So, you have decided to head to the land of fire and ice in the winter? Get ready for an adventure. Here is what you can do in 5 days in Iceland in November.
I planned this trip for my birthday. We arrived on the 28th of November and left December 2nd. We accounted for so many things, weather, darkness and beauty. Even though we planned for the weather I wasn’t really thinking about the toll it takes on you when driving. So here are some things to consider when booking for this time of year.
Darkness is a big one. There are only around 5 hours of sunlight, and that’s if you get the sun. So, plan your destinations for the daylight hours.
Weather is something you can’t control but will determine where you go and what you do. They have this famous saying “if you don’t like the weather, wait 15 minutes”. I’m going to challenge that lol, this was not true for the one day we were there, and it sucked. You will need to plan for extra time on the road between places you visit. For example, on our third day, we got hit with a big rainstorm. This added another 2 hours to our driving time to the hotel. As much as it was taxing it was worth it.
Northern Lights are something you can see during the winter months and should not be missed. Full details on this below.
Now since we were only there for 5 days I really wanted to see as much as possible. So, with little sunlight hours we calculated everything to the tee.
Day 1 Arrival and Reykjavik
You will arrive at Keflavik International Airport. Now most people think it is close to Reykjavik, however it is about 45 minutes away. This is where you will get your car rental for your trip. I suggest Thrifty, no I’m not sponsored, I just absolutely loved the service. Now that you have your wheels it is off to Reykjavik for some day touring. Most hotels or apartments don’t allow check in till after 3pm so you will have some time to wonder the city.
Here are the top things you will want to see around the city.
Sun Voyager
This is a sculpture along the waterfront made by Jon Gunner Arnason, shown above. It is described as a dreamboat, or an ode to the sun. It was a promise of undiscovered territory, a dream of hope, progress and freedom. This is a great stop for great views of the waterfront. It is also a great place to see The Imagine Peace Tower at night, more on that later.
Rainbow Street
Rainbow Street is located on Skólavörðustígur Street between Bergstaðastræti and Laugavegur. It is here in 2019 that they made the rainbow painting permanent. Iceland has been celebrating Pride since 1999 and is still to this day one of the LGBTQ-friendliest countries in the world. Want a great Instagram shot, be early. The street is lined with cute shops and cafes, a great place to get some java.
Hallgrimskirkja
Probably one of the most iconic stops in Reykjavik is the Hallgrimskirkja Cathedral. With its 73m high tower it can be seen from afar. It is also a direct walk and can been seen from Rainbow Street. Another great place to be seen early during sunrise or even at sunset.
Other stops
- Harpa Concert Hall
- Pufa
- FlyOver Iceland
- Wales of Iceland
- Reykjavik Art Museum
- Laugavegur Street
Imagine Peace Tower
Once you get into your room, relax for a little bit and head out for the night views. You are probably tired but a small walk to the waterfront is a must to see the famous Imagine Peace Tower. This was conceived by Yoko Ono for John Lennon as a beacon for world peace. You can see this from the Sun Voyager. This is also another great spot to look to the sky for Northern Lights.
Cafes and restaurants
Now it is no secret that Iceland is very expensive to eat. With that being said we didn’t eat out much but here is a list of places that come highly recommended. For lobster soup, Seabaron is the top place for this. Although we did have it later at one of our tours and I will say if you plan to be in that area hold off, as it was amazing and much cheaper. Hot dogs are the next thing that everyone plans to have, and you will be upset if you didn’t go to Baejarins Beztu Pylser. Again, we did not have it there, but the hot dogs in Iceland are really good. Cafes are everywhere but like most things don’t open very early. Sandholt is a great cafe, and we went there 3 times that day for lattes and a snack. The bread is amazing, and the sandwiches looked incredible. It’s a quaint little cafe with a very laidback vibe.
Where to stay
I wanted a location that was walking distance to everything. Yes, we had a car but after flying you don’t want to sit any longer. With a perfect location and very clean, I was happy with Svala apartments. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the communication. This is an unmanned apartment on Laugavegur Street in the heart of the city. It is an amazing spot to stay but be prepared not to be able to check in early.
Day 2 Tour Day
We went with 2 tours in one. Snorkeling in Silfra and the golden circle. Again, with limited daylight hours you want to get the most of every day. I booked all our tours with Arctic Adventures and was so pleased with them. They are a great company to communicate with and the guides are amazing.
These two tours are a great way to see a good part of Iceland. Snorkeling in crystal clear 2-degree waters is a great way to wake up. You will be taken out to Thingvellir during the dark morning hours and arrive at the Silfra Snorkeling Pond. Here you will get down to your base layers and given 2 more layers. One is a warmth layer and the other a dry suit. Note to the ladies, if you have long hair it stays outside the suit and will get wet. Then you will emerge into the stunning underwater world swimming between the Eurasian and American tectonic plates.
