3 minute read

If you are looking for minimum traffic and low airfares you might want to consider visiting Iceland in the low season. The low season in Iceland is early spring and late autumn.

Iceland is an all year round destination

Iceland certainly has a high season: In summer when the weather is mild and the sun never sets Iceland is a fantastic destination. But visiting out of the high season is also a great idea. Roughly estimated November, February, May and the beginning of June are considered slow months. You can, and should, visit Iceland all year round.

hiking boots
It’s lovely to walk barefoot in the moss

The colder seasons

Each season has its own quality. In autumn, from September until November, you have beautiful colors of orange, red and purple out in the nature. Locations like the Þingvellir National Park are breathtaking in the fall.  The annual sheep round ups take place in September. Local farmers, their families and friends, all help out in rounding up the sheeps from their summer of grazing in the countryside. Many locals bring their children to come and watch when the sheep are back in the fence. The annual horse round ups  are from the end of September until end of October.  The horse round ups are less accessible but a powerful thing to witness. The Northern Lights are visible through three seasons, autumn, winter and spring but they are most visible in autumn and spring.

Icelandic horses in Iceland
These beauties have yet to be rounded up

In winter you have the arctic climate, snow, cold and storms. In the coldest months from November until February we recommend camping in Reykjavík or close to the capital and go out on day tours. There are limited hours of daylight and the weather can change quickly. Thankfully there are plenty of different activities and sights within a few hours drive from Reykjavík.

The little less colder seasons

Spring Icelanders joke that there are really only two seasons, a very short summer and winter.  The period between April and June is generally considered spring in Iceland. This is a special time in Iceland as this is the time when our beloved puffins return. The puffin spends most of the year out at sea and returns to Iceland in spring and stays throughout the summer for mating and hatching. A part from the wonderful puffins spring is a great time to visit because of the lower prices. This is the best time to get some cheap air flights and possibly a good deal on some activities.

puffin bird in Iceland
This little guy has a nest in Vestmannaeyjar Islands, the largest puffin colony in the world

Summer in Iceland is also quite unique. One of the most distinctive things in the Icelandic summer are the many many hours of daylight. Given the countries position in the Northern hemisphere Iceland has very dark winter and very bright summers. In the summers months the sun only sets for around 3 hours.

Fair warning: all the seasons in Iceland can be cold. And wet. And windy. As a traveler you know bad weather is just a state of mind! In Iceland the weather is a part of the experience.

Visiting Iceland is an adventure and the climate is a part of it!

SHARE
Back to blog
@cozycampersadmin