Iceland Winter Packing List: What to Pack and What to Skip

I forgot my towel the first time I went to Iceland in winter. Not exactly a crisis, but it does have you wandering around looking for a shop (thanks Ikea!) when you’d rather be doing literally anything else.

Jess and I have spent roughly six weeks in Iceland across multiple trips, including in winter, photographing the country in exactly the conditions this list packs for. Every trip has refined what we bring and what we leave at home. Get your layers wrong here and you’ll be cold, wet and miserable within an hour of stepping outside. Get them right and you can spend a full day chasing waterfalls and hot springs in total comfort, even when it’s blowing sideways rain at 2°C.

This is what we actually pack. Nothing on this list has failed us, which is the main reason any of it is still on the list. I’ve included specific product recommendations where we use and like something, and I’ll say where you can save money and where it’s worth spending more.

One thing to get straight before we start: Iceland in winter is not as brutally cold as most people expect. Thanks to the North Atlantic Drift, the Gulf Stream’s northern extension, temperatures along the south coast hover around freezing to about 3 or 4°C even in the depths of January. The real enemy is wind and wet. That changes everything about how you should pack.

The layering system is your best friend. Rather than one massive parka, you want multiple layers you can add or remove as conditions shift, because in Iceland they shift fast. You can go from calm sunshine to horizontal rain in twenty minutes.

For ideas on what to do once you’re there, check out our guide to planning a trip to Iceland and our seven day winter Iceland itinerary.

 

What to Pack for Iceland in Winter: The Short Answer

Pack a waterproof and windproof outer shell, a warm mid-layer, merino or synthetic base layers, waterproof boots with ankle support and decent grip, warm gloves and a hat that won’t blow off, and a swimsuit and towel for the hot springs. Add clip-on ice grips for icy pavements. Leave the umbrella, the jeans and the cotton at home.

That covers about 80% of it. The remaining 20% is where most packing lists stop and where the actual decisions live, because two things change the answer and neither of them is the temperature:

Which winter month you’re going. December gives you around four hours of daylight. March gives you close to twelve. That changes whether you need a head torch, how many camera batteries you carry, and how much ground you can realistically cover in a day.

What kind of trip you’re taking. Three days of Reykjavík and the Golden Circle packs differently from a ring road week with a glacier tour in it. One of those has you outdoors, standing still, for hours at a time. The other has a warm café every forty minutes.

Both tables are below. If you only read two things on this page, read those.

 

The Iceland Winter Packing Checklist

Here’s the whole thing in one place, including the ordinary stuff that’s easy to forget. There’s a downloadable Iceland Winter Packing Checklist here if you’d rather print it and tick things off.

Category	What to pack
Outer layers	Waterproof and windproof shell jacket; warm insulated jacket (or a heavier jacket that does both); waterproof over-trousers if you’re hiking
Mid-layers	Fleece or wool jumper (two if your shell is thin); hiking trousers; fleece-lined trousers if you feel the cold
Base layers	Long-sleeved thermal tops and bottoms, merino or synthetic. Two sets minimum for trips over three days
Footwear	Waterproof boots with ankle support and good grip; clip-on ice grips; three or more pairs of wool socks; shower shoes or sandals for the pools
Extremities	Warm windproof gloves (touchscreen fingertips); snug hat that covers your ears; scarf or neck gaiter; hand and toe warmers
Swimming	Swimsuit; towel; waterproof pouch for your phone and valuables
Electronics	Phone; power bank; European two pin travel adaptor; power strip; chargers and cables; headphones; head torch (essential November to January)
Photography	Camera; tripod; memory cards; two or three spare batteries; lens cloth; ND filters if you shoot long exposures
Luggage	Main bag; day bag; packing cubes; waterproof rain cover; a few large freezer bags for electronics
Toiletries	Face moisturiser; lip balm; sun protection; the usual toothbrush, deodorant, medications
Documents and other	Passport; driving licence if you’re hiring a car; reusable water bottle; guidebook; travel journal; eye mask and ear plugs for shared accommodation
Hikers and winter activities	Day pack; snacks; first aid kit; waterproof trousers and gloves; goggles if you’re skiing

If you’re driving, our guide to driving in Iceland in winter covers the car-specific kit, most of which comes with an Icelandic hire car anyway.

 

Pack for the Trip You’re Actually Taking

This is the part almost nobody separates out, and it’s the difference between packing well and packing a lot. The same fortnight in February asks for quite different kit in and around Reykjavík than it does on a big loop with tours booked.

