Weather and Packing

The rule about Icelandic weather is that it is VERY changeable. The weather that you wake up to in the morning is probably not the weather you will have all day. Always be prepared for wind and rain or snow as well as sudden shifts in temperature.

In the Summer months, the temperature is typically in the 50s and 60s (10-20 Celcius) and in the Winter months the temperature is usually in the mid 20s to upper 30s F (-5 to 5 Celcius).

Following are a few items we recommend you bring along on your trip to Iceland. This is a non-exhaustive list that focuses only on the most essential items.

  • Daypack (for camera, water, gloves, hat, etc.)
  • Water bottle
  • Camera
  • Sunglasses
  • Water-proof hiking boots or shoes. Semi-stiff. Good ankle support. Sneakers are not sufficient.
  • Warm socks (2-3 extra pairs)
  • Waterproof windbreaker for Summer
  • Winter coat in Winter
  • Hiking pants (usually better than jeans when traveling outside of Reykjavik)
  • Rain pants
  • Sweater (wool or fleece)
  • Warm gloves
  • Warm hat
  • Swimwear (for those geothermal pools!)
  • Thermal underwear (year round!)
  • Casual clothes for Reykjavik and evenings