pgmark
St. Louis
I am not sure when to go because winter is too cold and I cant get around, summer is too bright, preventing me from seeing the northern lights, and fall is too rainy, also keeping me from seeing them, so I was thinking spring. Would I be able to get around (drive to Golden Circle, Jokulsarlon, Lake Myvatn, Snaefells Peninsula, etc) in late March or early/mid April? Considering where I want to go and that I want to see the northern lights, when would you suggest I go? Thanks!
oye vey is
Along The Way
You’ll need to go in the winter or autumn in order to see the northern lights, and you need to be outside (of course) to see the lights, so you’ll have to be creative in order to stay warm. I had my best luck viewing northern lights in late-October from a remote hotel in the Westfjords where they have a HUGE pool of hot water. It was snowing but I was plenty warm (even too warm) in the hot water, floating on my back, gazing up at the sky. Here is the link for the hotel: http://www.rnes.is/english/. Good luck!
Peter Turner
Whitehorse
pgmark is right… Iceland is so far north that until September the sky won’t be dark enough to be able to see Norther Lights. Ditto after mid April.
Wear your long underwear!
Cheers!
pgmark
St. Louis
Were you able to get around ok in February? I understand that the roads are largely not passable in the winter. Is that true?
Katy
Anchorage
Going around the whole island in February can be tricky. We did it in April and still hit a white out on the north end. If you do try to go around Iceland at that time, make sure you have a 4wd vehicle, a charged cell phone, blankets or extra jackets and water in case you get stuck. Help is available but not always timely. We didn’t get stuck in the white out but visibility was from yellow stake to yellow stake and we drove only 19km an hour. Pretty slow going.
Driving around the main cities at that time is no problem….unless there is a big storm.
adrielind
Philadelphia
Hi – I spent the first week in April in Iceland. I found it nice enough to drive all around and still dark enough at night to see the northern lights.
