iceland in summer vs winter
But nobody will be able to give you 100% certainty about the reopening at this moment. A cosy start of the cold times ahead! This calendar only consists of two seasons, winter and summer. We are going there in January 2019. I am so excited. But in Winter, the snow is covering all that, so it does not offer the same experience. Many walking activities around Lake Myvatn are less accessible. We had beautiful sunny days, but also some rain and wind. On top of that, it changes quickly so you should expect the worst and hope for the best, and be flexible in case you need to change your plans. If you are still not sure when is the best time to visit Iceland, I might just have a perfect answer for you. Access to Natural ice caves in the glaciers (see my guide to choose your ice cave tour, my article about the best time visit Iceland, The Silver Circle (Iceland) – Map + Best stops + Tips, 7 magnificent Iceland waterfalls in Winter (frozen or not), Best winter day trips from Reykjavik + longer Iceland Winter tours, Iceland Winter Itinerary (3, 4, 5, 7 days and longer). That being said, even this exceptionally sunny and warm Icelandic summer meant that maximum temperatures were around 15-18°C (59-64 F), with just a few days of temperatures over 20°C (68 F). The landscape is just breathtaking in both seasons. Indeed, driving in Iceland in winter is not for everyone and you never really know how it will be. Remember that you can have summer AND winter in one day in any season in Iceland. Log in. However, in Winter, many points of interest are not accessible. ), the temperatures are not very extreme. One taken during the darkest winter and the other during the brightest summer. Our Icelandic friends invited us for dinner at their house where a lot of their friends were gathered for a garden party. It is also much cheaper to fly to iceland in the winter. By the end of our vacation, we were wearing our winter jackets again. It was cold, much colder than expected, but it was dry! In my earlier blog post, I shared some packing tips for Iceland for the winter months and here you can find Iceland packing tips for the summer. Winter vs Summer? Plus watching the few swans that chose to remain in Iceland for winter waddling over the ice is beyond cute. Much Gratitude. EXPLORE OUR FULL RANGE OF SMALL GROUP TOURS IN ICELAND NOW They told us that the weather is so exceptional that you have to take advantage of it while it lasts. bucket list-worthy winter experiences in Iceland. It's easier to decide when to travel if you know what you expect to see and to do. I want to go during summer so I can see all the scenery, mountains, lakes, etc, in both Iceland and Norway. Hello, in principle it's not necessary to rent a 4WD for Iceland if you stay on the Ring Road. about me, my family, and our trips all over the world... packing tips for Iceland for the winter months, day trips you can do in Iceland in summer. This was in the summer of 2019, which was probably one of the nicest, sunniest, and warmest summers Iceland ever had. Many Icelanders think the summer tourists don't know what they're missing. I visited Iceland several times – in May – June, in July, in August, in September, and in November. When to Visit Iceland – Summer vs. Winter Travel; When to Visit Iceland – Summer vs. Winter Travel. Just to be clear, by summer I mean June through August, winter – October through April. So when I booked my winter trip to Iceland in November many years later, I was prepared for everything. Last September I had visited Iceland with my sister to see the mesmerizing view of northern light. I have visited many times in Iceland. https://guidetoiceland.is/nature-info/midnight-sun-in-iceland TIP: If you are thinking of visiting Iceland in winter, take a look at our winter itinerary for Iceland. GO CAMPING IN ICELAND. This short guide will help you choose when to travel to Iceland - in summer or winter. Here you can find some real-life stories about driving in Iceland in winter - you'll see that it's impossible to predict. Godafoss is partially frozen and is a Winter wonderland! But nobody is giving any certainty about summer travel within Europe, let alone about trans-Atlantic travel for leisure yet. We were told that it was highly unusual to have 7 dry days in a row in November. Nobody knows when this will change and it will probably be a decision of the Schengen zone and not Iceland alone. This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Conversely, the summer never gets too warm either. So Americans aren't allowed to visit just yet, no matter if vaccinated. Monday, 8th March 2021. Just as it was highly unusual to have knee-high snow in June…. ‘Use the weather’ they told us. One moment we would be walking around in sweaters and an hour later we would need a winter jacket… But in general, it was sunny – the best weather you could hope for in Iceland. From what I see, people who have been vaccinated and can present an official certificate, are already exempt from quarantine. Our most recent trip to Iceland dates from the second half of August. I am just curious if anyone has seen the Comfort and Quality levels for the hotels. Firstly, I would like to thank you for writing such an elaborate blog. One thing I know for sure, no matter which season you choose, you will love Iceland! But in September is the best time to visit Iceland. Here you have the daylight hours in Iceland per month: Share: You might not think it, but Iceland is an extraordinary place to visit all year round. If there is one conclusion to be made from my experience visiting Iceland, is that the weather is always unpredictable in Iceland. Explore the spectacular blue caves - during the summer months you can’t visit the ice caves because they are melting but the winter is the perfect time to explore! Right now the 9 Day Self-Drive tour from Guide to Iceland looks pretty good. Further below, you can find a comparison of things that you can do in Iceland in summer versus winter. The Strokkur geyser still