A city-and-Golden-Circle trip is really a series of short outdoor bursts between heated cars and cafés. A ring road or glacier trip has you standing still, outdoors, in the wind, for hours at a time. Walking keeps you warm. Standing about doesn’t.

Kit	Reykjavík and the Golden Circle, 3 to 4 days	Ring road, glacier or ice cave trip
Outer shell	Waterproof shell over a fleece is plenty	Same shell, plus a seriously warm insulated layer for the standing-around
Boots	Waterproof with good grip. Ankle support is optional	Ankle support is required. Tour operators turn people away in trainers
Ice traction	Yes, for pavements and waterfall paths	Yes for pavements. Your tour supplies crampons for the ice itself
Base layers	One set is usually fine	Two sets minimum, plus a plan for washing them
Trousers	Anything warm that isn’t jeans	Quick-drying hiking trousers plus waterproof over-trousers
Head torch	Useful November to January	Bring one regardless of month
Camera batteries	One spare	Two or three, kept in an inside pocket
Swim kit	Yes. The pools are the point	Yes. Also the best thing you’ll do after a day on a glacier

 

How Cold Does Iceland Actually Get in Winter?

Milder than you think, and darker than you think. Iceland’s south coast, where most visitors spend their time, is warmer in January than a lot of the American Midwest. It’s not as mild as Scotland though, whatever the latitude suggests. Reykjavík averages about -2 to 3°C in January, three or four degrees below Edinburgh, Glasgow or Aberdeen at both ends of the day. The nearest Scottish equivalent is a Highland glen like Braemar rather than a Scottish city.

The table below uses the Icelandic Met Office’s 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Reykjavík. Two things to hold in mind while reading it. These are averages of the daily highs and lows, not extremes, so a cold snap will beat them. And they’re 30-year normals rather than a forecast, so treat them as what to expect rather than what you’ll get.

Month	Average low to high	Daylight	What it means for packing	Road access
November	0 to 5°C	About 8 hours at the start, just over 5 by the end	Wetter than snowy at sea level. Waterproofing matters more than insulation. Northern Lights season is underway	Highland F-roads already shut for the season
December	-2 to 3°C	About 4 hours, shortest on or around 21 December	Head torch essential. Plan two sights a day, not five. Some attractions run holiday hours	Interior closed
January	-2 to 3°C	About 4.5 hours at the start, just over 7 by the end	The light comes back noticeably across the month. Warmest layers, most hand warmers	Interior closed. Northern mountain passes close on short notice
February	-2 to 3°C	About 7 hours at the start, around 10 by the end	Prime ice cave season. Enough daylight for longer driving days. Hat that fits under a helmet	Interior closed. Northern passes weather-dependent
March	-1 to 4°C	About 10 hours at the start, over 13 by the end	The easiest winter month. Still cold enough for ice caves, with usable evenings again	Interior closed until June or July

A few notes worth having.

February is fractionally the coldest month on the average low, not January, though the difference is small enough that nobody will ever notice it standing at Seljalandsfoss.

Sunrise to sunset also understates how much usable light you get. Twilight is long at 64° north, so there’s walkable and shootable light either side of those figures. The four hours in December is four hours of proper daylight, not four hours between darkness and darkness.

And on roads: the interior and highland F-roads are closed every winter as a matter of course, not “possibly closed”. Vegagerðin, the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration, opens them in June or July depending on the route. North Iceland is the real variable: Route 1 and the main paved roads are maintained year-round, but individual mountain passes shut in weather with very little warning. Check live road conditions on the morning you drive, every time.

The takeaway for packing: you’re dressing for wet and windy, not arctic. A good layering system, a windproof outer shell and waterproof boots will see you through.

 

Buy It, Bring It, or Does the Tour Supply It?

Winter packing lists have a habit of telling you to buy things you’ll be handed for free at the start of a tour. Here’s what’s actually worth your money.

