Better safe than...
The Icelandic outdoors is fantastic, but hiking in the highlands can be challenging. Both terrain and weather vary enormously, few hiking trails are marked and it is not uncommon to be snowed upon in the middle of summer.
Don't stick your head into the ground and ignore warnings. Prepare yourself well for travel in Iceland, because it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Windy all the time!
What surprises most foreign hikers in Iceland is neither the fierce weather nor the isolated wilderness but the constant wind! In practice, this means that you can not wear flimsy plastic ponchos to protect yourself from the rain and your tent has to be sturdy and withstand the weather. Not convinced? Check out this graphic live demonstration.
The go-to webpage for safe travel in Iceland is safetravel.is. There you can find current alerts about storms, floods, earthquakes, ice caves, avalanches etc. You can also leave your travel plan there, in case something happens and there is a need for search or rescue.
Preparation
Good preparation is the key to a successful journey. Keep these points, taken from safetravel.is, in mind.
- At wintertime, most of the highland, as well as many roads, are closed. Get updated road information about the area
- Always leave your travel plan with someone who can react if needed
- Check the weather forecast. In Iceland, the weather can change fast
- Remember to bring the right equipment for the kind of travel you are planning
- Map, compass and GPS should always be used when travelling outside urban areas
