Seljalansfoss in Iceland
Best time to visit Iceland
Golden Circle Geysir in Iceland

Ultimate ICELAND Travel Guide

Iceland is a country located in the Northeast Atlantic that is technically part of Europe. It is an isolated island nation that offers some of the most dramatic landscapes on the planet. This is our Iceland travel guide, intended to help you get the most of your visit.

Reykjavik is the capital and it is possible to explore most of the island, although access to the interior is limited to foot or off-road vehicles.

Over the past few years, Iceland has become a tourist mecca, with travelers from across the world flocking to witness the natural beauty that it has to offer.

This has, of course, come at a cost as Iceland has struggled to manage the sudden influx of mass tourism leading to environmental degradation in areas that are the most trafficked.

Despite a  massive campaign to provide roped-off areas and designate trails, tourists still tend to break the rules in pursuit of the perfect photo. Please do your part and visit Iceland in a responsible way.

ICELAND TRAVEL: QUICK TIPS

map of iceland
  • Do you need a visa? US Citizens get a free 90 day Visa on Arrival, Schengen rules apply
  • Currency: Icelandic Krona (ISK)
  • Climate: Temperate, four distinct seasons, rainy summers, cold winters
  • Primary Religion: Christianity (predominantly Lutheran)
  • Local Languages: Icelandic, English is widely spoken. 
  • Etiquette Tips: Do not trespass on residents yards, do not walk off-trail, do not fly drones where it is not permitted
  • WIFI: Available in most, if not all, accommodation throughout the state. Many restaurants and tourist offices offer free WIFI too.
  • SIM Cards: If you have an unlocked phone, it is possible to pick up a local SIM card at the Keflavik airport on arrival. This will enable you to have data like you would at home. Another alternative is a universal SIM card that works in multiple countries.
  • Travel Insurance: With all travel, we highly recommend you take out a travel insurance policy when you book your trip. This will cover your trip in case of any unforeseen events happen.

Don’t Visit ICELAND Without:

UNIVERSAL TRAVEL ADAPTER

GET A GUIDEBOOK

REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE

ICELAND BUCKET LIST

MORE THINGS TO TRY IN ICELAND

There is no shortage of great things to do in Iceland during your visit and the biggest problem you’ll face is fitting them all into your itinerary.

Each city has it’s own offering and unique things to check out during a visit, so be sure to look at our city guides once you decide where you’re itinerary will take you.

VIEW PUFFINS:  Iceland is one of few places in the world where you can get relatively close to Atlantic Puffins. This is because this species of bird prefers the steep, windy cliffs for building their nesting grounds. If you want to photograph them, be sure to join a photography tour for the best opportunities.

HIKE THE LAUGAVEGUR TRAIL: The landscapes in central Iceland are some of the most dramatic on the planet and the Laugavegur Trail takes you right through the heart of it. This multi-day trek can be split into a variety of segments and offers huts along the way.

GO GLACIER TREKKING: If you’ve never set foot on a glacier before, then Iceland can provide an experience of a lifetime. There are multiple glaciers across the country that can be accessed through organized tours. Tip, do not try to climb on glaciers by yourself, this is very dangerous. Always hire a guide.

DRIVE THE RING ROAD: Give yourself some time to drive the full coastline of Iceland along the Ring Road. This route hits not only the highlights, but also takes you off the beaten path to uncover the authentic and wild sides of Iceland.

TRY WHALE WATCHING: Some of the best whale watching in Europe can be had in Iceland, as whales tend to migrate along and feed off the coast. You’re most likely to see humpback whales and if you’re lucky, they will put on an exciting show for you.

GO ON A HORSE TREK: Learn about the Icelandic Horse and take an adventure like no other. Multi-day horse trek options will take you into lesser-visited areas and give you the opportunity to bond with this small but mighty breed of horse.

TOUR AROUND REYKJAVIK: While most people come to Iceland for nature and dramatic landscapes, the capital city of Reykjavik is actually pretty cool. It deserves a couple of days of wandering along the streets, taking in the sights, mingling with locals and enjoying the vibe.

