Find out everything you need to know about all the top activities in Iceland. Explore the fun things you can do and places you should visit in Iceland to make your trip truly unforgettable.
In this guide, we uncover the top activities you can experience while visiting Iceland, whether you plan to explore independently on self-drive adventures or join one of the many tours in Iceland. You’ll quickly find that time and budget are the biggest limitations when planning your trip, not the lack of things to do. Iceland is a dream destination for travelers seeking adventure and breathtaking natural beauty, and the activities on this list reflect exactly that.
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Of course, while visiting Iceland, you will have a limited time, and it's unrealistic (or impossible!) to do everything in one trip. Therefore, it's advisable to book guided tours and activities ahead of time to make sure there's availability, and it allows you to plan your trip before your arrival.
A great way to travel in Iceland is by renting a car. This way, you can drive to all the places you want to see and try the self-drive experiences you like the most. It’s also easy to find a place to stay thanks to the largest selection of accommodations in Iceland, ranging from remote countryside cottages to high-end luxury hotels.
But even if you give yourself plenty of time while visiting Iceland, there's always something that you'll have to leave undone, so it's all about picking and choosing. Because we cooperate with nearly all travel service providers in the country, Guide to Iceland is in a prime position to help you choose the best things to see and do in Iceland. Here are the top 12 best activities in Iceland!
Key Takeaways
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Iceland’s best activities are centered around dramatic natural landscapes, including glaciers, volcanoes, waterfalls, black sand beaches, and geothermal areas.
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Ice cave exploration stands out as the most defining experience and is uniquely tied to Iceland’s geography.
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The northern lights remain one of the biggest highlights of a winter visit and are especially promising in the coming years due to strong solar activity.
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Wildlife encounters such as whale watching and puffin spotting are reliable and accessible in multiple regions across the country.
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Many top activities are seasonal, with summer ideal for hiking, puffins, and road trips, and winter best for ice caves and aurora viewing.
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Guided tours are essential for certain activities like glaciers, ice caves, and Silfra snorkeling due to safety and environmental conditions.
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Self-driving tours make it easier to combine major highlights like the Golden Circle, South Coast waterfalls, and glacier lagoons in one trip.
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Reykjavik adds cultural depth to an Iceland itinerary with food, museums, architecture, and nightlife complementing outdoor adventures.
12. Ride an Icelandic Horse Through Rugged Scenery
If you want an experience that’s authentically Icelandic, get yourself on the back of an Icelandic horse. This ancient, pure breed was brought to Iceland by Viking settlers over 1,000 years ago and is a living national treasure found nowhere else in the world. Despite their compact, muscular build, they are always called horses, never ponies.
Part of what makes these horses so special is their calm temperament and sure footing. Icelandic horses also have a unique fifth gait called the tölt, a smooth four-beat rhythm that feels more like gliding than riding. Strict breeding laws protect the breed, and any horse that leaves Iceland can never return.
Today, horse riding is one of the most popular activities in Iceland, and all horse riding tours are led by certified instructors. This means you are in knowledgeable hands, whether you are a first-time rider or have years of experience.
You can explore lava fields and countryside on a horse riding tour with optional pickup from Reykjavik, ride along the South Coast’s black sand beach near Vik, enjoy scenic valley rides along the Ring Road, or pair your experience with a stay at one of the best farms in Iceland for genuine Icelandic hospitality.
11. Snorkel in Silfra Fissure
Snorkeling may not be the first activity you associate with Iceland, but snorkeling tours at Silfra Fissure offer one of the most unique experiences available. It's the kind of adventure that absolutely deserves a place on any Iceland bucket list.
Silfra Fissure lies within Thingvellir National Park, directly in the rift where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are slowly drifting apart. As you float through the fissure, you're quite literally swimming between two continents, and in some spots, you can even reach out and touch both sides at once. This rare geological setting makes snorkeling here one of the most unique activities in Iceland.
