November 21, 2023
They say if you don’t like the weather in Iceland, just wait 5 minutes. And they are right! The week I was there I saw everything: sunshine, rain, sleet, snow, even a hurricane! Which is super unusual, but I was impressed by how they handled it. They posted warning signs and shut things down to get everyone inside and safe for the day. It was certainly stormy weather… and fortunately no damage, just high winds. The island doesn’t often see that kind of excitement.
It all started just when we were coming back from our day trip around the Golden Circle. The ‘Golden Circle’ is basically a mini route around the southwest region with a taste of the lowlands region, and it was a whirlwind of Icelandic delight in just one day! The tour we took led from Reykjavik, took us to see the geysers Geysir and Strokkur, and the geothermal baths in Haukadalur. The Pacific and Atlantic plates come together and create Gullfos falls, which was on the route as well. It was an incredible way to see some Icelandic sights.
I definitely recommend, especially if you go in the winter, that you bring ‘calmp-ons’ for your shoes so that you’re able to have traction. They’re like cleats that go over your shoes, and they helped me guide an elderly woman down to the falls in 3 inches of ice. We went in March, which is their winter, so we weren’t able to see anything when whale watching – which they’re famous for – despite two attempts! And even though The Northern Lights are more visible there than anywhere, they too are forever elusive some times of the year, so I never got to see them.
There’s a higher demand to visit in the summer, and there is a limited amount of accommodations that book up fast, so plan early if that’s what you want to do. No matter what season, I’d go back to Iceland in a minute. The people there make it a very warm and friendly place to be!