Are you looking for a trip that is part vacation, part adventure? Do you enjoy nature or feeling just a bit more connected with the earth? If so, you are in the right place! This is part of my Iceland travel series where I share what I wish I knew before going.
I had a wonderful time, don’t get me wrong, but I believe knowing this would have made my experience all the more fun and easy.
I went to Iceland in January. It’s important to share, as this impacted my trip and the tips below immensely!
1- Water Is Free!
In all of Iceland, water is completely free – by law! All water, whether it’s from the bathroom faucet or bar tap, comes from glaciers. It’s also heated up geothermically, so when you use the hot water in the shower, let it run for a few seconds. Otherwise it will smell like rotten eggs, which comes from the sulfur.
At the supermarket, there will be cases of water to buy. Don’t do that! You might as well save some money and buy a reusable water bottle. You can fill it up in basically any establishment and in some rivers where freshwater flows!
Cold tap water is perfectly safe to drink. If you want to drink hot water, I believe you should boil it before drinking it just to be safe.
2- The Northern Lights are unpredictable!
For me, one of the main reasons I wanted to visit Iceland was to see the northern lights. I’m sure is probably a similar driving factor to many of you! Since Iceland is very northern, in the winter they do not have much sunlight, making it all the easier to see the Auroras.
It’s recommended to visit sometime between September and April to take advantage of the extended night time and higher odds of seeing them.
I planned my trip for January knowing that it’s one of the months with the least amount of sunlight. Many people recommend January since it’s one of the BEST months to visit to see the auroras. I went in thinking I would see the northern lights every night.
The reality is that they are pretty difficult to see! There are many factors that all have to coincide that allows the auroras to be seen by the human eye.
The sky must be clear. If you can’t see the stars, you won’t see the aurora. Sometimes, most of the island will be covered in clouds so you won’t be able to see them from Reykjavik. Reykjavik, also being the capital, has much more light pollution, so only with the best of the best circumstances will you be able to see them.
If you sign up for a northern lights tour, the guides will compare and contrast the weather and aurora forecasts with the map of the island, and bring you to the best possible town or random field and hope for the best.
My Aurora Experience:
The night I arrived, it was extremely foggy. I couldn’t even see the lamp posts above me. That fog continued into the next day, which is when I had my northern lights tour booked for. We drove an hour and a half/two hours south to a tiny hotel lobby on a huge property, where we warmed up before venturing out into the cold to wait, then repeated.
The conditions were perfect. I had never seen that many stars at one moment in my life. I saw the northern lights for five minutes before they disappeared. They didn’t show up again the hour and a half that we were out in the middle of nowhere. It wasn’t a Pinterest looking moment, but they were still beautiful and a check off one of my life goals!
3- Puffins are only in Iceland from May to August. Don’t buy a tour unless it’s then!
As I mentioned, seeing the northern lights was my main goal while being in Iceland. My hostel website offered multiple pages filled with potential tours I could book. One that caught my eye was a puffin boat ride.
All of a sudden I felt the spirit of NatGeoWild take over me. I brought a new camera on this trip to hopefully capture the stars and auroras, but the thought that I could see little penguins too made me want to become a wildlife photographer full time.
Unfortunately, the puffins are only in Iceland for a few months during the summer to mate! From September to April, they float out at sea and go to other places. Me, being in Iceland in January, was so sad after getting my hopes up, and then angry that these tours are being offered when there is no chance to see the puffins at this time of year!
Moral of the story, make sure it is the right time of year before you get your heart set on it, especially when it is animal or nature related!
4- Go on a guided tour of Reykjavik with local immigrants
Before I arrived, I planned on walking the tour bus route to see all the important buildings and sights in Reykjavik, like Harpa (the concert hall that changes colors), the Rainbow Road, and Hallgrimskirkja (the church that looks like Asgard).
At some point in the day, I decided to look up free walking tours so I could learn more about the history and culture of each spot I visited and the city in general.
I ended up going on a tour with CityWalk Reykjavik with Mo, who moved to Iceland from the Dominican Republic to start a family. Going on a tour with someone who immigrated to the country is a whole other experience than a native who has spent their whole life here.
Normally, natives are born and raised in their country and haven’t always experienced living anywhere else. For that reason, they don’t see or understand just how different their culture is from others.
My Experience:
Mo taught us about how there is a naming committee in Iceland, and your child’s name must be approved – if not, you have to change the name. They also don’t name their child for a few weeks to months after they are born, to make sure the name fits.
In Icelandic families, each member of the family has a different last name, which is basically their fathers first name, then they add son or daughter, depending on which they are, to the end.
They also have Christmas trolls instead of Santa and give gifts to literally every single person they know. Can you imagine buying 150 presents so you can give something to every family member, friend, and acquaintance you have?
Learning about a culture from someone who has assimilated in, I think, is the best way to learn about a new place and people. I highly recommend it, as well as CityWalk, if you are looking for a free walking tour in Reykjavik.
5- The BEST time for Iceland travel is late August
Don’t get me wrong – Iceland has amazing things to do and experience all year round. In fact, I think it’s best to experience both winter and summer. BUT if you think you’ll only come once, or are coming for the first time, you should consider coming in late August.
For starters, the puffins are still in Iceland during this time, so you can see them. Whale watching is also at its peak from April to late September, so you can do that as well. Many locals have said there are decent odds to see the northern lights in late August as it starts to get darker/there is less daylight.
Plus, the summer has the best weather. My tour guide told me that overall, the weather is very unpredictable. They can get a snowstorm in January, or May, or November.
The average temperature in August ranges from 50-59°F/10-15°C, but can reach highs like 77°F/25°C.
For these reasons, and more I’m sure you can find, is why you should visit Iceland in August!
Iceland travel closing thoughts:
While this trip was not exactly what I imagined, I had a fantastic time (I mean is any trip really?)! I feel that with every new country I visit, I find a new or old piece of myself. I live near the beach both at home and abroad, but I grew up as a skier, spending every weekend in the mountains. Getting to experience different types of natural beauty makes me feel so light and peaceful.
If you are going to Iceland soon – I hope you have a wonderful trip! If you’re looking to fill your itinerary up, check out this post about things to do.
I hope these tips can make your Iceland trip all the more magical!