Next up you will jump back on the bus and meet up with your next tour guide to venture around the Golden Circle. Here you will visit Þingvellir National Park, Geysir Geothermal Area and Gullfoss Waterfall.
The great thing about tours is meeting fellow travelers. We got to meet some amazing people on our trip.
Day 3 southern road trip
Hopefully you got your rest last night because it’s road trip day!! Today we set out south bound to visit some waterfalls and black sand beaches. Unfortunately, this day was a rain day for us. We still made the most of it by dressing warm. You want to leave Reykjavik by 8am, this will give you time to get to your first stop at sunrise.
Seljalandsfoss
2 hours from Reykjavik you will come to your first stop, Seljalandsfoss. This 60m waterfall can be seen from such a great distance and it is stunning. The great feature about this waterfall is that you can walk behind it. If you are as lucky as we were in November, the area was not frozen so we were able to experience it from the backside. Since we were early it was not busy.
Now there is another stunning waterfall that is not busy at all but a little tricky to get to. Just 560m to the left of Seljalandsfoss is Gljufrabui. You will need to have waterproof boots if you want to venture inside. Even still from the outside you will see this cute waterfall sandwiched in between mossy covered rock sides.
Drangurinn
Time to take a quick stop only 23 minutes up the road you will find the home to elves. Yes, elves! Folklore is big in Iceland and this spot is the perfect example of that. It is said this giant boulder was ripped from the mountains and placed here. The farmers would have their cattle here and the elves would watch over the animals. I don’t know about you, but I love a good fairytale.
Skogafoss
With a width of 25 meters and a drop of 60 meters Skogafoss is one of the top tourist attractions here in Iceland. Now you can’t walk behind this one but there is a great trail to the top. I didn’t do this hike but my travel partner did and the views from the top including the amazing sounds of rushing water are worth it.
Skogafoss is only a short ways from the last stop and has washrooms so this is a great place to give yourself a good stretch and bathroom break as your next stop is 30 minutes away.
Black Sand Beach Reynisfjara
My favorite stop on this day was Black Sand Beach near Vik. I know this looks like a black and white photo but it is not. The gloomy day, with a slight mist and black sand made this picture look that way. I loved it here. The ocean was rough with waves rushing the shores over 50 feet in. You had to time it perfectly to get photos on the rocks (famous Instagram photo).
We actually went back on our return as it was a nicer day but the waves and high tide made it even harder to get those shots. At least on the 2nd try I was able to capture the spiking rock formations in the background.
This area is not to be taken lightly. You should know people have been washed away here and have died. The waves here will wash you away if you are not vigilant. As someone who loves surfing I was able to time the waves coming in but water is no joke and this place you need to have one eye on the ocean.
Now at this point you will be running low on daylight hours. If you are staying where we did I would suggest heading right there. As you know with Iceland in November, the weather can change in a heartbeat. From Vik you will have a 2 hour drive and if the weather is crappy as with us, you will be driving a lot longer. So before you hit the road head to the cafe and get yourself a coffee and take a bathroom break.
Where to stay
Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon is the perfect place to put your feet up and relax after your crazy adventure filled day. Not far from the next day journey it is a quaint hotel with ocean views nestled against the towering cliffs. This is a newer hotel and has all the amenities you need, spa, sauna, hot tub and a great deck with comfy lounge area to take in the sounds of the waves and wind.
Day 3 ice caves and diamonds
Rise and shine we are going on a glacier walk!!!! It is time to hike through some ice caves. This was another bucket list activity for me and I was so happy we did it. We again booked this tour through Arctic Adventures and our guide Axel was amazing. Now you should note that there are 2 caves to visit, however, at the time we went there was only 1. The best part about these caves is that they are always changing.
You start off with a short drive in this crazy off roading super jeep drive, that alone was an adventure. When you arrive to a small parking area and get yourself equipped with helmet and crampons (ice cleats). The glacier hike begins! Our guide was so amazing explaining everything about the glacier, how it was formed, how much it recedes every year and the effects of global warming on Iceland. This is a must do and should not be missed while visiting Iceland in November.
A side note. It is funny how many times we said on this trip that the scenery reminded us of Utah and Arizona USA. This cave tour reminded us of the Antelope Canyons in Page Arizona, just a different color.
Check out our road trip in Utah!
FOOD ALERT!!!!
So as I said before, Iceland is expensive when it comes to food. However here is where you are going to get the famous lobster soup and the Icelandic hot dog. It is much cheaper and amazing!!!!!!! Seriously, I have added the lobster soup to my top 5 places to eat around the world! This is located at the parking lot at Jokulsarlon (across from Diamond Beach) and needs to be on your must stop list in Iceland, a great way to warm you up in the November cold.
