When we first decided to visit Iceland in April I was clueless on the weather and temperatures we would be facing. I did a ton of research on what I needed to take and for the most part it worked well.

We visited for 2 weeks and didn’t plan on doing any washing so I felt it was harder to work out how many of each item we would need.

I did end up overpacking slightly (as I always do!) so I have refined my list below to what I actually used.

In April when we visited the temperatures we experienced ranged from -8 degrees up on the mountain passes to 10 degrees on sunny days.

The key for this sort of weather is layers! I know you have heard it all before so let me just get into what you need to actually pack!

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What to Pack for Iceland – 2 Weeks in April

Outerlayers

• Warm down filled jacket – I took a fitted ski jacket which fitted underneath my waterproof shell jacket (actual)
• Waterproof & windproof shell jacket – it rains alot! (very similar)
• Combination 3-in-1 jacket (optional) – for variation, i do get bored. I brought a more casual looking parka coat for walking around town which was still waterproof (actual)
• Gilet – to wear over jumpers or casual shirts for warmer days (actual)

Tops

• 5 x long sleeve thermal tops – wear these everyday underneath your jumpers/shirts/coats (actual / similar)
• A thermal vest top – in case you want a thermal underneath a regular fitted top and the long sleeved ones are too bulky (actual / similar)
• 2 x jumpers
• A denim shirt – goes with everything
• A flannel shirt – to wear a pop of colour under your gilet
• A blouse or dressy top – for eating out
• A couple of polo neck tees or casual tees for hanging out or casual dinners.

Bottoms

• 4 x thermal leggings – to wear under waterproof trousers or jeans (actual – Uniqlo not currently available / similar)
• Waterproof fleece lined trousers – I basically wore these everyday on the road and they don’t need washing because you wear your leggings underneath (very similar – not sure if these particular ones are fleece lined)
• A pair of casual jeans – for days you aren’t doing any hiking. I only wore these two or three times in 2 weeks and one time regretted it as it was so cold!
• A pair of dressy jeans – for eating out.

 

Shoes

• Hiking boots – non negotiable, you will need these or your trainers will get ruined! (similar)
• Snow boots (optional) – we didn’t see snow everyday but there was a couple of occasions they would have been useful but not necessary (actual)
• Waterproof ankle boots – for exploring the towns and eating out where you don’t want to look like a hiker! Mine were fleece lined too so super warm (actual)
• Flip Flops – for the geothermal pools! (actual)

Other

• 6 x wool blend hiking socks – you can rotate these unless your feet get realllllly sweaty! Mine don’t! (actual)
• A few pairs of normal socks – for your ankle boots (mine were fleece lined so already warm)
• Bras and knickers – you don’t need me to tell you this! Preferably quick drying in case you fall into a waterfall! Who does that?
• 3 x Bobble Hats – for variation in photos! Fleece lined if you want to be extra warm.
• Waterproof & windproof gloves – non negotiable or your hands will fall off (actual – they don’t have good reviews on amazon but I loved them)
• 2 x Bikinis or swimsuits – for the geothermal pools
• A quick dry lightweight travel towel (actual)
• Pyjamas & fluffy socks
• Sunglasses – you WILL need these its bright!
• Backpack & waterproof cover (backpack actual – but mines black, cover similar)
• Small handbag (optional) – I used my backpack all the time as I was carrying camera equipment around.
• Toiletries & medications – don’t go overboard Iceland has lots of supermarkets if you need anything.
• Camera equipment, Iceland is so photogenic!
• A torch – you never know!

Documents etc

• Passport – obviously!
• Driving licence – for hiring a car 
• Currency – you don’t need a lot of cash they take card everywhere!

Thats it, everything you need to pack for Iceland if you are visiting for 2 weeks. If you found this guide helpful please let me know in the comments!

Have I missed anything? Let me know!

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