Iceland Packing List Winter Edition: Essentials For Your Iceland Adventures

This post is a complete Iceland packing list winter edition and covers the essentials on what to pack for a trip to Iceland.

Iceland is known for many things; volcanos, beautiful waterfalls, glaciers, the aurora borealis, and geothermal hot pools. It’s truly an outdoor lovers dream! I’ve visited Iceland many times in the spring, summer and winter seasons and I’m here to share all my tips and tricks to make your Iceland adventures incredible. Don’t forget to grab a free printable Iceland packing list winter edition at the end of this post to help you prepare for your trip!

This is the ultimate Iceland packing list winter edition.

Iceland in the Winter

Winter in Iceland is not for the faint of heart. All year round the weather in Iceland is much different than you’re probably used to. Firstly, there are aggressive winds with many reports of winds strong enough to severely damage car doors. Next, the winter temperatures can range from 0 degrees Celsius to -20 degrees Celsius. Lastly, there may be only 4-7 hours of daylight depending on what month you’re travelling in. This is why it’s particularly important to pack appropriately so you’re prepared for winter in Iceland. If you’re planning on driving, be sure to review Iceland winter road safety. If you don’t have winter driving experience, I recommend visiting at another time of year, or joining a tour with an experienced driver.

Now that we’ve covered the weather and safety tips, I obviously need to highlight that there are so many incredible things about Iceland in the winter including the Northern Lights, frozen waterfalls, and ice caves! Additionally, the winter hiking is incredible! If you plan to hike in the winter I recommend bringing or renting spikes or crampons as the trails can be icy. Just note that spikes/crampons can’t go in your carry-on luggage and need to be checked under the plane. If you’re looking for more Iceland trip planning resources you check out this Silfra Fissure Snorkelling Guide and this complete Guide to Iceland’s Golden Circle.

Travel Essentials

Backpack

Personally, I find it easiest to travel to a country that has so many outdoor and active activities with a backpack. If that’s not available to you, then definitely bringing a day bag for activities such as hiking and sightseeing. My favourite travel backpack and day bag are from Decathlon. Both of these bags are really affordable and I’ve also used them while on a 6 month backpacking trip through Southeast Asia. Both came back still looking brand new, so from a durability standpoint they are really excellent.

Water Bottle

Iceland has some of the cleanest drinking water in the world so there is no need to buy bottled water! Bring a reusable water bottle and fill up directly from the tap for free. I recommend bringing a durable hard sized water bottle to keep your water cool throughout the day.

Towel

There are so many incredible hot spring stops in Iceland, many are hidden and off the beaten path so ensuring you have a travel towel to use during these adventures is essential! I’ve used this affordable Decathlon towel on all of my travels and really love it! You can also find a slightly smaller but still affordable option on Amazon.

Sunglasses

Even in the winter sunglasses are an essential, especially if you are driving. The sun reflecting off the bright white snow can definitely be hard on your eyes! I recommend these sunglasses from Goodr, they are great for adventuring.

Technology

Ensure you have all of your required technology such as your charging cables, camera, battery packs, memory cards, and headphones. You can keep your technology organized in one of these bags.

Travel Insurance

Having travel insurance is essential for any trip incase of an emergency. If you don’t already have travel coverage as part of your health plan then I recommend you look at World Nomads. I’ve used them for years, submitted multiple claims and it’s been a very smooth and easy process.

Medications

Please ensure you always travel with any required medications as you may not be able to purchase them in another country. In addition, I always bring some pain medication, nausea medications and anti-diarrheals, because well, you never know! This little organizer provides a great way to travel with your medications.

Clothing

Outerwear

Outerwear for Iceland in winter includes a warm winter jacket, snow pants, hat, neck warmer and winter gloves. As stated earlier in this article, the wind in Iceland can be brutal so protecting yourself from the cold wind with all of these items is essential!

My favourite versatile winter jacket is the Burton Prowess Jacket. This is the ultimate jacket for hiking, skiing or really any winter sport. A more affordable jacket option that is also fantastic for all types of winter sports can be found at Decathlon such as the SNB 500 or MT 900. You can also find excellent snow pants at Decathlon like these hiking pants that will keep you warm down to -18 degree Celsius.

In my opinion these are the best winter mittens, I have used mine for years and I love the leash that you can attach to your wrist so you never lose a mitten. Underneath my mittens I usually wear a glove so that my hands are still protected when I take off my mits to take photos or use my phone. These gloves are great for that. Lastly, a good fleece lined hat like this one is essential for an Iceland trip during the winter! And don’t forget a fleece lined neck warmer like this one to keep the cold wind off your neck during your outdoor adventures.

Tops

The most important part of dressing for a winter adventure is layers! You can add more or reduce layers based on the weather and the activity. I recommend bringing additional tops depending on the length of your trip but start with 2-3 knit sweaters and layer them on top of 2-3 warm base layer options. You can buy a traditional Icelandic sweater during your trip as well which would be a fun and useful souvenir! Those sweaters can be a little expensive though, so for a budget option I’ve listed a few cute sweaters and effective base layers below:

• Nordic style sweater
• Waffle knit mock neck sweater
• Classic striped knit sweater
• Simple black base layer
• Simple white base layer
• Turtleneck style base layer

Bottoms

Bottoms are another area where you can layer to keep yourself warm during hikes, walks around the colourful Icelandic cities and outdoor adventures such as exploring the ice caves. I always recommend wearing a base layer, then add on top either a stylish layer such as jeans for walking around the city, or your snow pants for outdoor adventures like hiking. Merino wool is a great base layer or you can opt for something more athletic like these.