Jokilsarlon
Any time of year you can stop here for some amazing views of icebergs, chunks of ice that have given away from the glacier. In November you may even be lucky enough to spot some seals, we weren’t so lucky. Still it is a great place to be mesmerized by natures beauty.
These pieces fall off and make there way to the ocean, only to be washed up back to shore. Which brings us to your next stop.
Diamond Beach
Diamonds are a girls best friend, or so I heard. Next stop, Diamond beach or in Icelandic, Eystri-Fellsfjara. Here you will find those amazing pieces of ice making there way back to shore. Again another place where you want to keep your eye on the water or you will end up wet.
On a beautiful sunny day, which we finally got, the ice lines the beach sparking like diamonds. It is such a sight to see. A great place for sunrise or sunset but still amazing even in high sun.
It is time to get back on the road and make your way back, this is as far southeast as we will be venturing to.
We will now be heading to Eyrarbakki which is near the blue lagoon and airport. However this is a longer drive so doing a couple stops along the way is a must to stretch those legs. Here are a couple places to see on your way back.
Mossy lava fields
A quick stop on the side of the road or head over to the trail. I would have loved to have spent more time here but with limited daylight hours I didn’t want to be on the road too long in the dark.
Town of Vik
Another place I wish I had more time for was the town of Vik. This cute town like most in Iceland was decorated so nicely for Christmas. There are a few shops and restaurants here that you can stop at.
Town of Hella
You can stop here on the way out or the way back. There are caves here to explore or a great place to get another coffee for the last 45 minute drive to the hotel.
Where to stay
We stayed at Bakki apartments and it was such a cute place. Kitchen, living room and right on the water. We were greeted with a warm smile and great service. While we were here it was super cold and windy but we did get to see a bit of the Northern Lights again. More on that at the end.
Last day
Well it has come to an end, but we saved the most relaxing activity for our last day and it was much needed. It is time to head out on the 1 hour journey to the Blue Lagoon.
Blue Lagoon
We booked ourselves in the 8am slot. Yes, you will need to book ahead of time. This was, I personally think, the best time to go. You get to experience it in the dark and light as we stayed there for 4 hours. There are 3 different levels to choose from, comfort, premium or luxury. We went with the premium, this gave us a bathrobe, an extra 2 masks and if you decide to dine there a glass of sparkling wine. All packages include a towel, a silica mask and entrance to the lagoon.
This is another bucket list checked off and loved every minute of it.
Northern Lights
Time in Iceland has come to an end. We are now returning our car and heading to the airport. However, before we go I have mentioned the Northern Lights many times. I have saved this to the end for a couple reasons. One, these are not guaranteed to be seen on your trip and two, they are the highlight of the trip and the reason I booked in November. We were so blessed to have seen them not once but twice on our 5 day adventure. Our first night and our last night. The first night we seen them in Reykjavik right from the city and it was amazing. I will be doing a full tutorial on them so watch for that post. I will explain how you can do it on your own if you can’t do a tour.
FAQ
How many daylight hours are there in Iceland in November? The beginning of November you will see 8 hours of daylight, however by the end of November that dwindles down to just 5 hours.
Are you guaranteed to see the Northern Lights in November? No, there is no guarantee with anything mother nature
How cold does it get in Iceland in November? The southern part of Iceland stays around 3 degrees Celsius, where as the northern parts will be cooler.
What side of the road do they drive on in Iceland? In Iceland they drive on the right side of the road.
Is it easy to drive in Iceland in November? If you are use to snow and rain while driving, yes it is easy to drive in Iceland. However, with that said, the roads can become icy at anytime. Make sure you are comfortable driving in such conditions. Also, make sure your car rental is equipped with studded tires.
How expensive is it to eat in Iceland? Eating out in Iceland is expensive. Best to do some grocery shopping and make your own. For example, a bowl of lobster soup will cost you about 25 USD or 29 CDN in Reykjavik.
Where is the best place to get groceries? Bonus is a great place to get your groceries. They have a good variety and are one of the least expensive places, just look for the piggy.
How should I dress in Iceland? WARM!!!! Bring lots of layers when you come to Iceland. Even in the summer months you want a waterproof and windproof jacket and pants. In the winter you want good base layers, get something Marino Wool.
What is the weather like in November in Iceland? Weather in Iceland can go from sunny to snow to rain and high winds in the matter of hours. It is always best to check the forecast before heading out. But you should know it’s not always right. Just plan for extra time on the roads and take your time. Be sure to have lots of layers and a change of clothing, especially socks.
Living vicariously through you. Thank you for sharing
Thank you so much. I truly love this adventure!