Your Iceland questions answered
by The Adventure People on 27th September 2018
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Do I need a visa?
If you’re a UK citizen then you do not (at the time of writing) require a Visa to enter Iceland for up to 90 days, this is known as a visa exemption. If you’re a US citizen then you also don’t need a visa but both nationalities need a valid passport and a return ticket. You may need to show your return ticket upon arrival and / or complete a landing card upon arrival. UK citizens if you’re staying longer than 90 days then you’ll need to apply for a visa before travelling. If you over stay you may be fined and / or detained so it’s not worth the risk!
As always we recommend checking the latest country entry requirements with your national foreign travel office, for UK citizens this is the Foreign Travel Advice section of www.gov.co.uk, please click here to view to Iceland page.
When is the best time to go?
There is no right or wrong time to visit Iceland. When you go to Iceland really is dependent upon why you’re visiting. If you’re chasing Northern Lights then you’ll be going at some point between December and March one would expect. If you’re looking for a wild camping adventure and 24 hour sun you’ll be travelling in summer. Read our guide on what you can expect each month to find out more.Can you guarantee I will see the northern lights?
No, unfortunately there are no guarantees. It's a work of nature after all. Our northern light tours will give you the best chance at seeing them with our expert guides who know just where to take you. But even then, we cannot guarantee it. To give yourself the best chance, travel between November to April and stay for at least a week. You may see them as soon as you land or you may not see them at all. Luckily there is so much more to Iceland you will love so we doubt you will leave disappointed.Is it really expensive?
Food and drinks and entrances to some attractions (ex Blue Lagoon) are not cheap as you may have heard. However it is possible to save a lot of money by going on one of our camping tours, buying your own food in markets and avoiding the tourist traps.Is it safe?
Iceland is one of the safest countries in the world. However, use common sense as always and take the usual precautions such as:
- Do not walk down dark streets at night alone, don’t leave your possessions on the beach without someone looking after them, use licensed taxis only
- If trekking get some advice before you go and take a map as well as a full phone and battery, you don’t want to get lost!
- Do not cross the barriers at any geysers etc….
- Be aware that, however unlikely, you may get a warning of one of the volcano’s erupting. If so, take the local official advice!
Having noted these points we should highlight that the vast majority of trips are incident free and you need not worry but it’s better to be aware and informed than not.
The emergency number is 112.
Where are the best hikes?
All of Iceland is basically a hiker's dream! Here are some of our favourite places to hike:- Laugavegur Trail, which stop at the stunning Seljalandsfoss waterfall
- Mývatn Lake, stopping en route at Goðafoss Waterfall
- Thorsmork Valley
- East Fjords, stop at the Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon
- Krafla volcano area, where you can hike into the craters
