Walking Holidays in Iceland

The best time to visit Iceland? Some would say anytime. However, for others, the seasons could have an impact. Avid hikers will enjoy June, July, and August which offer plenty of hours of daylight. Those looking to escape the crowds should lap up the shoulder months of May, June, September and October. If the Northern lights is your reason to visit September and October are typically the best months.

When is best to see the Northern lights in Iceland?

Iceland is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights thanks to its location at high latitude. The Aurora are visible from early September through to the end of April, however, it does depend on luck, the weather, location and solar activity. Our Destination specialist Minna was lucky enough to catch them on her drive and hike adventure, you can find out more here.

It’s often said you have the best chance of spotting them from 9 pm to 2 am. The perfect conditions are a late-night in October or November time and far away from the city lights. It will be so worth it the second you see those majestic colours dancing in the sky. Happy hunting!

Iceland's Hot Springs

This is another popular reason to visit Iceland, and it is worth the hype! There is no better way to relax after a long day’s hike than in a geothermal fuelled milky bath also known as Hot Springs. The pools in Reykjavik ‘Blue Lagoon’ are open all year round, however there are also hidden gems to be explored around the country which are free, and much more relaxing. Macs Adventure would recommend late September/October when you miss the busy crowds, but the mountain roads are not yet closed.

Important points to note on Iceland

• If you want to travel in the summer months book well in advance: accommodations fill up fast between June through to August.
• If looking to explore by car, avoid the winter months (late October to June) a lot of the minor roads are un-passable by car and not for the faint-hearted

If you are interested in visiting the land of Fire and Ice with its dramatic natural wonders, check out our range of Iceland itineraries.

More Iceland Inspiration

Read some great blog posts on Iceland from Macs Adventure:

• 10 Great Reasons to Visit Iceland
• 12 Must-sees in Southern Iceland
• Iceland for families

Macs Adventure has been running self-guided walking holidays in Iceland since 2012.  Whether you like mountains and hills, lakes, rivers, dreamy villages and well preserved medieval cities, Germany has something to offer for everyone. This abundance of wonderful places to explore led us to seek out more and more areas to help people discover Iceland on foot. 

From humble beginnings, we now send over 100 walkers to Iceland every year, each walking the route that excites them the most. We provide the freedom to choose your route, itinerary and travel companions and discover Iceland at your own pace. 

We know how daunting it can be, setting off on an adventure of this scale and we quickly realized how important it was to have amazing partners on the ground in Iceland to deal with any issues that you might come across.  We are proud to say that we work incredibly closely with all our accommodation suppliers and luggage transfer teams, and should you have the slightest issue, they will fall over themselves to help you out. 

We offer a flexible, tailor-made hiking experience that gets you comfortable, friendly overnight accommodation in local B&Bs and guesthouses. We carry your bags to lighten your load so you can concentrate on simply putting one foot in front of the other and enjoying the unique culture, food and scenery of Iceland. No hostels, no leaky tents, no heavy bags on your back just a straightforward active holiday that you can book with confidence that we have it all covered for you. 

We want to showcase our expertise by giving you all the resources you will ever need.  We have free guides, comprehensive videos, and a host of staff with their own Icelandic experiences in the planning stage, waiting to answer your questions. On the route, we use high-quality digital mapping and the best maps and guidebooks to make sure you find your way.  

We love the diversity of walking in Iceland, and our main aim is to make sure that you do too.