Iceland by month · winter
Iceland in November: what it is really like, and how to plan it
By Nimrod Ron · Iceland Lead & Content Curator· Updated
November is the start of real winter: winter tyres become mandatory on the 1st, the ice caves open, nights are long enough for the northern lights almost any clear evening, and prices hit their lowest. Daylight falls to five hours by the end of the month, so trips are short-day trips on the South Coast and the Golden Circle, with the north and east only for experienced winter drivers.
Key facts
- Daylight
- 6.5 hours on the 15th in Reykjavík (sunrise 10:01, sunset 16:31)
- Weather
- Reykjavík averages 0 to 4 °C, about 126 mm of rain or snow (10-year normals)
- Northern lights
- 13.5 dark hours a night mid-month: a good month
- Highlands
- All F-roads closed
- Cost
- About $1,471 - $1,948 per person for 7 days as a couple in comfort hotels, before flights
- Crowds
- The quietest month
Weather in November
Around freezing, dark, wet or snowy, with the first proper winter storms. Days shrink from eight hours to five.
| Town | Average high | Average low | Rain or snow in the month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reykjavík | 4 °C | 0 °C | 126 mm |
| Vík | 5 °C | 2 °C | 279 mm |
| Akureyri | 2 °C | -4 °C | 105 mm |
| Egilsstaðir | 3 °C | -2 °C | 159 mm |
Daylight and darkness
On the 15th of November the sun is up for 6.5 hours in Reykjavík, from 10:01 to 16:31. The sky is fully dark for 13.5 hours, enough for the northern lights on a clear night. Fifteen to seventeen dark hours; cloud is the limiting factor.
Roads and the highlands
South Coast and Golden Circle open most days; northern and eastern passes close in storms. F-roads closed. Winter tyres compulsory from 1 November.
Every F-road is closed in November. Live road conditions on the Ring Road and main routes
Best in November
- First ice caves of the season
- Northern lights
- Snow on the South Coast waterfalls
- Reykjavík’s Christmas lights from late November
Skip: A full Ring Road. Day trips of more than three hours’ driving.
What November costs
The quietest month. Hotels and cars about 20% below the shoulder baseline.
| Travel style | Per person | Whole party |
|---|---|---|
| Couple, budget rooms, standard car | $1,249 - $1,665 | $2,498 - $3,329 |
| Couple, comfort hotels, standard car | $1,471 - $1,948 | $2,941 - $3,895 |
| Couple, luxury hotels, 4x4 | $2,209 - $2,915 | $4,417 - $5,830 |
| Family of 4, comfort hotels, 4x4 | $1,437 - $1,910 | $5,747 - $7,640 |
| 4 friends, budget rooms, standard car | $1,092 - $1,463 | $4,369 - $5,853 |
Run your own numbers in the budget calculator · Every month compared
Book ahead
- Ice-cave tour
- 4x4 with winter tyres
- Short driving days with two-night stays
- A lagoon for the dark afternoons
Pack
- Crampons
- Warm, windproof everything
- Headlamp
- Reflective vest for walking on roads in the dark
Itineraries real travelers drove in November
Editor-picked plans from real November trips. Duplicate one and the planner rebuilds it around your dates, car and pace.
4 daysIce Cave and Glacier Hike on the South Coast
Two big glacier adventures, short drives and an easy finish with a fjord-side soak before the flight home.
5 daysWinter South Coast to Jökulsárlón
A November family road trip with a glacier hike, the Katla ice cave, the Glacier Lagoon and a slow Reykjavik finish.
6 daysWinter South Coast Without a 4x4
Reykjavík's museums and a fjord hot spring, then the waterfalls, Reynisfjara and the Glacier Lagoon, with every night on ploughed roads.
Iceland in November: questions people ask
Is November a good time to visit Iceland?
For the lights, the ice caves and the price, yes. For daylight and driving, it is the hardest month after December: plan short days close to Reykjavík and the South Coast.
How many hours of daylight does Iceland have in November?
About eight hours at the start of the month in Reykjavík and five by the end, with the sun low all day. It is enough for two or three stops and about two hours of driving a day on the South Coast. Mid-month figures for sunrise, sunset and dark hours are computed for the date on this page.
Are ice caves open in November?
Usually from early to mid-November, once the autumn melt has stopped and the caves under Breiðamerkurjökull have been checked by the guides; a warm autumn pushes the opening into December. Tours leave from Jökulsárlón, guided only, and sell out weeks ahead. The Katla ice cave near Vík runs all year.
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