7 Great Reasons Why You Should Drive in Iceland in June

The Daylight

Iceland’s days are long in June, and even as far south as Reykjavik, it never really gets dark. Note: this is the worst time of year for aurora lovers as you won’t see the Northern Lights at all. However, with more time at your disposal, you can cover a lot more ground or slow the pace down as you delve deeper into a single region. Up north, the situation is even more pronounced. For a month from June 7th, Iceland’s Grimsey Island – the only part of the country that lies within the Arctic Circle – will enjoy 24-hour daylight. If you want to experience this phenomenon, then the quickest way to get there from the North Iceland mainland is on one of the small planes that make the short hop from Akureyri on a Sunday and a Tuesday throughout June. Meanwhile, ferries shuttle between Dalvik and Grimsey five times a week in summer. The three-hour crossing offers travelers a bit more flexibility, but booking ahead in summer is wise. 

The Solstice

The pronounced difference between the darkness of winter and the abundance of light in summer led to the creation of folklore tales and seasonal celebrations. The Summer Solstice is a big deal for some locals and on Grimsey Island, it’s recognized as a festival when people go for communal walks and relish the opportunity of eating together. As well as marking the Summer Solstice, Icelanders also mark Jónsmessa in June. During the night of 24th June, it was believed that cows could speak, seals took on human forms, and rolling around on wet grass could be the cure for all manner of illnesses. Whether you choose to do the same depends a lot on where you are and whether there’s a chance that anyone will be watching. 

The Weather

As summer starts to get into its stride, the Icelandic weather begins to shed its winter guise. Conditions are still very unpredictable, and we wouldn’t recommend planning a road trip to Iceland in June simply because of the weather. However, in general, you’ll experience warmer temperatures and a greater likelihood of fine days. Typically, you might expect about 15°C on average, though it can be considerably colder and maybe even warmer than that. Rain is also likely for at least some of your trip – occasionally even a few flurries of snow – but at least on a driving itinerary, you can choose when and where to get out of the car. The best advice we can give you is to obsess over the forecast and plan for the unexpected.
If you plan on visiting Iceland in the summer, you should also consider driving in Iceland in July. The weather’s often fine, and with long daylight hours, you’ll have time to explore Iceland’s breathtaking landscapes at their peak.

The Lupines

You’ll see swathes of lupines across Iceland in June but they aren’t actually a native species. This beautiful plant is, in fact, an invasive alien, introduced deliberately some decades ago from Alaska in an attempt to keep soil erosion at bay and also for its nitrogen-fixing properties. It thrived and spread in Iceland’s poor soils, a resilient plant that coped admirably with harsh weather but colonized heathland and impacted wild berry growth in the process. Environmental controversy aside, their purple flowers are a delightful sight in a country where blooms often struggle. They’re sure to have you reaching for your camera just as a moss-covered lava field will.   

The Puffins

Another must-record sight is that of the country’s most treasured feathered friends. Puffins are seasonal visitors to Iceland, arriving in April and departing back to sea by the middle of August. June is a great time to watch their cute antics. These rotund birds, with their colorful beaks and orange feet, give the impression of crash-landing onto cliffside knolls beside the burrows in which they rear their chicks. There are a number of places in the country where sightings are especially likely, including at Borgarfjörður Eystri in East Iceland and also on Heimaey in the Westman Islands, where injured birds are rehabilitated in the town’s harbourfront Sea Life Centre. 

The F-roads

June marks the point where the F-roads open, and as the month progresses, more and more of these remote mountain roads welcome traffic again. They lead through one of the last wildernesses in Europe, Iceland’s Highland interior. You might follow them to scenic spots such as Landmannalaugar, where hikes through the area’s colorful rhyolite mountains are the ideal prelude to a soak in the warm geothermal waters of the People’s Pool. Another popular destination is Þórsmörk, the Valley of Thor. This verdant, tree-filled valley nestles between glaciers and mountain peaks; it’s widely held to be one of the most breathtaking parts of the Icelandic Highlands, though there’s a challenging river crossing to contend with if you plan to drive yourself – make sure you’ve rented the right kind of vehicle or you could find yourself in trouble.

The Festivals

Iceland’s festivals, run by community committees and clubs, celebrate all manner of interests and hobbies. Having a rental car makes it easy to get around the country to your own schedule, which means you can time your visit to join in with one or more of these lively June festivals.

Hafnarfjördur’s Viking Festival 

Rimmugýgur is the Viking Festival, which takes place in Hafnarfjördur each June. This popular event brings to life the days of the early settlers, with plenty of food, drink, dancing, and re-enactments to liven up the proceedings. Whether you have a keen interest in Iceland’s history and cultural heritage or simply like to have fun with friends and family, this is definitely worth checking out.

Höfn Lobster Festival

Over in East Iceland, the port of Höfn is well-known for its excellent seafood. It’s no surprise, therefore, that locals and visitors alike will get excited at the prospect of its Lobster Festival, held annually over a weekend in June. A large proportion of the country’s catch is landed here and there are a number of excellent seafood restaurants to check out, so even if you can’t make the dates work, detour here for lunch or dinner.

Akureyri’s Biladagar

This lively car enthusiasts’ festival combines thrilling races and car displays. Organized by the Akureyri Car Club, it welcomes petrol heads of any nationality for a fun mix of activities such as Drifting, Sand Kicking, Street Kicking, Rally Cross, Burnout, and even Car Limbo. Just don’t be tempted to try it with your rental – leave these kinds of stunts to those who really know how to handle their wheels.