Iceland is an epic country to visit, whether you are planning on backpacking Iceland or just heading there on vacation you are sure to have an incredible time.
Home to dramatic landscapes, historic sites, epic glaciers, and a variety of marine life, this wonderful country has so much to offer. You've also got a great chance of spotting the Northern Lights (depending on when you visit).
Iceland has some extreme weather and you can have a completely different visit depending on the time of year that you go.
Because of this, the hardest thing about visiting Iceland is knowing what to pack!
That's why we are going to do a rundown of everything you need to pack for your trip to Iceland in 2022! Starting with what kind of bag to take and talking you through the different items you will need when visiting Iceland in spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Let's get started!
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Iceland is an island country located between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Greenland sea, near the Arctic Circle.
Famous for its glaciers including Europe's largest, the Vatna Glacier which spans 3200 miles!
Iceland is split into 8 main regions; the Capital Region (Reykjavik), Southern Peninsula, West, Westfjords, Northwest, Northeast, East and South.
As Iceland is such a big island, the climate differs in each of these regions.
Typically, the southern regions are located in the Mediterranean making the weather milder and even quite warm in the southern months. Whereas the northern regions of Iceland remain cold all year around and get really cold in winter.
The west is predominantly visited for its dormant volcanoes and the north west is thought to be the hardest to reach region due to its location so if you are wanting to visit the Westfjords, visit in spring and summer.
The capital of Iceland is Reykjavik is located in the south west of the island and is where most tourists base their trip. With trendy bars, relaxing spas and geothermal swimming pools this small but bustling city has so much to offer!
A lot of visitors explore Iceland via roadtrip like how we drove the Golden Circle during ours. The Golden Circle and Route 1 (The Ring Road) are the two most common routes around Iceland as they pass some of the country’s main highlights like waterfalls, where the tectonic plates meet at Þingvellir National Park and glaciers.
While Iceland does actually have four seasons, it definitely doesn't always feel like it!
The weather changes frequently and quickly, meaning you have to be prepared for all the elements.
See this article for a more in depth breakdown of the different seasons in Iceland.
Iceland’s summer months runs from early June to late August. Summer has Iceland's mildest temperatures and longest days meaning it is the most popular time to visit Iceland.
In the height of summer, the days are so long there is next to no darkness at nighttime so do not forget your eye mask if you need to be in the dark to sleep.
On average the temperature in Iceland in Summer is 10-15 degrees celsius with a lot of wind. This makes it the perfect time to do a spot of hiking so pack light layers and a windbreaker.
Winter in Iceland lasts from November all the way through until March! During these months Iceland gets barely any sunlight, sometimes as little as 4 hours.
Winter is still a popular time to visit Iceland as while it is predominantly dark, it really adds to the experience and it heightens the chances of seeing the beautiful northern lights.
However, winter in Iceland is known for its unpredictable weather and getting stuck in a snowstorm occurs often.
Bring lots of warm layers and waterproof clothing if you are planning on visiting in winter as the temperature can get as cold as -10 degrees celsius in the snow.
The spring months of April and May are the ideal times for tourists to visit Iceland. Spirits really start to rise after coming out of a long winter and everywhere becomes a lot livelier.
Spring temperatures range from 0-10 celsius and you can expect to see the snow starting to clear, the last of the northern lights and the spring flowers starting to bloom.
Autumn might be the least popular time to visit Iceland and it is likely to do with the increased chance of rainfall and cold weather. Do not let this put you off though as the scenery looks breathtaking with the fall colors in contrast to the first few snow showers.
Before you even begin packing for your Iceland trip, you will need to pick the right bag. There are a few things to consider before choosing your bag, including:
A larger backpack can be a great option when you know you need to pack a lot of variation in items (e.g. thick items in winter) and you know you are going to need to move around with your bag.
However, if you are planning on hiking around with your rucksack and camping along the way, be careful not to overpack your bag as you will have to be able to lift it.
Picking this 40L fairview backpack can be ideal if you are on a shorter trip, not only is it light and easy to carry but it can also be taken on flights as carry-on luggage which can help tremendously to keep costs down.
This slightly larger 65L backpack has the same features as the smaller Osprey backpack but with the luxury of some extra room, perfect for a longer trip, or some more warm clothes if you are visiting in the colder months!
Here are our 2 recommendations:
No matter how you are planning on spending your time in Iceland, a good day bag is essential for your trip.
You are likely to be going on whole day trips, going on hikes and visiting glaciers, all of these will need different items and therefore a big enough day bag to fit all of your needs without weighing you down.
