5 Amazing Things to Do in Iceland in Winter (Unforgettable Experiences!)
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Traveling to Iceland in winter and wondering what are the best things to do in Iceland in winter? You’ll find some inspiration in this article. Take a look!
Iceland is a magical place in winter. Watch the Northern Lights, visit the ice caves, or go hiking on a glacier…. These and other incredible experiences will make your winter trip to Iceland unforgettable. In this post, you can learn about the most incredible things to do in Iceland in winter that will get you booking a flight right away!
Sure, it is cold in Iceland in winter and you will have to face the elements if you decide to visit the Arctic during winter months, but it’s definitely a once in a lifetime experience that I would recommend to everyone!
What makes Iceland so special and what can you expect of your winter trip? Here is my selection of the most unforgettable things to do in Iceland in winter. Find out!
READ ALSO: Iceland winter itinerary & Iceland winter travel tips
Bucket List Worthy Winter Activities in Iceland
Below is just a short list of the very best things to do in Iceland in winter. Some of these winter activities are unique to Iceland and each is a good reason to visit Iceland in winter in each own. Find out!
Here are the best experiences and things to do in Iceland in winter:
1. See the Northern Lights
The Northern Lights are one of nature’s greatest displays. It’s a dazzling experience that is difficult to describe in words because it is so unique every time. No two aurora displays are ever the same and I don’t think you could ever tire of watching them.
For many people, the chance of seeing the Northern Lights is the prime reason to travel to Iceland in winter, despite the high cost and the cold. But as with all natural phenomena, it can never be guaranteed…
With luck, you will see the sky turn green and purple and it will be one of the most humbling experiences you could imagine. But don’t get obsessed with auroras and don’t let it spoil your vacation even if you don’t see them. There are so many other exhilarating winter experiences that make a winter trip to Iceland worthwhile.
Good to know: You don’t need to go on an organized tour in order to see the Northern Lights in Iceland, but knowledgeable guides and years of experience might come in handy when it comes to aurora hunting. The biggest advantage of going with a tour is that they really do their best to find places where conditions for aurora viewing are optimal for that specific night.
✓ Here you can book one of the best-rated small-group Northern Lights tours from Reykjavik.
LEARN MORE: Where, When & How to See the Northern Lights in Iceland
2. Experience a True Winter Wonderland – Jokulsarlon & Diamond Beach
The cold and the wind turns Iceland into a true winter wonderland, so when you travel to Iceland in winter, you’re in for a real treat. Frozen waterfalls, icebergs, water that turns into ice as you watch…
Don’t miss the black sand beach, also called Diamond beach, at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon if visiting Iceland in winter! Diamond beach is located just across the road from the famous glacial lagoon. The scenery here changes all the time so make sure to check on both sides of the bridge. To me, this was the most special winter experience in Iceland. I could have stayed on that beach the whole day!
You can drive to Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon with a rental car, or take an organized tour. Note that Jokulsarlon is really far from Reykjavik and if you decide to visit Jokulsarlon from Reykjavik in one day, it will be a very long day in the car.
✓ Here you can find the best organized day tour from Reykjavik to Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon!
3. Discover the Ice Caves in Iceland
How amazing would it be to walk inside a glacier?! Visiting a natural ice cave is one of the winter-only experiences in Iceland, so don’t miss it. Every ice cave is different and you never really know what you’ll get to see before you go in, but they are a truly mesmerizing wonder of nature. Definitely a bucket list experience and undoubtedly, one of the best Iceland winter activities.
Ice caving is not something you can experience on your own, but no worries, there are knowledgeable guides that will take you on this epic journey under the blue ice.
There are several places in Iceland where you can visit ice caves:
The most popular tours to the natural ice caves go to Vatnajokull Glacier in South East Iceland. The best natural ice cave tours leave from Skaftafell or from Jokulsarlon – take a look at availability and if you want to do it, book well in advance.
Langjokull Glacier in South West Iceland has a man-made ice tunnel that you can visit the whole year round. There is now also this highly-rated monster truck tour that brings you to a natural ice cave that has been discovered here recently.
Katla Glacier in south Iceland has a natural ice cave that is accessible in the summer (see tours, also from Reykjavik).
TIP: Note that ice-caving tours in Iceland are extremely popular and are often fully booked long in advance. So if you are traveling to Iceland in winter, this is one experience you definitely want to book beforehand.
