Route 1 circles the whole island: the south coast's waterfalls and black sand, the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, the quiet East Fjords, Lake Mývatn's geothermal north and the Snæfellsnes peninsula on the way back. June to August has the midnight sun and open roads; winter brings the northern lights but short days and closures.
Month by month
Best: June, July, August, September
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Avoid Poor OK Good Excellent Peak
Worth avoiding: January, February, March, November, December.
Shoulder season: June, September, good weather with typically fewer crowds and lower prices.
Weather and crowds
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Wet days | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2°C / 35°F | -3°C / 26°F | 18 | Quiet |
| February | 3°C / 37°F | -2°C / 29°F | 18 | Quiet |
| March | 4°C / 39°F | -1°C / 30°F | 16 | Quiet |
| April | 7°C / 44°F | 1°C / 34°F | 15 | Quiet |
| May | 9°C / 48°F | 4°C / 40°F | 19 | Moderate |
| June | 11°C / 51°F | 6°C / 43°F | 17 | Moderate |
| July | 13°C / 56°F | 9°C / 48°F | 16 | Busy |
| August | 13°C / 56°F | 9°C / 47°F | 16 | Busy |
| September | 10°C / 51°F | 6°C / 42°F | 18 | Moderate |
| October | 6°C / 44°F | 2°C / 36°F | 17 | Quiet |
| November | 4°C / 40°F | 0°C / 32°F | 15 | Quiet |
| December | 2°C / 35°F | -3°C / 27°F | 16 | Quiet |
Weather: averages of recent years from Open-Meteo historical data (CC BY 4.0). Crowds: estimated from the seasons and holiday periods, not measured.
How long to stay
6–11 days is the sweet spot.
Flight time
About 5.5h from the US East Coast, 3h from Europe, 10.5h from South Asia.
Good to know
- Check umferdin.is (roads) and vedur.is (weather) every morning; wind can close roads and rip car doors off.
- Book places to stay early in summer; there are few beds between towns.
- Never walk on a glacier without a guide, and stay well back from the waves at Reynisfjara; sneaker waves have killed visitors there.
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