Four of us are going to Iceland the last week of March. If you have been there at this time of the year we would appreciate your sharing what we might expect, especially as to driving conditions, what sights may or may not be available, appropriate clothing and boots, etc. Our plan at this time is one night near Vik and four in Reykjavik. Thank you very much.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Here's some links to get you started on that subject:
Posted by
USA
163 posts
Definitely pack hiking boots, and waterproof combo of rain jacket and rain pants. Dress in layers - I would count these as must haves all year round over there.
Posted by
Western Canada
3511 posts
Walking boots, that while not only very warm, have anti-slip soles too.
It could be icy, it could be sunny, but it will be cold.
Layers.
It's quite windy there at times.
I was there December 2017, and wore merino wool long underwear, and a fleece lining under my water- and windproof jacket.
I also wore windproof pants over my jeans the night we went out into the countryside to see the Northern Lights.
Really good gloves or mitts, and a warm toque and scarf.
The water in the showers there is scalding hot, so you will soon warm up after being outdoors!
I only stayed in Reykjavik, so didn't drive anywhere.
The city is lovely, as are the people.
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3398 posts
I was in Iceland with a friend for 5 days the first week of April this past spring.
I was SO glad that I brought many layers of clothing that I could adjust based on the weather at the moment - it changes so much throughout the day!
Here are some of the pieces of clothing I was incredibly happy I had...
Warm leggings (fleece lined) with long underwear underneath.
I wore my Sorel "Joan of Arctic" boots every day - I was initially hesitant to invest in a pair but they were the best thing I brought. I wore snowboarding socks underneath and my feet were toasty warm. Whatever you buy make sure they have soles that work well with ice...at several of the waterfalls we went to, mist blows onto the paths and rocks and creates a glassy layer of ice that is difficult to navigate unless you have grippy shoes.
Parka with a hood.
Warm gloves.
Scarf to wrap around my head and face when the icy wind ripped down the mountains from the glaciers. I wished I would have had a face mask with cut-outs for my eyes and mouth...the cold actually hurt.
Fleece lined beenie cap.
The weather when we were there ranged from sun, snow, and extremely strong winds, to fog. Driving from Reykjavik to Vik expect very windy conditions and roads with patchy ice. The gusts of wind were truly amazing - you need to keep a strong grip on the wheel. You can usually tell when a gust of strong wind is ahead because you'll see the snow blowing horizontally across the road where it is rushing down from the mountains. Also watch the cars in front of you - you can see when they are hit by a gust and see where it is ahead. Driving was a bit of an adventure but just take it slow and you'll be fine. I'm sure you've heard that the road along the south coast is a two lane affair with quite a few single-lane bridges. Whoever gets to the bridge first has the right of way. For longer bridges where you can't see the other end there is a light - go when it turns green.
Be extremely careful when on beaches with waves - people drown on a regular basis there (or are swept off their feet) by "sneaker waves". Even if you are several feet back from the water line you can suddenly be overwhelmed with waves that seem to appear out of nowhere. Don't underestimate this risk. The black sand beaches near Vik are notorious for this.
The only two things we couldn't do that we wanted to do were the dingy tours on Jokulskarlon bay, in front of the glacier, since they are not running in the winter. The other thing was a small visitor center near the Eyjafjallajokull volcano - they were also closed for the slow season.
Other than that everything was open for business! All of the waterfalls, beaches, and attached visitor services, were open and rather busy.
If you are spending 5 nights in Iceland I would recommend 3 in Reykjavik and 2 along the south coast. Vik it quite a distance from Reykjavik and taking your time along the south coast is well worth it. We made the mistake of only spending one night along the south coast and the distances were a lot farther than we anticipated. We had to do a lot of backtracking and driving after dark to get to everything we wanted to see. Here's what I would do if going again...
Day 1 - See Reykjavik
Day 2 - Drive the Golden Circle (make sure to go to Frioheimar for all you can eat tomato soup and bread!)
Day 3 - Drive to Jokulskarlon Glacier and Diamond Beach. Drive back to Vik and spend the night.
Day 4 - Work your way back west stopping at sights along the way. Sleep in Hella or another town partway back.
Day 5 - Drive back to Reykjavik seeing the rest of the sights along the way.
You'll love Iceland...it far exceeded my expectations and I have plans to go back, spend more time, and see a lot more!