Item	Verdict
Crampons for a glacier or ice cave tour	Supplied. Arctic Adventures, Tröll Expeditions and Glacier Guides all include crampons, a helmet, a harness and an ice axe in the tour price. Don’t buy crampons for the tour
Clip-on ice grips for pavements	Bring. Nobody supplies these, and a Reykjavík pavement after a freeze is where you’ll actually fall over
Boots	Bring, and treat it as a gate. Operators require sturdy boots with ankle support that crampons can be strapped to. Glacier Guides puts it as “no sneakers please”. Arctic Adventures rents boots if you don’t own a pair, which is cheaper than buying boots you’ll wear once
Waterproof jacket and trousers for a tour	Rentable. Arctic Adventures rents these too, so a one-off glacier day doesn’t have to mean buying a full outdoor wardrobe
Towel at the lagoons	Usually included with a Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon pass. The much cheaper municipal pools charge for rental, which is the case for bringing your own
Swimsuit	Bring. Rental exists. You don’t want it
An Icelandic wool jumper	Buy there if you want one. A lopapeysa is a proper souvenir, though buy it for the wool and the fit rather than to save money. The Handknitting Association of Iceland knocks the 24% VAT off orders shipped abroad, so having one posted home isn’t the expensive option people assume

One detail that catches people out and that I’ve not seen mentioned anywhere else: crampons have a minimum shoe size of EU 35. Arctic Adventures states it outright, because below that size they can’t be attached securely. If you have small feet, or you’re booking a glacier tour with children, check this before you book rather than at the meeting point.

On the question of whether to buy your kit in Iceland or at home, I’d buy at home, but not for the reason you usually see given. Icelandic outdoor kit is not the tourist rip-off it’s often described as. 66°North runs one global storefront and the Icelandic price on an identical jacket is competitive with the US price, before you account for the fact that the Icelandic price includes 24% VAT that visitors can reclaim.

Buy at home for fit, time and certainty. You can’t try a jacket on before it arrives in your suitcase, but you also don’t want to spend day one of a five-day trip in a Reykjavík shop discovering the only shell left is three sizes too big. If you do end up buying there, keep the receipt: Iceland Revenue and Customs lets non-residents reclaim VAT on a single receipt of ISK 12,000 or more, validated at Keflavík on the way out.

 

Outer Layers: Your Shell and Warm Jacket

A windproof and waterproof jacket is the most important thing you’ll pack. You have two routes here, and both of them work.

The first is a lighter shell that keeps out wind and water, layered over fleece underneath. The second is one heavier jacket that handles warmth and weatherproofing together. Jess and I have gone the shell route, because Iceland’s weather shifts fast enough that being able to strip a layer in a warm café and pile everything back on outside is worth more than the convenience of one coat. Whichever you pick, buy it a bit loose so there’s room for layers underneath.

Tier	Pick	Why
Spend less	Columbia Watertight II	Waterproof, packs into its own hand pocket, and costs about a third of what the Bluffworks does. If you need a shell for one trip, this is the one
The one I use	Bluffworks Faroe	Long enough to keep your trouser pockets dry, packable, wind and waterproof, and smart enough for dinner. It’s a shell, not a warm coat, so it needs layers under it in January
Warmest, one-jacket route	The North Face McMurdo Parka	Waterproof and insulated with down, so it does both jobs. Heavier in the suitcase, but you’ll never be cold in it
Women’s shell options	Little Donkey Andy rain jacket or the fleece-lined Outdoor Ventures softshell	The rain jacket is the pure shell; the softshell has a bit of warmth built in for milder days

A note on down. Down is very warm and is usually not waterproof on its own, so a down jacket wants a shell over it unless it’s explicitly a waterproof down parka like the McMurdo. If you go for down, we’d encourage buying from a brand that adheres to the Responsible Down Standard.

For your lower half, waterproof over-trousers are the thing people skip and then wish they hadn’t, particularly at waterfalls where the spray blows everywhere. A pair of Arctix Storm Rain Pants pulls straight over whatever you’re wearing and packs down small.

 

Insulation: Base Layers and Mid-Layers

Base layers are what you wear against your skin, under everything else. You want a long-sleeved top and a set of bottoms, both breathable and both able to move moisture away from your skin. Which rules out cotton entirely.

Merino wool is our default. It stays warm when damp, doesn’t hold odour the way synthetics do, and feels fine against the skin for most people. Synthetics dry faster and cost less, which matters if you’re washing things in a hotel sink. Jess finds merino itchy, so she wears synthetic sets and is perfectly warm in them.

Tier	Pick	Why
Spend less	A synthetic thermal set	Cheaper, dries much faster, and no itch. The compromise is odour after a couple of days of hard wear
Merino, mid-range	MERIWOOL midweight base layer	100% merino at a sensible price. This is what I’d buy for a one-week winter trip
Merino, spend more	Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino	Better knit, better fit, lasts years. Worth it if you’ll wear it beyond this trip

Pack at least two sets if you’re in Iceland for more than a few days so you can wash and rotate. Merino dries slowly, so if sink-washing is the plan, synthetic is the more practical choice. We have a guide to doing laundry while travelling with tips on making that work in a guesthouse.

