The Perfect New Year’s Trip to Iceland
For the perfect New Year’s trip, the Land of Fire and Ice did not disappoint. Many asked, “Why the heck are you guys going to Iceland in the dead of winter?” I said, “Simple…the Northern Lights! With only 4 hours of daylight during this time of year, compared to all day sun in the summer, it’s the only time you can see them.
We booked our tour to see the lights for the very first night we arrived and nailed it! They danced above our heads for well over 30 minutes. The rest of our time in Iceland was spent seeing Reykjavik and doing other tours, but the Northern Lights were a once in a lifetime experience that makes braving the freezing temperatures of winter worth every penny!
We had a fairly tight itinerary that was changed only one day due to weather. When going to Iceland in the winter, you need to be flexible as the weather can be hit or miss. Seeing all the holiday decorations still up was also something that made the trip even better!
Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Land in Iceland from JFK on Icelandair around 6:00 am.
Day 1: Taxi from the airport (KEF) to Reykjavik (about a 45 min ride)
Day 1: Check into hotel and spend the day seeing some of the city. Northern Lights Tour starts at 9pm local
Day 2: Golden Circle Tour with snowmobiling on a glacier
Day 3: South Coast tour with glacier hike (cancelled due to weather, we did Fly Over Iceland instead)
Day 4: Blue Lagoon
Day 5: Perlan – Wonders of Iceland
Day 6: Walk around the city and 5:00 pm flight back to JFK
Day 1
We landed around 6:00 am, and immigration was quick taking only around 30 minutes to get through with another 15 minutes to get our luggage. The best option for us was to take one of the many taxis waiting outside the airport, but be aware that a taxi or private transfer to Reykjavik will cost around $140-$150. There are also mass options with bus service (around $40 for 2) or semi-private vans (around $90 for 2). These options will take you to a drop off point near your hotel but usually not directly to your hotel unless your hotel is a drop off point.
Hotel Arrival
We arrived at our hotel, the Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel, around 8:15 am and were upgraded to a suite. This meant our room wasn’t ready, which was no big deal. Being tired from the flight, we took a nap on one of the cozy lobby couches and stored our bags.
Something to note is the Konsulat has a spa area in the basement with showers in case you want to freshen up while you wait for your room. My wife and I did that and decided to walk to the City Sightseeing Hop on Hop Off bus. The route takes about 90 minutes if you just ride and listen to the history and don’t get off, and the ticket is good for 24 hours meaning you can resume your tour the next day.
Northern Lights Tour
After finding a great spot near city center to walk in and have dinner, we were ready for our private Northern Lights tour. I highly recommend splurging for a private experience to do this tour as you’ll have more flexibility and a better chance to see the lights. If you’re packed onto a bus or into a van with a gaggle of people, you’re at the mercy of the rest of the tour.
Our tour guide was an owner-operator, Andres, whose company is Mercury Grail Icelandic Adventures. He’s worth the extra money as he’s flexible and knows exactly where to go when lights chasing. I’ve already recommended him to friends. See the photos below of the lights, and I don’t need to type another word!
Day 2
It was an early wake-up to meet our Golden Circle tour which we did by motor coach. Looking back, I probably would have pushed that tour out a day or two so that we could sleep in after getting back around 1:00 am from the Northern Lights tour. We also happened to pick the coldest day in Iceland in about a decade. It was -8 F with a -20 F windchill on the glacier where we went snowmobiling…never been so cold in my life, and that’s even wearing all my old army cold weather gear! It’s a great story, but I won’t ever do that on such a cold day again.
The Golden Circle is a must-do tour, and the cold was bearable until we got on the snowmobiles adding another 25 mph to the windchill for the last part of the tour! I highly recommend doing this tour, however. Just look at the weather report and cancel or rebook if the temperature says minus anything!
Day 3 (New Year’s Eve)
We were supposed to do the South Coast tour, but due to predicted heavy snowfall, all the tour operators cancelled. Not to worry as we spent the day walking down to the waterfront (in the snow) and doing Fly Over Iceland. It’s an inexpensive ticket and worth the price. It’s a great way to see Iceland by air without leaving the ground.
New Year’s Eve Night
Once the evening came, we enjoyed our NYE dinner at Loa before walking to Kaldi Bar for some of their awesome gin and tonics. This was a great place to pregame for the fireworks at Hallgrímskirkja, a Lutheran church that sits at the highest point in the city. You can’t miss it. What an awesome gathering! Citizens purchase fireworks from the Icelandic Search and Rescue Teams and shoot them off all around the city.
It’s amazing to see as the fireworks aren’t only at the church but they feel as if they’re all around you. We dipped out of the fireworks a little early to get back to Kaldi Bar before the rush. We rang in the New Year with some new Icelandic friends. Kaldi Bar is highly recommended!
Day 4
This was our Blue Lagoon day. We paid for the transportation which was a motor coach. Blue Lagoon is about halfway to the airport, so it would be an expensive taxi ride. Blue Lagoon was awesome. I suggest the option that gives you a bathrobe. It definitely helps keep you warm. Be sure to check out the sauna and the steam rooms during your time at the lagoon. You’ll have about 3 hours total. This was plenty of time to take it all in and have a light bite at the café.
Day 5
Our final full day in Reykjavik was spent visiting Perlan. This venue contains some awesome attractions like a Northern Lights short film, the museum, a really cool ice cave and an observation deck that allows you to see the whole city. From there, we headed back to our hotel. I got the best hot dog I’ve ever eaten from the Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur stand that happened to be right outside the lobby of our hotel. You must get one! We spent the rest of the day roaming around the city a bit more. We also saw the Punk Rock museum which is tiny but pretty cool for $7.
Day 6
This was our last day before our 5:00 pm flight. We woke up later than usual, had breakfast and walked around the city a bit more. Finally, we had our taxi scheduled for a 2:00 pm departure to the airport. The airline check-in process was super easy. We will return in the summer as we hear it’s like visiting a totally different place.
For help with planning your trip, you should read:
10 Tips for a Great Overseas Travel Experience
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