When we told people we were going to Iceland in February, the responses were pretty much the same: “Won’t you freeze?” “How can you get anywhere with all the snow and ice?” “Why not wait until the summer?” And, most often, a simple: “You guys are crazy.”

Winter in Iceland has a tough rep, and for good reason. From end of October to late December, sunlight dwindles to just four hours a day. Snow and ice blanket the landscape, and sudden storms, hail and surging winds are the norm. There’s a reason it took Vikings to settle it, right? As two East Coasters more used to seeking out beaches than glaciers, we were a little nervous about what we had signed up for. We tried to block out the fears of white-out conditions, icy crashes and frozen fingers as we packed and planned, preparing for the possibility that the weather might not cooperate. 

Recently returned and still glowing from our adventure, we can say with certainty that the winter is an incredibly enchanting and beautiful time to explore Iceland. Let us assure you that with some solid planning and the right precautions, you too can thrive in the land of fire and ice. 

Here are the top 5 reasons you should make Iceland your next winter island getaway. 

1. Temperatures aren’t that extreme. The winter months (October through April) are actually much milder than you might imagine for a place so far north. This is partly due to the influence of the Gulf Stream, which carries warm Caribbean air up the Icelandic coast. During the tail ends of the season, temperatures typically hover in the 30s F - hardly warm, but not much different than you’ll find on the East Coast (particularly when a Polar Vortex rolls through). That being said, the weather is fickle and we did have some intense moments - including the night the winds reached gale force speeds, and the hiking trip that ending in a sudden onslaught of pounding hail (very thankful for our hooded jackets in that moment). But all in all, these moments were few and far between on our trip and never lasted long. As Icelanders are fond of saying, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait 5 minutes.” 

2. The landscape is at its peak. If you’re on the fence about when to travel, there’s no better advocate for winter than a glance at some of the country’s highlights. In the colder months, for instance, you’ll catch the largest number of icebergs afloat on Glacier Lagoon or tumbling around Diamond Beach. You’ll see how the snow accentuates the mountain peaks, dusts the black sand beaches, and creates the most stunning backdrop for the herds of local horses. For us, it was these unique features that peaked our interest in visiting the country in the first place, and we were glad to catch them in all their wintry glory. Sure, the waterfalls are undoubtedly gorgeous year-round, but when they’re frozen turquoise and glistening with ice? That’s something truly remarkable. 

3. It’s your best bet for catching the Northern Lights (but don’t pin the success of your trip on seeing them.) If you’ve always wanted to see the Northern Lights (aka the Aurora Borealis), it’s best to go between late September and early April. This is because three key features need to come together to strike Aurora gold: it needs to be dark, the skies have to be clear, and the stars have to be ready to dance. This eliminates May to August - when it’s too bright at night to actually see the lights - and cloudy evenings, of which there are plenty in the winter season. The last piece (“auroral activity,” in science speak), is a combination of many mysterious factors including solar flares and geomagnetic conditions, which I won't embarrass myself by attempting to explain here. Instead, keep an eye on the forecast from the Icelandic Met Office and download an app with auroral alerts like this one. While we dabbled with the idea of linking up with a “lights chasing” expedition (Arctic Adventures and Extreme Iceland have highly rated ones), we decided instead to venture out on our own. Luckily it paid off. Keep in mind, though, that all natural phenomena are hard to predict and even if you’re in Iceland on a clear night in peak season, there is a possibility you’ll just freeze your butt off gazing up at an empty sky.

4. Beat the crowds. Iceland’s tourism industry has been ballooning since 2008, driven initially by post-crash prices and then expedited as word got out about the country’s magical (and very Instagrammable) landscape. Unsurprisingly, Iceland’s warmest months - June, July, August - are also its busiest times for tourists. We all know how much of a bummer it is to show up to a gorgeous spot, only to find it crawling with tourists. We definitely noticed the ease of traveling in the winter in terms of crowd control - parking spots were plenty, we were often the only car on the road, and there were very few lines. With the exception of a few “hot spots,” we were amazed by often we got the feeling we were the only ones there! You'll also find winter is a bit easier on your wallet. Now that Iceland is such a popular destination, flight discounts are mostly limited to the darkest and coldest times of the year (November-February). We were thrilled to land a great deal through Scott’s Cheap Flights.

5. Find your light. I’m all about that good lighting, and the winter months are really a photographer’s’ dream. While the days are shorter, the light sits perfectly low in the sky for an all-day “Golden Hour” glow. February daylight gets aggressive in Iceland: in the beginning of the month there are only 7 hours of daylight, and each day the daylight increases by 6 minutes.  By March 1, there are close to 10 hours of daylight. If you go at the end of February - like we did - you’ll still get solid sun from around 9:30 to 6, with long, slow sunsets on clear evenings.  Driving to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula one morning, the sun felt like it was rising for hours, and we got an equally stunning show in the sky on the way back (the clouds were actually this pink!).