WATCH THE NORTHERN LIGHTS: While winter in Iceland will be cold, there is a large payoff. Being able to see and photograph the Northern Lights is just short of guaranteed in Iceland due to the proximity to the Arctic. It’s one of the best places in the world to view this natural phenomenon.

DRIVE THE GOLDEN CIRCLE: This is easily the most famous drive in Iceland. A drive on the Golden Circle will show you waterfalls, geysers, craters, lakes and the famous Thingvellir National Park. It is there that you can see the Silfra Fissure, even snorkel or dive in it if you want, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.


FOODIE BUCKET LIST

HOT DOGS: Easily the most popular fast food in Iceland, and at the best hot dog truck in Reykjavik, you’ll find queues stretching for several blocks. They are cheap and they are delicious.

LAMB: Iceland has more sheep than people, and one of the most popular meats is lamb. Icelandic lamb is some of the best in the world, and you can find tender meat in many stews and other dishes.

SKYR: This is Iceland’s famous local yogurt. It’s been made for centuries and is sort of like Greek yogurt, but very unique too.

ICELAND FESTIVALS

SUMMER SOLSTICE: One of the biggest days of the year is the Summer Solstice. For a country that spends much of the year in darkness, the longest day of the year is a cause for celebration. There are festivities all over the country, and of course, the sun stays high in the sky all through the night.

NORTHERN LIGHTS: The Northern Lights are an event that occurs all over the country, and it’s one of the best reasons to travel to Iceland. It’s unpredictable, of course, but travel in here in winter and you’ve got a huge chance of seeing this spectacular light show in the night sky.

PLAN AN EPIC ICELAND ROAD TRIP!

POPULAR REGIONS IN ICELAND

ICELAND TRAVEL BUDGET

Setting a budget for Iceland travel is highly dependent on your travel style. Iceland uses the Icelandic Krona (ISK), a fairly inflated currency that can be difficult to get to grips with numerically when you first arrive because 1 USD is equal to roughly 120 Krona.

Things in Iceland are generally expensive. This is an isolated island nation after all. The more remote you are, the more you are likely to pay for basic goods too.

To help you set your budget, we’ve included some base range price estimations for travel within Iceland. Of course, keep in mind that prices can fluctuate based on seasons, availability and festivals.

ACCOMMODATION: You will be able to find accommodation in Iceland that ranges from budget to luxury. Regardless of price point, rooms tend to be tidy and clean. You can expect to find hostel beds starting at $25USD per night, local guesthouses from $60USD per night and luxury hotels from $125USD per night.

FOOD: Personally, we found the food to be very high priced. So unless you want to live off hot dogs, be sure to plan plenty of budget for eating. You can expect to spend around $4USD for a service station Hot Dog, $20USD or more for a meal at a mid-range restaurant and $10USD for a pint of beer.

TRANSPORT: Moving around Iceland is easy with a variety of options. You can expect to pay around $85USD for a long-distance bus (Reykjavik to Akureyri), $170USD for a domestic flight and $125 USD per day for a 4-wheel drive car rental during your stay.

ACTIVITIES: Many of Iceland’s natural sights are free, but you will need transport to get there. Museums and exhibitions generally charge an entrance fee. The Settlement Exhibition charges $15USD per person for instance. A whale-watching trip in Husavik costs $85USD.

BUDGET


125 USD PER DAY

Staying in hostels, eating from supermarkets or dining on hot dogs. No rental car and few tours.

MID-RANGE


250 USD PER DAY

Private rooms. Basic car hire. Restaurant meals and a few paid excursions. 

LUXURY


400 USD + PER DAY

Guesthouses and hotels. Eat out regularly. Four by four hire. Plenty of excursions.

WHERE TO STAY IN ICELAND

Below you will find some of the places we have stayed during our travels in Iceland. These are individual properties that we enjoyed and would recommend to other travelers.

HOW TO GET AROUND IN ICELAND

If you want to travel to Iceland and make the most of your time in the country, then the only real way to do it is on a self-drive trip. You can stay in Reykjavik and experience the Golden Triangle using tour companies and day trips, but for anything further out, it’s best to have a vehicle, as things can get really remote outside the capital.

