November is when winter arrives in Iceland. The days get short quickly, the first snow settles on the mountains and the northern lights season is in full swing, while the roads are quiet and the summer crowds are long gone. With a heated campervan, studded tyres and a flexible plan, it's a rewarding month for a road trip. Here's what to expect and how we'd plan it.
November in Iceland at a glance
| Daylight | From about 8 hours in Reykjavík on 1 November to about 5 hours at the end of the month. The north gets less. |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Around 0 to 3 °C in Reykjavík and on the south coast, colder in the north and inland. Wind makes it feel much colder. |
| Weather | Changeable and often windy: rain, sleet, snow and clear frosty days can all come in the same week. |
| Roads | The Ring Road is cleared, but it can close for hours in a storm. All highland roads (F-roads) are closed. |
| Northern lights | Long dark nights, so every clear night is a chance. |
| Crowds | Quiet, one of the calmest months of the year. |
Plan around shorter days
At the start of November you still have about 8 hours of daylight, and twilight adds about an hour at each end. By the end of the month that's down to about 5. Plan your sightseeing and most of your driving for the light hours, keep driving days to about 2 to 3 hours, and save the dark evenings for hot pools, dinner and the northern lights. A shorter route with time to stop beats a long one in a rush.
Driving in Iceland in November
- Studded tyres: every Foxie camper runs on studded winter tyres.
- Wind's the main danger, more than snow. The Icelandic Met Office issues yellow, orange and red weather warnings on vedur.is. On an orange or red day, stay where you are.
- Check the roads every morning on road.is or by calling 1777, and look at safetravel.is for alerts.
- Highland roads (F-roads) are closed for the winter, and some mountain passes in the east and the Westfjords close after snow.
- Fuel: most fuel stations have card pumps that work around the clock (you'll need a card with a PIN). Fill up when the tank is half empty. Your rental comes with an N1 fuel-discount keychain.
- Never stop on the road for photos or the northern lights. Pull into a car park or lay-by.
There's more in our guide to driving in Iceland.
Where to sleep: campsites open in November
Many campsites close at the end of the summer season, but you'll still find some open. These say they're open right through the winter:
- Near Keflavík: Garðskagi and Sandgerði
- Reykjavík and the Golden Circle: Reykjavík (Laugardalur), Þingvellir (the Nyrðri-Leirar site), Úthlíð, Hraunborgir in Grímsnes (with hot tubs) and Selfoss
- South coast: Hellishólar in Fljótshlíð
- Glacier country: Skaftafell
Winter facilities can be simpler than in summer, and campsites change their plans, so check the campsite's own page or call before you go. Our campervan map shows all the campsites in Iceland. At night, sleep only at campsites: it's the rule in Iceland, and it keeps you off dark roads.
Staying warm in the camper
Most of our campers have a diesel night heater that runs without a campsite hook-up, plus an electric heater for nights on campsite power, and the bedding's included. Run the heater on low all night rather than high in short bursts, and air the camper for a few minutes in the morning to keep condensation down.
A 5-day November route from Keflavík
Day 1: Reykjanes. Pick up your camper at our desk in Keflavík (staffed 24/7, with a free airport transfer). Visit the Bridge Between Continents and the Gunnuhver hot spring, then sleep at Garðskagi or Sandgerði for your first northern lights night.
Day 2: Golden Circle. Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir area and Gullfoss, with about 3 hours of driving in all. End the day in a hot pool such as the Secret Lagoon at Flúðir and sleep at Úthlíð, about 10 minutes from Geysir, or at Hraunborgir in Grímsnes, which has its own hot tubs.
Day 3: Seljalandsfoss. About 2 hours of driving to Seljalandsfoss (the path behind the waterfall closes when it's icy). Sleep at Hellishólar in Fljótshlíð, about 20 minutes away.
Day 4: Vík and back. Skógafoss, the view from Dyrhólaey, the black sand beach at Reynisfjara (stay far back from the waves; read our Reynisfjara safety guide) and the village of Vík. Then drive back west to Selfoss, about 3.5 hours of driving in all, and sleep there.
Day 5: Reykjavík. A walk in the city, a last soak at a lagoon or a Reykjavík swimming pool, then bring the camper back to us.
With 7 days, add Skaftafell and the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon: our December guide has that route. Our free trip planner, included with every booking, builds a day-by-day route for your own dates.
What's on in November
- Iceland Airwaves: Reykjavík's music festival, with bands playing in clubs and venues all over the city, is usually held in early November.
- Ice cave season starts: natural ice caves under Vatnajökull usually open for guided tours from November, once it's cold enough.
- Christmas begins: in the last week of November Christmas lights go up and Christmas markets open, for example the Christmas village in Hafnarfjörður.
Things to do in November
- Northern lights: read the best time to see the northern lights in Iceland.
- Hot pools and lagoons: local swimming pools and lagoons are open all winter. See our hot springs guide.
- Waterfalls: Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Gullfoss with the first ice and snow. See our waterfalls map.
- Black sand beaches: Reynisfjara and the south coast in winter light, with the low sun all day.
- Reykjavík: museums, cafés and the old harbour on stormy days.
What to pack
- Thermal base layers and a wool sweater
- A waterproof, windproof jacket and trousers
- A warm hat, gloves and a neck warmer
- Ice cleats (microspikes) for icy paths and car parks
- A headlamp
- Swimwear for the hot pools
- A USB cable to charge your phone in the camper
Bedding, a cooking kit and a camping table and chairs come with every Foxie camper, so you don't need to pack those.
Is November a good time for a campervan trip?
Yes, if you want quiet roads, the first winter landscapes and the northern lights, and you're happy with short days and a flexible plan. Keep the route short, check the weather every morning and leave a spare day in case a storm closes the road. For more daylight, February and March still have long dark nights and much longer days.
You'll find our campers and live November prices on the Iceland campervan rental page.