 

Mid-layers

Between the base layer and the jacket sits your mid-layer, and a fleece is the obvious answer. The rule of thumb is inverse to your jacket: thick shell, thinner fleece; thin shell, thicker fleece, or two of them.

Tier	Pick	Why
Men’s fleece	Columbia Steens Mountain	The default full-zip fleece for good reason. Warm, cheap, and you’ll keep wearing it at home
Women’s fleece	Columbia Benton Springs	Same idea, women’s cut, zipped pockets
Spend more	A wool jumper, ideally an Icelandic lopapeysa	Warmer than fleece for the weight and considerably better looking. Worth trying on in person, because the fit is the whole thing

For your legs, comfortable quick-drying hiking trousers with a bit of stretch will cover almost everything. BALEAF’s women’s hiking trousers are a good value option. If you really feel the cold, fleece-lined hiking trousers are a revelation, and they look like normal trousers while feeling like pyjamas.

Jeans are an option if that’s how you dress, but they’re slow to dry and thoroughly unpleasant when wet, and Iceland will get them wet. Keeping a spare pair in the car or day bag to change into is a sensible hedge.

 

Extremities: Hands, Head and Feet

The wind in Iceland can be vicious, and even when the temperature looks manageable on paper, windchill takes it well below freezing. Your hands, ears and feet are where you’ll feel it first.

 

Gloves

Windproof is the requirement. Water resistance is a bonus unless you’re doing snow-based activities or long hikes with prolonged exposure to sleet.

Touchscreen fingertips matter more than they used to. You’ll be checking weather, navigation and probably an aurora alert app, and pulling gloves off every time gets old fast when it’s blowing a gale.

Tier	Pick	Why
Everyday	Isotoner windproof gloves for men, or the women’s version	They do the job, they’re touchscreen compatible, and they cost very little
For photographers	Vallerret Markhof Pro V3	Fold-back fingertips so you can work camera controls without stripping a glove off. The best I’ve found for cold-weather shooting, and I’ve tried a lot of them

 

Hats and Scarves

You want something warm and windproof that covers your ears and fits snugly enough not to leave your head in a gust. I like a trapper-style hat for the ear coverage; if that’s not your look, a Turtle Fur fleece beanie does the same job with less commitment. If you’re doing an ice cave or glacier tour, check your hat fits under a helmet.

A scarf or neck gaiter keeps the draughts out and packs down to nothing. We prefer wool, which stays warm when wet, over cotton, which does the opposite. I use a merino scarf like this and Jess has a pure wool one. If you’d like something nicer, we have and love these cashmere scarves, available for women and men. There’s also a guide to travel scarves here if you want more options.

 

Boots

Even if you’re not planning much hiking, you want waterproof boots with good grip. You’ll be walking across slush and ice, and waterfall spray blows a long way. Wet feet in Iceland in January is a day-ruiner.

Tier	Pick	Why
Insulated and warm	Merrell Moab 3 Thermo Mid Waterproof (women’s)	Jess wore Merrells for years before moving to Scarpa. For a winter trip the Thermo is the better call anyway: the insulation is what you want for standing about in the cold rather than walking hard
Spend more	SCARPA Kinesis Pro GTX (men’s)	Mine. My original pair lasted fifteen years and thousands of miles, and I’ve since replaced them with a newer model that’s holding up just as well. A premium price, but if you’re outdoors a lot they’re a sound investment

Try boots on before you commit if you possibly can, and if you’re ordering online, order from somewhere with a decent returns policy. Our guides to the best travel shoes for men and best travel shoes for women go into how to pick a pair.

 

Ice Grips

Clip-on ice grips, sometimes sold as microspikes or ice cleats, stretch over your boots and give you traction on frozen pavements. They’re small, light, and they’re the single cheapest way to avoid a nasty fall on a trip. Reykjavík pavements after a freeze turn into skating rinks, and the paths around waterfalls are worse.

To be clear about what these are for: they’re for pavements, car parks and icy paths. If you’ve booked a glacier walk or ice cave tour, the operator hands you real crampons and a helmet, so you don’t need to buy those.

Tier	Pick	Why
Spend less	Yaktrax Walker	Coil-based grip, slips on in seconds, more than enough for town pavements and gentle paths
Spend more	Kahtoola MICROspikes	Actual steel spikes rather than coils. Overkill for Reykjavík, right if you’re walking icy trails independently

 

Socks, Hand Warmers and Toe Warmers

Good wool socks make a bigger difference than most people expect, for the same reason wool base layers do. Pack at least three pairs, because wet socks in Iceland are a fast track to misery, and they take a while to dry.

