One of my biggest bucket list trips has always been to see the Northern Lights in Iceland. Last year for Christmas, one of my most favorite gifts from my significant other was a trip to Iceland! With Covid restrictions changing every single day, we knew planning this trip would be more difficult than any other year. We watched, waited, and monitored how travel was working between the U.S. and Iceland. In March, Iceland lifted a bunch of restrictions with their Covid numbers being low and fully vaccinated numbers getting higher. That’s when we decided we would go for it and start getting the ball rolling with scheduling our trip! Follow along on the planning process, and stay tuned for a post on how the trip went when we get back!
Travel Restrictions
Expectation
First, we had to figure out what hoops we need to jump through to get into and out of Iceland. In March, Iceland released that fully vaccinated travelers would no longer need to quarantine with negative test results once entering the country. That means when you land at the airport, they test you immediately and you must wait on your results (promised within 24 hours) before leaving your hotel to start your trip. That was a huge, because otherwise we would need 2 weeks to enjoy any time spent with a mandatory quarantine. The U.S. also requires a negative Covid test within 72 hours of travel back. So, we knew we would have to take at least 2 Covid tests to be able to take the trip.
Reality
Towards the end of July with the rise of the Delta variant, Iceland put restrictions back into place. We would now need a negative Covid test within 72 hours of departure, and a negative test within 72 hours of return. However, we would no longer have to take a test when we landed at the airport! All in all, not a huge hurdle to still be able to take our trip. But, as the tests pile up we have to be more mindful of scheduling so that we don’t mess up by missing any of the details.
Another ask of Iceland is that you register your trip to receive a barcode necessary for travel. Without researching, it would be easy to miss this step and your trip would end before it even starts. This barcode is shown while checking in for your outbound flight, so not having it is not an option. In summary, at check-in for your outbound flight to Iceland you need…
- Proof of a negative Covid test within 72 hours
- Proof of vaccination
- Your barcode provided by registering your trip
- Your passport
- A secondary form of ID
Top Tip
Organization is key at any time during travel, but it’s a must right now! Keep printed out, hard copies of everything all in one place that you can easily access in a carry on. Also SCREENSHOT EVERYTHING! Don’t let a bad signal keep you from having the documentation you need. If you’re traveling with a partner, have a backup copy of everything they keep as well. You cannot overprepare for an international trip in the current times!
Packing and Weather
Expected Weather
On to more fun stuff! We chose Iceland in September because it is the start of peak Northern Light season. It is also the beginning of their shift into cooler weather, which we are very much looking forward to! Most days there is a chance of rain, with temperatures ranging from mid-40’s to mid-60’s. The wind is something to watch, as it could make a 65 degree day feel like a 45 degree day quickly!
Speaking for myself, there were a handful of items that I consider 100% necessities. I have linked them all in this post for convenience!
Packing Must Haves
Rain Gear
First and foremost, rain gear! Lots of different options, but I chose to bring a rain coat and a pair of water resistant hiking pants. Both should come in handy not only with rain, but with visiting some of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls and geysers! I purchased the hiking pants from my local REI, and I would really suggest going to try on gear like this in person. I attempted to purchase some rainproof gear based on recommendations from YouTube, and hated it all! I will take my tried and true North Face rain jacket with me that I’ve had for years, so that is no hassle at all. Here is a link to the North Face jacket on Amazon.
Hiking Boots
Second, hiking shoes and/or boots. Personally, we have plans to hike to some famous natural beauties that Iceland holds. This includes the active Eyjafjallajökull volcano, a handful of waterfalls, geysers, and national parks. Good hiking boots are something I plan to wear every single day, along with a good pair of wool socks. I purchased new hiking boots for this trip, because up until now I only had low top walking shoes. Here is the pair I ended up getting from my local REI. I chose them for the really great arch support, them being waterproof, and the mid-rise fit.
Thermals
Third, good thermal clothes to wear under regular clothes for warmth. I purchased a handful of my favorite Lululemon long sleeve tops to bring specifically on this trip. I also have a couple thermal underwear sets from Target from the brand Cuddl Duds, this set from Amazon, and some fleece lined leggings for backup. Personally, I hate to be cold! Without these items I think I would struggle to be comfortable with all of the outdoor activities we have planned.
Beanies
Lastly, this is more of an accessory, but I would still consider it necessary. Beanies! I packed 4-5 beanies for this week long trip. I ordered a couple Carhart beanies like this from Amazon, and had a few others already. This CC beanie and this one from Columbia were examples of some others I brought. Rain, wind, and cold are not elements that make for a great hair day. A beanie with braids is a perfect way to keep yourself warm and not fuss around with your hair constantly!
Activies
THIS was my favorite part of planning our Iceland trip! Of course, one of the main reasons we want to go to Iceland is the Northern Lights. For that, we plan to stay a couple of nights out at the Northern Lights Inn away from the light pollution of the more populated areas. But, we also want to explore as much as we can while trying to not be tied down to a tight schedule. Here are the activities we researched and decided we had to do on our trip.
The Blue Lagoon
If you google or look on Pinterest for anything related to Iceland, the Blue Lagoon is bound to come up. This gorgeous hot spring is about 45 minutes outside of the capital of Reykjavik, and is a must see and do! You purchase tickets online before visiting, and there are a couple of options. The package we chose includes entry to the lagoon, a drink, a mask, and a towel all for around $50 each! You can spend as much time as you want in the lagoon, so it was perfect for us. The next package up includes everything that ours does, plus a few extras like a second mask and a bathrobe.
Snorkeling in Silfra Fissure
One of the adventures I really wanted to look into was diving or snorkeling between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates! We both enjoy diving, and I found that there are dry suit dives you can take between the two plates. After watching a bunch of YouTube videos, I found that to do a dry suit dive you have to have the special certification, which takes an extra day. But, there are snorkeling tours that provide almost the same experience and don’t require the certification. So, it was an easy sell for us to book this activity! For two people, the price came out to around $350 and includes photos. You can check out the group I booked our snorkeling adventure with here!
Helicopter Ride Over the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano
This one is a surprise activity, mostly for my significant other, that I planned on my own. Back story, I am terrified of helicopters! But, Aubrey really enjoys them and has wanted to get me on a helicopter for a while now. I cannot think of a more awesome first helicopter experience than flying over an active volcano in Iceland! Now, this was the priciest activity on the list. However, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and I cannot wait for the experience and pictures! Depending on which company you book, it’s around $800 for about 45 minutes in the air. During the excursion, you will experience breathtaking views over and around the erupting volcano. Truthfully, for me, this is one of those priceless things you talk about for years! Here is the company I booked our tour through because of all the really excellent reviews and competitive pricing.
Flights, Hotels, and Food
Flights
For flights, we booked Delta based on price and schedule. The two of us are starting and ending in different cities, but wanted to be on as many of the same flights as possible. On the way to Iceland, we are meeting in Atlanta, flying to Boston, and then going from Boston to Reykjavik. The Boston to Reykjavik flight is about 5 hours, so nothing too terrible. Our layover in Boston is 5 hours, so we plan to leave and grab dinner before our flight to Iceland!
On our way back, we go from Reykjavik to JFK, JFK to Atlanta, and then return home on separate flights. Our layover in JFK is about 2.5 hours, which will be the perfect amount of time to get through customs and get to where we need to be.
Flying During Covid
Something I will say is that booking these flights was a little complicated with starting and finishing in different destinations. Also, as we know, Covid has really done a number on the airlines. There are flight cancellations and changes constantly that can add stress to an international trip. However, I was able to keep our flight schedule on track by using the messaging platform on Delta’s app. I highly recommend using messaging for any airlines instead of waiting on the phone for hours for customer service! I have always had more luck messaging with an agent, and Delta really impressed me with what they were able to help with in a text!
Hotels and Food
We didn’t plan anything real extravagant or elaborate when it comes to hotels and food for this trip. We plan to stay at the Hotel Borg for our first few nights in Reykjavik. We chose this hotel because of it’s very convenient location right in the middle of the city center. Afterwards, we will stay out at the Northern Lights Inn for the end of the week. With almost zero light pollution, we’re hoping this will be an ideal spot to catch a view of the Northern Lights!
Food wise, there are a couple of iconic spots we plan to hit. We both LOVE hot dogs, and Iceland is known for the hotdog being one of it’s staples! The most famous hot dog stand in Iceland is called Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur and is a 2 minute walk from our hotel in Reykjavik. Other than that, there is great seafood in the Old Harbour area not far from downtown that we will definitely try. I’ve also heard that the coffee scene in Iceland is good, so I am very excited to explore that!
I hope to have more details on where we eat and drink after getting back from the trip, so come back to see my recommendations!
And We’re Off!
As you’re reading this, we are a couple of days into our Iceland adventure! This post is a long one, so thank you for taking the time to read through to this point. I hope some of these tips are helpful if you’re planning your own international travel soon, even if it isn’t to Iceland. I will definitely be writing another post on our trip after we get back, so be on the lookout for that in the next few weeks!