Five winter activities in Iceland

In Iceland, winter lasts from September to April, even though the months September and October are considered autumn, and April springtime. In Autumn and Spring, most roads are snow free and accessible, except on the mountains (prepare yourself for all kinds of weather - this is Iceland after all). Temperatures range from 2 to 10 degrees at this time of the year.

In winter, from November to March, snow and ice cover the island, storms are frequent, and there are also some sunny days. The road conditions are difficult especially in the interior of Iceland, and some secondary roads are inaccessible, and so, we recommend you practice patience and prudence! At this time of year, temperatures range from -10 to +2, and if the wind gets involved, it does seem much colder! In the case of problems or difficulties during your trip, remember the emergency number, 112.

Swimming

A visit to the public pool is not necessarily the first activity you'd think of in winter, but in Iceland, it makes a lot of sense. Iceland is full of beautiful natural spas and hot springs. However, public swimming pools are also a unique experience. In Iceland, almost all swimming pools are outside, cold air and hot water combined are an unusual and surprising mix. There's nothing better than to bask in hot water at 40 degrees when it is snowing outside. The pools open all year round from early morning (weekdays 6:30 am) it gives locals a chance to go for a dip before work. If you don't like swimming, don't worry; the Icelandic public pools are also designed for relaxation and socialising!

The northern lights

To view the Northern Lights on a winter's night is a must! To see the aurora borealis, it must be dark, the sky clear and solar activity intense. To find out where the sky is clear you can check out the  Icelandic weather report on the website. To see if solar activity is enough to view the Northern Lights, the same site shows forecasts for the coming week, but we recommend you don't rely on these reports for more than a few hours because there can be a sudden weather change. You can get in your car and go Northern Lights hunting at night, or hire the services of a tour agency that will guide you to the right place.

To ski

Iceland has dozens of ski slopes stretching out to all four corners of the country.  The best-known slopes for downhill skiing are at Bláfjöll near Reykjavík,  Hlíðarfjall in Akureyri North of Iceland. You can also ski in Isafjörður in the west and most of Northern parts of Iceland and the East.

Enjoy the city

Many events take place in the Icelandic capital in wintertime which is especially great for helping one forget about the long dark winter days.  Enjoy the many festivals in Reykjavík i.e. Iceland Airwaves, the Dark Music Days, the Reykjavík Winter Lights Festival, the Food and Fun Design March, and so on! Visit museums and spend a lot of time at the cafe, and you'll soon become a real Reykjavíkingur! Egilsstadir is also a festival to celebrate the winter, Days of Darkness, and Akureyri is a lot of events related to skiing and surfing throughout the winter.

... Or the countryside!

Think outside the box, and go to the Icelandic highlands with a guide! Winter is a magical and mysterious season, why not experience it in a place away from the world? Wild and incredible destinations in winter are numerous (should I say everywhere)? Landmannalaugar, for example, is a pearl of the highlands of Iceland, situated in the nature reserve Fjallabak. Located at the extremity of Laugahraun lava field formed during a volcanic eruption in 1477, this place is known for its beautiful scenery and geothermal sources. In summer it is a popular place for tourism but in winter, fewer people go to the highlands (only authorised agencies have the right and the technical means to venture there).

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Skagafjörður and Sauðárkrókur

Skagafjörður is a fjord and bay in the north of Iceland, about 40 kilometers long and fifteen kilometers wide, located west of the peninsula Tröllaskagi. The entire region has 4,500 inhabitants, and it is one of the most prosperous places for agriculture in Iceland; mainly sheep and cattle farming, even though the bay is very well known for its horse breeding –you could say that it is the only municipality in Iceland where you find more horses than men. 

This is the perfect place to stay with local families and learn about the lifestyle of  today´s Icelandic farmers. Many young people come from abroad to stay for a few months and get experience working on an Icelandic farm.

Whether you enjoy rafting on the glacial rivers, spectating the magical northern lights, horse riding amongst breathtaking landscapes, relaxing in hot springs or going by helicopter to the top of the Tröllaskagi mountains and skiing, Skagafjörður offers a variety of activities for every season. 

