Driving in Iceland in December

Comparing self-drive holidays in December to organized tours

You can choose your route on the fly

Organized tours, by their very nature, work to a set itinerary. You know what you’re signing up for at the time you make your booking, which is generally a good thing but can have downsides. The onset of bad weather can mean that tours are canceled at short notice, leaving you to kick your heels in Reykjavik. With your own car, you’re free to alter the route that you planned to take. For instance, if the weather’s poor on the south coast but fine in the west, you can just switch around your sightseeing to capitalize on the better weather.
If you're visiting earlier in the season, you may also find our guide on driving in Iceland in November helpful.

You’re not tied to sightseeing on particular days

The flexibility of renting yourself a car can also be a bonus. While high demand means that many tours can operate daily throughout the peak summer season, in December, you might find that a tour runs just once or twice a week. That might not fit conveniently with your other plans. Being able to sightsee where you like, when you like – not to mention making or changing such decisions at the last minute – is a big advantage of self-drive itineraries at this time of year.

It's a good way of keeping costs down

It’s also worth comparing the price of a rental car to the cost of booking guided tours. Group tours might work out cost-effectively for solo travelers or even couples, but if there are more of you, there’s a good chance that you’ll save money by renting a vehicle. If you plan to drive on major roads such as the Ring Road or from Reykjavik to the Golden Circle attractions, a 2WD car will usually be adequately equipped to deal with gritted roads. As it’s not peak season, there are often deals to be found on larger 4x4s, so it’s still worth checking out what one of these would cost.
If you're planning a trip right after the holidays, you might also want to check out our guide on driving in Iceland in January to see what conditions you can expect.

There’s plenty of information on the internet

On organized tours, you’re paying for the knowledge and expertise of a local guide, yet unless you’re really venturing off the beaten track you can read up about the places you are going using websites and social media posts. If those who’ve gone before you have shared their experiences, whether they’re bloggers, guidebook writers, or friends and family, then there’s no reason why you can’t take advantage of this information to learn about the places you visit independently.  

What’s on in December?

During Advent, as with anywhere in Europe during the run-up to Christmas, there are a slew of events that take place in anticipation of Christmas. Visiting Iceland at this time means you can join in with some of these activities, and having your own rental car means that you can travel between them without having to rely on public transport, which can be a lot more time-consuming. Let’s take a look at some of the things you won’t want to miss if you’re keen to get into the festive spirit.

Meet the Yule Lads

The Yule Lads, the sons of Grýla and Leppalúði, live in a cave at Dimmuborgir in the Mývatn area. For 13 days, each one takes it in turns to visit houses and carry out mischief. For instance, Þvörusleikir (spoon-licker) steals unwashed spoons and licks them clean, while Hurðaskellir (door-slammer) loves to shove doors shut with a loud bang, especially at night when he can wake those trying to sleep. According to the tradition, they leave something for the children of the house: a gift if they have been good, a potato for those who have been naughty. You’ll meet them at Christmas events across the country, and if you are traveling with children, you may wish to participate by leaving out a shoe to see what is left inside for its owner.

Admire the Christmas Cat

If you ask a kid what they’d prefer as a present, they’re far more likely to say a toy than something new to wear. As gifts go, the latter is a pretty boring proposition. But sometime,s it’s a good excuse for parents to get their children to wear something new, despite their protests, which is where the Christmas Cat comes in. Known as Jólakötturinn, a black cat as large as a house, it heads out on patrol on Christmas Eve to check that the kids are wearing their new gear; so the legend goes, it will eat the ones that don’t. Of course, it’s just a folklore tale, but you’ll see plenty of kids dutifully posing for selfies in front of the decorative versions in places such as Reykjavik and Akureyri.

Buy a book ready to join in with the Jólabókaflóð  

Icelanders are voracious readers – and authors, too: many have published their own books. It’s no surprise, therefore, that one of the most popular Christmas traditions is the Jólabókaflóð, which takes place on Christmas Eve. Each 24th December, friends and family members gift each other a book and then settle into a cozy chair to devour a new story. There are bookstores in most towns, but for something really special, you might want to point the car in the direction of Flateyri in the Westfjords region. It’s home to the oldest store in Iceland – Verslunin Bræðurnir Eyjólfsson – which has been in the hands of the same family since opening its doors more than a century ago in 1914.

Shop for Christmas trinkets

It’s fun to shop for a new decoration to add to the Christmas tree, a souvenir that you can bring out year after year to remind you of your Iceland road trip. There are some great places to do so, not least at the small but cute Christmas market that sets up in Hafnarfjördur each year. If you’ve driven up to the north of Iceland, you might wish to call into the Hof Cultural Center; it hosts an event where local artists and handicraft specialists set up stalls to sell their unique gifts. Not far from the town center, you’ll also find the Christmas shop. Located a ten-minute drive from downtown Akureyri, you’ll find lots of things inside to decorate your home for the Christmas season.

We’d recommend you reserve a 4x4 so that you have a good grip in case roads are icy. The rest is up to you, but even though there are only four or five hours of daylight at this time of year, we still think that it’s an attractive proposition for a road trip.