FLIGHTS: Flying is more common than bus travel, and in fact, if you book in advance, domestic flights can be the same price as bus tickets. The most popular route is Reykjavik to Akureyri, but there are small, regional airports all over Iceland.

BUS: Bus travel is very limited in Iceland. The capital has a network of public buses connecting the different suburbs and districts which can be a convenient way to get around the city. There are also buses running tours of the Golden Circle from Reykjavik. Outside the capital though, there are very limited connections to other cities. You can get bus passes that allow you unlimited travel around Iceland’s ring road, but you will find that even in peak season, more often than not there’s only one departure per day.

CAR RENTAL: Self-driving is the best way to travel to Iceland. The country is perfect for road tripping, but you will find car hire costs can be expensive, particularly in summer. You don’t need a four by four but it does help, and you will need to be aware of the weather, particularly outside of the summer season when roads can be closed.

FERRIES & BOATS: You may need to use the odd ferry service, with the most popular route being the ferry from the mainland to the Vestmannaeyjar Islands off the south coast. You might want to join boat tours to go whale watching.

TOP ICELAND TOURS

WHEN TO VISIT ICELAND

Iceland is located extremely far north, and incredibly close to the Arctic Circle, and for that reason, it’s a country that experiences extreme seasonal differences when it comes to the weather.

Winter is cold and dark, with little sunlight – in some places, almost no hours of sunlight at all – and frequent storms and blizzards. Summer, on the other hand, is warm and pleasant, and the sun almost never sets.

Summer is always the most popular time to visit Iceland, given the long days and warm weather. It’s the best time to travel to Iceland if you are looking to go hiking, to whale watch or simply to not get stuck in a snowstorm somewhere.

It is though, the busiest and most expensive time to travel to Iceland. Given how popular the country has become in recent year, that can mean that many natural attractions are crowded with visitors and the limited accommodation and car rentals in the country can be booked out. Plan in advance, if you want to visit in summer.

While winter is cold and dark, it’s also the best time of the year to see the Northern Lights. If this is on your bucket list, then Iceland is one of the best places in the world to see this natural light phenomenon. As a bonus, in winter, there aren’t nearly as many other tourists around either.

The shoulder seasons, spring and fall, can see unpredictable weather, but if you don’t mind the odd road closure due to snowfall or icy conditions on the highway, then this is a good time to visit.

There are far fewer tourists than in summer, and in fact, you can still enjoy long days, although the weather will still be either warming up or getting colder. In spring, you might even catch the Northern Lights still, while up north, you might also be lucky enough to see whales too.

For more information, check out the Best Time to Visit Iceland: Month by Month Breakdown

PLAN YOUR ITINERARY LIKE A PRO!

SAFETY IN ICELAND

Travel to Iceland is incredibly safe. The country has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. The streets are safe and there’s little chance of having anything stolen. Even if you leave something valuable behind somewhere, you’ll most likely have it returned.

The weather can be dangerous though and in particular the roads. If you aren’t used to driving in snow and ice, then don’t try and self-drive in winter. Even in spring, there can be blistering snowstorms that appear out of nowhere, so always be careful on the roads.

As with any destination, we recommend learning and adhering to certain safety practices when you travel. Be sure to read our personal travel safety tips, compiled from our travels across 7 continents.

ICELAND TRAVEL: BOOKING RESOURCES

  • SkyscannerA fantastic flight search engine that searches a lot of different airlines, including many of the budget carriers that larger sites miss. Every single flight search we do starts here.
  • Hotel Seach Engine – Our custom-built hotel search engine allows you to search hotels all over the world and compare prices before booking. It pulls the best prices from all the major online travel agents, such as Expedia, Priceline, Booking, etc. to one place.
  • Discover Car Hire – Allows you to search car rentals across multiple rental agencies worldwide.
  • Viator – The best trips are made up of multiple smaller tours to really dig in and get to know the places you are visiting. Our preferred place to book day tours, day trips and shorter multi-day tours is Viator.
  • G Adventures – If you want to do a group tour around Iceland, go with G Adventures. They offer great small group tours that use local operators and leave a small environmental footprint. If you go on a tour with anyone, go with them.
  • World Nomads – We don’t travel without insurance and you shouldn’t either!
Divergent Travelers- Adventure Travel Blog