Welcome to Iceland, the land of fire and ice! From epic wildlife of puffins, arctic foxes and whales to the colossal waterfalls, vibrant blue glaciers, dazzling Northern lights – Iceland holds a strong place in our hearts and should be on every adventure travellers bucket list!
From our travels, we’ve documented our experiences visiting Iceland, plus highlighting all of the best places to stay and epic tours and activities to do during your stay here. Read more and start planning your trip below!
More posts about Iceland:
Iceland Travel Itineraries
Iceland Wildlife Experiences
Iceland Other Tours & Activities
Iceland Hotels & Places To Stay
Iceland Seasons
Iceland Facts:
Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital city, is also the northernmost capital city in the world! Not only that, over 60% of Iceland’s entire population lives here! You can easily spend an epic 2 to 3 days in Reykjavik.
Iceland has been stated the “safest country in the world” for over a decade, which incredibly low crime rates! A close second is New Zealand.
Iceland was one of the last places on Earth to be discovered by humans! In fact, it was discovered completely by accident 1000+ years ago by Norwegian vikings!
Historically, Iceland had a habit of banning things! Beer was banned between 1915-1989, TV broadcasts banned until 1983 and even dogs were banned living in Reykjavik city from 1924 to 1984! There is now a dedicated “Beer Day” to mark the beer ban, celebrated on March 1st every year.
Iceland’s National sport is “handball”!
Many Icelanders (approximately 30-40%) believe in fairytale folklore and elves! Stories tell of “hidden people” living in the lava fields. In fact, when building construction is to commence on these lava fields, there is an appointed spokesperson for the elves.
Icelandic communities love to read and publish books. In fact, 1 in 10 of all Icelanders will publish a book in their lifetime!
The natural water is so pure, you can drink from most rivers on your Icelandic adventure! The water is becomes purer the further you venture from the city.
Iceland has no trains or railway system!
Iceland Weather and Seasons:
Due to its location on the gulf stream, Iceland surprisingly remains relatively mild all year round.
Summer
Iceland’s Summer months are between June – August. Iceland is at its warmest and most busy with tourists, especially around Reykjavik. All mountain roads and hiking trails will be open. Experience the Midnight Sun, where Iceland is light for almost 24 hours a day!
Autumn
Iceland’s Autumn months are between September – November. Temperatures can remain relatively warm until October, and it is far less busy.
Winter
Iceland’s Winter months are between December – February. Temperatures remain fairly cool but mild (January averaging -0.5°c).
Light snow occurs during October – April, but rarely lingers. Not all mountain roads and hiking trails will be accessible due to the weather.
Experience the Polar Nights, where Iceland is dark for almost 24 hours a day! Something to think about when planning your Icelandic adventure!
Spring
Iceland’s Winter months are between March – May. In Spring, April sees in the warmer temperatures and Iceland’s nature comes alive with new foliage and flowers.
Iceland Wildlife
Atlantic Puffin
Astoundingly, 60% of the world’s Puffin population nests in Iceland every year during the Spring / Summer. This equates to approximately 8 million and puffins per year! Spot these black and white seabirds snuggled on the Iceland’s West cliff faces (usually with a few fish hanging out of their bright oranges beaks)!
Arctic Fox
Incredibly, the arctic fox is Iceland’s only native land animal – having survived here through the last ice age! Though famed for their dazzling white fur, their fur colour changes to brown in the summer to camouflage with their surroundings! For your best chance of seeing them, visit the largest population of wild arctic foxes at Hornstrandir Nature Reserve in the Westfjords.
Iceland Top Wildlife:
Icelandic Horse
Though technically a domestic animal, the Icelandic horse is one of Iceland’s most distinctive animals! They are distinctively short, stocky and fluffy. Though rarely taller than 1.5m, they are technically classed as horses here! Stop them roaming the fields of rural Iceland. The heritage is protected by law, it is illegal to import horses to Iceland, and, if a horse is shipped out – it can never return! This is to retain the purity of this special breed.
Whales and Dolphins
Iceland have a large variety of whale species, including Humpback, Beluga, Minke, Sperm and even the Blue whale! Venture out in the summer on an Icelandic whale watching tour to have the best chance to see them. Orcas can also be spotted off the West coast in late Winter.
Iceland’s Capital City
REYKJAVIK
Iceland’s capital city is Reykjavik, located in the South West of Iceland.
Keflavik Airport, Iceland’s main International airport, is a 40 minute drive from Reykjavik. It is also the only international airport sat in the middle of a lava field!