The fissure is filled with glacial meltwater from Langjokull Glacier, which has spent decades, and in some cases more than a century, filtering through porous lava rock underground. The result is astonishing: water so clear and pure that visibility exceeds 328 feet (100 meters).
There are several snorkeling tours available, with the classic Silfra Fissure snorkeling adventure being the most popular. For those seeking an extra challenge, wetsuit snorkeling in Silfra is also an option.
10. Go Whale Watching on the Open Sea
Whale watching is one of the most rewarding activities in Iceland, offering the chance to see whales surfacing, diving, or lifting their tails close to the boat. Alongside whales, sightings often include white-beaked dolphins, harbor porpoises, and seabirds feeding at the surface. In summer, puffins are also commonly spotted.
Whale watching tours depart from several locations across Iceland, including Reykjavik, Husavik, Akureyri, Hauganes, Homalvik, and Olafsvik. In Reykjavik, boats depart directly from the Old Harbor into Faxafloi Bay. This is convenient if you're staying in the city, you don't need to go anywhere else to join a whale watching tour.
Northern Iceland is known for more frequent sightings thanks to nutrient-rich waters. Husavik, located on Skjalfandi Bay, is often called Iceland’s whale watching capital. Nearby Akureyri, Hauganes, and Holmavik offer fjord-based tours with calmer waters, where humpback whales are commonly seen. On the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, tours from Olafsvik head into deeper offshore waters and are especially known for orca sightings, particularly in spring.
The best time for whale watching is from April to October, when conditions are milder and marine life is most active. Winter tours run with fewer crowds and offer better chances of seeing orcas in western and northern regions. Most tours last two to three hours and operate on either large, stable boats or smaller RIB speedboats. Dress warmly, as wind and sea spray can be cold.
9. See Puffins in Their Summer Colonies
Seeing puffins in the wild is one of the most memorable wildlife experiences and one of the best activities in Iceland, right up there with whale watching. Every summer, from around May to August, Atlantic puffins return to Iceland’s cliffs and islands to nest, making this the best time to spot them up close.
Puffins are among the most well-known birds in Iceland, and the country is home to the world’s largest puffin populations, which makes sightings both common and reliable.
Puffins are instantly recognizable with their colorful beaks and comical movements on land. Watching them waddle between burrows, take off from the cliffs, or dive into the sea to fish is surprisingly absorbing. Time tends to slow down at nesting sites, where puffins come and go at their own pace, giving you plenty of chances to observe them naturally.
Some of the best places to see puffins in Iceland include the Westman Islands, Latrabjarg Cliffs in the Westfjords, and Dyrholaey on the South Coast. The Westman Islands are the most famous puffin destination in the country and home to the world’s largest colony. Seeing puffins is widely considered one of the top things to do in the Westman Islands.
Puffin experiences range from clifftop viewing to guided birdwatching tours, short boat trips like the family-friendly puffin boat tour from Reykjavik, and combined wildlife outings such as the whale watching and puffin RIB boat tour from Husavik. For a quieter land-based option, the Ingolfshofdi puffin tour offers guided access to a less crowded nesting area.
8. Tour Majestic Waterfalls
Waterfalls are everywhere in Iceland. Shaped by glaciers, volcanoes, and steep terrain, they range from gentle streams to thundering cascades. Visiting them is one of the must-do activities in Iceland, and the best part is that many of the most famous waterfalls sit right off the main roads. You can simply pull over along the road and reach a waterfall within minutes.
The South Coast has some of the best waterfalls in Iceland. Seljalandsfoss is one of the waterfalls you can walk behind, with a path leading behind the cascade for a view through the water. Just down the road is Skogafoss, a massive curtain of water that drops 200 feet (60 meters). You can walk up to the base to feel the spray or climb the stairs for a view from the top. Both are popular stops on waterfall tours along the Ring Road.
