ICELAND IN JULY 2024

Have you been planning a summer holiday trip to Iceland in July? Well good news - it's a fantastic time to visit!

July is considered among many locals to be their absolute favourite month of the year, and understandably so!

For us locals, the weather in July is the best of the whole year. It's the warmest month of the year with sunshine all day long! For that reason people tend to go camping, on road trips, to outdoor festivals or summerhouses.

Here below I'm going to go over

July is one of the warmest months of the year, with very long days, lot’s of fun festivals and perfect for road trips, hikes, camping, glacier excursions and all the other Iceland adventures that you can imagine.

Below, I'll go over everthing you need to know for the perfect trip to Iceland in July!

Let's get started!

Egill Fannar
Egill Fannar
Last updated: April 22, 2020

camping in iceland in july

See Also: The Best Day tours from Reykjavik in July!

WEATHER IN ICELAND IN JULY

You must be thinking, what is the best time to visit Iceland? And if you want to visit Iceland when the weather is at it’s best – July is your best bet!

July & August are the warmest months of the year in Iceland – And the two months with the least amount of rain. The temperature even sometimes reaches a whopping 20°C / 55F and when that happens, Icelanders simply call in sick for work and spend that day outside, laying in the sun! Oh yes, July is truly a time to be alive in Iceland because not only is the temperature above all honours but that’s also when the sun barely leaves our sight! Sounds like heaven, right?

Here are some weather statistics about the weather in Iceland during July:

The average temperature in Iceland in July is 11°C (52F) with daily averages from 9-13°C. And the most beautiful part about it, the days in July are still super bright with long daylight hours!

Average Temperature in Iceland

average temperature and weather in iceland during summer

The Midnight Sun in Iceland

The midnight sun is just another, absolutely incredible natural phenomenal that we enjoy here in Iceland. The midnight sun peaks at the 20th. of June, when the sun is up for 24 hours but this beautiful phenomenal lasts for almost the whole summer. In July the daylight hours are starting to decrease but your days will still be very long and bright. It’s a magical thing!

This is perfect to explore even more, stay out late or even plan your excursions, road trips or hikes late at night where no-one else is around.

Midnight sun in Iceland over Skógafoss waterfall

WHAT TO WEAR IN ICELAND IN JULY

It can be tricky to choose what to wear or how to dress during the beautiful Icelandic summer.

There is a term in Icelandic called “Peysuveður” which literally translates to “Sweater weather”. That’s when the temperature is just right for a sweater alone during the daytime. I think that term is the best to explain how to dress in Iceland during summer. It is safe to pack light when visiting Iceland in July but make sure to also bring your coat / warm weather and preferably something rain and wind proof – as you will never know what adventures you might find yourself in. It is not needed to bring heavy winter gear unless you plan to visit the glaciers, and even though – it probably won’t be necessary. Fleece and wool are your best friends in Iceland during July and a pair of gloves are nice for evening hours.

In regards of shoes, sneakers or anything comfortable definitely does the job in Reykjavik but it’s recommended to have hiking shoes or something more sturdy for your adventures out of the city.

horses in iceland

THE BEST TOURS & ACTIVITIES FROM REYKJAVIK IN JULY

During the most beautiful time of the year, there is a countless amount of amazing things that you can do to make the most of your Iceland adventure. Here are some of my best recommendations:

1. THE REYKJAVIK FOOD WALK

This little gem of a tour is ranked at the #1 food & drink activity to experience in Reykjavik with over 3.000+ 5 star reviews!

Do a Reykjavik Food Walk early on in your stay to get to know the city first hand, meet and excellent Reykjavik guide and most importantly, devour on the absolute best of Icelandic food!

In the Reykjavik Food Walk you will walk all around down town Reykjavik, hear fun local stories, visit 6 Icelandic restaurant, taste over 10 local cuisines and experience all the highlights of Reykjavik.

Find out everything about the Reykjavik Food Walk or secure your tour here!

Food Tour in Reykjavik

2. GOLDEN CIRCLE & THE SOUTH COAST OF ICELAND

When visiting Iceland, it is of course an absolute must to experience the Icelandic nature. After all, I guess that’s what you are all here for, right?

Iceland offers and endless amount of natural gems, scattered all across the country. But there are two areas that are specially interesting very close to Reykjavik. Those are the Golden Circle and the South Coast. There you can see amazing waterfalls, powerful Geysir’s, beautiful national parks, black sand beaches and more!

Find more info & book your tours here:

-> Golden Circle

-> South Coast of Iceland

Black Sand Beach & Seljalandsfoss in the South Cost of Iceland.

Black Sand Beach & Seljalandsfoss in the South Cost of Iceland.

Gullfoss waterfall (Golden Circle)

Gullfoss waterfall (Golden Circle)

3. ATV SAFARI MOUNTAIN TOUR

For those interested in a little adrenaline & exploring Iceland in a faster, more adventurous way I cannot recommend ATV mountain tours enough. Take a seat in the driver seat and race through untouched nature & mountain tracks on a powerful ATV bike to experience Iceland from a more unique perspective.

Find more info on the ATV tour HERE.

ATV TOUR outside of Reykjavik

4. WHALE WATCHING IN ICELAND

Hurray, the whales are here!

April marks the beginning of Whale Watching season as all kinds of whales emerge closer to Icelandic shores for feeding, especially mink whales!

Whale Watching season is a ranges all through the summer time but has it’s peak (highest chance of seeing the whales) in July!

