Iceland in December is darkest, and the reason to come
December is the darkest month — four hours of low light around the solstice in Reykjavík — and the one with the most atmosphere. Ice caves are open, the aurora has nineteen hours of darkness to work with, and Christmas and New Year in Reykjavík are genuinely worth witnessing. Prices spike over the holiday fortnight, and closures on the holidays themselves catch people out.
Not for sightseeing at distance, not for the highlands, and not for a budget trip over the holidays. If you need shops, pools and attractions open on fixed dates, read the holiday list below before booking.
The short version
1136 tours and activities have at least one open departure inside all 31 days of December 2026 — read from our operators' own calendars, not estimated.
On an average day in December, 1034 of those tours have a seat on sale.
Daylight on December 15th: 4 h 15 min in Reykjavík (sunrise 11:16, sunset 15:30).
Median day tour in the month's biggest category, lagoons & spas: €208 a person.
Computed for the middle of the month from the coordinates of each town, so it is the average day rather than the flattering end of the month. Iceland keeps UTC all year, which is why sunrise is so late in winter.
What runs in December, and what does not
1136 of the 1608 tours our operators sell in December have an open departure inside all 31 days of December 2026. That is a count of real calendar dates, checked when the snapshot below was built.
In season · Northern lights season
Needs darkness more than anything else. Nothing is visible around midsummer however strong the activity.
They arrive to breed and leave once the chicks fledge, usually by mid-August. Colonies differ by a week or two.
Not in December · Midnight sun
True midnight sun only above the Arctic Circle — Grímsey. The mainland gets civil twilight all night, which looks much the same.
Not in December · Highland F-roads open
The Road Administration opens each F-road when the ground has thawed enough to take traffic. Mid-June is typical; some years it is July.
What it costs in December
Median adult fare for a day tour in each of the month's biggest categories. Packages, gear hire, admission tickets and per-vehicle private tours are excluded — mixing a per-car price into a per-person median is how "€4 to €3,276" ranges get published.
Full ranges, and what moves each price, are on our price pages.
10 tours worth December specifically
Ranked by operator standing and whether there are dates open, then thinned so one company cannot fill the shelf. Not a paid placement — we do not sell them.
More filters
Priceper person; priced-on-request tours drop out while a range is set
from €213 per person★4.73· 88 reviews of this tour
Anyone who wants the whole peninsula in one day and doesn't…
11 h · from Reykjavík
Pickup included
Free cancellation 24 h
Book same day
Discover Snæfellsnes - Iceland's Hidden Paradise. Join us for a day of adventure in Snæfellsnes, Iceland's stunning peninsula. From towering mountains to black sand beaches, our tour covers the best sights with friendly guides. Small groups and comfy ride
68% below the €144 typical for sightseeing day tours
meet at the start point
1 h 30 · from Reykjavík
Family friendly
Wheelchair access
Free cancellation 24 h
On this walk, you hear about the Elves, Trolls, Ghosts, Monsters, 13 Santa's and finally the only known serial killer of Iceland in a land where it's easy to get lost in the lava fields...
Discover the wonders of Iceland's Golden Circle on this unforgettable tour. Experience the beauty of Thingvellir National Park, the erupting Geysir, and the impressive Gullfoss waterfall, along with visits to Fridheimar, Efstidalur, and the Kerið volcano
from €142 per person★4.82· 2,059 reviews of this tour
about the usual price for sightseeing day tours
from age 7 · pickup at extra cost
2 h · from Reykjavík
Gear included
Family friendly
Free cancellation 24 h
This trip is an excellent trip for all those interested in trying the Icelandic horse, a trek on the hardy, sure-footed Icelandic horse is an experience to remember.
from €183 per person★4.97· 66 reviews of this tour
26% below the €246 typical for snorkelling & diving tours
Confident swimmers who want the fissure properly, not the…
3 h · from Þingvellir
Age 12+
Book the night before
Meet at Thingvellir National park
No certificate needed. We provide changing room for our clients. Freedive in best visibility with best freedive wetsuit equipment. Safety is our priority. All equipment needed is included. We only use best freedive wetsuit available for our conditions
59% below the €246 typical for snorkelling & diving tours
Anyone who can swim and wants the clearest water in Iceland…
3 h · from Reykjavík
Age 12+
Gear included
Family friendly
No certificate needed. Snorkel in best visibility with best snorkel wetsuit equipment. Safety is our priority. All equipment needed is included. We only use best snorkel wetsuit available for our conditions.
from €1,064 per vehicle★5.0· 5 reviews of this tour
A family or group of four to six who would rather split one…
8 h · from Reykjavík
Pickup included
Food included
Wi-fi on board
Visit the Golden Circle and explore its wonderful sights in a private tour. From Thingvellir, to Geysir and Gullfoss, you will experience Iceland's wonderful nature.
Wind cancels more Icelandic tours than rain does, so a spare plan is worth having. These still work in bad weather: indoors, underground, in hot water, or short enough to outlast a squall.
Dates are for 2026. On these days shops, pools and museums run reduced hours or close, and pickups can shift. Most tours still run — check the specific departure rather than assuming either way.
24 December · Christmas Eve (Aðfangadagur)Iceland celebrates from 18:00. Almost everything closes at noon.
25 December · Christmas Day (Jóladagur)
26 December · Boxing Day (Annar í jólum)
31 December · New Year's Eve (Gamlárskvöld)Shops shut early; the city fireworks are effectively a national event.
What to wear in December
Everything: waterproof shell, warm layers, hat, gloves and spikes. Add a head torch if you are walking anywhere outside a town.
Iceland in December: questions people ask
Is December a good time to see the northern lights?+
The darkness is as good as it gets — around nineteen hours of it near the solstice. December is also one of the cloudier months, so give yourself several nights.
What is open in Iceland at Christmas?+
Iceland celebrates from 18:00 on the 24th, and almost everything closes at noon that day. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are quiet, and after Good Friday the 25th is the closest the country comes to a full stop. Many tours still run — check the specific departure.
How many hours of daylight are there in December?+
About four hours in Reykjavík around the solstice, less in Akureyri, and the sun never climbs far above the horizon. It is a long golden hour rather than a normal day.
Is New Year in Reykjavík worth it?+
The city fireworks are effectively a national event and unlike anything organised — they are set off by everyone, everywhere, at once. Shops shut early on the 31st and prices for beds are at their highest.