North Iceland is where the scale gets bigger. Dettifoss, located in Vatnajokull National Park, is Europe's most powerful waterfall. The volume of water crashing into the canyon is intense. You can feel the force from the viewing platform. Godafoss is smaller but beautiful, with a wide horseshoe shape and ties to Iceland's history. Both waterfalls can be visited on this sightseeing tour from Akureyri.
West Iceland shows you a different side of waterfalls. Hraunfossar Waterfalls seep out of lava rock in countless small streams. Dynjandi spreads down a mountainside in layers. Glymur, one of Iceland's tallest waterfalls, takes a hike to reach but rewards you with the view.
7. Walk on a Black Sand Beach at Reynisfjara
Walking along Reynisfjara's black sand shoreline is one of the best activities in Iceland and a memorable stop on the South Coast. The beach sits just outside the village of Vik i Myrdal and is easy to reach on a self-drive trip or as part of guided South Coast tours.
The sand underfoot comes from volcanic lava that cooled, shattered, and was shaped by the ocean over time. As you walk the beach, you'll see some of the most beautiful rock formations in Iceland. Tall basalt columns rise along the cliffs in clear geometric patterns. Offshore, the Reynisdrangar Sea Stacks stand just beyond the surf and dominate the view.
Reynisfjara is also one of the filming locations of Game of Thrones, where the beach was used in Season 7 as Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, the easternmost outpost of the Night’s Watch. In summer, seabirds nest along the cliffs, and puffins are often spotted near Dyrholaey.
If you are already visiting Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss, Reynisfjara lies along the same stretch of coast, making it easy to include on a South Coast day trip from Reykjavik.
Visiting Reynisfjara is one of the top things to do in Vik and shouldn't be missed if you're in the area. Just know that the ocean here doesn't mess around. Sneaker waves can come out of nowhere and have pulled people into the water. Stay at least 100 feet (30 meters) back and keep an eye on those warning signs.
6. Relax at the Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is Iceland's most famous geothermal spa, and it's worth the hype. You float in warm, milky blue water surrounded by black lava rocks and rising steam, creating an unreal setting. The water stays between 98 and 104 F (37 to 40 C) year-round and gets its color from silica and algae, which are believed to benefit the skin.
The lagoon is easy to reach, located about 14 miles (23 km) from the airport and 30 miles (49 km) from Reykjavik, making it a popular stop on the first or last day of a trip. You can take a shuttle bus to the Blue Lagoon, drive yourself, or book one of the Blue Lagoon tours that include a ride.
Once you're inside, you can move between the lagoon, saunas, and steam rooms. There's a bar in the water if you want a drink, and you can get massages too. Early morning or late evening is usually less crowded. Going in winter is special. The mix of hot water and cold air feels amazing, and you might see the northern lights.
Tickets should be booked in advance, as the Blue Lagoon often sells out. Comfort tickets are the most popular and include entry, a towel, a drink, and a silica mud mask, while Premium tickets add a bathrobe and extra masks.
If the Blue Lagoon feels too busy or expensive, alternatives include Sky Lagoon near Reykjavik with ocean views, the quieter Secret Lagoon, or Earth Lagoon Myvatn in northern Iceland with fewer crowds.
5. Sail on the Stunning Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
Any discussion about the best activities in Iceland must include visiting Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. It is one of the most famous glacier lagoons in Iceland, fed by an outlet of Vatnajokull Glacier and directly connected to the ocean. Icebergs drift slowly from Breidamerkurjokull Glacier toward the Atlantic, and watching the ice crack, shift, and move across the water is what makes a visit here so memorable.
The best way to experience the lagoon up close is on a Jokulsarlon zodiac boat tour or by kayaking at Jokulsarlon, both available during the summer months. In winter, visitors can enjoy views from the shoreline and often spot seals swimming among the ice.
Just a five-minute walk from the lagoon is Diamond Beach. Icebergs frequently wash ashore on this stretch of black sand, where polished chunks of ice contrast sharply with the dark shoreline. Even a short visit here adds to the experience.
