Iceland is the “Land of Fire and Ice”. And with a slogan with those extremes, it may not come as a surprise to hear that the weather also has extremes. So what should be on your Iceland packing list? Well that really depends on when you visit Iceland. We visited Iceland in July (the summer) and we think that was the best time to visit Iceland (because I don’t like cold). So we’ve put together the following list of what to pack for Iceland in the summer for you to use. Don’t forget the checklist that you can use for free!
We did a lot when we were in Iceland. We hiked through the rain as we explored Iceland’s South Coast, we climbed a glacier, we hiked in the hot sun to bathe in a geothermal river, we visited geothermal pools, we drove the entire Ring Road and we spent time exploring Reykjavík. And we did it all with the items below.
Summer Weather in Iceland
First, let’s take a minute to talk about the weather in Iceland in the summer. It’s not exactly summer-y but it still is pleasant for all of the outdoor activities you’ll most likely be doing. If you visit Iceland in summer, you’ll likely experience temperatures between 45-65 °F. You may get lucky like us and have a few 70 °F days but most likely you won’t.
You’ve probably seen photos of Iceland with the moody clouds. It looks nice in photos but it does tend to rain on your parade – literally. Frequent rain and high winds can take the “feels like” temperature down quite a bit. So preparing for this eventuality is important when packing for Iceland.
What To Pack For Iceland
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Clothing To Pack For Iceland In Summer
One word: layers. LAYERS, LAYERS, LAYERS. I cannot stress this enough, especially if you will be traveling throughout Iceland. We had mornings when we woke up to rain and 40 °F weather and afternoons when it was sunny and 70+ °F.
For men or women, a good number of layers is three.
Are you wondering what to pack for Iceland in terms of dressy vs. casual? Most of what you will be doing in Iceland is active because that is what Iceland is famous for. However, if you plan on dining out in Iceland, they do tend to dress up. A suit/dress is unnecessary, but packing a nice pair of dark jeans and a nice top is a good idea.
Pants
Our three pant layers were thermal pants, regular pants, and waterproof pants. We didn’t always wear all three layers but we did pack all three and layered according to our daily weather forecast and what we were doing during the day. I think the thermal pants and the regular pants are pretty self-explanatory as to why you will need those. However, you may also need those waterproof outer pants if you’re visiting Icelandic waterfalls or if you will continue trekking through the rain.
Additionally, we packed a variety of jeans and athletic-type pants to have for the variety of different activities we did each day. We’d recommend jeans and hiking pants. A nice pair of leggings for women will also be a good versatile piece of clothing as you can wear them to hike or dress them up.
Tops
Our three top layers were a lightweight tank or tee, a warm sweater or sweat shirt and a rain jacket. We did frequently strip down to our base layer due to the insanely nice weather we had, which we weren’t expecting so we (I) didn’t look so great. We also frequently spent our entire day wrapped up in the rain jacket. But we always had what we needed to be comfortable.
For our base layer, we both wore quick dry materials. We packed both an athletic fleece for our middle layer and a nice cardigan. The cardigan helped us to dress up our daily outfits when we went out to dinner.
Socks, Shoes and Stuff
Don’t forget your wool or synthetic blend socks. Don’t bring your cotton socks. Whether the weather was warm or cool, we wore our wool socks while trekking through Iceland. Our feet somehow managed to get wet a lot so avoiding cotton kept our tootsies warm.
You only need two pairs of shoes for Iceland: a pair of hiking boots and a pair of walking shoes. If you have waterproof hiking shoes that will be best as they’ll likely get very wet in the course of your travels, either from the weather or from trekking through wet ground. Next, pack a pair of nice walking shoes. We packed a nice pair of tennis shoes that looked a bit dressy so we could wear them out to dinners.
Additionally, you’ll want to make sure you pack a good set of warm weather accessories: hat, gloves and scarf. These were a nice way for us to get added warmth without having to wear a winter jacket. While you may be tempted to leave these at home, they were one of the most used things in our backpack for Iceland in the July.
If you’re planning on visiting an Icelandic hot spring (and we think you should), make sure to pack a swimsuit. Whatever swimsuit you love should be just fine as a majority of people at hot springs are tourists. However, if you want to visit a public pool, consider wearing a one-piece as swimming in Iceland is a serious sport and that is how Icelandic swimmers dress. We packed two swimsuits as we went swimming almost every day and didn’t want to put on a wet suit.
I trust that I don’t need to tell you how to pack underwear and PJs as you wear those just the same as you do anywhere else in the world.