Hand warmers and toe warmers are cheap, light air-activated packets that put out heat for several hours. We go through a ridiculous number of them on winter photography trips. If you’re planning to stand outside chasing the Northern Lights, buy a multipack. They’re the difference between enjoying yourself and quietly wondering when you can go back to the car.

 

Hot Springs and Swimming

Bring your swimming kit, even in the dead of winter. Especially in the dead of winter. The geothermal pools are open year-round and sitting in 38 to 40°C water while it snows on your head is one of the best things about visiting Iceland when it’s cold.

Icelandic pools come in two temperatures. The big municipal pools sit around 29°C, cool enough to swim proper lengths in. The hot pots beside them, and the commercial lagoons, run 38 to 40°C. Getting out of either into a January wind is the part nobody plans for, and the real argument for a decent towel and a hat.

Some places include towel hire in the entry price, like the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon. Many don’t, including the much cheaper Reykjavík city pools, and at some you can’t even hire one. Which is how I ended up buying a towel in an Icelandic Ikea. Learn from me and pack one: ideally a big fluffy one, or a microfibre travel towel if you’re tight on space.

You’ll also want a pair of sandals or shower shoes, and a waterproof pouch for your phone and valuables.

One thing to know before you go, because it surprises a lot of first-time visitors: you’re required to shower thoroughly, without a swimsuit, before entering the water. This applies at the municipal pools and at the commercial lagoons alike, and it isn’t a custom you can politely opt out of. Icelandic geothermal water uses little or no chlorine, so the water quality depends entirely on everyone washing before they get in.

If the communal aspect bothers you, that’s actually what the upgraded passes buy you. Sky Lagoon’s Sér pass and the Blue Lagoon’s higher tiers include private changing rooms, and both venues have private shower cubicles. Which is, of course, exactly what you’re paying the extra for when you look at those passes and wonder what the difference actually buys.

A note on the Blue Lagoon specifically. It’s open and taking bookings, but it sits in an active volcanic zone and has closed at short notice repeatedly since November 2023, sometimes with less than an hour’s warning. The Icelandic Met Office’s current position is that magma is still accumulating under Svartsengi and will eventually force another intrusion, possibly with an eruption. Nobody can say when. Check safetravel.is and the lagoon’s own site before you travel, and don’t build a day around it that can’t survive a cancellation. The packing advice doesn’t change either way, because the lagoon habit is nationwide and there’ll always be a pool open somewhere.

 

Electronics and Photography Gear

Cold weather is hard on batteries, which is the theme running through all of this.

 

Phone, Power and Adaptors

Your phone battery will drain noticeably faster than usual in the cold. Keep it in an inside pocket close to your body rather than an outer one, and carry an Anker power bank to top it up. Our guide to the best travel power banks runs through the models we rate.

We use a travel eSIM now, which is a lot simpler than hunting down a physical SIM at the airport. If your phone supports eSIM, and most made since 2020 do, our review of Airalo includes some free credit to get you started. Coverage is solid along the ring road and in towns; you’ll lose signal in the interior highlands, which are shut in winter anyway. For other options see our guide to getting online when travelling, and if you’re thinking about an upgrade, our guide to the best smartphones for photography.

Iceland uses European two pin plugs, so you’ll want a universal travel adapter. Bear in mind that Europe runs 220 to 240v against the US 110v, and adapters don’t convert voltage. Most laptops, camera chargers and USB chargers handle 110 to 240v, but hair dryers and straighteners often don’t, and the label on the plug will tell you. There’s more in our guide to the best travel adapters. If you carry as much kit as we do, a travel power strip that plugs into the adapter solves the perennial problem of guesthouses with two sockets and six things to charge.

A head torch belongs in this section too, and it’s the item most often missing from Iceland winter lists. In December you have about four hours of daylight. You will be walking to or from something in the dark.

 

Camera Gear for Iceland in Winter

You’re going to take a lot of pictures in Iceland, so bring a camera of some sort. Which camera is a whole article in itself, and I’ve written one: a guide to picking a travel camera covering everything from phones to full-frame. If you’re doing anything rough or wet, an action camera such as the AKASO Brave 7 LE is a cheap way to cover it. It’s the older budget model in AKASO’s range rather than the current flagship, which is reflected in the price.

Four things that specifically matter in an Icelandic winter, none of which are about which camera you own:

Batteries die fast in the cold. A battery that gives you 400 frames in summer might give you half that at 0°C in the wind. Carry two or three spares and keep them in an inside pocket, not the camera bag. A cold battery that reads empty will often come back to life once it warms up, so don’t throw it in the bin at the end of the day.

Condensation is the real risk, and it happens indoors. Bringing a cold camera into a warm café or hotel makes moisture condense on and inside the lens, and it takes far longer to clear than you’d like. Put the camera in your bag, or a sealed freezer bag, before you go inside and let it warm up slowly.

Wind is the enemy of tripods. Iceland’s wind will shake a light travel tripod enough to ruin a thirty-second exposure. Hang your camera bag from the centre column, keep the legs short and wide, and don’t extend the centre column if you can avoid it. Spiked feet help on soft ground, a tip a reader passed on in the comments.

Gloves and manual controls don’t mix. Shooting the aurora means fiddling with focus and exposure in the dark, in the cold, and thick gloves make it impossible while bare hands make it briefly agonising. This is the entire reason fold-back photography gloves exist.

For the aurora specifically you’ll want a tripod, since exposures run far too long to hand-hold. I use Vanguard tripods, and the Vanguard Vesta GO 264CB is the carbon travel model I’d point most people at for a trip like this: it folds down small enough for carry-on and still holds a full-frame body steady. You can also buy it direct from Vanguard, where the code FindingTheUniverse gets you 20% off. Our full guide to northern lights photography covers the settings, and there’s a post on whether you need a travel tripod and how to pick one.

Round it out with plenty of memory cards, a lens cloth for waterfall spray, and neutral density filters if you shoot long exposures. Here’s why you might want an ND filter. And if you want to get more out of the trip photographically, my online travel photography course covers the fundamentals.

For downtime, I use a pair of EarFun Air Pro 4 earbuds, which balance price, noise cancelling and sound quality well.

 

Luggage and Everything Else

Winter kit is bulky, so whatever bag you bring will feel smaller than it did in summer. For my camera and electronics I use a Vanguard Alta Sky 51D, which works as both carry-on and day pack. My main bag is an Osprey Sojourn 60, which has been travelling with me since 2013 and is yet to let me down. Jess travels with a carry-on backpack and a larger wheeled one we check in.

Whatever you choose, a set of packing cubes makes a real difference with bulky winter layers, and a waterproof rain cover for your day pack is worth the few pounds it costs.

 

Water Bottle

Bring a reusable bottle and fill it from the tap. Icelandic tap water is excellent: the capital region draws from springs at Heiðmörk and needs little or no treatment, and 97 to 100% of samples meet quality requirements. There’s no reason at all to buy bottled water in Iceland.

One warning that saves a lot of confusion. The hot tap in Iceland is geothermal and smells strongly of sulphur, which leads plenty of first-time visitors to conclude the water is bad and start buying bottles. Drink the cold tap. It’s some of the best water you’ll ever have out of a tap.

We use Klean Kanteen bottles in a few sizes, insulated and plain, and rate the leak-proof lids and how easily they wash.

 

Guidebooks

We hope we’ve given you plenty of Iceland content to plan with, but a guidebook is still handy on the road when the signal drops. We’d point you at the Rick Steves Iceland guidebook or Insight Guides Iceland, which take fairly different approaches: Rick Steves is opinionated and itinerary-led, Insight Guides is stronger on background and photography.

 

The Small Stuff

Face moisturiser, lip balm and sun protection all earn their space, because cold Icelandic air is harsh and low winter sun off snow is brighter than you’d think.

If you’re hiking, add a compact first aid kit and a few large freezer bags, which are unglamorous and excellent at keeping electronics dry.

If you’re in hostels or shared accommodation, ear plugs and an eye mask make a real difference. I’ve used a Manta Sleep eye mask for years and it blocks light better than anything else I’ve tried, and foam ear plugs cost almost nothing.

And if you’d like to remember the trip in a bit more detail, we always keep a travel journal. Our guide to the best travel journals has some ideas.

 

Where Iceland Trips Go Wrong in Winter

Nothing on this list has failed us, which is a boring thing to be able to say and also the reason it’s all still here. What does go wrong is usually a decision rather than a piece of kit.

Packing for the temperature instead of the wind. This is the big one. You look up “Reykjavík in January”, see numbers hovering around freezing, and think it sounds fine. It is fine, right up until 50mph of horizontal rain finds the gap between your jacket and your neck. Windproofing matters more than warmth here.

