I've been to Iceland twice, once in January (this year), once in March (2022 - which was still pretty snowy) - and I'm due to come again in 2 weeks - this time to the north of iceland. One of the big reasons I'm drawn to Iceland is for its wintery landscapes and experience, and I think that's the key to enjoying it as you say. I do sometimes see people make content where they paint the wintery weather as a negative, when for me, it's part of the enjoyment! Of course, the weather does often get too extreme and it disrupts your plans, but again - to me, that's part of the fun. I especially enjoyed my last trip in January (earlier this year) and had some fairly tricky weather conditions, but I enjoyed the challenge. It was the most engaging trip I've been on and has made me realise I want that type of enjoyment in my trips abroad. I am planning a trip in August 2026 to finally experience an Icelandic summer though.
Thank you for sharing! I agree, the challenge of the weather is part of the fun. I love when it is stormy, a good storm can be a very exciting experience. But you will enjoy your trip in the summer too, it makes for a little bit more relaxing trip and you can explore and access more places and roads. With that said, you never know, it can still get stormy with wind and rain even in the middle of the summer hah!
@@qassimuk in total agreement. I love winter. With climate change all around us, it’s becoming more difficult to find places that have true winter weather. Wishing you an enjoyable, upcoming visit.
Hi Jan. Thank you very much for all your content. I’m planning to visit Iceland on March. I would love to do alpine skiing but not sure about locations and services. May you make a video dedicated to this topic- I will be very grateful. Thanks.
Hello Inna! I might be making a more detailed video on this in the future. You can also check out one which I have about ski touring where I also mention some ski resorts : th-cam.com/video/SBSxuwtOFtI/w-d-xo.html
Hi Jan, the mountain views that you have with the Sun shining on the peaks, with the Snow, are really stunning. I think a good tip for those traveling to Iceland is always plan for the worst and hope for the best. There is nothing worse than being faced with a challenge and not being prepared for it. While making your new clothing video, you should maybe link the previous one you did stating the importance of having the proper layers to stay warm and dry as much as possible. Take care Jan and wish you a healthy and safe Winter season in Northern Iceland.
Thank you Ben! I hope I will be able to film and share some new nice winter scenes soon, it looks like spring outside now. Very slow start of the season this year.
Greetings Jan. wonderful filmography as usual, thank you for the useful travel tips. I have twice visited Iceland, both times in June but shall def take into account your recommendations for a future, winter, return trip. Stay warm. Regards from a relatively warm Dubrovnik. Zoltán
thank you Zoltán! I can definitely recommend to also come during the winter here. Each season is special in its unique ways, but each provides a completely different experience :)
I loved my 4 days in January (apart from having Covid) & the cold didn’t bother me. Always discovering new things & coming from Australia & summer, winter in Iceland was brilliant 😊 I don’t drive so getting around the Ring Road I’d be relying on buses. Which seems quite doable till you hit a spot on the East Coast & then it’s 🤨 Anyway I’m still hoping to get back next year, just have a couple of hurdles to get over first 🤞🤞
I really wish I had more experience with bus travel here so I could share some tips. But I think it just comes down to choosing the best operator based on reviews and so on. I'm curious, did you use public transport or guided bus tours last time you were here Kate?
@ I did guided tours both trips. I kept meaning to use the public transport as it’s sometimes an adventure, like oops right bus but wrong destination 🤦♀️😜 I’m pretty fearless in that respect. Riding the Beijing Underground (signage was in English & Mandarin) was such a hoot, I was the only whitie (white person) on board, it was so packed I didn’t need to hold on & as is my style I got a fit of the giggles! I would base myself in Akureyri & do day trips from there. Would love to stop in west coast too. So much to do …….
Hey Jan, thanks for the informative Video. I've been thinking about visiting the week before christmas, but as you mentioned the limited amount of daylight time is really putting me off, as there are so many great places along the Golden Circle I'd like to see. What I got from the video is that, I can still get to enjoy the wintry atmosphere in Feburary or March. One thing I would like to ask is, how long would you recommend for a stay which covers the golden circle and a day or 2 just exploring Reykjavik?
It definitely has its downsides, but you could maybe split your day a little bit differently and do more slow paced travel so for example you could spend the dark part of the day soaking in springs or lagoons and use the daylight to visit the sites. I would say that 1 day is enough time for golden circle to see the highlights, but you could divide it into two days if there're many things on the list you would like to see and do in that area. 1 day in Reykjavik is enough in my opinion, but you could base yourself out of there and also have one extra day to for example explore Reykjanes peninsula.
Thank you for the information. I’m visiting Reykjavik and doing tours to the Snaefellsnes peninsula as well as to the South coast at the end of the November/beginning of December. I’m planning on doing some mild to moderate hiking and am wondering if microspikes (or exospikes) are needed?
it's hard to say - you might need them especially at places like waterfalls, when everything gets frozen around it, that's when it might come handy. I think the snow could be more of a challenge if you want to go hiking, but so far the winter hasn't really started yet, there's basically still no snow here.