Skagafjörður is also an area rich in history and many historic sites can be visited. Horse riding and rafting on the Jökulsá glacial river are two of most typical and unforgettable activities the region has to offer. If you are planning a trip, the website of the town is full of great holiday ideas and activities to suit a wide range of tastes.

There are currently more than 4,400 people living in the region, with the majority living in the town of Sauðárkrókur. Since the late nineteenth century the town has gradually grown to become a prosperous place where agriculture, fisheries, tourism and services unite to serve the 2,600 residents who live there and the thousands of visitors who come each year. 

InSauðárkrókur you will find everything you need including supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, hotels and guesthouses, museums, sports amenities, a hospital and a pool.

The museum of popular culture, Minjahúsið, which is also where you can find the tourist office, consists of four studios ,each providing some history and images from the city‘s past. The area is also one of the few places in Iceland where there have been sightings of polar bears. 

Since 1874, going to the theater is a popular activity in Sauðárkrókur, and locals gather regularly to attend performances, plays, dances or other cultural events related to this art. Sæluvika (Happy week) in Skagafjörður is a nationally regarded arts and culture festival with lots of history and tradition. Sæluvika occurs at the end of April /beginning of May, and the people of Skagafjörður offer a huge amount of cultural activities over the whole week. It is a good way to learn about Icelandic culture in a fun and entertaining way.

For breathtaking views of Sauðárkrókur and the Skagafjörður fjord, you can go to Nafir which are huge rocks that overlook the city. East of Sauðárkrókur, you will find the beach Borgarsandur that spans almost four kilometers, and to the south, on the shores of lakesand Áshildarholtsvatn and Miklavatn, you can admire the hundreds of birds that inhabit the area in summer.

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Winter in Iceland

When?

I first  discovered Iceland during the winter and I thought there was nothing more beautiful than Iceland in the snow ... After spending five winters on the island, I learned to appreciate the charms of the summer, but winter is still a special season that must be seen! It usually starts to get wintery in late October and this can last until April; generally the snow in the Reykjavik area doesn't arrive till around December, but it will arrive earlier inland and on the mountains. It is however important to  remember that these are only guidelines –Icelandic weather is unpredictable, snow in June is not impossible and neither is it impossible for temperatures to exceed 10 degrees in October. The winter months are very dark with little daylight and night time lasting from 16 hours to 11 hours during the shortest months. 

How?

The weather can be unpredictable and erratic, although, it is not as cold as many people would believe it to be (it is much colder in New York or Canada) and temperatures are around zero degrees all winter. It is often windy though, and this makes it feel colder that it actually is. Pack suitable clothes in your suitcase. Be prepared to change your plans and your route if necessary because storms and road closures are common. Check road conditions here.

What?

One of the great wonders of the winter is of course the Northern Lights, which are visible from September to April. In order to see the northern lights, it must be dark with clear skies and a suitable amount of solar activity will have had to have taken place. You can try to spot them by yourself or enjoy the services of a guide during an excursion.

The winter activities are numerous: skiing and snowboarding, dog sledding, snowmobiling, glacier hiking, you will always find plenty to do on your trip. Do not forget your swimsuit as pools and hot springs are a delight, especially in winter. In Reykjavík, you can also go whale watching throughout the year.

The highlands of Iceland are not accessible during the  winter. However, some sworn guides can take you there. Landmannalaugar is one of the most beautiful destinations in Iceland. What could be more magical than going  there alone, with family or friends in the middle of a snowy paradise? Visit Landmannalaugar in the winter with a guide.

Festivals and celebrations are plentiful in winter, the most famous certainly being the Iceland Airwaves Festival, and the most welcome Reykjavík Winter Lights Festival, which takes place in the middle of February, when light and energy are at their lowest! Enjoy the excitement of Christmas and madness of the New Year celebrations in Iceland.

