Iceland in December: Daylight, Weather and What to See

In December Iceland lives in a long twilight. The sun stays low above the horizon and even noon looks like golden hour — that is why photographers love winter here. The flip side: little daylight, weather that changes within an hour, and part of the island closed. Here is how to plan around it.

How much light and how to plan the day

Around the winter solstice (21 December) the sun rises at about 11:20 and sets at about 15:30 in Reykjavik — roughly 4 hours of daylight. Down south near Vík it is a little more, and early in the month you get about 5 hours. There is also an hour of soft twilight before sunrise and after sunset for driving and photos.

• Drive in the dark. Leave at 8–9 am so you are at the first stop by sunrise.
• Use daylight for the main sight. A waterfall, a beach or a glacier — not the road.
• Evenings are for the aurora and hot springs. It is dark by 4 pm and the whole night is ahead.

Weather and what to wear

The average December temperature in Reykjavik is around freezing, usually −3 to +3 °C. The cold itself is fine; the problem is wind and wet: +1 °C with a strong wind feels like −10. The south often gets sleet or rain, the north is drier and colder.

• Three layers: thermal base, fleece or down, waterproof shell jacket and trousers.
• Waterproof boots with a good sole and microspikes — waterfall paths ice over in winter.
• Hat, buff, two pairs of gloves (one will get wet), a headlamp.

The full list is in our Iceland packing list.

Roads: what is open in winter

Ring Road 1 along the South Coast stays open in winter and is cleared regularly; a normal rental car with winter (often studded) tyres is fine. The highland roads — F-roads are closed from autumn to early summer, so the interior and Landmannalaugar are out of reach in December. The most common plan-wrecker is a storm that closes a road for a few hours or a day.

Every morning check two things: the road map at umferdin.is and the alerts at safetravel.is. If the alert is red, don't drive — this is not the time to gamble.

What to see on the South Coast in 4–5 days

More on the waterfalls in our top 10 Iceland waterfalls, and on free soaks in the hot springs guide.

Ice caves

Natural ice caves form in the outlet glaciers of Vatnajökull and are only safe in the cold season, roughly November to March. You can only enter with a licensed guide: each cave lasts one season, and guides check every morning which one is stable. Tours usually start near Jökulsárlón; helmets and crampons are provided. Book December dates early.

Northern lights

Long nights give you the most chances, but the aurora keeps no schedule. You need darkness, a clear sky and solar activity — in practice cloud cover decides. Check the cloud and aurora forecast from the Icelandic Met Office at vedur.is and drive away from lights to where the sky is clear. Details in our guide to the northern lights in Iceland.

Christmas and New Year

• The 13 Yule Lads. From 12 to 24 December a new prankster troll from Icelandic folklore "comes to town" each night. Shop windows and kids' events are all about them.
• 24–26 December. On the 24th shops close in the afternoon; on the 25th almost everything is shut, including many cafés and tours. Buy food and book ahead.
• 31 December. Neighbourhood bonfires in Reykjavik and a huge amateur fireworks show at midnight. Accommodation prices peak for the winter.

Pros and cons of December

• Pros: snow and ice on the waterfalls, ice caves, long nights for the aurora, soft low light all day, fewer people than summer (except the holidays).
• Cons: little light, storms and road closures, no highlands, you need a spare day in the plan.

Choosing between winter months? Compare with our when to visit Iceland guide — February–March bring more light while the snow is still there.