Ultimate Iceland Travel Guide 2024: Expert Tips & Local Secrets 🇮🇸

** Winter Itinerary ** 🥳❄️
Reykjavik Food Walk: wakeupreykjavik.com/tour/the-...
Northern Lights Tour: wakeupreykjavik.com/tour/nort...
2-day South Coast, Ice Cave & Glacier Lagoon: wakeupreykjavik.com/tour/2-da...
Golden Circle with Secret Lagoon: wakeupreykjavik.com/tour/natu...
** Summer Itinerary ** 🥳☀️
Reykjavik Food Walk: wakeupreykjavik.com/tour/the-...
Puffin Tour: wakeupreykjavik.com/tour/puff...
Whale Watching: wakeupreykjavik.com/tour/whal...
2-day South Coast, Glacier Hike & Glacier Lagoon: wakeupreykjavik.com/tour/2-da...
Snæfellsnes Tour: wakeupreykjavik.com/tour/snae...
Useful video? Subscribe for more, new videos every Friday! 🥳
00:00 - Intro
00:11- Booking Flights
01:04 - Where to Stay in Iceland
02:16 - How to find centrally located hotels
02:45 - Tips for Airport transfers
04:53 - Winter Travel Itinerary
06:52 - Summer Travel Itinerary
08:34 - Daylight & Weather in Iceland
09:26 - Winter Pros & Cons
12:00 - Summer Pros & Cons
14:25 - Outro

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Question to YOU from ME 👀: What are you most excited about for your trip to Iceland? Let me know, I'd love to hear it!

[@jamesc8453]

Seeing the big natural beauty!

[@nervoussystemqueentv]

We’ll be there in July. I’m looking forward to exploring the waterfalls and fishing charter.

[@kristinhorn6787]

Your videos and tips are fantastic. Thank you. My husband and I plan to spend a week there in early October this year. You suggest staying in Reykjavik mostly. The town looks so interesting. Is there another small town you might recommend as well if we combined it with some of the longer tours you mentioned? Much appreciated.

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

​@@kristinhorn6787 Thanks for the kind words Kristin, I'm glad the video came in handy! Yes, I think Reykjavik is awesome spot to stay at (and I'm not just saying that because I live there). It's possible to do all the days tours from Reykjavik since they start and end there. Another charming little town would be VÍK in the South Coast. Although you would need a rental car since we don't offer transfers or tours from that area. I hope that helps!

[@MNSportscardJunky]

Jealous! This time last year I was watching your videos and planning our 2023 trip. I hope all watching these now planning their 2024 trips have an amazing time.

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Heyyy my friend! Glad to hear that you’re still enjoying our videos. Sorry for making you jealous 😅 I hope you had a great time here in Iceland and we hope to see you again sooon! Dam :-)

[@MNSportscardJunky]

@WakeUpReykjavik. we absolutely loved it and I want to come back for more!

[@driandelacruz2392]

Definitely gonna try that Reykjavik food walk.

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

And we would love to have you!

[@MeghFitzpatrick]

I'm currently bingeing Iceland content because I'm so excited for my trip this summer and this is so great! I have booked a food walk, which I think will be amazing! I have so many cool things planned, but above everything else, I am so excited for my glacier climbing adventure! When I was there back in 2017, I went for a hike on a glacier as part of a day tour, and my guide talked about ice climbing and I've been waiting to come back ever since to try it!

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Oh how fun! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the videos, glad you’re booked on our foodie adventure and glad that you’re excited!! You have every reason to be 🥳🥳🥳

[@ScarlettLeeClark]

Thanks for this! Doing lots of video research and your videos have been fun to watch and enjoy! Would your site have any recommendations for photographers?

[@DesserTray5]

I would want to stay somewhere near Vestmannaeyjar since that's where my great grandmother and back was from.

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Beautiful place! Especially over summer time 🥳

[@melissagross9697]

4 of us are visiting your magic island next week!!! We're taking 12 days to drive around the entire island. We hear lots about winter/summer weather, not so much about spring/fall. Should we be ready for anything? Thanks

[@meganviews]

Hello and thank you for posting! What location is shown at 8:09?

[@nidhishah6932]

Hey Dan, Amazing video.. great insights. I am planning to visit Iceland this September with my newborn. Was wondering around my chances of watching northern lights in its brighter version. What are my odds according to you? Also, would the weather be ok to travel with my kid during that time of the year?

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Hey! Sorry for the delayed response. September can be pretty decent weather wise, and (if you depart late enough) a good time to see northern lights since the chances of snowy weather / storms is very little. It could be tricky to depart late for a northern lights hunt if it were to disturb the sleep schedule of the little one, but other than that, if he/she is dressed well, I don't see any issues :)

[@elihu217qd5150]

Probably have to do the summer trip…Florida folk aren’t as cold weather durable

[@QuinnEdwards1]

Diamond beach is far from the capital! It is a pretty drive though

[@javabrown4851]

Is the v. Eruption season going to be over soon? I'd love to visit this summer.

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

The eruption is not effecting anything here except the Blue Lagoon is closed as a precautionary measure, so just come and enjoy! 🥳

[@user-zj7te3fg2r]

It is worth to live there? It's easy for date there?

[@tedlaurvik3765]

We (four or five adults) are thinking of visiting in then end of September. Do you suggest a circle tour of Iceland this late in the year?

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Hey! Dan here 🥳 Great question! Although there is always chance of some rain, September has surprisingly nice weather and can be a great time for seeing some amazing sights here in Iceland. So I'm sure you'll really enjoy it!

