What to Wear in Iceland in Winter + Packing List

When I booked our first trip to the land of fire and ice, I had no idea what to wear in Iceland in winter. I live in Brisbane, which is fairly warm all year round, so my standard wardrobe didn’t really consist of any appropriate clothes for Iceland in winter. I had to buy a whole suitcase full of new outfits for my trip.

I’m usually a minimalist packer, but I also like to look stylish wherever I go. So I did a fair amount of research before my trip and came up with my own Iceland winter packing list!

Iceland’s winter actually lasts for around six months of the year. My husband and I did a road trip in Iceland in early March. However, if you are planning a trip and wondering what to wear in Iceland in winter, not only will this packing list will help you figure out what to wear in Iceland in March, but it will work for anyone planning a trip anytime between October to April.

I actually ended up taking way too many clothes with me on my trip to Iceland and didn’t wear some things. Turns out even a lot of research didn’t prepare me for what I actually needed to pack for Iceland in winter. So, I decided to share my personal experience with all my readers, along with examples of what I wore in Iceland in March. Hopefully, this article will help you be a little more prepared with your Iceland winter packing list than I was!

The list below should help you figure out what clothes you are going to need (and not going to need) to wear in Iceland in winter!

+ scroll to the end to get your free printable Iceland winter packing list

Table of Contents

Considerations for Planning What to Wear in Iceland in Winter

Activities in Iceland

It’s a good idea to consider what activities you plan to do when deciding what to pack for Iceland in winter. The best things to do in Iceland in winter are outdoors, where you may be subjected to the harsh weather conditions – it’s important to pack appropriately. Some of the activities we did were ice-caving, snowshoeing, glacier walking, snowmobiling, soaking in hot springs, hiking, and chasing the Northern Lights.

Weather in Iceland in Winter

The weather is a key factor in working out what to wear in Iceland in winter. Iceland’s weather conditions can be quite harsh and it’s important to pack appropriately. As mentioned earlier, Iceland’s winter can last from October through April. While the average temperature hovers around 0°C (31°F) between December and March, the wind chill can make it feel much colder. There is also snowstorms and freezing rain you need to consider.

10 Iceland Travel Tips for First time visitors. This guide contains all the tips and tricks you need to know before your first time in Iceland, including costs, visiting in summer or winter, how much time you’ll need, road trip info. You’ll also find info on things to do and tips on how to see the Northern Lights, visiting the blue lagoon, the Golden Circle, waterfalls, glaciers, best hotels, hot springs, vik, Icelandic horses and much more.

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General Tips for Your Iceland Winter Packing List

Layers, layers, layers! So long as you wear layers, you actually won’t need to pack many clothes for Iceland in winter.
Choose merino wool for your base layers – particularly thermals and socks. Due to its breathability and resistance to odor, wool clothing can be worn again and again before it needs a wash.
Make sure your outer layer is waterproof and windproof. Not taking a waterproof or windproof jacket is the worst Iceland winter clothing mistake you can make!
Humans lose most of their body heat through their heads, so a good beanie is one of the most essential items of clothes for Iceland in winter!