Iceland in October is the first proper aurora month
October is when Iceland turns back into a winter destination without yet being difficult. There are still around ten hours of daylight at the start of the month, the aurora season is properly open, prices have dropped from summer, and the roads are normal. The autumn colours in Þórsmörk and the north are the part nobody photographs enough. The highlands close through the month and the ice caves are not open yet.
Not for ice caves, not for the highlands, and not for anyone who wants summer daylight. October also brings the first serious storms, so a tight itinerary will get bent at least once.
The short version
1046 tours and activities have at least one open departure inside 16 of the 31 days of October 2027 — read from our operators' own calendars, not estimated.
On an average day in October, 893 of those tours have a seat on sale (averaged over the 16 days we can see).
Daylight on October 15th: 9 h 58 min in Reykjavík (sunrise 08:14, sunset 18:12).
Median day tour in the month's biggest category, lagoons & spas: €208 a person.
In season: northern lights season, whale watching.
Daylight on October 15th
Reykjavík
9 h 58 min
Sunrise 08:14 · sunset 18:12
Akureyri
9 h 49 min
Sunrise 08:04 · sunset 17:52
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 October, and what does not
1046 of the 1608 tours our operators sell in October have an open departure inside 16 of the 31 days of October 2027. That is a count of real calendar dates, checked when the snapshot below was built — the rest of the month is beyond our snapshot, so treat this as a floor rather than the total.
In season · Northern lights season
Needs darkness more than anything else. Nothing is visible around midsummer however strong the activity.
Caves are re-surveyed each autumn and only open when a guide judges them stable. A warm spell can close one for the season.
Not in October · Puffins ashore
They arrive to breed and leave once the chicks fledge, usually by mid-August. Colonies differ by a week or two.
Not in October · 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 October · 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 October
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 October 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.
Waterproof jacket and trousers, warm layers, and boots with grip. The first ice on pavements usually arrives in October.
Iceland in October: questions people ask
Is October a good time to see the northern lights?+
Yes. There are twelve to fourteen hours of darkness by late October and the season is fully open, with tours running nightly from Reykjavík. Cloud decides the night, not the month — plan three nights rather than one.
Are the ice caves open in October?+
The natural Vatnajökull caves are not; guides survey them in the autumn and open from around November. The Katla cave under Mýrdalsjökull and the man-made Langjökull ice tunnel do run in October.
How much daylight does Iceland get in October?+
Around ten hours at the start of the month and closer to seven by the end — a fast loss of about an hour a fortnight, which is why the early and late halves of October feel like different months.
Is October a cheap month to visit Iceland?+
Cheaper than summer for flights and beds, and quieter at the well-known stops. Tour prices are close to their year-round level.
