October in Iceland – Weather, Fun Activities, What to Pack & More

02/14/24 • 17 min

Visiting Iceland in October offers a unique and captivating experience, characterized by its transitional weather, diminished crowds, and the chance to witness the Northern Lights.

Previous Episodes About Months in Iceland

Weather and Average Temperature

Temperature Range: October in Iceland sees average temperatures ranging from 2°C to 7°C (36°F to 45°F). The weather is cool and often wet, with frequent rain showers.
Weather Variability: Expect variable weather conditions. Days can be crisp and clear or windy and rainy.

Daylight Hours in October in Iceland

Decreasing Daylight: October marks a significant shift in daylight hours in Iceland. The month starts with about 11.5 hours of daylight and ends with around 8 hours, signaling the approach of the darker winter months.

What to Wear in Iceland During October

Layered Clothing: Essential for adapting to Iceland’s unpredictable weather. Include waterproof and windproof jackets, warm sweaters, thermal underlayers, and sturdy, waterproof footwear.
Accessories: Don’t forget hats, gloves, and scarves for extra warmth, especially when exploring outdoors.

My Ultimate Packing Checklist is linked in the show notes and will provide you with everything you need to bring. I recommend following the winter list, especially toward the end of the month because it is noticeably colder and darker.

Road Conditions & Driving in October

Road Conditions: Generally stable, but be prepared for occasional icy patches or snow, especially in northern regions.
Driving Tips: Stay updated with the weather forecast and road conditions. Daylight hours are decreasing, so plan your travels accordingly. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended for more rugged terrains.

Expert Trip Planning Tip for Iceland in October

Due to decent day light hours, good road conditions, and relatively warm weather, October can be a nice shoulder season month for people to visit who want to avoid the crowds. Driving to different parts of the country is still quite easy, meaning hardly any snow or ice, especially during the beginning and middle of the month. So, I recommend renting a car or a camper van.

The Best Company to Rent a Car or Camper Van in Iceland

Go Car Rental Iceland

If you plan to explore Iceland on your own when you visit, I highly recommend using Go Car Rental Iceland. They are a local Icelandic car rental company that has great customer service, a large variety of cars and very competitive prices. Use my code Iceland10 to save 10% off the entire cost of your rental car.

I personally use them for when I go on adventures, and I’m so glad to hear that many of my listeners and subscribers are also having a great experience with them. I mentioned in a previous episode that one of my listeners switched to Go Car Rental Iceland from one of the internationally known rental car companies here and she saved $400! That was for a rental during the summer when prices can sometimes double due to demand.

Go Campers – Camper Van Rental

If you plan to use a campervan, use my code Iceland7 to save 7% and get two free duvets with your GO Campers van rental. Also, I have a great episode coming up soon about how to choose the right camper van for your travels in Iceland, so keep an eye out for that.

Why You Should Visit Iceland in October

Less Crowded: With the high season tapering off, you’ll find fewer tourists, making it easier to enjoy Icel...

Visiting Iceland in October offers a unique and captivating experience, characterized by its transitional weather, diminished crowds, and the chance to witness the Northern Lights.

Previous Episodes About Months in Iceland

Weather and Average Temperature

Temperature Range: October in Iceland sees average temperatures ranging from 2°C to 7°C (36°F to 45°F). The weather is cool and often wet, with frequent rain showers.
Weather Variability: Expect variable weather conditions. Days can be crisp and clear or windy and rainy.

Daylight Hours in October in Iceland

Decreasing Daylight: October marks a significant shift in daylight hours in Iceland. The month starts with about 11.5 hours of daylight and ends with around 8 hours, signaling the approach of the darker winter months.

What to Wear in Iceland During October

Layered Clothing: Essential for adapting to Iceland’s unpredictable weather. Include waterproof and windproof jackets, warm sweaters, thermal underlayers, and sturdy, waterproof footwear.
Accessories: Don’t forget hats, gloves, and scarves for extra warmth, especially when exploring outdoors.

Road Conditions & Driving in October

Road Conditions: Generally stable, but be prepared for occasional icy patches or snow, especially in northern regions.
Driving Tips: Stay updated with the weather forecast and road conditions. Daylight hours are decreasing, so plan your travels accordingly. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended for more rugged terrains.

Expert Trip Planning Tip for Iceland in October

The Best Company to Rent a Car or Camper Van in Iceland

Go Car Rental Iceland

Go Campers – Camper Van Rental

Why You Should Visit Iceland in October

Less Crowded: With the high season tapering off, you’ll find fewer tourists, making it easier to enjoy Icel...

Previous Episode

An Icelander’s Intimate Encounter with an Elf – Folklore Friday

This particular episode is about Hallgerður Hallgrímsdóttir, who did an interesting interview with VICE back in 2016 about her intimate encounters. An important warning though is that she goes into some graphic details about her and an elf being intimate, as well as an anonymous account that she shares from someone else. It’s definitely out there.

What Might Happen if You Meet An Icelandic Elf

I am summarizing what she said in the most PG way that I can. Hallgerður claims that she was out walking in the Icelandic wilderness by herself when an elf approached her. For those not familiar with Icelandic elves, they are hidden people that look like humans but are said to be taller and way better looking. After meeting the elf, they go off and have an intimate time and yes, I am using intimate as a euphemism. She recalls it as being amazing and way better than anything she has ever done with a regular person.

To make this even more interesting, she illustrated a book using stick figure drawings to show some of the intimate positions that are uniquely elvish. Hearing people’s encounters with elves regardless of them being intimate or not, are fascinating to me. I say that because there are people in Iceland who are self-proclaimed elf mediums and there is even a elf school here. Icelandic elves

Random Fact of the Episode

Due to a poll taken in 1998, the thought for decades was that that the majority of Icelanders believed in elves. However, another poll was done in 2022 by Prósent that says only 31% of Icelanders believe in elves, 11% were not sure, 1% didn ́t want to answer and 57% said no. To be fair, this was based on around 1,000 responders who are 18 years or older.

Icelandic Word of the Episode

Huldufólk – hidden people

Check out other episodes of Folklore Friday here.

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Next Episode

The Famous Trolls of Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach – Folklore Friday

At the famous, beautiful, and dangerous Reynisfjara black sand beach there are three sea stacks clearly visible out in the ocean. They look as though they have popped up out of nowhere but there is a story behind their existence.

Legend has it that two trolls were trying to pull a ship to shore during the middle of the night. However, they lost track of time and since this was during the warmer seasons when we have shorter nights, the sun came up sooner than they thought.

Any troll caught in the sunlight turns to stone and that is exactly what happened to them. It’s said that the three rock pillars are the two trolls and the ship they were dragging. Not sure why the ship would also turn to stone but that is the story.

Random Fact of the Day

The beach’s signature black sand is a result of lava flow reaching the sea and cooling quickly. The molten hot lava being rapidly cooled by the cold sea makes the solid lava crack into little pieces. Those pieces are then eroded over time and become a rough sand.

Icelandic Word of the Day

Reynisfjara – Beach of Reynir. One story I have read says that Reynir was a Viking from Norway that was one of the first to settle in this area. Another says that it was named by Björn from Valdresi in Norway. Either way, the beach is named after a Reynir.