Iceland's Ring Road: Summer or Winter?

Route 1 loops for roughly 1,300 kilometres around the whole of Iceland, past waterfalls, black sand beaches, glacier lagoons and long empty fjords. Driving the Iceland Ring Road is one of the great road trips anywhere. But it is not one trip. It is two, depending on when you go, and the difference between July and January is bigger than most people expect.

In summer you get light around the clock and roads you can drive at your own pace. In winter you get darkness, snow, the northern lights and a route that sometimes simply closes. Both are wonderful. They just ask different things of you.

Summer: light, freedom and other people

From late May to early August it barely gets dark. Around midsummer the sun dips below the horizon for only a short while, and the sky never goes black. You can arrive at Skógafoss at eleven at night and have it in soft gold light. That freedom is the great gift of summer. You can drive late, stop when you like and rarely worry about reaching the next town before dark.

It is the season for the whole loop. The East Fjords are at their best, the roads around Lake Mývatn and Dettifoss are open, and puffins nest on the cliffs from roughly May to August. The interior highland roads, the F-roads, usually open from late June or July, though they need a proper four-wheel drive and are not part of the Ring Road itself.

Summer driving is also simply easier. The roads are clear, the mountain passes in the north and east are open, and you can take detours on a whim: a side road to a fishing village, a hot spring in a field, a waterfall you saw from the car. Weather still changes quickly, and a cold, wet day in July is perfectly normal, but it rarely stops you moving.

The cost is company. The South Coast between Reykjavík and Jökulsárlón is busy, and car parks at the big waterfalls fill by mid-morning. Accommodation in small towns books out months ahead, so reserve early.

Winter: short days and the aurora

In December, Reykjavík sees only around four or five hours of daylight, and the sun stays low all day. That light is beautiful, long and pink, but it gives you very little driving time. The northern lights season runs roughly from September to April, whenever the sky is dark and clear, and the countryside is the place to see them, far from town lights.

Winter also brings the ice caves. Guided tours into the caves under Vatnajökull usually run in the colder months, when the ice is stable. Never go onto a glacier without a guide.

The catch is the weather. Storms can close mountain passes and sections of Route 1 itself, especially in the north and east. A day of driving can be lost to wind alone. Many winter visitors sensibly stick to the South Coast and the Golden Circle and leave the full loop for another trip.

In summer you plan around your own pace. In winter you plan around the sky.

How many days you need

• Summer, full loop: seven days is the minimum to drive it without rushing. Ten lets you take detours to the Westfjords or the Snæfellsnes peninsula.
• Winter, full loop: allow ten days or more, with spare days built in for closures. Nothing should be booked so tightly that one storm ruins the trip.
• Winter, short trip: five days on the South Coast as far as Jökulsárlón and back is a satisfying alternative.

Driving it well

Most of Route 1 is now paved, but there are still single-lane bridges, especially in the south-east. The car that reaches the bridge first has priority. Sheep wander onto the road in summer. Fuel stations can be far apart in the east, so fill up whenever you pass one.

Off-road driving is illegal in Iceland and does lasting damage to the moss and soil. Stay on marked roads, and never stop in the middle of the road for a photograph, a habit that causes real accidents every year.

In winter, rent a car with studded tyres and four-wheel drive, and learn how to read the road conditions map before you set off each morning. The official sources are the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration, the Icelandic Met Office and Safetravel, where you can also leave a travel plan.

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Good to know

• Check the road map every morning, in any season. Conditions change quickly.
• Wind is the real danger. Hold car doors with both hands when you open them.
• Layers beat one big coat. Waterproof outer layers matter more than warmth in summer.
• Shoulder months like May or September offer some of each: fewer crowds, a chance of aurora, mostly open roads.
• Book rooms early in summer and be flexible with them in winter.
• Swimming pools are everywhere. Even small villages have a heated public pool, and they are the best way to end a day of driving.

If this is your first time and you want the whole island, go in summer. If you have been before, or you care more about the aurora than the mileage, go in winter and slow down. Either way, Iceland rewards the driver who leaves room in the plan.