Iceland is a great travel destination for all seasons. However, the difference between traveling during the winter months and summer months are far from the same thing. During the summer months (June to August), a great variety of tours and activities are offered that are not offered during the winter months. Thanks to the extra long daylight hours during the summer months, travelers can enjoy activities late into the night. You can also find most of the animals in Iceland like puffins, sheep, arctic foxes, seals and reindeer roam free in Iceland. During the winter months (September to May) there are fewer types of tours offered and some of the highlands attractions are inaccessible due to the closure of the mountain roads (F-roads). But in return you get lighter traffic on the highway, fewer crowds at popular attractions (which are all mostly open throughout the winter months). The beauty of the autumn colors and the possibility of seeing the northern lights is also a huge plus. They are active from late September until late March.

Depends on your budget, which season you choose, your plans, if you are traveling alone or with kids, if you are a photographer or just here to explore and enjoy. You’ll get much less sunlight during the winter months compared to the summer months. During summer with kids < 5 year old you’ll need about 3 weeks. You’re maximally seeing 3-4 locations per day, they won’t let you go further, take it from experienced parents. Photographers need about 2-3 weeks, depending on their workflow. People who are only exploring and enjoying they’ll need about 2 weeks. We recommend adding 3-4 days to the itinerary for the winter season. However, if you want to see every single beautiful place in Iceland we would recommend staying for the whole summer. [/tg_accordion]

The weather here in Iceland is very unpredictable. We recommend checking the weather at Vedur.is every day if you are traveling in Iceland. It can change very quickly and if you are traveling in a big vehicle like a jeep, van or an RV we don’t recommend driving in strong winds that are more than 15km/hour (10miles/hour). Many people underestimate the weather here and many vehicles have been turned over to the side because of that.

Route 1 or ‘’The Ring road’’ is a national road in Iceland that runs around the island and connects most of the inhabited parts of the country. The total length of the road is 1,322km (821miles). Read more about attractions found all over the Ring road HERE.

The Golden Circle is the most popular touring route in Iceland. It’s a 300 km route containing 3 of the biggest attractions of Iceland, Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir and Thingvellir national park. It’s one of the most popular day-tour routes for tourists. Find more about tours and other attractions of the Golden Circle, HERE.

The Diamond Circle is a 250km touring route in North of Iceland connecting to the Ring Road and The Arctic Circle. Containing one of Europe’s most ‘powerful’’ waterfall and Iceland’s most iconic landscape. In 2020 this route was completely paved after years of road construction. Attractions like Goðafoss (The waterfall of the gods), Lake Mývatn, Húsavík, the whale watching capital of the world and Ásbyrgi are only a few classic locations found on this route. You can read more about all the North Iceland attractions, HERE.

The Westfjords way is a 950km touring route around the dramatic landscape of the Westfjords in Iceland. It is partly gravel but mostly paved. This route is filled with roads and other unique wonders that will make you feel more alive than ever. Small towns and villages along this way will show you how people in rural areas in Iceland have lived for hundreds of years and you’ll get a sense of how living in peace and quiet actually feels like. The Westfjords are filled with Icelandic folklore and there are a lot of museums, and historical sites that you can visit along this route. The Westfjords are filled with wildlife, you are very likely to spot a whale, seal or orcas from the shore and there are also arctic foxes and puffins to be found there. You can read more about all the Westfjords attractions, HERE.

The Arctic Bow is the name of the remarkable 184 km scenic and historic route along Tröllaskagi (Troll Peninsula) on the north coast of Iceland, stretching from Varmahlíð in the west to Akureyri in the east, passing through the recently built 11 km long tunnel between the towns of Siglufjörður and Ólafsfjörður. Along this route, there’s beautiful nature, excellent accommodation, fresh local food and a variety of activities to enjoy. You can read more about all the North Iceland attractions, HERE.

The Arctic Coast Way is a 900 km touring route along the northern coast. This route was opened in 2019 with over 25 beautiful attractions and was chosen by Lonely Planet as one of Europe’s Top Destinations. Filled with wildlife, you are very likely to spot whales, seals, orcas and puffins (in the summer). You can read more about all the North Iceland attractions, HERE.

Puffins arrive in Iceland around early April and stay until early September. Best places to see the puffins is at Látrabjarg, Dyrhólaey, Westman Islands and Borgarfjörður Eystri.

Read THIS article if you want to get a check-list on what to bring to Iceland!