p.1 #1 · When is the best time to viit Iceland w/ minimal crowds
After 10 years of Chronic Kidney Disese, I may get a live donor to genearously donate a kidney to me in another week and I can live a more normal life again. One of the places I really wanted to visit all these years has been Iceland. I can't do it for a year so perhaps in 2027, but I'm wondering when wouuld be the best time to visit? I want to avoid the heavy tourist season!
I'd like to rent a car and go around the island and then I'd like to hire someone to drive me to the best places to photoraph the Highland of Iceland. I've always been fascinated by the Iceland Highland. My guess is the best time to go to avoid the tourists is either early spring or later fall? We visited Great Britain in early spring and other then some rain, it was a fantatic time to visit.
Also, I want to make sure that the roads (mostly unpaved) are open so my guess is we're talking about fall to avoid snow? Does anyone know anyone that is real experienced with taking people through the Highland to see the best of the best?
Thanks.
Bill Samuels
p.1 #2 · When is the best time to viit Iceland w/ minimal crowds
Following because I’m also looking into some travel plans to Iceland next year too. Mainly trying to see the Northern Lights, but also trying to drive the full Golden Circle loop. I’m currently thinking mid-September to early October to try and take care of both in one trip. It’ll be around the fall equinox, where general solar activity is higher to increase my chances of seeing auroras and to avoid some of the more impactful winter weather. I’ve looked into the highlands briefly, but it looks like you’ll mostly be targeting late July into August for the most snow to melt and maybe early September at the latest. With all the snowmelt comes all the water going everywhere and I am not experienced enough to drive both off-road and do water crossings at the same time comfortably.
p.1 #3 · When is the best time to viit Iceland w/ minimal crowds
Hey Astralbyte,
Not sure when the better season is? We went to Great Britain in March 2023 and it was pouring and then clear. I'm sold on traveling before and after the crowds take over! You get to meet the locals who come out to play before their cities are taken over by tourists. You also get a lot more local stories about where to go and what to do before the crowds hit them up hour after hour.
I wouldn't recommend off-roading in Iceland unless you really know what you're doing. Not that I've been there, but I used to be a hard-core off-roader when I was in my 20's to 40's. I've been on tons of no-name roads in WA, CA, OR, NV, WY, you get the point. You have to rent a car and unless you examine the contract really well, you could be hit really hard if you bring the car back with any scratches, not less blown tires. I'm still dealing with the big car rental company in Europe because after we bought "tire and glass" insurance on top of every other insurance they sell, they're trying to make me pay for the tire that blew out on the road.
I know there is an increasing number of photo-tour companies that will take either groups or even single parties through the center of the country for days of true wilderness and photo adventures. I met a guy who even takes handicap people in his Subaru Forester. He's a photographer pro himself, but he's local born and knows the the "Highland" like the back of hands! I've been told that in Iceland, it's the Highland and NOT the Highlands like in Scotland.
p.1 #4 · When is the best time to viit Iceland w/ minimal crowds
Absolute best time to avoid the tourists is the dead of winter... but you get very short days, unpredictable weather, brutal winds, and inaccessible highlands. Depending on your expectations and goals the very short days can be beneficial. I was in Alaska in January when the sun rose at 10am and set around 3pm. But it also never went very high on the horizon so it was like a 5 hr sunrise. As long as you did not want to switch locations in a single day it was quite nice, you could get beautiful alpenglow on the peaks at any time of day.
p.1 #5 · When is the best time to viit Iceland w/ minimal crowds
We did a two week private guided tour of Iceland with Mountain Taxi. Great company which can assist with arrangements to suit your desires.. They are Iceland based and will assure that you see the best that this country has to offer.
Wishing you all the best on your health journey and future travels.
p.1 #6 · When is the best time to viit Iceland w/ minimal crowds
I was in Iceland a few years ago in August and it was pretty amazing but crowded at the popular stops closer to Reykjavik but once you got farther out it was not crowded. I have a friend who lives in Iceland who says September is the nicest time to visit. I did a small group photo tour, there were only 4 or 5 of us but a private guided tour sounds great!
I didn't do the whole circle tour but went along the south coast over 4 night, 5 days. I was feeling tired towards the end of the tour and when I got back to Reykjavik I took a COVID test and it was positive so I couldn't do some of the other sites I had wanted to do. I would be happy to go back sometime.
p.1 #7 · When is the best time to viit Iceland w/ minimal crowds
billsamuels wrote:
After 10 years of Chronic Kidney Disese, I may get a live donor to genearously donate a kidney to me in another week and I can live a more normal life again. One of the places I really wanted to visit all these years has been Iceland. I can't do it for a year so perhaps in 2027, but I'm wondering when wouuld be the best time to visit? I want to avoid the heavy tourist season!
I'd like to rent a car and go around the island and then I'd like to hire someone to drive me to the best places to photoraph the Highland of Iceland. I've always been fascinated by the Iceland Highland. My guess is the best time to go to avoid the tourists is either early spring or later fall? We visited Great Britain in early spring and other then some rain, it was a fantatic time to visit.
Also, I want to make sure that the roads (mostly unpaved) are open so my guess is we're talking about fall to avoid snow? Does anyone know anyone that is real experienced with taking people through the Highland to see the best of the best?
Thanks.
Bill Samuels...Show more →
You won't have any issues with crowds if you go into the actual highlands. But note that if you want to do that, you only have about 1 month where the roads in there are more or less guaranteed to be open — August. I went in June a couple of years ago and the highlands were still completely snowed in. I went into the highlands for a few days the August before that and it was spectacular. The snow-free time period unfortunately coincides perfectly with peak tourist season, but the crowds really aren't bad as soon as you venture off of the Golden Circle.
You can check the road conditions at road.is. Even now in July, you can see the roads in the deeper highlands are snowed in. For sure you'll want to drive out to Langisjór.
Talk to Thor at icelandinmotion.is. I've spent about two weeks touring around with him all over Iceland.
treacle wrote:
I was in Iceland a few years ago in August and it was pretty amazing but crowded at the popular stops closer to Reykjavik but once you got farther out it was not crowded. I have a friend who lives in Iceland who says September is the nicest time to visit. I did a small group photo tour, there were only 4 or 5 of us but a private guided tour sounds great!
I didn't do the whole circle tour but went along the south coast over 4 night, 5 days. I was feeling tired towards the end of the tour and when I got back to Reykjavik I took a COVID test and it was positive so I couldn't do some of the other sites I had wanted to do. I would be happy to go back sometime.
I'd have thought Iceland would be about the least likely place to catch covid, but I caught it there too! First and so far only time. Got suspicious when I couldn't smell the sulfuric stench of the area around Mývatn...
p.1 #8 · When is the best time to viit Iceland w/ minimal crowds
Below is more of a question than a statement:
I have always assumed that if you want to avoid crowds when photographing at popular spots in Iceland you actually might be able to do that easier in the summer months during the period when the sun sets at midnight and rises a couple hours later.
My logic/thought process:
During the day will obviously be much more crowded but normal tourists will not be out and about at midnight and later they will be asleep so you should have the photography places of interest relatively empty during periods of best light.
In contrast to during dead of winter there will be much less tourists about but with such few hours of daylight and such a late sunrise and early sunset everyone there photographer and tourists alike will be at the points of interest by sunrise and at sunset.
Of course above assumes you would visit in the summer but keep Vampire type hours during your trip which is not something for everyone.