In winter, dark skies and wide horizons make it possible to see northern lights at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. There are many great hotels near Jokulsarlon Lagoon where you can stay at and marvel at the aurora in the evening.
4. Explore Reykjavik’s Culture and Sights
Reykjavik is often treated as a brief stop before exploring Iceland’s natural sights, but the capital is a highlight in its own right. The city is compact and easy to explore in a day or two, either on your own or by joining one of the many tours in Reykjavik.
Simply strolling the streets is one of the top things to do in Reykjavik. You can browse shops, stop for coffee, or admire the ever-changing graffiti and street art in Reykjavik. There are also plenty of landmarks to see, including Hallgrimskirkja Church with its city views, Harpa Concert Hall, the Sun Voyager along the waterfront, and several museums that showcase Iceland’s history and culture.
Food is also a major highlight in Reykjavik. The city is known for everything from fresh seafood and modern cuisine to famous Icelandic hot dogs and casual street food. You’ll find plenty of options, whether you’re looking for the best restaurants in Reykjavik or more affordable places to eat, all within a short walking distance of each other.
After dark, bars and live music venues fill quickly, and exploring the nightlife in Reykjavik is one of the best activities in Iceland. Happy hour runs in the early evening, which helps since drinks are expensive. And if you're part of Guide to Iceland's VIP Club, you get discounts at some of the best bars in Reykjavik.
3. Drive the Golden Circle
The Golden Circle is Iceland's most famous sightseeing route, compressed into a 186-mile (300-km) loop you can explore in a day. It covers three major natural attractions in one easy route, all close to Reykjavik and all dramatically different from each other. It's no wonder that touring it is one of the best activities in Iceland.
You can drive the Golden Circle yourself with a rental car or join one of the many Golden Circle tours. A popular option is the Golden Circle minibus tour from Reykjavik, and for more planning tips, this ultimate guide to the Golden Circle is a helpful resource.
The first stop on the route is Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO site where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are pulling apart. Visitors can walk through the rift valley, explore lava fields and gorges, and see the site of the world’s first parliament, founded in 930 AD.
It continues to the Geysir Geothermal Area, where Strokkur Geyser erupts every 5 to 10 minutes, and ends at Gullfoss Waterfall, a powerful two-tiered cascade that drops 105 feet (32 meters) into a canyon.
The main route takes six to eight hours, but you can easily stretch it to a full day or two if you add detours. Popular additions include snowmobiling, soaking in the Secret Lagoon, checking out Kerid Volcanic Crater, or visiting Friðheimar Farm, where tomatoes are grown in a geothermal greenhouse.
You can explore the Golden Circle along with Kerid Crater and Friðheimar on this small-group Golden Circle tour.
2. Witness the Northern Lights
One of the most iconic activities in Iceland is witnessing the northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis. While this celestial dance happens year-round, it only reveals itself when the sky is pitch black, making September to April the prime viewing window. Because we are currently in a period of high solar activity in 2026, your chances of seeing a vivid, sky-filling display are better than they have been in a decade.
Finding the aurora is a mix of timing and luck, as it requires both clear skies and a burst of solar energy. To maximize your odds, you should monitor the local aurora forecast daily and head to a spot far from the glow of city lights where the darkness is total.
The most seamless way to catch the show is by joining guided northern lights tours. These tours are led by local experts who know when and where to find the northern lights by tracking real-time weather and satellite data to find open, star-filled skies. Many operators even offer a free retry on another night if the lights don’t appear on your first attempt, making this a reliable way to ensure you don't miss out.
If you prefer to go looking for the lights on your own, you can rent a car and drive into the remote countryside. Famous spots like the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon or the black sand beaches near Vik provide stunning backdrops for the lights. You can also stay at specialized northern lights hotels that offer wake-up calls if activity appears overnight, ensuring you never miss the magic while you're asleep.