✓ Don’t miss this incredible experience in Iceland in winter! No matter which caves you decide to visit, be sure to book an ice-caving tour in advance!
4. Go Glacier Hiking
For those who want to get up close and personal with the ice in Iceland, I can recommend glacier hiking. This is your chance to experience a truly surreal landscape with the most spectacular scenery!
Glacier hiking was one of my favorite activities in Iceland in winter. It’s a humbling experience, one that makes you truly appreciate the vastness and the power of nature.
Glacier hiking is not strenuous, but don’t attempt it on your own! You do need appropriate gear and a guide who is familiar with the area and the ice. Just like many other Iceland winter activities, glacier hiking is something you need to book in advance.
✓ Here you can book your glacier tours. It’s also possible to go glacier hiking as a day trip from Reykjavik.
LEARN MORE: Glacier hiking in Iceland
5. Bathe in Iceland’s Geothermal Pools
Bathing in a hot geothermal heated pool in winter is definitely a bucket list experience. This is one of the most fun winter activities in Iceland that everyone can easily do.
There is no better way to end a day full of exhilarating winter activities than taking a dip in a hot pool on a cold winter evening.
The Blue Lagoon is a very popular option because of its proximity to the Keflavik airport and to Reykjavik. The recently opened Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik is quickly gaining in popularity as well. But Iceland has many other natural geothermal pools all over the country!
Secret Lagoon and Laugarvatn Fontana Wellness are both good options along the Golden Circle, and there are countless other geothermal pools all over Iceland.
In the North of Iceland, the most popular options include Myvatn Nature Baths and Geosea Geothermal Baths in Husavik. One of our personal favorite local pools in Iceland is Sundlaugin á Hofsósi.
Good to know: Pretty much every town in Iceland has a swimming pool heated with geothermal energy, saunas, and hot tubs. These local pools offer great value for your money and going for a swim is one of the best things to do on cold dark winter evenings in Iceland!
TIP: Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Fontana Wellness are all very popular and so it’s best to book your tickets in advance.
✓ If you are in for a winter hike and a dip in a natural hot tub, you can also hike to Reykjadalur Valley that’s famous for its hot spring.
Other Great Winter Activities in Iceland
The five previously mentioned winter experiences in Iceland are each worth a trip to Iceland in winter. But of course, there are many more things to do and experience in Iceland in winter!
Here are some more ideas for fun winter activities in Iceland:
Also Reykjavik city has a lot to offer in winter, with interesting museums, great restaurants, and lots of fun tourist attractions. New Year’s celebrations in Reykjavik are also well-known as the biggest party in town! So if you are visiting Iceland in winter, be sure to spend plenty of time in the city!
READ ALSO: Top Things to Do in Reykjavik
TIP: To make your Iceland trip truly enjoyable, you need to travel well prepared. Make sure to check our tips for packing for Iceland in winter and also our guide with some of the most important season-specific tips for visiting Iceland in winter.
More tips for your winter trip to Iceland:
- Reykjavik:
- Winter trip:
- Accommodation:
- Airport transfers:
- Good to know:
READ ALSO: Iceland Travel Guide – all the info in one place
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Thank you for all your tips and help,im off to Iceland,in 2 weeks ,with my husband and friend,and this has really helped me a lot thanks.
Glad you found our blog useful with planning your trip, Eileen. Have a great time in Iceland!
Thanks for this guide. I had no idea there were such beautiful ice caves in Iceland until I read your article. We just returned from our Iceland winter trip end of February and the ice cave tour was the highlight.
Glad to hear that, Lynn. Thanks for sharing your experience.
beautiful pictures. I was in Iceland about 3 years ago but unfortunately didn’t see the northern lights was sooo disappointed. pls could you give me more tips on what months and time of day is best to see the northern lights as I am planning again to go sometime next year with my 9 year old daughter
Hi Jane, unfortunately, Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and it’s really impossible to predict. Compare it with seeing a rainbow – it can happy anywhere and any time. With the Northern Lights, exactly the same, except that you need to be high up North, have darkness, and clear skies. The rest – pure coincidence that depends on solar activity. Here you can find our tips for finding and photographing the Northern Lights.
I think that with a 9-year old, you better go in September if you can. It’s not that cold (so easier to stay outside for a longer period of time) and the chances are as good as you can have. Also, if you already visited Iceland and your main focus is to see auroras, you may want to consider Northern Norway instead. The weather is usually more stable there, so it’s usually easier to find cloudless skies and see the Northern Lights. Here you can read about my experience with Northern Lights in Tromso. If you still rather prefer Iceland, then try to go in September-October or February-March. But it’s just a general guideline and you don’t know what you get till you are there.
