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Iceland in Februrary 2019

We are planning to go to Iceland in February 2019 to see the Northern lights.
Is 2 weeks too long for Iceland in the winter?
If we cannot drive a rental car in the winter, what company do we use to travel the circle in Iceland?
Input on what to do besides Northern Lights.
Thanks

Posted by
243 posts

That may be a little long but it also may not be in case you get in some poor driving conditions and have to wait a day or two for the roads to clear. Also your daylight will be short so you may only want to drive when it is light. You can rent a car in the winter. Other things to do- Blue Lagoon or other thermal pools. Check out all the waterfalls. Spend time in Reykjavik. I love Iceland in the winter. Its very very cold!! Bundle up!

Posted by
3391 posts

For two weeks of travel time you need to be able to travel outside of Reykjavik and its immediate area. There isn't more than 3-4 days of things to see and do in that area.
Most people do the ring road if they have this much time. In February the roads though may be difficult but can be done with a 4-wheel drive equipped with snow tires. Even so this can be dicey though...drifts of snow do build up on the road and the winds can be absolutely fierce. I drove the ring road in early April and was amazed at the power of the wind especially along the southern stretch. Know that the weather will absolutely dictate your trip - planning ahead will happen only a day or two ahead of time. If the weather is good you need to go! If not, you will need to have a backup plan closer to where you are staying.
If you are not comfortable driving there are plenty of companies you can use...TripAdvisor is your friend.
The northern lights appear when solar activity rises - in winter they are more visible because of the increased amount of darkness. If you are there for two weeks, the levels of solar activity are high, and there are nights with no clouds, you will be able to see them. We were not lucky enough to see them when we were there but I would most like to see them while sitting in one of the many hot springs around Iceland.

The other thing to consider for your sightseeing activities is the amount of daylight you will have - it will be a late sunup and early sundown.
There is a TON to do and see in Iceland...get a good guidebook and take a look.

Posted by
53 posts

Thanks for the quick responses!
I feel I should wait until the weather gets better so that we can drive around and see all that Iceland has to offer.

Posted by
771 posts

You might have a look at Nordic Visitor--www.nordicvisitor.com. They have self-drive options where they provide the car, make hotel arrangements and provide lots of sightseeing suggestions. They have may pre-set itineraries you can chose from, or tell them what you want. They also have guided and private tours. We did a self-drive option. They were very easy to work with and provided all the support they say on the website. I emailed and called often during the planning process to tailor our trip to our wishes. Just looking at their itineraries will give you an idea of places to go.