Driving in Iceland in November

What are driving conditions like in November?

By November, winter is starting to encroach. You’ll enjoy about seven or eight hours of daylight at the start of the month, though that falls to little more than four in Akureyri by the 30th. It’s great for watching the sunrise without having to drag yourself out of bed ridiculously early, but you’ll need to keep a close eye on the time if you plan to sightsee after lunch, and don’t relish the thought of driving through the Icelandic countryside in the dark. Snowfalls are much more likely than earlier in the autumn and plummeting temperatures mean that you should expect icy surfaces, particularly towards the end of the month.

If you're considering a visit before the harsher winter weather sets in, driving in Iceland in September offers an excellent balance of milder conditions and fewer tourists.

Road Safety Tips

Get acquainted with road signs and speed limits before you embark on your November road trip. During periods of inclement weather, drive with caution and always with visibility and stopping distances in mind – remember you don’t know the roads as well as the locals do and just because they zoom past doesn’t mean you have to tail them. Keep a close check on the weather forecast (you’ll most likely be doing this anyway as you chase clear skies for a Northern Lights hunt) and make sure you know what kind of road conditions you’re getting into from the map on the Vegagerðin website.

Car Rental Considerations and Safety Measures

Anyone unused to driving in snow and ice is going to want the reassurance of renting a 4x4 for a November road trip. It takes a lot of the worry out of driving at this time of year as the extra grip is comforting. Studded or winter tires are a thing from the start of November, which will also help with stopping distances, though nothing beats anticipation. Read the road and moderate your speed to be able to avoid sudden braking or turns likely to end up as a skid. If you’re heading out onto rural roads, then make sure you have at least a basic emergency kit in case you’re caught out by unexpected bad weather – shop for a few snacks and drinks to keep in the car, bring or rent a GPS, carry blankets and make sure you have appropriate clothing to hand. 

Pack your sunglasses as the glare from the setting sun, low in the sky at this time of year, can make it trickier to see oncoming traffic even with the visor down. Knowing what to do in case of road closures or getting stuck is a must. Though most November motoring is thankfully incident-free, it pays to expect and prepare for the worst even as you hope for the best. Download the 112 Iceland app to your phone (keep a charging cable in the car with you) which enables you to contact the emergency services without needing a mobile signal. You’ll find a ton of helpful information on the Safe Travel website so take a good look before you grab the car keys. 

Driving in Rural and Remote Areas 

At first, you might it’s unlikely that you’ll find yourself anywhere remote in Iceland in November as your instincts could well be to hole up somewhere cosy. We have two words in answer to that: Northern Lights. As the evenings draw in you have a chance of seeing the aurora borealis relatively early on, though statistically they still make more of an appearance later at night. Scope out potential north-facing locations while it’s still daylight, including a place where you can safely park the car. Before setting out in the car to find a dark spot, make sure you have provisions with you such as flasks of coffee or chocolate, as well as a tank of fuel or a fully-charged EV. 

Popular Routes and Accessibility

November can be a great month to take a scenic drive. If you’ve previously been to Iceland during the summer, it’s exciting to revisit places out of season where the landscape is at least frosty and at most blanketed in snow. You’ll be surprised at how different it looks, though just as beautiful of course. This is a good time to point out that you might need to remain flexible with your itinerary to pick the best day for the weather, especially if you’ve chosen to come towards the end of the month. It’s unlikely – though not impossible – that road closures will affect your plans, except of course that you won’t be able to drive on any F-road as these have long since closed for the season. Highland excursions are only possible in November as part of an organized tour in one of Iceland’s famous super jeeps.

The South Coast and Golden Circle

The number of tourists shrinks noticeably at this time of year making it a logical time to visit popular areas such as the South Coast and the Golden Circle route attractions. You’ll have fewer people to contend with at Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls and, though both amphibious and Zodiac boat trips have finished for the season, there are still plenty of good reasons to drive as far as Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Just be cautious when visiting Reynisfjara beach near Vik; its sneaker waves can encroach at any time of year but the beach is wild during autumnal winds.

West Iceland

The big advantage of planning a November road trip to Snæfellsnes is its position relative to Reykjavik. You can be at Borgarnes, the gateway to the peninsula, in less than an hour, meaning you can decide on the day whether the weather’s viable or not. The wider region’s waterfalls such as Hraunfossar, mountains such as Kirkjufell, and the dramatic coastal scenery of places like Arnastapi make this an enticing prospect for drivers keen to see the Icelandic countryside.

North Iceland

North Iceland tends to be a little colder than the south, but also drier, which is an important consideration during months such as November. Reached easily via Route 1 from the airport and capital region, many of its key attractions are located within striking distance of the ring road. Waterfalls such as Goðafoss and geothermal baths like Forest Lagoon and Mývatn Nature Baths are reached on well-maintained main roads. Having a car gives you the freedom to drive all or part of the Diamond Circle or simply leave the car at the port if the sea’s calm enough for a whale-watching trip.  

Something a little different

November is when Reykjavik hosts Iceland Noir, a literary festival that celebrates the darkness in all its forms. Perhaps you might choose to attend the festival and then venture beyond the capital to places that have been featured in crime stories by authors like Arnaldur Indriðason and Ragnar Jónasson. A logical progression to this itinerary might be to also include spots that made their mark in Nordic Noir dramas on television, such as Siglufjörður and Seyðisfjörður which featured in the popular and critically acclaimed series Trapped. Steel your nerves and remember all the bad stuff is imaginary and not real.