Another thing – taking a tour will always increase your chances to see auroras. They have the experience, keep an eye on the weather radar, and go to the places where chances to see auroras are highest for that specific night. Many tours in Iceland offer a second try for free if you don’t see them the first time. Here you can find these and other winter tours in Iceland.
If I can give you one more tip – plan your trip in such a way that you’ll enjoy it no matter what. Then Northern Lights will be just a cherry on the cake. Whereas if you just concentrate on seeing auroras and you pick the bad weather week, you might be very disappointed again.
Hope this helps.
Hi! Fantastic blog and SO helpful – thank you thank you!! Question – did you or anyone you know ever go snorkeling in Silfra between the two tectonic plates? It is rated as a highly must do activity on other sites but was curious if you had any feedback (didn’t see it anywhere in any of your posts). Thanks in advance!
Hi Margaret, no I personally have no experience with Silfra snorkeling in Iceland. However, this question has been asked multiple times in our Facebook group for Iceland & Scandinavi travel, and everyone who has done it was super enthusiastic. Many people do it winter as well. They say that you have to be prepared that your face will get really cold, but for the rest it’s perfectly ok.
You can read many customer reviews on these best-rated Silfra snorkeling tours as well.
Hope this helps.
Yes, I agree with you that Iceland is a magical place in winter. Last November I had visited this land with my boyfriend. We had seen both Geothermal pools and Northern lights. We really enjoyed our trip. We were happy to be away from the crowds.
Thank you for sharing your experience Rucha. Indeed, visiting Iceland in winter is a perfect way to escape the crowds.
Hello, thanks for the informative post. I should be going to Iceland end of March and you article was helpful. I was wondering though if you have any driving tips during winter? I keep on reading different reviews about how safe/dangerous driving is during winter time and I’m quite confused!! Will be great if you can offer me some intel regarding this issue. One more question please, do you know if it’s ok to pay the north a visit during winter? Thanks a lot 🙂
Hi Marwa, thanks for your feedback. The questions you ask here have been answered in several other posts already. For winter trip you can find most info here: Iceland winter itinerary (also check the comments with other people’s questions). Check also our newest post with Iceland itinerary suggestions.
I guess it’s normal that you find different reviews in regards to driving in Iceland in winter – it all depends on peoples’ personal experience. We had very good roads in November and a snow storm in June, so our experience is that winter driving is easier than summer :). It really depends on the weather when you travel.
As for the North of Iceland, I don’t think it’s such a good idea in winter, since they do have road closures quite often. But once again, you might be lucky and have a different experience. I’d leave the North for July-August or book some organised day tours from Akureyri and not worry about having to drive.
Hi Jurga, thank you for your reply. The links you provided are great, they will definitely help with finalizing my itinerary. They include most of what I had in mind actually but you might have given me a couple of new ideas.
You are correct, the weather and road conditions play a big part! I will see how it goes and hope for good weather.
I think so too specially that going north means rushing myself going through the southern part and I don’t want to do that so maybe some other time.
Thanks again for the help.
I’d love to spend a year in Iceland! I think it’d be really cool to get that kind of locals knowledge. Your pictures in this article are beautiful too!
Very informative post!
I was in Iceland in November and it was truly magical! Though it’s a very expensive place to visit, I can’t wait to go back.
I didn’t have a chance to see any northern lights, but I hope to chase them during my next trip.
Happy travels!
Thank you, Gem. Happy travels to you too! Hope you get to see the Northern Lights next time!
We didn’t get to see the lights =( And our crystal cave tour got canceled because of flooding. I am definitely going to go back again!
So sorry to hear it! That’s traveling of course, you never know if mother Nature will cooperate. We once had to change half of our (pre-booked) road trip in Canada (while already there) because of floods and mudslides that closed the roads completely. It turned out great in the end, so I hope that you too had good time in Iceland despite this!
Your photography is absolutely incredible!!! I really want to go back to do the glacier hiking and ice caves, those were the only things I missed and reading about them here makes me want to book a trip back ASAP lol!
Thanks Alyssa, appreciate it!
