Golden Circle, Volcano Crater and Blue Lagoon Small-Group Tour
45 minutes at Thingvellir, then the Golden Circle and a Blue Lagoon Comfort ticket in the fare, in a group of up to 18.
From $268 per person
Check AvailabilityThingvellir Weather: When to Go, Month by Month
Daylight at Thingvellir runs from about four hours in December to about twenty-one in June, and that decides more about your visit than the temperature does. Here is each month from the park’s own weather record, what it does to a visit, and which of the Golden Circle tours via Thingvellir suit which season.
What the weather does to a visit here
Almost everything you do at Thingvellir happens outdoors. The walk down Almannagjá, the waterfall, the lake shore and the trails are all open to the sky. The one indoor stop is the exhibition at Hakið, and it takes about 40 minutes.
Three things move with the calendar. The light changes: from about four hours of daylight in late December to about twenty-one in late June. The buildings change their hours: the visitor centre opens 09:00 to 18:00 from April to October and 09:00 to 17:00 from November to March, and the church opens only from June to August. The road changes: from November to March you should check it every morning.
One thing does not change. Silfra’s water stays at 2–4 °C in every month, so the snorkel is the same in July as in January.
Thingvellir month by month
These figures are the record of station 945, the Icelandic Met Office’s staffed station at Þingvellir, for every complete year from 1949 to 1983; it closed in 1983. Recent decades have run warmer, so read them as the pattern of the year, not as this year’s forecast.
January
The coldest month of the record: a mean of −2.6 °C, highs near 0.4 °C and lows near −6.4 °C, with 126 mm of precipitation. Mid-month you get about 5.3 hours of daylight. The visitor centre opens 09:00 to 17:00, and 09:00 to 16:00 on 1 January. Plan your walk for the middle of the day.
February
A mean of −1.9 °C, highs of 1.3 °C and lows of −5.3 °C, with 130 mm of precipitation. The light comes back fast, to about 8.3 hours by mid-month. Winter hours still apply at the visitor centre and at Leirar, 09:00 to 17:00. Wear boots with grip for the path into the gorge.
March
A mean of −0.8 °C, with highs of 2.6 °C and lows of −4.1 °C. Precipitation falls to 121 mm, and mid-month daylight reaches about 11.6 hours. The buildings keep winter hours to the end of the month. Check the road each morning, because nights are still well below freezing.
April
The mean climbs above zero, to 1.9 °C, with highs of 5.4 °C and lows of −1.4 °C. Precipitation is 111 mm and daylight about 15.1 hours by mid-month. From 1 April the visitor centre and Leirar open 09:00 to 18:00. You can now walk well into the evening.
May
A mean of 5.6 °C, highs of 9.5 °C and lows of 1.5 °C. With 80 mm, May shares the driest place in the record with July. Mid-month daylight is about 18.5 hours. The church is not yet open, but the trails and the gorge are at their quietest before summer.
June
A mean of 8.7 °C, highs of 12.7 °C and lows of 5.0 °C, with 89 mm of precipitation. Around 21 June you get about 21 hours of daylight. Þingvallakirkja opens on 1 June when a ranger is present. With no gate, you can walk the gorge long after the visitor centre closes.
July
The warmest month: a mean of 10.5 °C, highs of 14.5 °C and lows of 6.7 °C. At 80 mm it is one of the two driest. Daylight is about 19.7 hours mid-month. The church is open, and the Leirar desk often stays open late for the campsite. Bring a layer anyway.
August
A mean of 9.8 °C, highs of 13.7 °C and lows of 6.0 °C, with 97 mm of precipitation. Daylight falls to about 16.4 hours by mid-month. It is the church’s last month: it opens until 31 August. The long evenings still give you the park after the tours have gone.
September
A mean of 6.6 °C, highs of 10.4 °C and lows of 3.4 °C, with 107 mm. Mid-month daylight is about 12.9 hours. The birch, willow and heath begin to turn. F-roads usually close from mid-September; Route 36, your road to the park, is a primary road and not one of them.
October
The wettest month of the record, at 159 mm. The mean is 3.2 °C, with highs of 6.2 °C and lows of 0.2 °C. Daylight is down to about 9.5 hours mid-month. The visitor centre keeps 09:00 to 18:00 until the end of the month. Pack waterproofs for the walk.
November
A mean of −0.4 °C, highs of 2.5 °C and lows of −3.7 °C, with 143 mm. Daylight is about 6.2 hours mid-month. From 1 November the visitor centre and Leirar open 09:00 to 17:00. Check the road before you leave, and drive in daylight if you can.
December
A mean of −2.3 °C, highs of 0.9 °C and lows of −6.0 °C, with 130 mm. Around 21 December you get about four hours of daylight. Christmas hours apply: 09:00–12:00 on the 24th, 10:00–15:00 on the 25th, 09:00–15:00 on the 31st. The church is closed except for services.