Cotton. Still the most common mistake and the easiest to avoid. Cotton absorbs water, takes ages to dry, and actively makes you colder once wet. That goes for jeans, cotton base layers and cotton socks equally.

Brand-new boots. Buying good boots the week before you fly and breaking them in on Icelandic terrain is a recipe for blisters somewhere with no pharmacy for 60km. If they’re new, wear them in at home first.

Treating the Blue Lagoon as a fixed point. It’s open, but it’s in an active volcanic zone and it has closed with hours of notice more than once since 2023. Book it, by all means, but don’t build the day around it.

Not checking crampon sizing before booking a glacier tour. The EU 35 minimum is real and it catches families out at the meeting point, which is the worst possible moment to find out.

Buying bottled water because the hot tap smells odd. Covered above, but it’s such a common one it’s worth repeating. Cold tap. Always.

No laundry plan on a longer trip. Winter layers are bulky, so people pack four days of clothes for a nine-day trip and assume they’ll sort it out. Iceland is not a cheap place to discover you need a launderette. Two sets of base layers and a plan beats six sets and a bigger bag.

And the towel. Which I’ve now mentioned twice, because I did it, and because the pools are the thing you’ll remember most from the trip.

 

What NOT to Pack for Iceland in Winter

Just as important as what to bring is what to leave at home.

An umbrella. Counterintuitive for a place that rains this much, but Icelandic wind will destroy a standard umbrella within minutes. Trust your waterproof jacket and hood instead.

Cotton base layers. See above. They make you colder, not warmer, the moment they get damp.

Crampons, if you’ve booked a glacier or ice cave tour. The operator supplies them. Clip-on ice grips for pavements are a separate and much cheaper thing.

Your fanciest clothes. Iceland is one of the most casual countries I’ve visited. Nobody dresses up for dinner, even at good restaurants in Reykjavík. Pack layers and save the evening wear.

A hair dryer. Icelandic hotels put one in the room as standard and hostels can usually lend you one, so it’s rarely worth the space. Guesthouses and Airbnbs are the gamble, so check the listing if it matters to you. Iceland runs on 230v with European two pin sockets, which means an American dryer won’t run on it at all.

Bottled water. You’re flying it to one of the best tap-water countries on earth.

Too many “just in case” items. Bag weight matters on budget airlines, and every unnecessary item takes space that could hold a second pair of dry socks.

Heavy books. Download them. A thick paperback takes room you’ll want for that extra fleece.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Packing for Iceland in Winter

 

What should I pack for Iceland in January?

January averages around -2 to 3°C with roughly four and a half hours of daylight at the start of the month, rising to just over seven by the end. Pack your warmest base layers, a windproof and waterproof outer jacket, insulated waterproof boots and plenty of hand and toe warmers.

A head torch is essential for the long dark mornings and afternoons, especially outside Reykjavík. Northern Lights viewing is at its best in January, so bring a tripod and two or three spare camera batteries.

 

What should I pack for Iceland in February?

February is much the same temperature as January, around -2 to 3°C, but with noticeably more daylight: about seven hours at the start of the month and close to ten by the end. The kit list is essentially identical, so thermal base layers, a fleece mid-layer, a waterproof windproof shell and sturdy waterproof boots.

February is prime ice cave season. If you’ve booked one, make sure your boots have proper ankle support and pack a hat that fits under a helmet.

 

What should I pack for Iceland in December?

December runs around -2 to 3°C with only about four hours of daylight around the solstice, which falls on or around 21 December. Pack the full layering system: thermal base layers, fleece mid-layer, waterproof windproof shell.

A head torch is not optional in December. If you’re visiting over the holidays, some shops and attractions run reduced hours, so bring anything essential like medication, snacks and chargers rather than planning to buy it on arrival.

 

What should I pack for Iceland in November?

November averages around 0 to 5°C and daylight falls sharply across the month, from about eight hours at the start to just over five by the end. It’s wetter than snowy at sea level, so waterproofing matters more than heavy insulation. Pack a good waterproof shell, waterproof boots and quick-drying layers.

November is the start of Northern Lights season, so bring your camera and tripod. Wind can be severe, so pack a hat that fits snugly and gloves you won’t lose to a gust.

 

What do I need to pack for hiking in Iceland in winter?

On top of the standard list, winter hiking needs waterproof over-trousers, boots with ankle support, a day pack with a rain cover, a first aid kit, a head torch and more food and water than you think.

