Iceland 5-Day Winter Itinerary - By an Icelander
If you’re wondering how to plan for 5 days in Iceland during the winter, we’re here to help!
We sat down with Iceland Local Expert and 40-year veteran guide Óli to get his tips and tricks on how to maximize the daylight and embrace Iceland at its winter best with this precision-tuned 5-day itinerary.
This plan is just a taste of what you could experience during Iceland’s winter and we’d really recommend making a longer trip out of it. But if all you’ve got are 5 days, we’ll help you get the absolute most out of them!
If you’re looking for some one-on-one help planning your itinerary, check out the Iceland Experts at Go Ask A Local.
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Table of Contents
How to plan a winter trip to Iceland
Managing the daylight
How to dress and what to pack
Winter activities
Self drive, group tours, or private guide?
Renting a car in the winter
Travel insurance
5-day winter itinerary
Day 1 - Reykjavik to Borgarfjörður and Western Iceland
Day 2 - Golden Circle & Thingvellir to Hvolsvöllur
Day 3 - Southern Iceland to Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Day 4 - Vatnajoküll National Park, glaciers, lagoons, and Diamond Beach
Day 5 - South Coast and Vik to Hella
How to plan a winter trip to Iceland
Planning a trip in the winter is much more challenging than in summer. Snowstorms and blizzards are common and road closures happen frequently. This can entirely upend your plan, so you should always have a backup and contingency plan for bad weather.
Below, we’ll go over the basics for winter travel in Iceland.
Managing the daylight in winter
During Iceland’s winter, in some months you'll have as little as 4 hours of daylight and it's paramount that you plan each night's accommodation in the best location so that you minimize driving time to sights. You don’t want to waste precious daylight hours in the car.
Good accommodation planning also makes it less likely that potential road closures will keep you from where you want to go. While in the summer you can book your accommodation a bit away from where you plan to visit, in winter that is a terrible idea.
Saving a few bucks on accommodation an hour away might mean that you’re unable to visit your chosen destination when you want to or that you lose daylight driving on a highway. Neither is a good end result.
How to dress and what to pack for Iceland winter travel
Cold weather clothing, a few waterproof items, a good set of crampons, and a car with 4x4 are essential items.
Many tourists purchase whole new wardrobes for their visits, but this really is overkill unless you live somewhere where it never gets cold. The essentials that you’ll want are waterproof pants, a rain shell, a warm jacket, a hat, lined gloves, good pair of real hiking boots (no fashion boots!), and clothing that you can layer.
Merino wool clothing is always a good idea too as it dries quickly if you get wet. But again, don't go crazy - you aren't going to Antarctica or Everest!
Winter activities and sightseeing
It's best not to plan on lots of hiking in the winter as it'll eat up all your daylight and the weather can be very uncooperative. If you do plan on hiking and other outdoor sports, make sure to have weather contingency plans.
Some activities that you should plan on are:
Glacier walks
Ice climbing
Explore the ice caves
Snowmobiling
Hunt for the northern lights
Soak in hot springs
Go whale watching
Enjoy the festive holiday atmosphere in Reykjavik
Private tours, group tours, or self-drive
While you could base yourself in Reykjavik and book group day tours, this is really your worst option. You'll be far from many of the sites and will be stuck waiting on transfers. You’ll also be at the whims (and pace!) of other group members. With 4-6 hours of daylight, you don't want to be waiting on others. Additionally, cancellations for group tours are very common in the winter due to poor weather or inadequate group sizes.
If you're planning to do group day trips, at least make sure to base yourself in two different locations so you're not spending hours in the car.
If you have good driving experience in winter conditions, renting a car can be a good option. It gives you the ultimate freedom to explore and means you can get to sites at different times than the big group tours so you can avoid the crowds. If you’ve never driven in winter conditions or have only done it once or twice, driving here in the winter is a very bad idea. And even if you do have extensive experience, it’s critical that you obey all government announcements and warnings and pay close attention to weather reports and updates.
For those with less winter experience or who would rather relax and let someone else take care of the driving, hiring an experienced Icelandic driver-guide is the obvious choice. In addition to the vast experience and knowledge of a professional driver and guide, you’ll have the added benefit of a 4x4 capable Super Jeep that will let you go places a standard sedan or SUV can’t. If you’re interested in working with a local guide, we always recommend Óli or Andrés.
Renting a car in Iceland in winter
This should be obvious, but if you’re headed to Iceland in the winter and renting a car, you absolutely need to get a 4x4 vehicle with, at the bare minimum, studded snow tires.
You should also be comfortable driving in wet, snowy, and icy conditions and know what you’re getting yourself into. If it doesn’t snow where you live, you probably don’t want to do winter driving for the first time in an Icelandic blizzard.
For renting a car, you have lots of options, but here are a few tried and trusted places to find a solid car at a decent rate:
Blue Car Rental is one of the most well-regarded Icelandic car rental companies. They’ve been around for years and, since they’re a locally-based company, are legitimate specialists in all things Iceland car rentals. You can’t go wrong with them.
DiscoverCars is an online aggregator that I always recommend taking a look at. They includes offerings from all the major international rental companies as well as lots of smaller local agencies, which often have much better pricing. You can frequently find terrific deals.
AutoEurope is another aggregator that I really like. It tends to be more expensive, but they only list options from large, well-reviewed companies and their customer service is excellent. Their deals often include “zero deductible” rental insurance and they’re the best option if you want the easiest experience and are ok paying a little more for it.
Car insurance
If it’s not clear already, conditions in Iceland can be tough during the winter. Heavy wind can rip an open door right off its hinges. Gravel can crack your windshield. A skid or fender bender on icy roads can result in repair bills in the thousands. Do yourself a favor and purchase comprehensive rental insurance.
Travel insurance
No one thinks they need it, but when a road closure stops you from reaching your $400 dollar a night hotel, you’ll be awfully glad you bought that trip insurance plan.
Day 1 - Reykjavik to Borgarfjörður and Western Iceland
Start your journey by heading west from Reykjavik to the beautiful Borgarfjörður region in western Iceland. Today's route can seem like it doubles back on itself in places. It does! This is so that you save indoor activities for after you've lost the light.
If you want to visit Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, be sure to add a day at the start or end of this trip.
Leave your hotel while it's still dark and head west on Route 1 running along the coast in the direction of Borgarnes. As the sun rises you'll catch a view of the famous fjord whose name, Borgarfjörður, is the same as the region. Make sure to stop in Borgarnes for a wander and to catch some stunning panoramas.
Now, leave town and head in the direction of Reykholt, stopping at the beautiful Hraunfossar and Barnafossar waterfalls. They're each a short walk from the other.
From here, your next stop is the town of Reykholt. Be prepared as the light will already be beginning to fade by now.
At dusk, visit the very unique Deildartunguhver hot springs before a dip at nearby Krauma. Once you're fully relaxed, it's time to head back to Borgarnes to visit the fascinating Settlement Center and learn about the Egils saga and settlement of Iceland.
Before leaving Borgarnes, make sure to grab a snack for the drive back to Reykjavik.
Day 2 - Golden Circle to Hvolsvöllur
Today you'll visit the Golden Circle with major stops at Þingvellir National Park, Geysir geothermal area, Gulfoss, and the Secret Lagoon. The Golden Circle has a lot to see, but resist the temptation to overpack the day.
Start off in the morning by making a few quick stops on your way to Thingvellir park where you'll get a mix of fascinating landscapes and a thousand years of Icelandic history. From here, continue on to the geysers at the Geysir and Strokkur area, before a quick jump over to Gullfoss waterfall.
Time permitting, and if you're ok with a very late lunch, you could visit the Friðheimar tomato farm which is a very cool experience. Do be sure to check their winter opening times.
Finish the day with a soak at the Secret lagoon before we make our way to Hvolsvöllur to spend the night.
Connect with a local expert in Iceland for help perfecting your itinerary, answers to all your travel questions, and fabulous local tips for a better visit!
Day 3 - Southern Iceland to Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Today’s route winds along the south shore making stops to visit waterfalls, black sand beaches, and a quick museum visit for a bit of interactive Icelandic history.
Begin the day heading east on Route 1 in the direction of Vik. Your first stop is gorgeous Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Don't forget to bring crampons and waterproof clothes if you want to do the walk behind the falls. Before leaving, make sure to take the quick walk on a good path over to Gljufrabui falls which are often totally overlooked by visitors.
From here, continue to Skogafoss falls and then a quick visit to the fabulous Skogar museum.
As the sun is starting to dip, make your way to famous Reynisfjara Beach. Vik is right nearby, but we'll save that for later in the trip.
From Vik, it'll be about an hour to Kirkjubæjarklaustur where you'll spend the night. With very little light pollution out there, grabbing the car after a late dinner for Northern lights hunting is a good option.
Day 4 - Vatnajoküll National Park: Glaciers, lagoons, and Diamond Beach
Today is another chance to explore the coast and partake in outdoor and adventure activities in Skaftafell and Vatnajoküll National Park. You’ll have some time on the glacier lagoons and a chance for ice caves, glacier hiking, snowmobiling, and any other assortment of great winter-friendly activities.
The first stop of the day, at Skaftafell, is about an hour from your hotel, so it’s best to try to do the drive while it’s still dark.
Get ready for something totally different during your visit to stunning Skaftafell in Vatnajoküll National Park. The adventure activities here are endless, but for a real hit of adrenaline, head to Svínafellsjökull glacier and try your hand at ice climbing or glacier hiking. For those preferring a bit less walking, snowmobiling is the obvious choice, but ice caves are also a great option.
Afterwards, shoot over to the glacier lake Fjallsarlon for a Zodiac cruise in amongst the icebergs before checking out its bigger sister lagoon, Jökulsárlón for some speedboating or kayaking. Right nearby, you’ll have time to wander the beach and admire the baby glaciers at world-famous Diamond Beach.
To cut down on the driving, I’d recommend that you stay right next to the national park at Fosshótel Glacier Lagoon. The location is the main reason to stay there, but the hotel’s restaurant is also very good.
If you had no luck chasing the northern lights last night, your location tonight is again ideal for trying to see mother nature’s stunning aurora borealis display.
Day 5 - South Coast and Vik to Hella
After yesterday’s activity-heavy day, today is a bit calmer, focusing on sightseeing and leisurely walks. But we’ve packed a lot into the day, so start early to make sure you have ample time to explore the South Coast’s picturesque villages, sweeping views, strange and mesmerizing geologic fields, and a waterfall or two. The day will finish in the town of Hella, heading in the direction of Reykjavik.
For this first visit of the day, hop in the car and jet off for a very quick stop in the tiny hamlet of Hof while it's still dark. Take advantage of the darkness to drive to jaw dropping Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon which never disappoints, especially at sunrise.
From here it's a quick drive to your next two stops just off the Ring Road - the moss-covered boulders of the Eldhraun lava field and the sweeping field of stone cairns at Laufskálavarða.
Next up is a visit to the lovely town of Vik. Have a look around town and then head down to Reynisfjara beach, now known as Black Sand Beach, for a sweeping coastal view. Have a wander, paying attention to stay far from the water (please beware of sneaker waves), and enjoy the curious basalt columns that have become a favorite spot for photographs.
One quick thing to note - while Vik’s beach gets called “black sand beach” as if it is the only one, all of the beaches in Iceland have black sand so this is really a rather silly (and nondescript) name for it!
While in Vik, it’s probably a good idea to stop for a quick lunch.
After you’ve eaten, head east from Vik and make a small detour off the Ring Road to visit the incredible peninsula of Dyrhólaey and it's now-famous lighthouse.
If you have time and remaining light (and didn't already see it on day 3), plan on a stop at Kvernufoss falls mid way on your drive to Hella where you'll be spending your final night.
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