The station 945 record at a glance, 1949–1983
| Month | Mean | Average high | Average low | Precipitation | Daylight mid-month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | −2.6 °C | 0.4 °C | −6.4 °C | 126 mm | 5.3 h |
| February | −1.9 °C | 1.3 °C | −5.3 °C | 130 mm | 8.3 h |
| March | −0.8 °C | 2.6 °C | −4.1 °C | 121 mm | 11.6 h |
| April | 1.9 °C | 5.4 °C | −1.4 °C | 111 mm | 15.1 h |
| May | 5.6 °C | 9.5 °C | 1.5 °C | 80 mm | 18.5 h |
| June | 8.7 °C | 12.7 °C | 5.0 °C | 89 mm | 21.2 h |
| July | 10.5 °C | 14.5 °C | 6.7 °C | 80 mm | 19.7 h |
| August | 9.8 °C | 13.7 °C | 6.0 °C | 97 mm | 16.4 h |
| September | 6.6 °C | 10.4 °C | 3.4 °C | 107 mm | 12.9 h |
| October | 3.2 °C | 6.2 °C | 0.2 °C | 159 mm | 9.5 h |
| November | −0.4 °C | 2.5 °C | −3.7 °C | 143 mm | 6.2 h |
| December | −2.3 °C | 0.9 °C | −6.0 °C | 130 mm | 4.1 h |
Daylight is sunrise to sunset at 64.26° N. Mean wind runs 2.5 to 3.3 m/s by month. October is the wettest month, and May and July the driest.
The seasons, and which one you want
| Season | Mean temperature | Daylight | Visitor centre | What is different |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | −2.6 to −1.9 °C | About 4–8 h | 09:00–17:00 | Short days, Christmas hours, the church closed |
| Spring (Mar–May) | −0.8 to 5.6 °C | About 12–19 h | 09:00–18:00 from April | The days lengthen fast; May is one of the driest months |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | 8.7 to 10.5 °C | About 16–21 h | 09:00–18:00 | The church open; light late into the night |
| Autumn (Sep–Nov) | −0.4 to 6.6 °C | About 6–13 h | 09:00–17:00 from November | Birch in colour; October the wettest month |
If you can choose freely, pick June, July or August for the light and the church. Choose September if you want the autumn colour with daylight still to spare. In winter you can still visit well, as long as you plan around the short day.
Best time of day
In winter, the middle of the day is the only answer. In December you have about four hours of light, so arrive before it peaks and walk the gorge first.
In summer the answer turns round. The park has no gate, so you can walk Almannagjá in daylight long after the visitor centre closes at 18:00. Early morning and late evening are when you will have the path most to yourself.
On a tour, the clock is set for you. Most Golden Circle coaches give Thingvellir 30 to 45 minutes, so in winter you see the park in whatever light your stop falls in.
Would you rather someone else watched the sky?
A coach or private driver checks the road for you, and every tour here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit Thingvellir?
June to August give you the longest days, the mildest weather and the church open. At the park's own station, July averaged a high of 14.5 °C and was one of the two driest months. Come in autumn if you want the birch and willow in colour.
How cold is Thingvellir in winter?
January averaged −2.6 °C at the park's station between 1949 and 1983, with lows near −6.4 °C. Recent decades have run warmer, but plan for sub-zero mornings from November to March.
How much daylight is there at Thingvellir in December?
About four hours around 21 December. Plan your walk for the middle of the day, and check the road before you leave.
Is the Silfra water colder in winter?
No. Silfra's water stays at 2–4 °C all year, because it has spent about 30 years underground on its way from the Langjökull glacier. What changes is the air, so the drysuit and warm undersuit matter more in winter.
Tours that suit a cold day
From Reykjavik: Golden Circle, Kerid, & Secret Lagoon Tour
The Golden Circle and Kerið with Secret Lagoon entry in the fare, in ten hours from Reykjavík. Thingvellir is a photo stop on this one.
From $133 per person
Check Availability
Silfra: Snorkeling Between Tectonic Plates - Meet on Location
The same 2–4 °C water in every month, in a drysuit with a warm undersuit and a heated van for you to change in.
From $159 per person
Check AvailabilityWhere to check these figures
Monthly figures are the Icelandic Met Office’s station 945 record, 1949–1983. Opening hours are the park’s own; check them before you travel.
- Station 945 Þingvellir, monthly means (Icelandic Met Office)
- Visitor centre hours
- Leirar Service Centre
- Þingvallakirkja
The road in each season is on the road conditions guide, hours and parking on visiting Thingvellir, and every tour on Thingvellir Tours.