December touches the island and turns everything into a magical winter wonderland in the same way Elsa does in Frozen. But instead of the theme song being “Let it go!” it should be “Let’s go!” to anyone who has ever thought about visiting Iceland during the winter season when everything seems ready to feature in a Hallmark Christmas movie.
So, if you’ve been wondering what mid-winter in Iceland looks like, whether it’ll be the right time for you to visit the island, and how to prepare and plan for your trip – read on. We give you the insider lowdown.
Iceland’s Weather in December
One of the first questions we get from those considering coming to Iceland in December is about what the weather is like. So, below is a detailed breakdown of what you can expect from the weather in Iceland during your December trip to the island:
Iceland’s Temperature in December
It should come as no surprise that December in Iceland is pretty cold, but surprisingly, not as cold as many think when the concept of winter in a country called Iceland comes to mind.
Temperatures generally range between -2 and 4 degrees Celsius, with the average temperature in Iceland in December being about 0 degrees.
Iceland’s Wind Speeds in December
We’re not gonna lie; our legendary winds can become quite challenging during the winter season and have been known to rip car doors off their hinges at a staggering 35+ kilometers an hour. Luckily, the general average tends to be around 25 kilometers an hour, and the winds are manageable as long as you know what to expect and are prepared.
Iceland’s Rainfall in December
December in Iceland is known as one of our wettest months of the year. Still, it’s important to note that rainfall isn’t always the culprit – our snowfall, and especially sleet contributes heavily to these conditions. Generally, there tends to be roughly 32 mm of pure rainfall throughout the year.
Iceland’s Snowfall in December
As one of the months with the most snowfall here in Iceland, you’re looking at an average of about 499 mm of snow throughout December. This isn’t so bad considering that this is what turns the island into the picturesque winter wonderland people love, and it’s easily managed when one comes prepared.
Iceland’s Daylight Hours in December
Iceland’s daylight hours are few and far between in December, but that’s also why you have such great odds of spotting the Northern Lights in Iceland in December. You’ll experience an average of about 4 hours of daylight each day, with the sun rising at roughly 10:45 each morning and setting around 16:00 each evening.
Camping During a December Trip in Iceland
We are not about to recommend that you Bear Grylls your way through our extreme winter weather with a little tent. But there are a lot of benefits to camping in Iceland, and you don’t need to “rough” it. While some campsites are closed (especially those in the harsher northern regions and those that can be challenging to reach during the colder months of the year), “camping” is still a great option for those traveling in motorhomes or campervans.
This way, you can go camping in warmth and comfort. Camping is a great way to get close to the action here in Iceland. There really are no better spots for some of our natural wonders and attractions here on the island. Where else can you open your door right onto one of our famous waterfalls or gigantic glaciers?
So, camping in Iceland can be a very immersive experience. It’s also the most budget-friendly accommodation option, which means that camping can make your holiday budget stretch much further. If you purchase the Camping Card, you can take further advantage of discounts across multiple campgrounds around the country, adding to your savings.
What to Know About Driving During a December Trip in Iceland
Driving during December in Iceland can be challenging, especially for those who consider themselves nervous drivers or those who don’t need to deal with snow and ice during the winters in their home country. But, once again, if you know what to expect and come prepared, getting around shouldn’t be that much of a hassle. Just keep the following helpful tips and advice in mind:
Take our annually closed routes into consideration when planning your trip. Whether a day outing or a full-blown road trip, you don’t want to plan out an entire route that’s never been possible to drive in the first place.
Keep your trip itinerary flexible since you don’t want any sudden road closures to completely derail your trip.
Talk to your rental agent about your proposed routes. They can give you some insider info (even some further discount offers with partners), advise you on which type of vehicle you should use, and tell you which rental insurance your proposed trip will likely require (for example, a trip down the coast will definitely require Sand and Ash Protection with our winter winds).
Make sure you’ve got all the winter vehicle essentials, such as an ice scraper and snow tires (these could come with your rental or at an additional cost, or you might need to organize these for yourself here on the island).
Why Go to Iceland in December?
To us, visiting Iceland in December is a no-brainer. We can’t imagine someone not wanting to see and experience this incredible winter wonderland. But the reality is that there are pros and cons to everything, and whether it’s personal preference or what’s on your Iceland bucket list, December might not be the right fit. To help you establish pretty quickly whether December will work for you, we’ve created this handy pros and cons overview:
Pros
Winter is one of the best postcard moments you’ll ever find here on the island. You’ll experience the picturesque setting of a country almost frozen in time, draped in a thick blanket of snow, ice, and festive lights, almost contending to find out which glistens and shines the brightest.
