The 2024-2025 season (October through April) is slated to be one of the best for the Northern Lights! The 11 year solar cycle of the sun peaks this year which means stronger solar activity. Stronger solar activity means more solar flares, more sunspots, and stronger solar winds will combine to produce some truly spectacular viewing of the often elusive Northern Lights. One place to see this truly breath-taking phenomenon is in Iceland and I’ve got the perfect 9 day itinerary for exploring the land of fire and ice! 

Before diving into the itinerary, a few house-keeping and logistics. It’s a short, less than six hours, flight from New York’s JFK airport to Keflavik (KEF) airport in Iceland and you can get a flight for less than an East Coast to West Coast domestic flight. So cheaper ticket, a little longer flying time, and I get to hang out in Iceland … sounds like a win to me! 

I recommend renting a car from Blue Car Rental. It’s fairly easy to find a discount code for 10% off your rental and the online reservation process is straightforward. Be aware, you will pay a fee for additional drivers and will be able to select an automatic transmission in addition to other add-ons. Make sure to do the online check-in a few days before your rental as this will eliminate the need for on-site check-in and paperwork. You simply enter your code into the key box, find your car, and head out for adventure! 

A lot of people will complain that Iceland is expensive and, overall, that was not my experience. I thought the flight, rental car, and hotel expenses were on par with or slightly less than other major cities around the world. Fuel is definitely more expensive, but that is the case most everywhere. I initially thought the food was more expensive, and perhaps it is, but not grossly so. I liken the cost of a meal for two people in Iceland to the total we would pay in the US including the tip. You can also choose more casual or more high-end restaurants, based on your budget and preferences. 

Most everywhere accepts credit cards but be advised that American Express and Discover cards are not as widely accepted on the international scene. Visa and MasterCard are fairly universally accepted. ALWAYS process payment in the LOCAL CURRENCY and let your credit card company do the exchange rate for you. Some machines/retailers will offer the “service” of paying in US dollars but don’t be fooled. This “service” comes with a fee and a poor exchange rate so you’ll end up paying more. If you like to have some cash, I recommend finding an ATM outside a bank for security. The bills and coins make a colorful souvenir too! The exchange rate was the hardest part for me to keep straight and I recommend using a currency exchange calculator before making any purchase. 1 USD equates to roughly 135 ISK. 

Now for the best part, the itinerary! This itinerary can be shortened into 7 days with a faster pace but, use the weekends to your advantage, and take time to enjoy each location more. 

Day 0: pm flight

Day 1: Arrive and Southeast 

Day 2: South Coast 

Day 3: Glaciers and South Coast 

Day 4: Golden Circle 

Day 5: Snaefellsnes Peninsula 

Day 6: Snaefellsnes Peninsula and Reykjavik 

Day 7: Reykjanes Peninsula and Blue Lagoon 

Day 8: Reykjavik 

Day 9: Departure 

More posts coming that detail each day of the itinerary!