[@jamesc8453]

.I have a father-daughter trip to Iceland 26MAY-4June. I am a Hilton diamond member so 1st I looked Hilton Reykjavik Nordica (and its price was ok). Watching your recommendations to stay centrally, this hotel will not be close enough. Having a rental car will this be a problem and/or hassel to drive to the center? Also, looking at some of the centrally located hotels it's hard to be sure we'd get 2 separate beds... as we are both "adults" we'll need a tiny bit of separation. Any thoughts? PS... love your videos and taking your advice wherever possible and looking to book some tours.

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Heeey my friend, Sorry for the dealyed response, I'm just seeing this now. Great question and yes - I agree, it's a little to far to walk back and forth frequently. A car could work although finding and paying for parking in central downtown area can be a bit of a headace sometimes. A quick taxi ride could also work well since the distance isn't too far and you wouldn't then need to worry about parking. But I would add that Hilton Reykjavik Nordica is a great spot for booking tours since it's possible to arrange for direct pickups whereas a lot of other hotels are located on streets which are too narrow to allow for pickups and the guests needs to walk to the nearest pickup location. I'm glad our videos have come in handy my friend and I hope you enjoy Iceland this time around. Let me know if you have any other questions :) Best regards, Dan :)

[@tceller08]

How is September for driving the Ring Road? Is it considered more summer or winter?

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Heyyy! Dan here :-) Great question! September is *usually* pretty decent weather wise and I would consider it to be more of a summer month rather than winter since we hardly ever get snow and the roads will in most cases be in great shape! I hope tht helps!

[@killjoysmakesomenoiz9153]

Im going there in 5 weeks!! 😊

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Have fun and we sure hope to see you on some of our fun tours! 🧡

[@Clairegoeswhere]

Hello thank you for the tips! I have booked a glacier lagoon bus trip for a few weeks time but it doesn’t go to Reynisfjara beach (which I really want to visit) - is it worth booking a south coast bus trip on another day? Or do you think it’s not worth it as besides Reynisfjara beach, we’ll be visiting most of the same places in the glacier lagoon trip. We are staying in Reykjavik and won’t be driving. Thank you 🙏

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Hey Claire! Dan here - thanks for the comment! Sounds great that you’ll be exploring the South Coast with Glacier Lagoon as well! I wouldn’t recommend booking an additional trip of the South, just to see Reynisfjara. It’s beautiful but a tour of the South is a full day activity and (in my opinion) I would rather recommend doing something else, since like you mentioned, you’d then be visiting a lot of the same sights twice. I hope that helps!

[@Clairegoeswhere]

@@WakeUpReykjavik. Hi Dan, Thank you, i thought as much - we have 1 day spare so thinking maybe Katla ice caves now.... i'll have to go back and maybe hire a car next time

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

That sounds like a great plan Claire! 🥳@@Clairegoeswhere

[@johnlinder7167]

What about Helicopter Flights over Volcanos?

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Great question as well! It's *usually* possible to take a helicopter tour to see a volcano, when we have an active one. We have no active ones currently. In 2021 and 2022 we had two 'tourist volcano' as we called them which were harmless and aloud for travellers to visit and see (whether walking or by helicopter). The volcano that we had recently (which is now inactive) didn't allow anyone to get close, since it was a different type of volcanic explosion and consider more dangerous

[@vaibhavsanwaria7371]

Is the recent volcnic eruption having any impact on tourism (road conditions/flight delay/cancellations) We plan to do golden circle & south coast starting 24th April for 5 days

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Great question! It has zero effect (except it's not possible to visit the Blue Lagoon). The eruption was in a isolated area, far from Reykjavík so life is as normal as it gets here in Iceland :)

[@vaibhavsanwaria7371]

@@WakeUpReykjavik. Thanks for the prompt reply. I got the same info on web too. However am concerned about future possibilities of any closures as it's the 7th eruption in a short span. I know no one can guarantee/forsee anything but what are the odds of getting anything disrupted? (Specially flights)

[@brie95]

How far in advance do you recommend booking accommodations and activities for a June trip?

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Heyyy Brie! Thanks for the comment, great question! I would book accommodations ASAP before prices start to really rise. In regards to activities, the sooner the better. Activity prices don’t really increase here in Iceland as the date gets closer but they tend to sell out. There is still plenty of availabilty currently for most activities but just to ensure that you’re able to do the activities that you want to do, on the days that suit you best with the tour operators that you want to go with - I would book sooner than later 🙌🏻 I hope that helps! ❤️

[@brie95]

@@WakeUpReykjavik. Thank you! We are coming for our honeymoon and very excited!! 😄

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Aww how exciting! I'm sure you'll love it here 🥳@@brie95

[@johnlinder7167]

I’m a Vegitarian, is there a Vegitarian Food walk?

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Hey John! Dan here :) Thanks for the comment, great question! Although the main focus of the tour is traditional Icelandic food which mainly consists of lamb, seafood and dairy), we are still able to arrange delicious alternatives. We can accommodate a pescatarian diet very well. No meat and no fish vegetarian is a little more tricky. We can do it but I would still say it's most enjoyable if you're able to have seafood (and even better if you eat meat as well) I hope that helps!

[@ggcarr6837]

If I had to pick one? Westfjords or south Iceland? And why? Thanks

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

Heyy there! Wow a hard question, personally I would say the South since it is an area that is a bit easier to do especially for a first time trip, and it is had more activities to do and not as scary roads 🚗 but both ar stunning!

[@ggcarr6837]

Thanks! What does scary mean? Roads or something else? Thanks so much. Which is prettier? @@WakeUpReykjavik.

[@darrenedmonds1163]

Iceland tastes like helium 3 and 4 guys

[@WakeUpReykjavik.]

I'm not sure how to respond to this comment, but I hope you liked the video!