The bigger point is that winter hiking in Iceland is weather-dependent in a way that catches visitors out. Check safetravel.is and the forecast the morning you set off, tell someone your plan, and be willing to abandon it. Highland and interior routes are closed entirely from around mid-September until June or July.

 

Do I need crampons or microspikes for Iceland in winter?

You want clip-on ice grips or microspikes for pavements, car parks and icy paths, and they’re one of the best-value things you can pack. Reykjavík pavements and waterfall paths freeze solid and are where most visitors slip.

You do not need to buy proper crampons. Every glacier walk and ice cave tour includes crampons, a helmet, a harness and an ice axe in the price. One thing to check before booking: crampons have a minimum shoe size of EU 35, so smaller feet and children can be a problem.

 

What does a glacier or ice cave tour supply?

Arctic Adventures, Tröll Expeditions and Glacier Guides all supply crampons, a helmet, a harness and an ice axe as part of the tour price. What they don’t supply is boots.

Sturdy boots with ankle support that crampons can be strapped to are a requirement, and operators do turn people away in trainers. If you don’t own a suitable pair, Arctic Adventures rents boots along with waterproof jackets and trousers, which is usually cheaper than buying boots for one day on the ice.

 

How many days of clothes should I pack for Iceland in winter?

Two sets of base layers and three or four pairs of wool socks will cover a trip of any length, because you rotate and wash them rather than packing one set per day. Outer layers and mid-layers get worn repeatedly without washing, so one of each is usually enough.

Winter kit is bulky, so this matters more than it does in summer. If you’re staying more than about five days, plan on washing base layers in a sink or using a guesthouse machine. Synthetic base layers dry overnight; merino takes longer.

 

Do I need to pack snow boots for Iceland in winter?

Dedicated snow boots aren’t essential for most winter visitors, especially if you already own waterproof hiking boots with good grip. Hiking boots plus clip-on ice grips handle most conditions, and they’re what you’ll need anyway if you’ve booked a glacier tour.

If you’re mainly sightseeing from a car and walking short distances, insulated snow boots can be warmer and easier to get on and off. If you’re doing any hiking or a glacier tour, hiking boots with ankle support are the better choice.

 

Is it worth buying winter clothing in Iceland instead of packing it?

Buy before you go, though not because Iceland is more expensive than people assume. 66°North runs one global storefront and its Icelandic prices are competitive with what you’d pay at home, and visitors can reclaim the 24% VAT on receipts of ISK 12,000 or more at Keflavík.

Buy at home for fit, time and certainty instead. You don’t want to lose the first day of a short trip shopping, or find the only shell left in the shop is the wrong size. The one exception is an Icelandic wool jumper, a lopapeysa, which is a proper souvenir worth buying for the wool and the fit. Not for the price, though: the Handknitting Association of Iceland takes the 24% VAT off orders shipped abroad, so posting one home is if anything the cheaper route.

 

Further Reading for your Iceland Trip

That brings us to the end of our guide to what to pack for Iceland in winter. Here’s a selection of our other Iceland content to help you plan the rest of the trip.

• Our guide to planning a trip to Iceland
• A list of our favourite photography locations in Iceland for ideas on where to shoot
• Game of Thrones fans will want our guide to the Game of Thrones filming locations in Iceland
• If you’re driving, our guide to driving in Iceland in winter
• Self-drive itineraries including a three day Iceland itinerary, a seven day winter Iceland itinerary, 5 days in Iceland, and an Iceland ring road itinerary
• Our guide to finding the Iceland plane crash, a fun photography location if a bit of a walk to get to
• On a budget? Here’s how to visit Iceland on a budget
• Planning on Iceland’s most famous thermal bath? Read our guide to visiting the Blue Lagoon
• Our full guide to the Golden Circle, Iceland’s most popular driving route
• A guide to the best waterfalls in Iceland to help you choose which to visit
• Visiting in winter? See our guide to the best winter activities in Iceland
• Basing yourself in the capital? Here are the best day trips from Reykjavik
• We’ve also got a guide to the best multi-day guided tours of Iceland, from two days to two weeks and across a range of price points
• Heading to Finland too? Jess has a Finland winter packing list that covers a colder and drier Nordic winter
• Iceland’s weather is fickle. The best site for real-time cloud cover is this one from the Icelandic Met Office
• Iceland has very little crime, but it does have extreme conditions and active seismic activity. Check the safetravel Iceland page as you go
• Since you’re visiting in winter, read through my tips for cold weather photography

And that’s it! We hope you found our guide to packing for Iceland in winter useful. As always, we’re open to comments and feedback in the comment section below.