Other Clothing Essentials

Other clothing essentials to consider include a swimsuit for the hot springs and thermal pools. One swimsuit should be suitable. If you plan on hiking to thermal rivers and natural hot springs then I recommend packing an athletic swimsuit you are comfortable in so you don’t have to change into your swimsuit after the hike.

Other items to consider are undergarments. I recommend packing a few sports bras in addition to your regular bras and underwear. The sports bras can be useful for your active adventure days such as hiking on glaciers and up to waterfalls.

Lastly, don’t forget cozy warm socks! I recommend bringing high socks to prevent discomfort in your snow boots or hiking boots. Merino wool socks like these ones are a great option!

Shoes

The type of shoes you will need in Iceland will depend on the type of activities you are doing. For everyone hitting the main sites and not doing any long hiking expeditions I recommend a comfortable pair of winter boots or winter hiking boots. These boots should have a good grip as in the winter you may encounter icy trails.

The second pair of footwear I recommend bringing are flip flops or water shoes. These are great to have for the natural thermal pools as the bottoms are often rocky, and for use in the public showers/change rooms at hot springs such as the Blue Lagoon and Myvatn Nature Baths.

Toiletries

Toiletries for this Iceland packing list winter edition will include your standard hair care products, body wash and body lotion. The air in Iceland can be quite dry so I recommend bringing a moisturizing face cream to help prevent dry skin. Just because it’s winter you can’t forget about sunscreen, the sun is still strong in Iceland even though the daylight hours are shorter! Lastly, definitely bring the travel essentials such as hand sanitizer and a first aid kit.

Additions for Van Life in Iceland

Van life in Iceland is one of the most magical experiences! If you like pushing your comfort zone and trying new things then I highly recommend doing all or part of your trip in a campervan. Van life comes with a couple of extra essentials that you’ll need to add to your Iceland packing list winter edition. Depending on your rental company you may not need some of these items as they may supply them. Regardless these are good things to research and ask about when looking for your campervan.

Sleeping Bag and Travel Pillow

Some camper companies provide these and some are available to rent for an additional charge. Both times I did van life in Iceland I brought my own as it made me most comfortable and I knew the temperature rating was accurate. You can read more about my sleep system here as it is the same as my camping sleep system.

Travel Mug

This is personal preference – I love a reusable coffee mug for my morning coffee. My favourite brand is Stojo as their mugs are packable!

Car Power Adaptor

Depending on the car or camper you rent, you may need this to charge your phone and camera. Some companies include them or offer them to rent.

Baby Wipes, Sanitizing Wipes and Toilet Paper

These three items are hugely beneficial for van life! Baby wipes are great for a day that you are camping somewhere without showers and can use the baby wipes to feel fresh after a long day of adventures! Sanitizing wipes are great for keeping your hands clean as you won’t have easy access to running water to wash your hands. Toilet paper is great to have handy especially if you don’t have your own bathroom in the van. Some of the washrooms you will stop to use along the way may be not be fully stocked with the essentials!

Food

Food for your van life trip will look a little different since you will be cooking in the van. Of course depending on your budget you could also purchase each meal from restaurants for the duration of your trip. Regardless, some days you might be staying in remote towns with few food options so it’s always good to have extra food with you. For those on a budget, the food in Iceland can be pretty pricey. If you have space in your luggage, I’d recommend bringing a few travel approved things from home such as noodle soups, oatmeal, coffee, and snacks. Don’t forget to check travel requirements before you leave to ensure you’re bringing travel approved food items. Then, once you arrive in Iceland you can purchase any fresh food items that you might need from the grocery store.

Headlamp

A headlamp is essential for van life especially in the winter months where there are limited daylight hours. It’s great for those late night trips to the campground washroom or for hiking out to your northern light viewing spot. This is a great affordable rechargeable headlamp option – I’ve had this exact version since 2021. I’ve taken it on a variety of trips both abroad and in the Canadian backcountry, it’s very durable and still in perfect condition!

Quick Dry Face Towel

In addition to a quick dry body towel, I find a small quick dry face towel like this one really helpful when I’m travelling! I like to be able to take a small towel to the campground washroom in the morning to wash my face. Then I just hang it by the little loop in the back of the van to dry as we start driving for the day.

Hanging Toiletry Bag

This option is not necessary but it’s nice to have! Many public washrooms or campground washrooms have very little counter space or the counter might be dirty/soaking wet. This makes it hard to have a spot to put your toiletries when you are getting ready for the day or getting ready for bed. I like to bring a hanging toiletry bag that I can hang on a doorknob or the back or the door which allows me to grab my items quickly as I complete my routine.

This post was all about the ultimate Iceland packing list winter edition. I hope this helps when planning your Iceland adventure!

Don’t forget to grab your free printable Iceland packing list below: