Everyone likes to be fully prepared for a holiday in a new country. If this is your first winter adventure in Iceland, save yourself the trouble of scrolling through endless social media posts looking at packing lists and read this instead. Here are some of the items you might not have thought of and why you won’t regret bringing them.
There is nothing more frustrating than having your phone die on you and you have no way to charge it until you reach your next overnight stay.
Power bank
Nothing drains batteries faster than a combination of stunning scenery and cold temperatures. While you’d be foolish to step out in the morning without a fully charged battery, it’s surprising how quickly you can find yourself running low if you’ve spent time somewhere as scenic as Fjallsárlón. Charge up and carry with you a portable power bank and you won’t risk missing out on unexpected shots at the end of the day or evening.
Iceland has many geothermal pools that you can enjoy during your winter trip.
Swimsuit
When you’re packing for a winter trip, it’s easy to get caught up in focusing on the weather with a suitcase of warm fleeces, thermals and thick socks. Yet there’s another item of clothing that’s a must, thanks to Iceland’s abundance of geothermal energy: a swimsuit. Even when it’s cold outside, a soak in the warm water is a must for any traveller.
There is no need to buy bottled water in Iceland, bring you own refillable water bottle and taste some of the cleanest and best water in the world.
Refillable water bottle
Iceland’s water is pure and drinkable. In addition, out in the countryside, places to buy a drink can be thin on the ground. A solution is to bring your own refillable water bottle. You’ll have enough liquid with you to keep you hydrated on one of the many great hiking trails and when you reach a service station or restaurant, you can easily top up for later.
Even though you wouldn’t think of Iceland in winter as a sunny destination, the sunshine can be extremely bright.
Sunglasses
When packing for a winter adventure in Iceland, sunglasses probably aren’t the first thing you think of. Yet if you are planning to hike up onto a glacier, then they’re an essential on a sunny day. Even in winter, the sun’s rays can lead to issues with glare as the light reflects off the vast expanse of white, so make sure your eyes have adequate UV protection.
Packing a lip balm for Iceland is a smart move as the constant winds and the sun can easily make your lips very dry and burned.
Lip balm
Similarly, you might wish to bring a lip balm to protect your lips from chapping. Not only can this be an issue up on a glacier in sunny conditions but also the wind can have a drying effect. Specially formulated to moisturise and condition your lips, a little stick can make a big difference to your comfort levels.
Crampons and spikes can be a life saver in Iceland in winter. Even is you are not going onto a glacier, conditions can be slippery and unsafe.
Crampons or micro spikes
Even if you are planning mostly to base yourself in urban Iceland, crampons or micro spikes can come in handy. While tour operators will issue them on certain tours, such as winter trips to Vatnajökull’s ice caves, ice is a common problem in winter and on slippery pavements and trails the extra grip you’ll enjoy means you won’t have to worry about a slip ruining your trip.
A neck gaiter or a snood may come in very handy in the cold Icelandic winter winds.
Neck gaiter or snood
While you might customarily wear a scarf, in Iceland’s sometimes very windy weather it pays to have something on that won’t blow away. Keeping the cold off your neck will keep you toasty but you won’t have the irritating need to keep tucking the ends of your scarf back into your jacket, especially when you’re out on the water.
If you intend to do some hiking or go out looking for the Northern lights, a headlamp is a must as it gets extremely dark.
Headlamp or torch
In winter, Iceland’s days are relatively short so there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself out in the dark most days. Having a headlamp or torch makes navigating easier. If you’re hoping to encounter the Northern Lights and capture some photos of this incredible natural phenomenon over a dark spot such as Fjallsárlón, a torch will also come in handy for checking the settings on your camera without dazzling anyone else.
Bringing your headphones can help you kill some time while sitting on a tour bus between visiting stunning attractions in Iceland.
Headphones
If you’re planning on doing some of your sightseeing as part of an organised bus tour, then bringing headphones means you can enjoy your own soundtrack without spoiling the enjoyment of others. Where better than to get acquainted with the music of Laufey, Daði Freyr, Of Mice and Men, Sigur Rós and Björk than in the country of their birth?
If you intend to do some shopping along the way, bring a foldable shopping bag!
A fold-small shopping bag
Lastly, we know that as you travel around Iceland there’ll be plenty of opportunities to buy souvenirs, whether that’s in dedicated gift shops or simply purchasing supplies of Icelanders’ favourite liquorice in a local supermarket. As we all should try to minimise our use of plastic bags, carrying a shopping bag that folds small enough to fit in a pocket until it’s needed is a big tick in the sustainability box.
