International · Iceland
Iceland
Fire, ice and empty roads
Overview
Overview
Iceland is a geology lesson you can drive through. The Ring Road links glacier lagoons, black-sand coasts, thundering waterfalls and geothermal valleys, and in winter the whole thing sits under the aurora.
We build Iceland as either a summer midnight-sun circuit or a winter aurora and ice-cave journey, always with private guiding — the difference between a good and a great Iceland trip is entirely the person driving.
Plan your Iceland journey
Use our bespoke Northern Lights itinerary as a starting point, explore signature journeys, or speak to a travel designer about a route tailored to your dates and interests.
When to go
Best time to visit
February to March and September to October give the best aurora odds with manageable road conditions. June and July bring the midnight sun and full access to the highlands.
Aurora season
Sep – Mar
Dark skies. Late Feb and March balance aurora with drivable roads.
PeakMidnight sun
Jun – Jul
Twenty-one hours of light, highlands and F-roads open.
PeakShoulder
Apr – May
Puffins arrive, waterfalls at full melt, fewer visitors.
GoodDeep winter
Dec – Jan
Ice caves at their best, but only four hours of daylight.
ShoulderPractical
Visa, currency, weather and flights
Visa
Iceland is in the Schengen area, so Indian passport holders need a Schengen short-stay visa. Iceland has limited representation in India, and applications are frequently routed through another Schengen mission — we identify the correct one for your itinerary and manage the appointment.
Full visa guide →Currency
Icelandic Króna (ISK). Effectively a cashless country. Cards work everywhere, including remote fuel pumps — carry a card with a PIN.
Weather
Changeable rather than simply cold. Wind is the real factor. Layers, a hard shell and proper boots matter more than a heavy coat.
Flights
One stop via London, Frankfurt, Paris, Copenhagen or Helsinki into Keflavík; 14–18h total from Delhi or Mumbai. We usually add a night in the connecting city on the outbound to arrive fresh.
| Period | Temperature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jun – Aug | 9–15°C | Cool summer, near-endless daylight |
| Sep – Oct | 3–10°C | Autumn colour, first auroras |
| Nov – Feb | -3–4°C | Snow, ice caves, short days |
| Mar – May | 0–9°C | Thaw, strong aurora into March |
| Delhi → Reykjavík (1 stop) | 14h – 17h | Lufthansa via Frankfurt, Finnair via Helsinki |
| Mumbai → Reykjavík (1 stop) | 15h – 18h | Lufthansa, Air France, SAS |
| Reykjavík → Akureyri | 45m domestic | Icelandair Connect |
Where to stay
Hotels we recommend
Grindavík · Geothermal spa hotel
The Retreat at Blue Lagoon
Subterranean spa and a private lagoon wing, built into an 800-year-old lava flow.
Troll Peninsula · Eleven Experience lodge
Deplar Farm
A converted sheep farm with heli-skiing, sea angling and a floating geothermal pool.
South Iceland · Aurora lodge
Hotel Rangá
Observatory, wake-up aurora calls and outdoor hot tubs under dark sky.
Southeast · Contemporary
Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon
Perfectly placed for Jökulsárlón at first light.
Selfoss · Turf-house suites
Torfhús Retreat
Stone-and-turf villas with private geothermal baths.
Highlights
Things to do
Ice cave inside Vatnajökull
Crystal-blue vaults inside Europe's largest glacier, with a certified glacier guide.
Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach
Icebergs calving into a lagoon and stranding on black sand.
Aurora chase with a photographer
Cloud-map-led, with tripod and camera settings handled for you.
Snorkel Silfra fissure
Between two tectonic plates in glacial meltwater with 100-metre visibility.
Highland super-jeep to Landmannalaugar
Rhyolite mountains, hot rivers, roads no rental car may legally use.
Suggested route
Our suggested Iceland journey
- 1
Arrive Keflavík
Private transfer to The Retreat. Blue Lagoon at dusk.
- 2
Golden Circle
Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss with a geologist guide.
- 3
South coast
Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Reynisfjara black sands, Vík.
- 4
Glacier country
Ice cave inside Vatnajökull, Jökulsárlón at golden hour.
- 5
East fjords
Empty roads, fishing villages, reindeer, aurora watch.
- 6
North to Akureyri
Dettifoss, Mývatn geothermal fields, Forest Lagoon.
- 7
Troll Peninsula
Deplar Farm — heli or horses depending on season.
- 8
Depart
Fly Akureyri–Keflavík and connect home.
Gallery
Iceland in pictures
Questions
Frequently asked
Guest stories
What our travellers say
Aurora on four of seven nights, because our guide kept moving us to clear sky. The ice cave was the most beautiful place I have stood in.
Nandini & Arjun Rao
Hyderabad · Iceland Ring Road, 8 nights
I drive fast cars for fun and I was still glad we had a guide in February. Roads changed character every hour.
Faisal Merchant
Mumbai · Winter Iceland, 7 nights
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