Be careful when visiting -ice and snow are everywhere and surfaces, paths and roads become very slippery and dangerous. Be prepared and familiarize yourself with emergency numbers. Keep an eye on travel sites and social networks so you are well informed of possible severe weather changes, avalanches or other treacherous conditions:

112

http://safetravel.is created by the Icelandic Lifeguard Association

http://en.vedur.is

http://www.road.is

@safeiniceland

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Trip Report – Winter Holidays in Iceland

In order to share my experience of visiting Iceland in winter, I would like to show some pictures and itineraries of two winter trips: one in November on the South coast and the other in March on the North coast.

Trip 1 (November) – South Coast

Day 1 & 2: Blue Lagoon (tip #1: do not leave your towel outside, it will freeze! tip #2: book your ticket in advance) and Golden Circle, the weather is terrible (a lot of wind and rain) but we have beautiful rainbows everywhere.

Day 3: We see the famous falls Seljalandsfoss and Skogarfoss. The big difference with summer is that we’re the only tourists and there’s no long line to walk behind Seljalandsfoss! (but it’s very slippery).

We don’t go to sleep: we cannot detach our eyes from the dancing northern lights, which appear on every side of the sky!

Day 4: Like in summer, Dyrhólaey is intense and dramatic (but no puffins). We drive to Jökulsárlón which is the furthest point of our trip. The landscape is definitely like nothing we’ve seen before, we feel like we’re on another planet and driving surrounded by glacier tongues and volcanos is a little intimidating…

Day 5: The good news about winter light is that it’s almost always sunrise or sunset (daylight is between 9am to 5pm). After Jökulsárlón’s beach, we take a guided walk on Vatnajökull glacier, and hike to see Svartifoss.

Day 6: We drive from Kirkjubæjarklaustur to Selfoss and stop at Vík. Since it’s been snowing during the night, the landscapes look very different!

Day 7: We spend our last day around Reykjavik, Seltún and Hvalfjörður for a last colorful sunset.

Trip 2 (March) – North Coast

Day 1: We drive from Reykjavik to Akureyri, stopping at Grábrók and Varmahlíð on the way.

Day 2: We stay along the fjord next to Akureyri and visit the herring museum in Siglufjörður. The clouds are low but the landscapes are still impressing. 

We enjoy the outdoor swimming pool of Akureyri under the snowflakes, and are lucky to see northern lights from 2am to 5am!

Day 3: We drive to Myvatn, and are surprised not to see any lake… it is completely frozen! We find a wonderfully warm water in Myvatn Nature Baths though (bring a hat and a beer if you want to do as local people do).

Day 4: We decide to walk to Krafla, the caldera and lava field; however 2 meters of snow cover the paths! I would not recommend this walk in winter because snow can be tender because of the steam of the lava field, creating holes that you can’t foresee. We were also caught in a sudden snow storm and had a hard time walking against the wind and seeing each other.

Day 5 & 6: We head back to Reykjavik, stopping in Vatnsnes peninsula to see seals. We are lucky because the road conditions get worse around Akureyri and a portion of the road is closed the next day! 

To summarize: landscapes

As you have seen, the colors are really different in fall, winter, and summer. I found the three atmospheres quite interesting, here are comparisons:  

Other pictures of Iceland in August:

Driving

Road 1 was a bit tricky around Myvatn in March because everything was white and you had to spot the yellow poles to know where the road was (not easy on the second picture!).

And even if we had a 4wd in March, it didn’t prevent us from ending like this because we couldn’t distinguish the road from the shoulder! 

Clothing

You will never be too warm in Iceland! It was around 0°C (32°F) during the day and -8°C (16°F) during the night, but the wind makes you feel much colder. Prepare to bring ski clothes: tights and waterproof trousers, layers of warm clothes and fleece jacket, water and windproof jacket, scarf, gloves, hat covering ears, waterproof boots… and a swim-suit!

Food

There are not many restaurants and shops outside Reykjavik… but if you plan accordingly you can eat very well in Iceland. Try having food supply in your car to make sandwiches during the day, and ask the B&B or hotel where you’re staying to prepare a hot dinner for you (arctic char, meatballs or lamb are delicious).

To conclude: beautiful colors and landscapes, nobody around, and a little adventure… Winter made me fall in love with this country! To see other pictures of my travels.

Catherine Kungler Kherian

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