I have long wanted to visit Iceland but have never thought of going in winter. As a Canadian from a particularly cold part of the country, winter cold is not much of a concern: we know how to dress for winter even if the cold may be more humid than what I'm used to. But ice (especially freezing rain - unheard of when I was growing up) is definitely a big concern. Is freezing rain common throughout winter in coastal Iceland? (or is it something you get only during the transitional seasons?)
I wouldn't say it's too common, but we definitely experience here sometimes even during the winter, likely more often in the souther region...but all in all it happens more in transitional seasons
Hey bud, thanks for making the video. It helps when a local makes such informative video. I'm coming in a weeks time from Canada. I'm used to cold etc. What should I take care of?
glad it's helpful! For now the winter seems to be delayed, we just had almost 20 degrees celsius last night, which is crazy for this time of the year...but it seems like some winter storm is on the way later in the week so I'd still bring warm and preferably waterproof clothes
@@janiniceland thanks for replying. Coming prepared for rain and winds. We too have crazy weather this year out here in Canada. It's still warm and rainy in Toronto.
Hi Mate, I will be travelling Iceland from 24th to 28th of December. Is this a good decision? I booked a couple of tours such as Nothern lights tour, Whale Watching, Golden Circle, and South Coast Tour. My question is, since we will be getting only 4 hours daylight, is it possible to complete the day tours properly, specifically the south coast one?
Hi, good question. Yes so it's 4 hours but from sunrise to sunset but actually its a little bit more if you also consider twilight which also gives you more or less enough light to visit some sites. But for the organised tours, I honestly dont know - it's their responsibility to plan everything accordingly so i would hope they know what they are doing. the best would be to contact them direcly, that's what I would do....And for any self guided travels once just need to do a bit more planning and take those sunrise and sunset hours in count
My biggest dream is to move to Iceland ❤ only problem is that i'm in a wheelchair😂 I don't think it would work that well with the snow 😂 I would also have less than 400.000 isk to live for each month 🙄
In that regard living in the city like Reykjavík would be probably easiest of your. or Akureyri, which is way cheaper to live in, but has like 3 times as much snow which could be a challenge 😅
we're visiting this christmas! your video was so helpful! thanks so much
Thanks Mayeen! Enjoy your time here and fingers crossed for some good weather! :)
I've been to Iceland twice, once in January (this year), once in March (2022 - which was still pretty snowy) - and I'm due to come again in 2 weeks - this time to the north of iceland. One of the big reasons I'm drawn to Iceland is for its wintery landscapes and experience, and I think that's the key to enjoying it as you say. I do sometimes see people make content where they paint the wintery weather as a negative, when for me, it's part of the enjoyment!
Of course, the weather does often get too extreme and it disrupts your plans, but again - to me, that's part of the fun. I especially enjoyed my last trip in January (earlier this year) and had some fairly tricky weather conditions, but I enjoyed the challenge. It was the most engaging trip I've been on and has made me realise I want that type of enjoyment in my trips abroad.
I am planning a trip in August 2026 to finally experience an Icelandic summer though.
Thank you for sharing! I agree, the challenge of the weather is part of the fun. I love when it is stormy, a good storm can be a very exciting experience. But you will enjoy your trip in the summer too, it makes for a little bit more relaxing trip and you can explore and access more places and roads. With that said, you never know, it can still get stormy with wind and rain even in the middle of the summer hah!
@@qassimuk in total agreement. I love winter. With climate change all around us, it’s becoming more difficult to find places that have true winter weather. Wishing you an enjoyable, upcoming visit.
Have a nice solar Eclipse then. And good Luck with the weather, for that. Maybe I also come for It in August 2026
Hi Jan. Thank you very much for all your content. I’m planning to visit Iceland on March. I would love to do alpine skiing but not sure about locations and services. May you make a video dedicated to this topic- I will be very grateful. Thanks.
Hello Inna! I might be making a more detailed video on this in the future. You can also check out one which I have about ski touring where I also mention some ski resorts : th-cam.com/video/SBSxuwtOFtI/w-d-xo.html
Hi Jan, the mountain views that you have with the Sun shining on the peaks, with the Snow, are really stunning.
I think a good tip for those traveling to Iceland is always plan for the worst and hope for the best. There is nothing worse than being faced with a challenge and not being prepared for it.
While making your new clothing video, you should maybe link the previous one you did stating the importance of having the proper layers to stay warm and dry as much as possible.
Take care Jan and wish you a healthy and safe Winter season in Northern Iceland.
Thank you Ben! I hope I will be able to film and share some new nice winter scenes soon, it looks like spring outside now. Very slow start of the season this year.
I'm visiting Iceland in 2 weeks, and this vid is by far the most informative I have watched. Thank you Jan !!
Thanks Spencer! I'm glad it''s helpful :) Have a great trip!
Thank you for posting! I cant wait to be living there by next year! ❤
Just remember to buy a lot of vitamin D supplies in the winter to compensate for the lack of sunlight haha!