Our festive season gets its fair share of visitors to the island. Still, it’s not even close to the amounts of people flocking to the island during our summer peak season. This makes it an excellent time to visit if you’re not one for crowds, and it makes visiting local attractions and making bookings for things such as accommodation and transport much easier.
Although you’ll find a certain amount of festive season price hikes, just like you would at home, it’s still not as bad as during our peak season.
As mentioned, the combination of few daylight hours and weather conditions make it the perfect time to go Northern Lights hunting.
There are quite a few seasonal activities that can only be enjoyed during the winter here in Iceland. This includes skiing and ice cave exploring (since most of our ice caves are closed throughout the warmer months due to safety concerns).
Cons
While you’ll get to experience one of our most famous natural wonders due to the few daylight hours, this inevitably means that you won’t experience the other, the Midnight Sun, which requires the maximum amount of daylight hours.
The annual road closures can be problematic for those who envisioned thoroughly road-tripping the island, especially when it comes to regions such as the Highlands and the Westfjords.
As we already touched on, the winter weather conditions can be quite challenging to some, especially if they’re not used to driving in extreme winds with roads covered in snow and ice.
You might still spot an interesting bird or two, see a whale from afar, or even catch a glimpse of our shy Arctic Fox. Still, winter is not the best season if you’re counting on checking out our wildlife, especially not if you want to go whale watching (our whale watching season ends in September, after which all the migratory whale species move on), and the Iceland Puffins would’ve gone back to sea after their breeding season ends in August.
Helpful Tips When Visiting Iceland in December
If this is your first time to the island or the first time you’ll be spending December in Iceland, the following tips and advice will be helpful:
Always dress in layers. The contrast between the outdoors and indoors is pretty huge during December in Iceland, so you’ll need to ensure that you can always put something on or take something off, depending on the conditions.
Keep a close eye on the Icelandic weather forecast and the Iceland road conditions, especially before heading out. This will help you avoid any issues on the roads or heading into bad weather.
In preparation for one of the wettest months of the year, please bring a raincoat and waterproof clothing – leave your umbrella at home. Our Icelandic winds will ensure it doesn’t even survive the first day.
Packing for Iceland in December
If you’re wondering what clothes to pack for Iceland in December or what’s considered essential items for the season, the following should be helpful:
It may seem entirely counterintuitive for a winter season in a country called Iceland, but remember to pack your swimwear to use at our hot springs.
Also, ensure that you pack a quick-drying towel since a regular towel will only result in you having to schlepp a bunch of wet stuff around.
You may only get about 4 hours of daylight each day, but the sun reflecting off the ice and snow can be an absolute killer on the eyes, so remember to pack your sunglasses (once again, utterly counterintuitive to the season).
Bringing moisturizer and lip balm is crucial. Trust us on this one; you haven’t known dry till you’ve visited Iceland in December.
The Perfect Trip Itinerary When Spending December in Iceland
If you’re traveling to Iceland in December and are at a loss when it comes to what to see and do, these are a few things to fill up your trip itinerary with:
Lounge around in our hot springs like Kvika Footbath or Sky Lagoon.
Book a spot on a tour of the ice caves like the Crystal Cave.
Explore the island via a horseback riding tour on the back of one of the island’s own, the Icelandic Horse.
Become a temporary Viking by having your Viking portrait taken at Mink Studios or joining in on a Viking feast in the Viking Village.
Road trip one of our well-maintained main roads and routes, such as the Ring Road or the Golden Circle.
Visit one of our interesting museums like The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft or The Icelandic Phallological Museum.
Go on a Christmas shopping spree on Laugavegur, our infamous shopping street in the capital city.
Check out some of our most famous waterfalls, such as Svartifoss and Seljalandsfoss (many of which will seem frozen in time during December).
Explore our glaciers either by hiking, riding in Super Jeeps, or cruising across the icy surface on snowmobiles.
Visit some of our most popular ski resorts, such as Hildarfjall in Akureyri or Arctic Heli Skiing in Dalvik.
Need More Help with Your December Trip to Iceland?
This article should give you a good idea of what to expect and how to plan and prep for a December trip to Iceland, but if you have any other questions or would like some help booking tours, you’re more than welcome to reach out to us at Travel to Iceland. We enjoy nothing more than showing you the Iceland we know and love and helping you have the experience of your dreams!
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