Iceland is mostly a sub-Arctic country, which means it can get pretty cold in Iceland. Even though the First Day of Summer is celebrated at the end of April every year, the weather conditions are still more akin to winter than summer.
Generally speaking, Icelanders believe it is winter between October and April, spring in May, summer between June and August and then fall in September. That means we have at least 7 months of winter.
How to get around?
All of our Cozy Campers are equipped with standard winter tires and winter gear so you will not have to worry about that. We do recommend you drive according to the road conditions and if it is freezing, be aware of black ice.
More often than not, the largest part of the Ring Road is clear all year round. However, heaths and mountain roads can get closed down to the weather.
To get the latest updates on road conditions, check out road.is, a website operated by the Public Roads Administration. Safetravel.is is also an excellent website to check out regularly (it is run by ICE-SAR) and then of course vedur.is the Icelandic Met Office’s website. Those three websites will be your best friend while driving in Iceland during the winter months.
We also want to remind you of our emergency number we will provide you with when you rent a camper from us.
Do I need a special camper?
No, because our campers are fitted with winter gear, you can rent whatever camper you want. However, we recommend a 4×4 and especially our Highlander campers. That way, you can stay nice and toasty inside while watching the Northern Lights through the skylight in the best possible spot!
You can check out the special winter items you get with your camper during the winter months here.
Like we have said before if you are going to stay outside, dress in layers and stay warm. If you are going hiking, especially if it is a longer hike, download the 112 Iceland app and let ICE-SAR know when you think you are going to get back. That way, if something happens, they know about you.
Back to blog