Iceland Summer Packing List

What to pack and wear for a trip to Iceland largely depends on what time of year you travel to Iceland and whether or not you’ll be camping. “Summer” in Iceland DOES NOT ensure warm, dry weather and it will likely not have typical summer temperatures that you’re used to. July has average temperatures around just 10–14C during the day. At night, it will be around 7-10C, depending on where you are. If you’re in the Highlands, the mountains or the Westfjords, it will be closer to freezing at night.

Given these temperatures, packing for summer in Iceland is more like packing for fall or a mild winter. If you are extremely lucky and encounter a “heat wave”, you could experience 19-20C and some sunshine.

No matter when you visit Iceland, you can expect to experience all the seasons in one day because the weather changes multiple times a day. You should always be prepared for rain and strong winds in Iceland. The wind makes the temperature feel much colder than it is.

This Iceland summer packing list is meant for traveling to Iceland in June to August and I’ve included an extra packing list for camping (which is how I traveled Iceland). You can also use this packing list for traveling Iceland in May and September, but you’d definitely need to pack a warmer jacket and maybe thermal underwear, especially if you’re camping.

ICELAND SUMMER PACKING LIST (CAMPERS AND NON-CAMPERS)

Warm clothes – wool is key
Rain jacket and rain pants
Waterproof hiking boot/shoes
Sleep mask
Swimsuit – for the hot springs
Waterproof backpack cover
Warm hat and gloves
Portable charger
Flip flops for the pools, hot springs and showers
Towel
Moisturizer and lip balm – the cold weather is hard on the skin
Wool socks
Camera
European electrical plug adaptor
Day pack
Camelbak
Water bottle (or two) and even a thermos for hot drinks
Small bottle of sunscreen. You’ll likely only need it for your face because the rest of your body will be covered.

I didn’t include any obvious items because I assume you don’t need to be told to pack underwear, socks and basic toiletries. I never wore jeans and I didn’t pack shorts, but you may want jeans if you spend time in Reykjavik. Packed one pair of capri leggings which I wore once in Reykjavik and once in Myvatn during a heatwave of 20C.

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

Winter jacket – If you’re going to spend a lot of time at the glaciers or in the Highlands, this could be good to have. I did not, so lots of layers were fine.
A nicer outfit if you plan on experiencing the nightlife in Reykjavik in style.
Running shoes/trainers/sneakers – You don’t always want to wear your bulky hiking boots, especially if they need time to dry out.
Food and snacks from home – I brought 8lbs/3.6kg and €70 worth of snacks from home. I’m not saying you need to bring this much, but I wasn’t unhappy that I did because Iceland is extremely expensive. I brought a lot of nuts, snack bars, peanut butter, beef jerky and some instant oatmeal.
Allergy meds, if you have bad allergies – I was severely allergic to the grass or something in Iceland and it was unbearable. I hadn’t had allergies that bad in a very long time.

CAMPER’S ICELAND SUMMER PACKING LIST

Flashlight/headlamp
Costco card, if you have one. There is a Costco in Reykjavik.
Large collapsible container for water (for cooking, cleaning and drinking). Or buy one once you arrive.
Clothesline – for drying out wet, rainy clothes

You can rent chairs, a BBQ, wi-fi, and GPS etc from your campervan rental company. Chairs are nice to have.