozen waterfalls or glacier hiking are the main attraction. Should you be visiting around the festive season, towns and villages are decorated with beautiful lights adding to the dramatic experience and providing a little bit of extra light to lift the mood. The real attraction though for the white season is the Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights. They are the real stars of this season, the natural colourful light display in the sky attracts visitors from far and wide.
The Christmas and New Year in Iceland is an excellent time to pick a visit. Christmas with its 13 yule lads and their scary mother, father and the christmas cat is a fairy tale safer to tell grown ups as the unusual lads have, most of them, unattractive habits such as slamming doors or stealing sausages. Leaving the old tales apart, there are so many fascinating traditions around Christmas in Iceland, like eating the rotten like Skate fish on the 23rd December, which is the Torlaksmessa in Iceland. Make sure to book a table at the famous Höfnin fish restaurant in time as this is a very popular day to go out to dine in Reykjavik. Definitely a delicacy to try.
The new years celebrations are a feast for the eyes and mood with massive fireworks and bonfires around the city. Show up early at Perlan before midnight to witness the city literally go up in fireworks flames or book a table for dinner and a view off the 360 degree deck in time.
Although Icelandic weather is unpredictable, the weather is most of the time dry enough to escape to the countryside towards for example, the South Coast, Borgarfjörður and Snæfellsnes or the famous Golden Circle.
Some of the activities to participate in can be snowmobile tours, into a glacier visit or Luxury Heli skiing in the north. For the Aurora Borealis experience, either book a private Northern Lights hunting tour or reserve a seat in a semi private small tour. You might also want to attempt to see the phenomenon in a hotel outside the city lights like the Retreat at Blue Lagoon or the Landhotel close to Hella.
After a day out on tour it is a perfect choice to soak in a luxurious wellness spa, many hotels in Reykjavik offer an excellent option. However the Sky Lagoon, within the city’s borders, or the Blue Lagoon or the Hvammsvik Spa, which both require a little bit of driving, offer you a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of the healing aspects of Iceland’s Geothermal hot water. It is a recipe for a good night’s sleep.
The winter in Iceland is cold of course but not as cold as the name perhaps indicates or our neighbouring countries Norway, Sweden and Finland suffer from. The average temperature in December for example is zero degrees celsius in Reykjavik when it can drop easily below 20 in the countries mentioned above.
Summer in Iceland – The Green Season
Without a doubt the most popular time to visit Iceland, the summer, stretches from June through August. The Goddess Aurora of the skies takes a break. The days are longer and warmer and it is the time when Icelanders as well as tourists want to spend their time outdoors basking in the sun participating in exciting activities and adoring the splendour the nature has to offer. Nature puts on a spectacular show of various green colours from the pale moss green to the darkest of the grass green. But there is more to it than just the colour.
This is the safest season for off-the-beaten-track sort of adventures both guided and on your own. As some of the parts of the country are less accessible or not at all during other times of the year, now is the time to seize the moment to explore Iceland in detail. Whether to venture on the famous ring road trip by yourself or getting a custom made itinerary, hurling waterfalls, steaming hot springs and mud, giant glaciers and stunning views are some of the things to include.
In June and July the sun doesn’t set below the horizon. Now the days merge into the nights and the nights become days with what appears to be no lack of supply of daylight. The activities you can partake in vary from more regular or relaxed like exploring the city of Reykjavik, whale watching and food walking tour, or escaping the city to all parts of the country, to more extreme adventure like helicopter picnic tour on a glacier. The choice is yours.
What to wear when you visit Iceland- read our blog.
The best time to visit Iceland for particular activity
Not everything can be experienced through all seasons in Iceland. Read on to learn about various activities in relation to seasons.
1. Northern Lights – The Aurora Borealis
The best time to visit: mid-autumn to mid-spring
The Winter Season is considered to be the best time to capture the unforgettable Northern Lights. Getting to experience this phenomenon can sometimes be a bit tricky due to instability of the weather, but if not today then try again tomorrow.
Iceland offers perfect conditions to capture this incredible experience and you don’t need to travel far to get a chance to be successful as Iceland is sparsely populated and the light pollution is not high, if any at all, outside the city’s borders.
September can be a good time to see the Northern Lights, the day is getting shorter and shorter which brings you adequate opportunities to witness the stellar play of lights. With more stable weather, you can also take advantage of other activities at this time.
A great idea, during winter, is to combine a spa trip to either Hvammsvik spa, Sky Lagoon or Blue Lagoon and soak your body in the warmth of the healing power of the geothermal waters while nurturing your mind with the celestial show above.