1. Step Inside an Ice Cave
Stepping inside a natural ice cave is one of the most unforgettable experiences in Iceland. While the country is shaped by glaciers, volcanoes, and powerful natural forces, nothing compares to exploring the glowing chambers hidden deep within the ice. These caves offer a rare chance to see a glacier from the inside, revealing a frozen world that feels almost unreal.
Ice caves form during winter when meltwater rivers flowing beneath glaciers refreeze as temperatures drop. Because glaciers are constantly moving, these caves change shape every year, meaning no two visits are ever the same.
Some of the most famous ice caves in Iceland include the Crystal Ice Cave near Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and the Katla Ice Cave near Vik, which can be accessed year-round.
When sunlight filters through thick glacial ice, the caves glow in striking shades of blue, white, and sometimes black, where volcanic ash has been trapped in the ice. Walking through sculpted tunnels and icy arches feels like entering a frozen cathedral, making ice caving one of the most memorable winter activities in Iceland.
Because conditions inside glaciers can change daily, visiting ice caves is only possible on guided tours led by certified experts. Proper preparation is essential, and understanding what clothes to wear for ice caving helps ensure warmth, comfort, and safety while exploring these fragile and awe-inspiring natural formations.
FAQs About the Best Activities in Iceland
Below, you’ll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the best activities in Iceland.
What are the best activities in Iceland?
The best activities in Iceland include ice caving, seeing the northern lights, and relaxing at geothermal spas like the Blue Lagoon. Other highlights include exploring the Golden Circle, touring waterfalls, whale watching, horse riding, spotting puffins in summer, visiting black sand beaches, and experiencing Reykjavik’s culture.
How many days do you need to experience Iceland’s top activities?
A 5- to 7-day trip is enough to cover the main highlights, including the Golden Circle, South Coast waterfalls, Reykjavik, and at least one adventure activity. A 10- to 14-day trip allows time to explore glaciers, lagoons, wildlife, and more remote regions at a relaxed pace.
What is the best time of year for activities in Iceland?
Summer (June–August) is best for hiking, puffin watching, road trips, and glacier lagoons, while winter (November–March) is ideal for northern lights viewing and ice cave tours. Many activities, including whale watching and sightseeing, are available year-round.
Do you need a guide for activities in Iceland?
Some activities can be done independently, such as visiting waterfalls or driving the Golden Circle. However, glacier hikes, ice cave tours, and snorkeling in Silfra must be done with certified guides due to safety and environmental conditions.
Are Iceland’s top activities suitable for beginners?
Yes, most of Iceland’s best activities are beginner-friendly. Horseback riding, glacier hiking, whale watching, and sightseeing tours are designed for first-timers and led by experienced guides. Physical requirements vary by activity.
Start Planning Your Iceland Adventure
With so many unforgettable experiences waiting, planning your Iceland trip is just as exciting as the journey itself. From chasing waterfalls and hiking glaciers to soaking in geothermal lagoons and searching for the northern lights, having the right logistics in place makes all the difference. Booking flights to Iceland early can help you secure better prices and set a strong foundation for your itinerary.
Once you arrive, choosing how to explore is key. You can browse the largest selection of tours in Iceland to find everything from short sightseeing trips to multi-day adventures led by local experts. If you prefer flexibility, self-drive tours in Iceland allow you to travel at your own pace while still having accommodations and routes pre-planned for you.
Finding the right base is just as important, and there’s no shortage of choices when it comes to places to stay in Iceland, ranging from central city hotels to cozy countryside guesthouses and remote lodges. For a smooth and stress-free experience, travel packages to Iceland combine flights, accommodations, and activities into one convenient booking.
No matter how you plan your trip, Iceland rewards those who prepare ahead. With a thoughtful balance of planning and exploration, your visit will be filled with memorable moments and plenty of inspiration to return again.
Did you enjoy our choices for the top 12 best activities in Iceland? Did it help you choose what to do in Iceland? Feel free to leave your thoughts and queries in the comments below.