Whale Watching is a popular, cheap and fun activity to do in Iceland. Seeing those beasts in all their glory is a magnificent experience which I can’t recommend highly enough. Yes, its 100% cruelty-free safe and definitely worth your while. It’s not every day you can be so up and close to these gentle giants in their natural environment, so if you’re traveling to Iceland, make sure get yourself on one of them boats!

whale watching in reykjavik

5. Puffin Adventure

Iceland is home to one of the world’s largest colonies of puffins. Over half of the world´s population of the Atlantic Puffin breeds in Iceland. The total population of puffins in Iceland is estimated to be between 8 and 10 million birds. HOLY PUFFIN THAT’S A LOT OF BIRDS!

‘Puffin Season’ is from early April to September. These little guys spend most of their time on the sea as they are big time ocean creatures. A big reason for this is because they are fantastic swimmers and can stroke their wings underwater down to 60 meters! … And once a year they come to land to breed.

So, if you ever want to see this colorful creature sometime in your life then visit Iceland sometime between April and September – and hop on a puffin tour!

puffins in iceland

6. MORE ICELAND TOUR IDEAS?

Do you need more ideas for awesome tours & things to do in Iceland during your July holiday?

Find our small handpicked list of the best day tours from Reykjavik HERE.

horses in iceland

FUN THINGS TO DO IN ICELAND IN JULY

Are you ready for even more ideas of fun things to do in Iceland?

Road trips & camping in Iceland

Driving in Iceland is easy and camping is one of the local favourites. The ring road around Iceland (Þjóðvegur/Road 1) is clear and open for all sizes and kinds of vehicles during the summer. If you are ever thinking about doing the circle then July is a fantastic month to do so.

July is also fantastic when it comes to camping. And it doesn’t get more adventurous than camping in Iceland! There are many camping grounds spread all over the country and it’s definitely the cheapest accommodation you’ll find!

My top 5 favorite stops and areas while road tripping in Iceland:

  • Jökulsárlón: Stunning glacial lagoon in Southeast Iceland
  • Seyðisfjörður: Ever saw that Walter Mitty movie? It was shot here. Seyðisfjörður is defiantly one of the cutest towns in Iceland!
  • Mývatn nature baths: Want to dodge the tourist hype of the Blue Lagoon? Visit the Mývatn Nature baths in the North
  • Reynisfjara (The Black sand beach) : Incredibly breathtaking black sand beach right by Vík.
  • The Snæfellsnes PeninsulaIf you can, dedicate a whole day exploring this area.
Road trips & camping in Iceland

My top 5 favourite camp sites in Iceland

  • Skaftafell by Vatnajökull National park (South)
  • Mývatn (North)
  • Atlavík (East)
  • Þakgil (South)
  • Westman Islands

While driving in Iceland, don’t forget to visit some of the natural hot springs!

Also, make some space to gaze at some of our amazing waterfalls found here in Iceland. If there is anything you need to enjoy here, then it’s the endless amounts of hot and cold water!

You might also like: Reykjavik Bar Crawl (explore the best of the Reykjavik nightlife!). 

FESTIVALS IN ICELAND IN JULY

If you are a festival baby like I am then you should 100% visit the east fjords during July! East Iceland goes festival CRAZY in July and here are the top ones you should definitely not miss out on!

  • Eistnaflug / 5-8th of July in Neskaupstaður
    • Four days of good quality rock and roll!
  • Bræðslan / 29th of July in Borgafjörður Eystri
    • Music, great camping vibe and more music
  • L.ung.A /16th-23th of July in Seyðisfjörður
    • A whole week filled with all kinds of art courses and arty events. Music festival at the end of the week.

Pro tip for these festivals: If there is a garment you definite need to pack for any of those festivals, then it’s a nice Lopapeysa (Icelandic wool sweater) or a rain coat or something trendy from the local outdoor clothing brand Cintamani. That’s the ultimate Icelandic festival look!

Hike in Iceland

ALRIGHT! Finally, the hiking part of this blog that is now getting super long, ha!

Iceland is a fantastic place to do some hiking, both for beginners and for those who like to challenge themselves! In my opinion, a trip to Iceland without a little hike is a rookie mistake that should be avoided at all costs! If you are in good health and visited Iceland to soak in some nature then pack your hiking boots!

Here are a few suggestions for those who are interested in hiking in Iceland.

These suggestions can easily be covered in one day and are located not far away from Reykjavik:

  • Glymur waterfall hike (SO beautiful!)
  • Keilir (between Reykjavik & Keflavik international airport)
  • Esja (the mountain surrounding Reykjavik)
  • Helgafell (looks like mars!)
  • Reykjadalur (natural hot spring hike 30 minutes from Reykjavik)

Longer hikes that are further away from Reykjavik and can be done in a day or on the course of multiple days:

  • Fimmvörðuháls
  • Laugavegur
  • Hornstrandir
  • Landmannalaugar

You might also like: Good places for breakfast in Reykjavik

LASTLY …

Puffins and Whales in Iceland

It’s not every day you can be up close and personal with Whales in their natural environment, so if you’re traveling to Iceland in July, make sure get yourself on one of them boats! Whale Watching is a fun, safe and cruelty-free experience that should not be missed out on while in Iceland during the summer! July is the absolute best time but the main Whale season in Iceland is from April to mid-October!

Puffin season in Iceland is very similar or from April to September. These little cuties can be found in various places around Iceland and are the most unique creatures to lay your eyes on! Dedicate a day seeing these beautiful birds and if you need any help on where to find them, you can also check out our blog about where to find puffins in Iceland!

puffins in iceland

Last words …

Summer is wonderful in Iceland- the whole country gets so colourful! We hope this post is helpful, inspiring and even got you a little more excited to visit our country! If you would like to hear some suggestions about anything else, please don’t hesitate to leave your comment in the section below and we will get right back to you!

We hope to see you soon in one of our tours!

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HERE are even more recommendations for things to do in Reykjavik