As I write this we are still full on in winter in Iceland, but I think it’s imperative to share some essential trip-planning tips for summer here. Summer is the high season and now that people are traveling more, I’m seeing that the number of people planning to come during this time is increasing dramatically.
Some of you might not know but I do one-to-one video consultation calls with people planning their trips to Iceland. They are one hour long and recently I have been chatting with people who are coming this summer. While the consultation calls are personalized according to what the person wants to do and see, I noticed there are some common things to know that could be helpful for everyone planning to visit during peak season.
What is Discussed in this Post
- What to book immediately For Your Summer Trip to Iceland
- Travel Tips for Driving Around the Country
- Iceland’s Magnificent & Disruptive Midnight Sun
- How to Beat Summer Crowds in Iceland
- What to know if you plan to hike in the Icelandic Highlands
- The Best Places to See Puffins and Whales in Iceland
- Iceland’s Summer Events Worth Attending
- What to Pack for a Summer Adventure in Iceland
Book an Iceland Trip Planning Call with Me
Before I jump into my tips, if you’re interested in getting personalized trip planning advice from me, you can book me for a consultation via this link.
I’m always delighted to hear at the end of the video call that the consultation has been so helpful. One review of this service I provide is from Riana D, who wrote,
Thank you for the review, Riana D. The rental car code she is referring to is for Go Car Rental Iceland. By using “Iceland10”, you can save 10% on you full rental car cost from a local and amazing car rental company. This especially comes in handy during summer because the cost of rental cars can double when compared to winter due to high demand.
* Accommodations
After you have gotten your flight tickets, it’s imperative that you get your accommodations settled right away. Some people are buying their flight tickets 6 months ahead of when they travel but are waiting to book accommodations. The issue with that is accommodations are filling up quickly.
Before the start of 2023, 70% of accommodations in Iceland were booked for summertime (June – August). A lot of construction is happening here to build more accommodations, but it’s been hard to keep up with the demand of the number of travelers.
* Rental Car
While you have a little more leeway with your rental car, I recommend getting that squared away as well. Many travelers, like yourself, want the best bang for their buck and the earlier you get your rental car, the more choices you have.
For instance, smaller 2WD cars cost less and are great for driving around the country during the summer, especially if you just plan to be on the ring road. Those are the first cars to get snagged. Also, the nicer 4×4 cars for the highlands get snagged too.
* Camping Sites
If you’re planning to use a camper van or to camp in a tent, there are some camp sites that sell out because they are so popular. Mainly, the ones in the south of the country. It’s good to map out what places you plan to visit and the campsites nearby so you can book them in advance as well.
* Certain Tours & Experiences
Thankfully, there are not a lot of tours and experiences that you don’t have to book ahead of time but are a few that I recommend that you do.
The Blue Lagoon during summer usually has no reservation available once you hit the summer months. It’s not to say that some people might pull out of their reservation and space opens but it’s better to err on the side of caution and book that, if you plan to go. Glacier walks and whale watching tours also seem to get booked up quickly too.
2. Driving Around Iceland Travel Tips
I plan to do a whole episode about driving times to popular attractions and worthwhile locations in Iceland, but I do want to give some tips about driving around the whole country. First, it takes about 17 hours if you want to drive just around the ring road of the country. That time is if you never stopped the car, which is obviously not something that I recommend doing.
Many people assume that since Iceland is a small country, they can just drive around it in a couple of days. If you only have up to 5 days and you drive around the ring road on your trip, you miss out on seeing and doing a lot. I usually recommend at least 7 days but 10 is great because you can fit in things like glacier walks, zipping around in a boat in a glacier lagoon, enjoying spas, going into the highlands and more.
I recently had one consultation where the person is planning to drive around Iceland in 6 days. While that is tight, I helped them find a solution that makes is doable. If you find yourself in a similar situation, it’s great to have another driver with you so you can switch off when one person gets tired.
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3. Iceland's Magnificent & Disruptive Midnight Sun
The midnight sun makes driving around during this time enjoyable because the sky is bright all day long. 24-hour daylight means we literally do not have dark evenings, which is so cool. I highly recommend having an eye mask. Many visitors struggle with sleeping even though they are in an accommodation with black out curtains.
You might even need to bring melatonin because you can not buy it in Icelandic pharmacies.
4. How to Beat the Summer Crowds in Iceland
Reykjavík and the south coast will be the most crowded places during the peak summer months. One way to beat the crowds is to get there very early in the morning or super late at night.
I know that doesn’t go over so well with people who want to sleep but that is the reality of the situation.
I’m not saying to skip any of these places, but I am saying to leave space on your trip to explore lesser visited areas that are equally as nice. Some of those places include the Westman Islands, which is in the south but you have to take a ferry to get there, the North, West Iceland, the West fjords, East Iceland, and the highlands.
Basically any other place than the South Iceland is less crowded. It’s not that no one will be in those places but it’s certainly not at the same scale regarding number of people in the south.
5. Venturing into the Highlands – huts, paths, driving
If you had a chance to listen to my episode about my “Ultimate Guide to Renting a Car in Iceland’, then you probably are aware of F-roads and so on. If not, please check that out.
For this episode, I want to talk a little about venturing into the highlands as a hiker. If you plan to do multi-day hikes and want to stay in a hut, I highly recommend booking those now. The tour companies usually snatch them up for their groups. I looked at the site today, and you can find it here. There are some days left in June, July and August but not many.
If you want to hike in Iceland but are not sure which one to choose, here are some ideas. The Laugavegur hike is the most popular one. It takes most people 3-4 days. They either sleep in huts or tents. If you don’t want the hassle of booking your own hut and want a guide, there are plenty of tour companies offering services.
- The Famous Laugavegur Trail
- Fimmvörðuháls
- The Askja Trail
6. The Best Place to See Puffins & Whales During Summer in Iceland
If you are planning to visit the Westfjords during summer, I highly recommend going to see puffins in Látrabjarg. I have been to many different places to see them, including Borgarfjörður Eystri in the Eastfjords and the westman islands, and Látrabjarg is still the best place I have experienced them. Also, taking a boat out to see puffins is fun too.
Seeing whales during this time of year is spectacular. I especially like to do it in Húsavík in North Iceland but there are great whale watching opportunities in Reykjavík as well.
7. Icelandic Summer Events Worth Attending
The two of the biggest events of the summer are fun for everyone involved and they both happen during August.
Reykjavík Pride – Over the course of some days, several events are happening that help to raise awareness and better understanding about the LGBTQ+ community. The biggest part of the festivities is the Pride Parade, which is awesome. Icelanders bring their family members of all ages to walk in the parade and sing along. After the parade, there are concerts and lots of partying.
Menningarnótt (Culture Night) –Downtown Reykjavík is shutdown and there is one big party going on. There are bands playing, lots of activities, food and fun happening all around. At the end of the night, there are fireworks!
8. What to Wear During Summer in Iceland
Regardless of the season, layers is always key to staying warm and dry in Iceland. My free packing checklist for Iceland has a separate list for summer and winter.
Even though the average high temperature does not normally go above 60 degrees Fahrenheit in Iceland, it can feel much warmer if it is not cloudy. Also, no cloud coverage means you might get burned, so make sure to pack your sunscreen and sun glasses.
Random Fact of the Episode
Authorities plan to install cameras at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Starting from April 1st, they will test them for two months and then start collecting money to park there on June 1st. The price will be 1000 ISK for a regular passenger car. If you visit both Jökulsárlón and Skaftafell in the same 24-hour period, you get a 50% discount.
Icelandic Word of the Episode
Mikilvægur – essential
