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The Best Time to Visit Iceland

Iceland is really two destinations: a bright summer of open highland roads and midnight sun, and a dark winter of northern lights and ice caves. Here's every month rated for weather, crowds, daylight and cost - so you match the trip to what you actually want to see.

See hotels in IcelandLive prices for your dates
By Alice4 min readPublished
Table of contents
Kirkjufell mountain and Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall in Iceland
Photo: Anjali Kiggal · CC BY-SA 4.0

In Brief

When is the best time to visit Iceland?

The best time to visit Iceland is June to August for touring: the warmest weather (around 10-15°C), near-endless daylight and every road, including the highlands, open. For northern lights, come between September and March, when the long dark nights make aurora possible. May and September are the sweet spot for value - fewer crowds, lower prices, and in September the lights are already returning. Deep winter is stunning but brings short days, storms and some closed roads.

Key takeaways

  • Best for touring: June-August for the midnight sun, open highland roads and puffins.
  • Best for northern lights: roughly September-March, on clear, dark nights.
  • Best value: May and September - shoulder months with thinner crowds and softer prices.
  • Hardest conditions: November-January bring short days and winter storms, though they are peak aurora season.

Best time to go

June–August (touring) & September–March (aurora)

Cheapest time

May & September (shoulder)

When to avoid

November–January (short days, storms) if touring

Iceland climate at a glance

Avg daytime high (°C / °F) · rainfall · season
Peak seasonGreatShoulder / valueOff-peakmore drops = wetter
  • 2°36°F
    Jan
  • 3°37°F
    Feb
  • 4°39°F
    Mar
  • 7°45°F
    Apr
  • 10°50°F
    May
  • 13°55°F
    Jun
  • 15°59°F
    Jul
  • 14°57°F
    Aug
  • 11°52°F
    Sep
  • 7°45°F
    Oct
  • 4°39°F
    Nov
  • 3°37°F
    Dec

Find your month

Every month in Iceland is rated for weather, crowds and price. Drag the slider to find your sweet spot - the greener the month, the better value the trip.

Sweet spot - best value

Cheapest window: May & September (shoulder)

April: $$ · Low to Moderate crowds · 0–7°C, changeable

See April hotels
Flights to IcelandCompare fares for your month on Trip.comHotels in IcelandBook earlier for peak-season datesThings to doTours & tickets in Iceland

Iceland month by month

Every month rated for weather, crowds and price, so you can match the trip to the month.

Peak seasonGreatShoulder / valueOff-peak
MonthWeatherCrowdsPriceWhat it's like
Jan-3–2°C, snow, windyModerate$$Deep winter with only a few hours of daylight, but prime northern-lights and ice-cave season on clear nights.
Feb-2–3°C, snow, windyModerate$$Still dark and cold with strong aurora odds; daylight lengthens noticeably and ice caves remain open.
Mar-2–4°C, changeableModerate$$A good balance of dark-enough nights for aurora and lengthening days for sightseeing, though storms still roll through.
Apr0–7°C, changeableLow to Moderate$$Shoulder season with rapidly growing daylight and lower prices, though highland roads stay closed and weather is unsettled.
May4–10°C, drierModerate$$One of the best-value months: long bright days, thinner crowds and puffins beginning to arrive at the cliffs.
Jun8–13°C, mildHigh$$$The midnight sun brings near-24-hour daylight; highland roads begin opening and puffin colonies are active.
Jul10–15°C, mildestPeak$$$Warmest month with all roads open and the highlands accessible - also the busiest and most expensive.
Aug9–14°C, mildPeak$$$Warm, long days and full access continue; the first faint aurora can appear late in the month as nights darken.
Sep5–11°C, changeableModerate$$Excellent value: crowds thin, prices drop and the northern lights return on the lengthening dark nights.
Oct2–7°C, wet, windyLow to Moderate$$Quieter and cheaper with decent aurora odds, though highland roads close and weather turns wetter and windier.
Nov-1–4°C, snow, windyLow$$Short days and winter storms arrive, but so do strong northern-lights chances and the start of ice-cave tours.
Dec-3–3°C, snow, darkModerate$$$The darkest month with just a few daylight hours; great for aurora and festive atmosphere, but prices rise around the holidays.

When to book Iceland

Find the row that sounds like your trip.

Booking windows for Iceland, by what the traveller wants
If you wantMonthsWhy
The best trip for the moneyJan, Feb, Mar and NovRated good above without hitting the top price band, so you are not paying peak rates for the conditions.
Peak season anywayJun, Jul and AugBusiest and dearest. This is the window where booking early changes the price, not just what is left.
Check Iceland hotel pricesSee what Jan, Feb, Mar and Nov actually costs for your dates
  • Free cancellation on most rooms
  • No booking fee
  • Prices on Trip.com

Time it right: Iceland's seasonal highlights

  • Northern lights (aurora) in Iceland

    Northern lights (aurora)

    September–March

    Long dark nights make the aurora possible; you need clear skies and solar activity, so allow several nights and get away from city lights.

  • Midnight sun in Iceland

    Midnight sun

    June–July

    Around the summer solstice the sun barely sets, giving nearly 24 hours of daylight for driving and hiking.

  • Puffin season

    May–August

    Millions of puffins nest on Iceland's coastal cliffs and islands over summer before heading back out to sea.

  • Ice caves

    November–March

    Guided tours enter the natural blue ice caves beneath Vatnajökull only in the cold winter months when they are stable.

  • Highland roads open

    Late June–September

    The interior F-roads and highland routes are only passable in the short summer once the snow clears.

Best time to visit Iceland: FAQ

The timing questions travelers ask most before booking.

The shoulder months of May and September usually offer the best value, with lower flight and hotel prices than summer and far thinner crowds. The winter months outside the Christmas holidays can also be affordable. Avoid July and August, when peak demand pushes prices to their highest.

The northern lights are visible roughly from September to March, when the nights are long and dark enough. You need clear skies and solar activity, so nothing is guaranteed - plan several nights and travel away from city lights to improve your odds. The lights are not visible during the bright summer months.

If you want to tour widely and see the country in daylight, November to January can be difficult, with only a few hours of light, frequent storms and some closed roads. That said, this is peak northern-lights and ice-cave season, so it is only the wrong time if aurora is not your goal. Match the month to whether you are chasing scenery or the lights.

September is one of the best months to visit. Summer crowds and prices fall away, most roads are still open early in the month, and the darkening nights bring the first northern lights of the season. Weather is more changeable than midsummer, so pack for wind and rain, but the mix of value, access and aurora is hard to beat.

For the June to August peak, book flights, rental cars and hotels three to six months ahead, as popular vehicles and rooms sell out and prices climb. For the shoulder and winter months, six to eight weeks is often enough, though aurora tours and ice-cave slots can fill early. Search flights to Keflavík (KEF), the main international airport near Reykjavik.

Iceland's weather is cool and famously changeable in every season. Summer highs sit around 10-15°C, while winter hovers near freezing in the south, often with snow, and can be much colder inland. Wind and rapid shifts between sun, rain and wind are common all year, so layers and waterproofs matter whenever you go.

Staying in Iceland? Book the area before the hotel

Picking the month is half of the decision. The other half is the area, because that is what sets how far you walk and what a room costs. We have no area guide for Iceland yet, so start here:

Compare all hotels in IcelandLive rates for the dates you picked
  • Free cancellation on most rooms
  • No booking fee
  • Prices on Trip.com

Continue Planning Your Trip

Photo credits (2)

Photos via Wikimedia Commons, used under their respective licences.