I must admit that the main reason I wanted to visit Iceland was for the Northern Lights – but after reading your post, I also want to go to the geothermal pools and the glaciers and the ice caves. I just don’t know if I’d be able to handle the cold because I’m so used to South Africa’s warm climate.
You’re not the only one. I was the same, I had been to Iceland before and the main reason to visit in winter was the hope of seeing the auroras. They were definitely worth the trip, but so was all the rest!
As for the cold, there is no bad weather, just bad clothing, so even Iceland is perfectly doable in winter if you travel well prepared, Sara. And if I remember well, the wind in Cape Town can definitely compare to that in Iceland! 😉
Everything looks so magical. I really want to see the Northern Lights when I go one day!
oh I desperately want to visit Iceland and this post made me want to go even more! What an amazing experience and what a fantastic way of describing your experience! thank you so much for sharing it and glad you enjoyed!
Yes I’d definitely be up for the thermal pools! And I can’t believe the colours in that glacier, those black veins, they’re so beautiful.
Ha ha, the thermal pools are definitely a nice way to end a day full of outdoor activities in winter. As for the glacier, the black colour comes from the ashes of the recent volcano eruption РEyjafjallaj̦kull in 2010. Normally, there would be no black colour on the glacier.
Oh wow Jurga, you truly capture Iceland in the most amazing way. I love your pictures and what a great experience you had. I went to Iceland 10 years ago and it rained most of the time. I have always had it on my list to go back again and experience this magic that you show.
I have to admit that we were extremely lucky with the weather in November, Mel.
Hello!
This is an amazing blog, thanks a lot for the great tips, I certainly would love to do the Iceland winter bucket list activities, ice caves, glacier hiking, pools, auroras and diamond beach.
I’m planning to travel between december and january, is this a good time for snow and cold? Is it a good place to go solo?
Besides the bucket list there are still things to do like in the city? how much time would you recommend to stay in Iceland to have a nice experience considering I like to enjoy the experience and not to do everything rushed you know? 🙂 do you have tips for restaurants and recreation as well as accommodation? I bet you do, if you do could you share the links please?.
What reliable partner would you recommend to book all the tours?
Thanks!
Hi Ian, that’s a lot of questions 🙂 We answer pretty much all of them in a variety of articles that can be found in our Iceland travel guide.
In short – January is ok, but yes, it will be cold, and it will be dark (some 3-4hrs of minimal daylight). If you can postpone the trip to end of February – March, I think, you’ll enjoy it more. The weather is never certain, but at least you’ll have more daylight hours for sightseeing.
Iceland is a safe place for solo travel. That being said, if you aren’t used to driving in extreme winter conditions, don’t! You may want to read this – Driving in Iceland in winter. It’s best to take organized tours – winter day trips from Reykjavik or – even better- a multi-day tour like this.
For accommodation, please check our guide on where to stay in Reykjavik and Iceland in general.
For tours, we personally use GetYourGuide – they have a huge selection of tours and a great cancelation policy and customer service.
Hope this helps!
Woohoo, I did 4/5. (I’m still bitter about the Northern lights refusing to show up when I was there for New Year’s last year, but I’ll have to try again soon. Love your photographs.
Thank you, Karen. Northern Lights is indeed something you cannot count on, but wouldn’t you agree with me that Iceland is worth a trip in winter even if you don’t get to see the auroras?
This post has made me want to visit Iceland even more! I don’t know much about the Glacier Lagoon or ice caves so I found reading this post really interesting. I hope I get to visit Iceland in the winter one day! Did you base yourself in one place or did you travel around for different accommodation?
We did a road trip, Tasha. You can read more about in in this post: Best Iceland winter trip itinerary.
Ik was vorig jaar juni in IJsland en vond het toen al enorm koud, maar wat een schitterend land he? Ik zou dolgraag nog eens teruggaan in de winter, dat lijkt mij een hele andere ervaring.. maar ik weet niet of ik dat wel aankan qua temperaturen 😀
The temperatures were quite ok, just with the windchill factor it felt really cold on several occasions. With the right clothes Iceland is really bearable, even in winter, Brigitte.
Jurga I must beg you to stop!
Stop putting on amazing posts about Iceland.
I really wanted to go anyway now it’s becoming an obsession!
Such inspiration from your posts – I am loving them!
Ha ha. Sorry, Tracy 🙂
incredbile! I think Iceland has one of the most interesting landscapes I have ever seen! It is most definitely on my list! Amazing pictures, too #ftb