For a trip to Iceland where you are likely to be spending a lot of time outdoors and where the weather is a bit unpredictable a hardy bag and a waterproof cover is likely to be your best bet.
An ideal option would be this Osprey Hikelite 18 this day bag comes in an assortment of different colors, is designed to be lightweight and comes with a waterproof cover, perfect for those hot springs and occasional showers.
If you are digital nomads like us and need a daypack that is more secure for some bulkier tech equipment, Solgaard might be the brand for you. The Solgaard Lifepack is designed to be secure, organized and eco-friendly. It's water resistant, has a number of different sections and pockets and can actually charge your electricals on the go.
If you are purely visiting Iceland on vacation, it might be best for you to take a hard shell suitcase on your trip.
The main advantage of these is that you can roll them instead of carry and they are a lot easier to keep young belongings neat. We have tried out Horizn Studios luggage and are big fans and would definitely recommend them if you are looking for some high quality suitcases that will last a long time.
For some more suggestions for roll-on luggage options, check out our guide on the best luxury carry-on luggage!
What type of luggage you take with you to Iceland will depend on what kind of trip you are on. If you are staying for a vacation or in a couple of hotels, opt for a roll-on suitcase.
However, if you are traveling around the country, or staying in hostels, or are going hiking a lot, a backpack is likely to be your best choice.
Okay so you’ve picked your bag, now what to put in it..
Firstly we will start with the essentials you are going to need for your Iceland trip and then we will go into a bit more detail with some other items that will help along the way!
Here is a rough guide of what men would need to include when packing for 2 weeks in Iceland at any time of year, afterwards we will include a section for what to pack in summer and winter as you may need a few extras!
The weather in Iceland in winter can be brutal so the key for packing would be lots and lots of layers!
Fashion for women in Iceland tends to be a sort of warm hiking girl - chic! The practical look is definitely the way forward so do not worry about trying to be ‘on trend’ during your trip.
If you are going on a longer trip, you may need to do some laundry in Iceland.
Most of the hotels within Iceland will have a laundry service however a lot of the budget options do not so you may need to venture out to get your clothes washed.
Unfortunately there really aren't a lot of laundromats located in Iceland so you may have to hunt around or do your own laundry and hang your clothes up around your accommodation.
Reykjavik has a couple of laundry facilities compared to other places around Iceland, with Laundromat Cafe being the most notable.
These Laundry Leaves can be a great option allowing you to wash clothes in a bath or a sink and while its not ideal, it can be a great way to wash a few items during your trip.
A good first aid kit is vital for any packing list and we do not go on any trip without one! It is good to be prepared for whatever comes your way and while there are hospitals all throughout Iceland, accidents do occur so it is best to carry the essentials with you.
If you don't already have a travel first aid kit, now might be a good time to buy one.
This particular first aid kit is lightweight so ideal for putting in your backpack and contains all of the essentials you might need. There is also enough room to add any extra more personalized things you may want to take with you.
If you don’t yet own a travel first aid kit, then here’s a good option to buy.
It contains the majority of what you need and you can then just add in any other items you want to take with you.
Plus, it’s small enough to tuck away in your backpack and not take up much space.
You will be able to pick up any toiletries you might need during your trip in Iceland, however you might find that some of the items are differently priced to where you are coming from.
For that reason, we tend to bring everything we need from home. However, remember if you are only taking carry-on luggage that you might have a limit to how many ml you are allowed to take onboard with you.
Iceland is definitely not a cheap country to visit, in fact it is reportedly the third most expensive country in the world.
They have their own currency called the Krona (ISK) which is quite hard to comeby outside of Iceland. For that reason you should not change over a large amount of cash before you arrive in Iceland, you will likely get a much better exchange rate once you have arrived.
Luckily, pretty much everywhere in Iceland, including food stands, small vendors, and even buses take credit or debit cards. This means most tourists always pay on card and only carry a small amount of cash.
It is likely you won't need to withdraw cash, but if you do, all of the larger towns have ATMs. There are no withdrawal fees but you will need to check with your bank about any exchange fees.
Most major credit cards are usable in Iceland, bar American Express which is not as widely accepted. Similarly to a lot of Europe, most places will only take chip and pin so it might be wise to get a card with a chip if you usually use a swipe and sign card.
We generally take 4 cards when traveling so that if anything were to happen, we always have a backup.
Iceland is an extremely safe country so all of the ATMs in Iceland will be safe to use and they all work with our travel cards.
We use Revolut and Monzo, both are available to use worldwide and have the best possible exchange rates. We have never had any issues with either of them and strongly recommend them both!