erupts every 3 to 7minutes (pictures below). The same counts for the Westfjords; places like Dynjandi or Raudisandur are best visited in the summer months. We are both already vaccinated but it does not look like we can enter the country due to our American passports. In winter, you can enjoy cold weather and hours of beautiful sunset-like lighting. This time we were traveling around West and North Iceland for 10 days. It wasn’t when we traveled…. Below in this article, we cover the main advantages and disadvantages of visiting Iceland in summer vs winter. I think summer is the best time to visit Iceland. The places that can be visited in both Summer and Winter offer magical experiences all year round. Below you can read about my experience on each of these visits. If you liked Iceland in winter, you'll love it in summer as well. Why? Who cares that you have to go back to work the next morning…. Of course, statistically speaking, you will have warmer and drier weather in summer than in winter, but it doesn’t mean that it will actually be that way. But as prices are higher in the summer, there is presumably a good reason for this? However, sometimes a big SUV costs more to rent than a 4WD, so it really depends on your personal preferences as well. I recommend visiting Iceland in September, especially if it’s your first trip. While it won’t get as packed as Croatia, certain places are definitely not isolated. Take a look. Also, some of Iceland’s natural wonders are only visible in winter, like the northern lights and ice caves. If you want to drive the full golden circle, temperatures aren’t going to get much higher than 65F/18C. We started with incredibly beautiful weather on Snaefellsnes Peninsula and had amazing sunny weather in the Westfjords and Hvitserkur and Siglufjordur in the North of Iceland. However, a week later, the weather changed and by the time we visited the highlands, it was freezing and we were experiencing some of the worst wind and horizontal rain. The following places and activities in Iceland are easy to visit the whole year round. Of course, traveling in summer or in winter will in principle give you completely different experiences. Planning Tips to make the most of your time, There is no snow, you can see the state of the road, Otherwise you can compare the vehicles and prices from local companies on. Disclaimer: winters in Iceland are seriously not as cold as you would think. Some things you will be able to see and do all year long, some others are season-specific. There are 26 weeks of winter in Iceland, and 26 weeks of summer. The lagoon of Fjallsarlon is frozen in Winter, Access to some craters and beaches are complicated or closed, The unique waterfalls of Hraunfossar through the lava are, The lava tunnel of Vidgelmir has ice stalagmites forming inside, At Gullfoss, you cannot get up close at the lower level, but all the other platforms are open (pictures below), For the geothermal area of Haukadalur, it does not change much. Do you know if or when we will be able to enter? Even up to 20h of light per day! I appreciate all your helpful information and really enjoy your photos! More info: Disclosure. At Jokulsarlon: you have access to natural ice caves in Winter but not in Summer. beginners’ guide to Northern Lights photography. You cannot walk behind Seljalandsfoss. Pin this image! There was some ice on the roads near Reykjavik on the first day, but we haven’t seen snow or rain for the rest of the week. If anything, you should be talking about tendencies. We live on the Big Island of Hawaii and very much want to visit Iceland. But, as winter rolls in, those fields become flat white sheets and the falls themselves form icy chunks at the edges. Read on! Aloha Jurga, The weather can be unpredictable and there can be quite a bit of snowfall. Other criteria - When to visit Iceland - Summer or Winter? If you come over our winter months then you usually come into a total winter wonderland. I think we can agree that Iceland is absolutely glorious both over summer and winter, so it’s really hard to choose between those two seasons, right? You can also possibly experience some snowfall and the stunning Northern Lights. Iceland offers plenty to do in spring, fall, even winter, and prices are dramatically lower for airfares, car rentals, and accommodations. One of the things I skipped on my trip to Iceland in the winter was a glacier hike. For skiing and cross-country skiing, the month of March is preferable to the beginning of winter because the days are longer. However, you can take a boat to the glacier in Summer but not in Winter. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Here you can read more about me, my family, and our trips all over the world... © 2015-2021 https://fullsuitcase.com All Rights Reserved, 11 Favorite Photos from Australia and Tasmania. Join us as we discover the world one beautiful adventure at a time! I know that Iceland is very eager to reopen to tourists so they won't keep the borders shut any longer than necessary. Some places can get snowed in but this is not the norm. Iceland is a year-round travel destination, but travellers tend to lean towards visits in the wintery off-season, when crowds are fewer (but days are shorter), or the summer months, that bring hordes of travellers from all corners of the globe, eager to make the most of the 24-hour sun. Luckily, nobody got hurt and there was no damage to the car. By the time we got back to the Reykjanes Peninsula at the end of the trip, we had typical Icelandic weather with sun, rain, and everything in between on the same day. You can read more about it here: good reasons to travel to Iceland in September. The best time to visit Iceland is summer, from June to August. Now I am planning to go there in summer. We have chosen to visit Iceland and Norway next year. The best time to travel to Iceland depends on what you expect from your trip. A traveler with a camera and a mom of three boys do you know or! 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