The spring can have its perks when it comes to the Aurora Borealis as the weather prior to Spring, let’s say March and early April, can provide you with multicoloured spectacle in the sky. The weather conditions like wind, storms and the cold can bring the purple and the pink hues closer to our visual focus.
2. Whale watching
Best time to visit: late spring to early autumn
Whales tend to be migratory creatures and these magnificent animals arrive in Iceland’s waters, after swimming thousands of kilometres, in the late spring. The summer months being the peak season to capture a sight of them, winter tours are also available but with less frequency. A winter tour would give you a chance to capture orcas, dolphins and porpoises.
Iceland is an excellent place to get a chance to view these big mammals, and in their natural environment. The aquatic mammals you might get the chance to catch a glimpse of are minke whales, humpback whales, fin whales, sperm whales and possibly the blue whales, the largest animals on the planet. There are several options to choose from in order to experience encountering them. Sailing out on a private yacht, which gives you a more of an intimate moment, catamaran and or a speed boat experience.
There is an excellent whale museum on the harbour in Reykjavik as well, which can provide a bigger insight into their lives and habits.
3. The midnight Sun
The best time to visit: during the summer season
The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon where the sun doesn’t drop below the horizon during a period of time. To encounter the 24 hour daylight in Iceland it is necessary to visit during the summer months of mid to late May through to the end of July to early August.
It is an incredible opportunity to be outdoors, enjoying nature, when most people are asleep. The famous nature places are less crowded and there is noticeable more silence and less stress.
Venturing on a highland safari, bathing in the natural hot springs, having a romantic picnic at geyser hot spring or simply sitting on the beach enjoying the view. There are many options to choose from or take advantage of. It all comes down to what ticks your boxes.
4. The Adventures outdoors
The best time to visit: all year round
There is so much to choose from. Thunderous falls, glacier hikes, ice cave adventure, whale watching, geothermal spas, natural hot springs, nature spots and much more.
Although Iceland is best known for its natural beauty, there is so much more to do and often in relation to the nature spots.
Every season offers something different. Even though glacier activities can be experienced throughout the year, there are some months better than others and the daylight plays a role here as well. Sailing on the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon for example is only accessible during late April through October. Visiting the Katla Ice Cave can be done through the whole year, with some challenges during high-winter though due to the level of snowfall, which can vary.
Iceland’s dramatic landscape changes from brown to white to summery green depending on the season. Frozen waterfalls can be quite dramatic to experience as well as their roaring sounds when dropping down the rocks or cliffs. While the hills and mountains are coated in a blanket of snow, discovering hidden gems in nature would not be a thing, the whiteness of nature is quite a peaceful and somewhat serene experience.
Snowmobile or helicopter ride can be experienced all year round as well as horseback riding, ATV or a Buggy tour, a visit to the healing Spas, numerous museums showcasing the nature at work or filling you in on the culture, all that is accessible in all seasons as well.
5. The Culture and history
Best time to visit: all year round but mostly in the fall
Come fall in Iceland and there will be no shortage of cultural events. The Iceland Airways, a three day music festival, have the biggest attraction in early winter. The Reykjavik Marathon and the Cultural Night festival are held every year just after mid August.
The Festival of Lights is held annually in early February and ´Réttir´, an annual gathering of sheep, is in September.
Iceland is enriched with multiple art events throughout the year as well as literature festivals with the highlight each year being when authors publish their books in December to hit the Christmas gift-list that year. Icelanders are avid readers and many homes will have a piece of art hanging on their walls. Literature and art has simply been a part of people’s everyday life for a long time.
There are a multitude of museums to deepen your experience with what it is you like to discover. Whale museum, Aurora museum, Wonders of Iceland, Volcano museum, art museums and even a phallic museum, should that be of interest.
6. The Healing spas
Best time to visit: All year round
Experience a fun filled, magical, discovery tour in Iceland with DMC Iceland
Iceland is an extraordinary place to visit. The untouched nature, the people, the compact experience including glaciers, huge mammals, waterfalls, glacier lagoons, incredible canyons, volcanic beaching, roaring water and mountain eruptions, healing spas and much more.
Your time is the best time to visit, you know best what takes your fancy. Is it the midnight sun or the dreamy northern lights, frozen spectacles and Heli skiing or are you more for the warmer season and glacier expedition with a guaranteed sunlight on your face.
Whatever the time works for you, you can contact us to help to create the best possible experience for your visit to Iceland.
As a luxury destination management company, and born locally, we are experts in bringing together an authentic itinerary for tours to the Land of Fire and Ice.
Every journey plan is created with your wishes and goal in mind and unique desire as a guiding direction.