Toiletries to Pack
Make sure to bring all of your own toiletries to Iceland. It was uncommon for us to find basics at the hotels we stayed in so don’t rely on your hotel for shampoo and conditioner (we also went on a very budget level vacation).
One thing we used a lot in Iceland was lip balm. With the wind and the sun taking turns, your lips become chapped pretty quickly.
Don’t, don’t, don’t forget your medication. Even over the counter medication is near impossible to get in Iceland while traveling.
If you’re planning on visiting the Lake Myvatn area, make sure to pack bug spray or bug repellent. We packed spray but that didn’t work on them. So we wore the ever stylish bug face net instead – honestly we would recommend this. But we get this fashion choice isn’t for everyone.
When you pack for Iceland in the summer, you need to remember that you will have a ton of daylight. So if you haven’t ensure that all of your accommodations have blackout shades, you really want to pack a face mask for sleeping. We don’t normally use these, but they were a must-pack for Iceland.
Outdoor Gear To Pack For Iceland
Don’t forget your sunglasses. While it may rain a lot in Iceland, the sun does come out. And when it does it is bright as it reflects off of all that water and snow.
If you plan on visiting any of the outdoor pools in Iceland, or better yet wild hot springs, make sure to pack your quick dry towels. We used ours daily so that quick dry factor came in handy.
While we didn’t take trekking poles to Iceland, there were a few hikes where we wish we had them. The hike to Reykjadalur Hot Springs had a lot of elevation change and several slippery spots where these poles would have come in handy. However, we didn’t need them. So if it’s something you want to pack for Iceland it’s up to you.
Electronics and Camera Equipment
We packed our camera, a good general purpose lens and a wide angle lens. Additionally, we packed a good zoom lens as we were really excited about puffin spotting in Iceland. We always travel with two batteries and two memory cards – just in case one dies/fills up.
If you’d like to take some fun waterfall photography, don’t forget to pack your tripod. We also packed several filters as we were frequently shooting water in lots of different lighting.
You do need an adaptor in Iceland if you’re coming from the US. Iceland uses the European plug (two round prongs). We love this universal adaptor which is great if you travel a lot.
Things To Pack For Iceland To Save You Money
Don’t forget to pack your water bottle or hydration pack for Iceland. Iceland has some of the best water in the world and if you pack these things, you’ll get to enjoy this water while saving money.
We always pack snacks when we travel. However, definitely do this for Iceland because food is very expensive. We packed snacks, lunch food and breakfast food for our entire Iceland vacation.
Baggage for Iceland
We packed all of this in a suitcase as we were traveling by car. Suitcases fit nicely into a trunk and it is so easy to sort through without having to lug it everywhere with us with our packing cubes. We always pack travel cubes to keep it neat and tidy. Additionally, rather than walk a hulking suitcase to our accommodations each night, we just took the cubes that we needed into our rooms.
For our carry-on, we always use our hydration packs. Our large sized hydration packs also served as our day packs on hikes or even in town as we explored Iceland.
Lastly, we packed our dry bag as well as we knew we would be doing a lot of hiking to hot springs and outdoor pools. These bags would even be a good idea if you planned on hiking in the rain as well. And while you’re at it, toss in that waterproof phone case as well so you can take photos even if it’s raining or if you’re in a thermal pool.
What Not To Pack In Iceland
Just leave behind the shorts and sandals – even if you’re packing for Iceland in the summer. It likely won’t get warm enough to wear them and they’ll just take up space in your suitcase. And if you layered well, you’ll be able to cool down by removing those layers rather than changing.
Also, do your best to leave behind the cotton. It you do get wet, it doesn’t dry as easily and could leave you or your suitcase wet.
Additionally, ladies can leave behind the dresses as well. While you may want/need a nice outfit for going out to dinner, don’t pack a dress/skirt as they aren’t as warm or versatile as pant/shirt combos.
While you may also be tempted to pack those accessories – don’t. Have you ever actually worn accessories on vacation or is that just us? Either way, you’ll likely be bundled up in outer layers or scarves and no one will see those cool necklaces.
You can leave behind your winter coat too. While the weather in Iceland get’s cool, it never really gets cold in the summer time. And you most likely will not see snow in the summer unless you’re hiking on glaciers.
Don’t pack your wool sweater. Buy one in Iceland instead. They’re one of the most popular Icelandic souvenirs and they are top quality.
While it rains all the time, leave behind the umbrella. The wind will likely be too strong for you to manage holding an umbrella – rain jackets and pants really are the way to go.
We hope this has helped to solve the mystery of what to pack for Iceland in the summer. We hope this helps you to plan your own Iceland vacation and we think summer is the best time to visit! If you have any additional tips or questions, please leave a comment below.
