Iceland's weather is its own thing. In a single day you can have sun, downpour, 25 m/s wind and snow, in any order, in any combination. The forecast updates every 3 hours and still gets it wrong. So preparing for Iceland isn't «pack a winter coat» — it's «pack things that let you switch in under a minute».
Over 8 years we've taken hundreds of people and watched the same mistakes repeat: expensive down jacket that's useless against 15 m/s wind; sneakers that soak through within an hour of hiking to a waterfall; a t-shirt and a jacket — no third layer, and the person shivers all day. Below — a sensible list to pack from.
The main principle — three layers
This isn't a buzzword, it's a working engineering scheme for dressing in tough conditions. Three layers, each with its own job:
- Base (thermal layer) — wicks moisture from the body. Merino wool or synthetic. Not cotton — it soaks up sweat and then chills you.
- Mid (insulation) — holds heat. Fleece, primaloft, light down.
- Outer (shell) — protects from wind and water. Hardshell jacket in Gore-Tex or equivalent.
Logic: got warm — peel the shell and insulation. Started raining — pull the shell back on. Wind picked up — add insulation under the shell. One kit works at +5 °C and at −15 °C.
Seasonal checklist
Summer (June – August)
Temperatures: +8 to +15 °C in the day, +3 to +8 °C at night. Regular rain, constant wind. Daylight almost 24/7.
- Thermal layer — 1 set (top + bottom) in case of cool day
- Fleece sweater or primaloft jacket
- Hardshell jacket with hood (waterproof and windproof, non-negotiable)
- Hardshell pants or shell trousers (for hikes and waterfalls)
- Hiking pants — 1–2 pairs (quick-dry)
- T-shirts/long sleeves — 3–4 pieces (synthetic or merino)
- Thin hat + thin gloves (for evenings)
- Buff / neck gaiter
- Swimsuit — hot springs and Blue Lagoon
- Sleep mask — white nights, bright bedrooms
Shoulder season (September – October, April – May)
Temperatures: 0 to +10 °C in the day, −3 to +5 °C at night. Snow possible, wind stronger, autumn = golden tundra, spring = melting snow.
- Merino thermal base — 1 set
- Mid-weight fleece
- Primaloft or light down (under the shell)
- Hardshell jacket
- Hardshell pants
- Warm hat + insulated gloves
- Buff or snood
- Hiking pants — 1–2 pairs
- Warm socks (merino) — 4–5 pairs
- Swimsuit — hot springs work year-round
Winter (November – March)
Temperatures: −5 to +3 °C in the day, −10 to −2 °C at night. Wind 15–25 m/s is not unusual. 16+ hours of darkness. Ice underfoot everywhere.
- Merino thermal base — 2 sets (for swapping)
- Warm fleece + light down
- Insulated hardshell jacket (or shell + puffer underneath)
- Insulated hardshell pants
- Warm merino socks — 5–7 pairs
- Warm hat with ear flaps + balaclava
- Insulated gloves + thin liner
- Buff or insulated scarf
- Hand warmers (single-use chemical) — for night aurora hunts
- Sunglasses — snow is bright, even on overcast days
- Swimsuit — hot springs in winter are even better
Footwear
Footwear is the main place where people skimp and regret. One tour = 100+ km on foot across lava, moss, sand, mud and stream crossings. Mid-range sneakers don't cut it.
What to bring
- Hiking boots — waterproof (Gore-Tex membrane), with ankle support, medium-stiff sole. Vibram sole or equivalent. Brands: Salomon, Lowa, Scarpa, La Sportiva, Hanwag.
- Sneakers — for hotels and city walks.
- Winter — add microspikes / yaktrax / nano-spikes for ice. €15–30, can be bought at home or in Reykjavik (from €25 there).
- Rubber boots — NOT needed. Some operators provide them for niche activities.
