You can visit Iceland the whole year round. Each season has its benefits. In summer, you have pleasant and mostly dependable weather and the 24-hour daylight, in autumn you have the changing colours, in winter you have snow and long nights with stars and northern lights and in the spring, you have the nature coming alive again with nesting birds and longer days.
It depends on what you want your experience to include. If you would like to test the trucks in the snow, we recommend coming in November-April. If you are not looking for snow action but rather driving on challenging mountain roads and doing river-crossings we recommend coming in autumn. If you want to experience endless options of less travelled mountain tracks and 24-hour daylight, then you should visit Iceland during summer. If you are not so very interested in mountain driving but want a nice car to explore the coastline when the nature is awakening, then spring is the season for you.
The weather changes quickly and therefore it is best to wear layers. For layer 1: Woolen shirt, woolen long johns/leggings/thermals. For layer 2: Fleece/down/wool jacket/sweater, soft (fleece) pants. For layer 3: Water- and windproof jacket and trousers. Other things are: a thick hat, gloves, woolen socks, hiking/waterproof boots. Then a smart/casual outfit for a night out in Reykjavik!
To learn more about what to pack for your trip read more about it here:
https://www.arctictrucks-experience.com/blog/read/how-to-pack-for-an-arctic-trucks-experience
Yes, if you are planning to venture into the highlands of Iceland you do need a 4×4. You will most likely have to cross some unbridged rivers, depending on the route you take, they might be big ones. For driving in mud or snow you need a 4×4 and conditions can change quickly in the highlands. Before hitting the road please have a look at the website www.road.is and www.safetravel.is . For weather updates please refer to www.vedur.is . We always recommend going with a guide.
Most Icelanders speak very good English. Some also speak Danish, German, French or Spanish. Icelanders begin to learn English in school when they are around 9 or 10 years old and most TV material in Iceland is American.
We can arrange all types of accommodation ranging from cozy sleeping bag accommodation in a remote mountain hut to a 5-star luxury hotel in the city. You just let us know what you prefer.
Offroad driving is strictly prohibited by law and you will be subject to high fines if this law is broken. On our trips, we use the multiple official mountain tracks in Iceland, which to some people might not even be considered proper roads! During the winter time when there is a thick layer of snow protecting the fragile vegetation there is more freedom to choose your own path – within (safety) reason. If you don’t have a guide with you, please refer to www.road.is , www.vedur.is and www.safetravel.is .
There is no minimum of participants on our day trips, all the trips are private. In multi-day trips the price is based on 2 persons sharing the cost. If you are solo and interested in a multi-day trip please send us an email for a detailed quote.
The self-risk insurance is 3000 euros. Here is more info on our insurances.
The weather is unpredictable in Iceland and can change fast. You can expect all kinds of weather in one day. The average annual temperature for Reykjavík is about 5°C. Average temperature in January is 0,2°C and in July the average temperature is around 12°C. Iceland can be very windy and you will probably experience the ’’Horizontal Rain’’ during your stay.
The Northern Lights (aurora Borealis) appear when fast-travelling electric particles and electrons hit atoms and molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere in the height of about 100 kilometers. The strength of the northern lights activity is controlled by the arrival and departure of these electric particles. Darkness is a crucial factor for the northern lights to be visible which means that in Iceland the best time to go northern lights hunting is from September until March. Another thing to keep in mind is that the northern lights are most common between 23:00-01:00. Then you do have to consider the weather, as the sky must be clear for you to be able to see the magical show in the sky, high above.
The highland roads are open from mid-June until mid-October approximately. On a 4×4, the mountain tracks of the highlands are not an obstacle! In the winter time From mid-May until mid-June approximately the Highlands of Iceland are closed to all traffic. During this time the winter snow is melting leaving the soil moist and vulnerable – on www.road.is you can monitor which roads are open and which are closed. During the winter time the Arctic Truck modified jeeps are essential to visit the highlands.
A trip with Arctic Trucks is fun for everybody! We can rent you a car seat if you need one – just let us know what size you need.
The Hilux has 5 seats but we recommend maximum 4 adults per car for comfort. The Land Cruiser has 7 seats but we recommend maximum 5 adults per car.
All our prices are given in the Icelandic Krona (ISK).
Yes, the telephone number at the office is +354 540 4914 and we have office hours between 08:30-16:30. If you need to reach us outside of office hours our on-call phone-number is +354 617 8000.
The speed limit on the asphalt/paved roads is 90 km per hour in best conditions. On gravel road, the maximum velocity is 80 km per hour in best conditions. On mountain tracks, the speed limit is 40 km per hour in best conditions.
It is important to monitor the weather and road conditions during your stay. The weather changes quickly and then it is good to be prepared. You can see the weather forecast on http://en.vedur.is/ and the road conditions on http://www.road.is/ Another good website that gives out warnings about weather and conditions is http://safetravel.is/ You can leave your travel plan with them in case of an emergency.