Iceland by month · spring
Iceland in May: what it is really like, and how to plan it
By Nimrod Ron · Iceland Lead & Content Curator· Updated
May is the best month for a Ring Road drive without the summer crowds: nearly endless daylight, the driest weather of the year on average, every lowland road open and prices well under July. The highlands are still closed and some hikes are still snowbound, so it suits road trips, coasts and waterfalls rather than Landmannalaugar.
Key facts
- Daylight
- 18.4 hours on the 15th in Reykjavík (sunrise 04:16, sunset 22:41)
- Weather
- Reykjavík averages 4 to 9 °C, about 124 mm of rain or snow (10-year normals)
- Northern lights
- Not possible: no real darkness
- Highlands
- All F-roads closed
- Cost
- About $1,705 - $2,252 per person for 7 days as a couple in comfort hotels, before flights
- Crowds
- Half of July’s visitors
Weather in May
Five to twelve degrees, the lowest rainfall of the year, and wind that eases through the month. Snow is possible in the north early on.
| Town | Average high | Average low | Rain or snow in the month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reykjavík | 9 °C | 4 °C | 124 mm |
| Vík | 9 °C | 5 °C | 257 mm |
| Akureyri | 8 °C | 2 °C | 50 mm |
| Egilsstaðir | 9 °C | 2 °C | 62 mm |
Daylight and darkness
On the 15th of May the sun is up for 18.4 hours in Reykjavík, from 04:16 to 22:41. It never gets fully dark, so the northern lights are not possible. None: no real darkness from early May to early August.
Roads and the highlands
All paved roads and most gravel open. F-roads closed until June; a few open at the very end of May in a dry year.
Every F-road is closed in May. Live road conditions on the Ring Road and main routes
Best in May
- The Ring Road with no queues
- Puffins and nesting seabirds
- Lupins starting to turn the south purple
- Midnight light by the end of the month
Skip: Highland bookings before late June.
What May costs
Half of July’s visitors. Hotels and cars about 10% above the shoulder baseline, well below summer.
| Travel style | Per person | Whole party |
|---|---|---|
| Couple, budget rooms, standard car | $1,414 - $1,879 | $2,827 - $3,758 |
| Couple, comfort hotels, standard car | $1,705 - $2,252 | $3,410 - $4,503 |
| Couple, luxury hotels, 4x4 | $2,700 - $3,556 | $5,399 - $7,112 |
| Family of 4, comfort hotels, 4x4 | $1,682 - $2,231 | $6,729 - $8,922 |
| 4 friends, budget rooms, standard car | $1,218 - $1,627 | $4,870 - $6,507 |
Run your own numbers in the budget calculator · Every month compared
Book ahead
- Car early: 2WD is enough
- Hotels in Vík and near Jökulsárlón, which fill first
- Whale watching
- Ferry to the Westman Islands
Pack
- Eye mask: it does not get dark
- Layers for 5 to 15 degrees
- Waterproof shell
- Walking boots
Itineraries real travelers drove in May
Editor-picked plans from real May trips. Duplicate one and the planner rebuilds it around your dates, car and pace.
4 daysLava Show, Golden Circle and Museum Day
South Coast falls and a live lava show, the Golden Circle, a museum morning and a last soak in Hvalfjörður.
7 daysSnæfellsnes, Golden Circle and the Glacier Lagoon
A teen-friendly May loop that adds the Snæfellsnes Peninsula to the Golden Circle and South Coast classics.
9 daysLate-Spring Ring Road via Stuðlagil
A late-spring loop for friends with long light, few crowds and a boat ride among Jökulsárlón's icebergs.
Iceland in May: questions people ask
Is May a good time to visit Iceland?
One of the best for a road trip: long days, the driest weather, open roads and fewer people and lower prices than June to August. The highlands are the one thing you cannot do.
How much daylight does Iceland have in May?
About 17 hours at the start of the month in Reykjavík and more than 20 by the end, and from mid-May the sky never gets properly dark: civil twilight runs through the night. It makes long driving days easy and the famous stops empty in the evening. Bring a sleep mask; hotel curtains are rarely blackout.
Is a 4x4 needed in May?
No. Every road a May itinerary uses is paved or graded gravel: the Ring Road, the Golden Circle, the South Coast and Snæfellsnes are all fine in a 2WD. A 4x4 is only required on F-roads, and those are still closed in May. The one caution is the north, where a late storm can leave snow on the passes for a day.
Deeper reading on iceland-trip.com
Our sister site covers every place in depth: access, parking, seasons, what to expect. Written by the same team.
- Iceland's weather, month by monthWhat each month is really like, what to pack, when the highland roads open and when the northern lights show.iceland-trip.com
- Renting a car and driving in IcelandWhich car to rent, the insurance that matters, gravel and F-road rules, fuel, speed limits and the mistakes that cost visitors money.iceland-trip.com
- Sample routes around IcelandThe classic routes from a Golden Circle day to the full Ring Road, with what each one covers and how long it needs.iceland-trip.com