If you are wondering which is the best to use, we have a post comparing Monzo vs Revolut!
Before your trip to Iceland, make sure you have all of the necessary travel documents you need to make your visit as stress-free as possible!
We recommend taking a travel wallet with you to hold all of these documents to keep them organized and easily accessible.
Here is what you should take with you..
Iceland is a beautiful country so you might want to take some cameras with you to get the best quality photos.
These are some of the gadgets we took with us to capture some of the pictures you can see in our other Iceland posts.
If you are wanting to up your photography game from your standard iPhone pictures, DSLRs are a great gateway into the world of photography.
Iceland has some epic landscapes and a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) will help to capture that. While phone cameras have definitely improved over the years, if you are hoping to snap some shots of the northern lights, you will need a more professional type of camera.
We personally use the Sony A7III and absolutely LOVE it! That being said, any DSLR camera will do the job as long as it is easy to use and compatible with a wide range of lenses...
Speaking of lenses, if you are looking to purchase an extra lens for your DSLR, a wide angle lens would be perfect to pack for your Iceland trip.
Wide angle lenses are used to capture as much in an image as possible and enhance perspective, making it perfect for landscapes and cityscape shots.
If you are wondering why you would use a wide angle lens in Iceland, the photo opportunities are endless and a wide angle lens will help take your northern lights shots to the next level!
We take a handheld camera with us everywhere we travel as we like to document our experiences without constantly bringing out a DSLR camera which can be a bit of a pain for impromptu video/photo opportunities.
We use the Canon Powershot G7X and would recommend it as a great compact camera.
For more of a breakdown on cameras, check out our post on the best cameras for blogging!
For an adventurous Iceland trip, you might want to pack an action camera.
We love our GoPro and take it on every trip with us. It is perfect for activities like surfing, skiing, snorkeling and much more!
Iceland has some awesome activities to get stuck into including scuba diving, ice cave tours, boat tours and glacier hikes so something like a GoPro would be a perfect addition to your packing list.
GoPros can be quite expensive so if you haven't already got one, check out some GoPro alternatives to save some coins!
Iceland is an amazing country to get some epic drone shots so if you have one, definitely add it to your Iceland packing list.
Iceland has some regulations in place so check out this guide to flying drones in Iceland to be sure you don't get into trouble.
Currently, the DJI mini 2 is the best drone on the market in our opinion. It is below 250g which is below most of the weight restrictions across Iceland, it is compact, charges quickly and is affordable for its quality.
However if you are wanting to spend a bit more, the DJI Mini 3 is even better. We have a full post on the best travel drones if you would like more in depth reviews.
Iceland is one of the safest countries in the world and was actually voted THE safest country in the world for 12 years in a row.
That being said, it doesn't mean it is impossible to get hurt. The weather and climate means that road accidents can occur and hiking trips can go wrong.
We have covered all the Iceland packing essentials now but here are some miscellaneous items you may want to include in your bag.
So that was what to pack for Iceland… Now for what not to pack!
Here are some items that we personally didn't take during our visit to Iceland, but that you might find useful for your stay.
The climate in Iceland really is next level! Especially in the winter, Iceland can get very very cold!
Layers and thermals are going to be your best friend and you will want to start from your underwear. You lose most of your body heat through your head so a warm hat and scarf is vital for keeping warm.
The wind in Iceland can also be insane so windproof jackets, gloves and trousers will help protect you from the chill.
If you are planning on staying in fancy lodges in Reykjavik and going on a couple of day trips, you are going to need a completely different set of things to someone who is going on a camping or hiking holiday.
A great perk of visiting Iceland as it is likely it is going to have all the essentials you will need during your trip. Do not panic about forgetting various things (except the obvious of medications etc) as you can probably just pop to the shop and pick up anything you might have missed.
That being said, a lot of the supermarkets are more expensive than other countries so maybe don't rely on getting everything you need once you get there.
If you want to be extra prepared, have a waterproof item for everything, waterproof shoes, waterproof trousers, waterproof coat and waterproof bag cover. That way even if you are caught in a sudden downpour, your belongings will be safe.
I really hope this guide has helped you know exactly what to pack for an Iceland trip, whether you are going backpacking or going on holiday or visiting in Summer or Winter.
If you're interested we've got some other awesome packing guides on our website for a variety of destinations including Alaska, Vietnam, and Spain!
Iceland is an awesome country and we are sure you will have an amazing time!
Let us know what you would consider essential to pack for Iceland in the comments as we would love to know.
For help planning the rest of your Iceland adventure, here are some other guides you might find useful:
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