Camera and tech
Iceland is a photographer's paradise. But gear behaves oddly in the cold. What you need to know:
- Spare batteries. Minimum 2–3 per camera. Lithium-ion drains 2–3x faster in cold. Keep spares in an inner jacket pocket, close to your body.
- Memory cards. 64 GB + another 64 GB backup. RAW files eat space faster than you'd think.
- Tripod. Light carbon — for long-exposure waterfalls, aurora, stars.
- ND filter (neutral density) — for blurring waterfalls in daylight.
- Microfiber cloths. Waterfall spray hits the lens constantly.
- Silica gel / zip bags. Coming from cold to warm = condensation on the camera. Bag it, let temperature equalize.
For camera settings to shoot aurora — see our northern lights guide.
Electronics and chargers
- Power bank — 10,000 mAh minimum. Phones drain instantly in the cold.
- Type F adapter (Schuko, European earthed plug). Same as Germany.
- Cables — two of each type (Lightning / USB-C).
- Multi-port USB charger — saves outlets. Hotel rooms typically have 2–3.
Documents and finance
- Passport + copies (separate from original, ideally in the cloud)
- Schengen visa Type C (if required)
- Travel insurance with coverage €35,000+ (Schengen minimum is €30,000)
- Flight tickets — printed just in case
- Visa/Mastercard — accepted everywhere, no cash needed. Bring 2 cards from different banks in case one gets blocked.
- Driver's license + international permit — if you plan to rent a car solo
First aid kit
Iceland has excellent medicine but if you have specific conditions, bring meds:
- Chronic medications for the full trip + extras
- Basics: paracetamol / ibuprofen, antihistamine, activated charcoal
- Plasters (especially heel blisters!) — non-negotiable
- Insect repellent (summer hikes have midges)
- Lip balm (wind dries lips badly)
- Hand cream
- Sunscreen SPF 30+ (snow reflection causes burns even in winter)
Useful small things
- Thermos 0.5–1 L — hot tea or coffee on night aurora hunts
- Headlamp — for any season, dark trails
- Reusable water bottle — Iceland's tap water is the cleanest in the world
- Light daypack 20–30 L — for daily activity
- Sunglasses + strap (wind blows them off)
- Earplugs — for the flight and the hotel
What NOT to bring
Extra weight is the enemy. Lighter suitcase = better trip.
- Umbrella. 15 m/s wind breaks it in 30 seconds. Jacket hood solves it.
- Jeans. Soak through, don't dry, heavy. Use hiking pants.
- Cotton t-shirts/hoodies. Soak up sweat and chill you.
- Rubber boots. Not needed, we're not in a swamp.
- Big laptop for work. Hotels have their own; not pocket-friendly on tour. Bring only if you really must work.
- Litre bottles of shampoo / gel. Hotels have basics, plus pack travel-size.
- Dress / suit. Iceland restaurant dress code is a jacket and hiking pants, seriously. Only the Reykjavik Edition has a real dress code.
Suitcase size and weight
For a winter tour (5–7 days) — usually suitcase 20–23 kg + backpack 10–12 kg. Summer fits 15–18 kg + backpack.
If you're on our group tour — note that luggage rides in one vehicle with the whole group. A 30 kg suitcase is awkward — boot space is limited. Better one moderate suitcase + one daypack.
Quick checklist
Before leaving — run this mini-list, things most often forgotten:
- Spare phone battery + cable
- Outlet adapter (Schuko)
- All chronic medications
- Blister plasters
- Swimsuit
- Spare socks
- Camera charger
- Lens microfiber cloth
- Documents + copies
- Insurance policy
What we provide on our tours
On NOMAP tours we always carry spares for the typical «forgot it» moments: spare microspikes for ice, hand warmers, plasters, an ND filter (borrowable for a day), AA/AAA batteries, adapters, in-car thermoses with tea/coffee.
If you forgot something critical at home — tell Alexander or Vitaly on day one. Most likely we have it.