Pro/Con list for when to visit Iceland


You might be interested in ... YouTube Videos from Iceland

Exploring the Katla Ice Cave + A Tour Review (BRAND NEW) - Watch it here.

Cinematic Iceland, 17 minutes of stunning drone shots - Watch it here.

If you enjoy these videos, I'd be very appreciative if you subscribed!

Midnight Sun or Northern Lights? A Quick Pro/Con for when to visit Iceland

If you're having some trouble deciding when to visit Iceland, I wanted to do a quick benefits breakdown of each season. I've been in June during the midnight sun and in September (which was also pretty lovely - mostly good weather, easy travel, and scored northern lights!)

Midnight Sun (June/July)

4 Pros:

  • Ability to hike/explore all day - 9am to midnight is not uncommon
  • Easily travel across the entire country, delays minimal
  • Tours are fully operational
  • Warm-ish (but still expect wind depending on location)

3 Cons:

  • Most crowded (though you'll only feel this in the capital and at certain locations)
  • Most expensive time to visit
  • Long days can get exhausting (and forgetting to eat ha!)

Northern Lights

4 Pros:

  • For photography, long golden hour
  • Get to experience the northern lights
  • Less crowded/expensive
  • Have a unique experience

4 Cons:

  • Quite cold. Okay, potentially very cold
  • Only 4-5 hours of daylight (though October and March will have far more)
  • Travel plans can easily get upended
  • Highlands off limits outside of tours, probably won't drive around the country

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Iceland Travel Guide

Last but not least, find all of my Iceland articles to help plan a trip here.

Hi! I'm Alec, an outdoor writer, photographer, and content creator.

Alec is a landscape photographer and outdoors storyteller with a zeal for pushing boundaries in the wild. He enjoys hiking, backpacking, and visiting remote places, allowing him to photograph locations the rest of the world shies away from. In addition, Alec loves to write about his travels and craft articles that help educate and inspire others to find their joy in nature.

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