Greetings Jan. wonderful filmography as usual, thank you for the useful travel tips. I have twice visited Iceland, both times in June but shall def take into account your recommendations for a future, winter, return trip. Stay warm. Regards from a relatively warm Dubrovnik. Zoltán
thank you Zoltán! I can definitely recommend to also come during the winter here. Each season is special in its unique ways, but each provides a completely different experience :)
I loved my 4 days in January (apart from having Covid) & the cold didn’t bother me. Always discovering new things & coming from Australia & summer, winter in Iceland was brilliant 😊 I don’t drive so getting around the Ring Road I’d be relying on buses. Which seems quite doable till you hit a spot on the East Coast & then it’s 🤨 Anyway I’m still hoping to get back next year, just have a couple of hurdles to get over first 🤞🤞
I really wish I had more experience with bus travel here so I could share some tips. But I think it just comes down to choosing the best operator based on reviews and so on. I'm curious, did you use public transport or guided bus tours last time you were here Kate?
@ I did guided tours both trips. I kept meaning to use the public transport as it’s sometimes an adventure, like oops right bus but wrong destination 🤦♀️😜 I’m pretty fearless in that respect. Riding the Beijing Underground (signage was in English & Mandarin) was such a hoot, I was the only whitie (white person) on board, it was so packed I didn’t need to hold on & as is my style I got a fit of the giggles! I would base myself in Akureyri & do day trips from there. Would love to stop in west coast too. So much to do …….
Hey Jan, thanks for the informative Video. I've been thinking about visiting the week before christmas, but as you mentioned the limited amount of daylight time is really putting me off, as there are so many great places along the Golden Circle I'd like to see. What I got from the video is that, I can still get to enjoy the wintry atmosphere in Feburary or March. One thing I would like to ask is, how long would you recommend for a stay which covers the golden circle and a day or 2 just exploring Reykjavik?
It definitely has its downsides, but you could maybe split your day a little bit differently and do more slow paced travel so for example you could spend the dark part of the day soaking in springs or lagoons and use the daylight to visit the sites. I would say that 1 day is enough time for golden circle to see the highlights, but you could divide it into two days if there're many things on the list you would like to see and do in that area. 1 day in Reykjavik is enough in my opinion, but you could base yourself out of there and also have one extra day to for example explore Reykjanes peninsula.
@janiniceland thanks for all the great hints :D
Great information 👍🏻
thank you!
Thank you for the information. I’m visiting Reykjavik and doing tours to the Snaefellsnes peninsula as well as to the South coast at the end of the November/beginning of December. I’m planning on doing some mild to moderate hiking and am wondering if microspikes (or exospikes) are needed?
it's hard to say - you might need them especially at places like waterfalls, when everything gets frozen around it, that's when it might come handy. I think the snow could be more of a challenge if you want to go hiking, but so far the winter hasn't really started yet, there's basically still no snow here.
I have long wanted to visit Iceland but have never thought of going in winter.
As a Canadian from a particularly cold part of the country, winter cold is not much of a concern: we know how to dress for winter even if the cold may be more humid than what I'm used to.
But ice (especially freezing rain - unheard of when I was growing up) is definitely a big concern.
Is freezing rain common throughout winter in coastal Iceland? (or is it something you get only during the transitional seasons?)
I wouldn't say it's too common, but we definitely experience here sometimes even during the winter, likely more often in the souther region...but all in all it happens more in transitional seasons
Hey bud, thanks for making the video. It helps when a local makes such informative video. I'm coming in a weeks time from Canada. I'm used to cold etc. What should I take care of?
glad it's helpful! For now the winter seems to be delayed, we just had almost 20 degrees celsius last night, which is crazy for this time of the year...but it seems like some winter storm is on the way later in the week so I'd still bring warm and preferably waterproof clothes
@@janiniceland thanks for replying. Coming prepared for rain and winds. We too have crazy weather this year out here in Canada. It's still warm and rainy in Toronto.
Hi Mate, I will be travelling Iceland from 24th to 28th of December. Is this a good decision? I booked a couple of tours such as Nothern lights tour, Whale Watching, Golden Circle, and South Coast Tour. My question is, since we will be getting only 4 hours daylight, is it possible to complete the day tours properly, specifically the south coast one?
Hi, good question. Yes so it's 4 hours but from sunrise to sunset but actually its a little bit more if you also consider twilight which also gives you more or less enough light to visit some sites. But for the organised tours, I honestly dont know - it's their responsibility to plan everything accordingly so i would hope they know what they are doing. the best would be to contact them direcly, that's what I would do....And for any self guided travels once just need to do a bit more planning and take those sunrise and sunset hours in count
My biggest dream is to move to Iceland ❤ only problem is that i'm in a wheelchair😂 I don't think it would work that well with the snow 😂 I would also have less than 400.000 isk to live for each month 🙄
In that regard living in the city like Reykjavík would be probably easiest of your. or Akureyri, which is way cheaper to live in, but has like 3 times as much snow which could be a challenge 😅
@janiniceland thank you so much for your help