April is the month Iceland starts handing daylight back. You get roughly 13 and a half hours of it at the start of the month and close to 17 by the end, which is more than most people expect and the single biggest reason to come now rather than in February. The crowds have not arrived, prices sit well below summer rates, and the Ring Road and Golden Circle are open and straightforward to drive.
What April is not is spring in the way most visitors picture it. Snow is still possible, the wind still decides how your day goes, and the highlands are shut until June. Plan for a month that behaves like late winter with long evenings, and April is one of the best value trips in the Icelandic calendar.
Key takeaways
Daylight runs from about 13 and a half hours on 1 April to about 16 and a half by 30 April, gaining roughly 7 minutes a day.
Expect around 0°C to 7°C in Reykjavík, colder in the north and inland, with wind that makes it feel colder than the number suggests.
The Ring Road and Golden Circle are open. F-roads and the highlands stay closed until June.
Early April still has usable Northern Lights conditions. By the last week the sky is too bright.
Puffins start returning and the Húsavík whale watching season opens, neither of which winter visitors get.
Natural ice caves are mostly finished by April. Book the year round options instead if that is on your list.
Prices for cars and accommodation are meaningfully below June to August.
Daylight hours in Iceland in April
This is the part that changes your itinerary most. In April you gain about seven minutes of daylight every day, so the first of the month and the last feel like different seasons. A day trip that is a tight squeeze on 2 April is relaxed on 28 April.
Date
Sunrise
Sunset
Daylight
1 April
06:47
20:18
13 hrs 30 min
10 April
06:15
20:45
14 hrs 29 min
20 April
05:39
21:15
15 hrs 36 min
30 April
05:04
21:47
16 hrs 42 min
Times are for Reykjavík in 2027. Iceland stays on UTC+0 all year and does not use daylight saving, so these are local times with no clock change to account for.
The north gains even more. Akureyri gets about 13 hours 37 minutes on 1 April and 17 hours 6 minutes on 30 April, roughly 25 minutes more evening light than Reykjavík by the end of the month.
What this means in practice: from mid April you can comfortably drive the South Coast to Jökulsárlón and back in a day, or reach Akureyri without driving in the dark. Early in the month, plan as if you were still travelling in winter and keep the driving legs short.
Weather in Iceland in April
April averages 7°C by day and 1°C at night in Reykjavík. That is milder than most visitors expect, and it is the wind rather than the temperature that catches people out. A 4°C day with a 15 m/s wind is genuinely unpleasant if you are dressed for 4°C and nothing else, which is why a windproof outer layer matters more than a thick one.
Two things about April that are worth knowing and that most guides get wrong. It is one of the drier months of the year in Reykjavík, not one of the wetter ones. And it is one of the sunniest by hours, because you are getting long days without midsummer cloud.
Reykjavik
Akureyri (north)
Average daytime high
6.9°C / 44°F
6.6°C / 44°F
Average night-time low
1.0°C / 34°F
-0.3°C / 31°F
Warmest April on record
18.5°C / 65°F
21.5°C / 71°F
Coldest April on record
-16.4°C / 2°F
-18.2°C / -1°F
Rainfall over the month
59 mm
26 mm
Days with rain or snow
12
7
Days with snow on the ground
2
6
Hours of sunshine
165
128
Icelandic Met Office 1991 to 2020 climate normals.
The north and south are closer than people assume, but they are different in a useful way. Akureyri is no colder than Reykjavík during the day and gets less than half the rain, but its nights sit below freezing and it has three times as many days with snow lying on the ground. If you want dry, bright April days and you do not mind cold mornings and the odd icy road, the north is the better bet. If you want the simplest driving, stay south.
Whichever you choose, April is unsettled. Sun, rain, sleet, wind and a short burst of snow in one afternoon is normal rather than unlucky. Check vedur.is each morning instead of planning the week in advance and hoping.
Does it snow in Iceland in April?
Yes, and more than the mild averages suggest. Reykjavík gets around 12 cm of snowfall across the month, though it lies on the ground for only about two days because it usually melts quickly at sea level. Akureyri and the north have snow on the ground for closer to six days.
The mountains stay white all month regardless. That is what makes April photograph so well: green starting to come back at sea level with snow still on the peaks behind it.
Will your rental car still have winter tyres in April?
Almost certainly yes, and most likely studded ones.
Studded winter tyres are legal in Iceland from 1 November to mid April, and the road authorities can extend that window when conditions call for it. Rental companies keep studs on while there is still snow and ice around rather than swapping to summer tyres on a fixed calendar date. So if you are here in April, expect the car to be set up for winter.
This is worth stating plainly because a lot of April guides get it wrong and tell people the opposite. You are not going to land in April and find yourself on summer tyres while there is ice on the road.
A few related points:
The minimum legal tread depth rises from 1.6 mm in summer to 3 mm during the winter window.
Studs are banned before 1 November even if it snows early, because of road wear and dust in built-up areas.
Snow chains are not used in Iceland and you will not need them.
Check the tyres when you collect the car. Any decent rental company will happily show you what is fitted.
Check these every morning
umferdin.is for road conditions and closures
vedur.is for weather and wind warnings
safetravel.is for travel alerts, plus the 112 Iceland app on your phone
Which car should you rent in Iceland in April?
Honest answer: it depends on where you are going, not on the month.
If you are staying in the southwest and doing Reykjavík, the Golden Circle and the South Coast, a 2WD is enough for most of April in normal conditions. Those roads are cleared and busy, and the extra cost of a 4x4 buys you comfort rather than access.
Take a 4x4 if you are driving the full Ring Road, heading to the north or east, travelling in the first half of the month, or staying somewhere with an unpaved access road. Plenty of guesthouses sit at the end of a gravel track that is fine in July and unpleasant in early April. Ground clearance and traction matter more on those last two kilometres than on Route 1 itself.
Whatever you take, make sure you understand what your insurance covers before you drive off. Gravel damage and wind damage to doors are the two most common claims we see in the shoulder season, and wind damage is not covered by standard CDW anywhere in Iceland. Hold the door with both hands when you get out, and park facing into the wind.
Not sure which car you need?
Check out our wide car selection and find the right fit for your Iceland trip.
Can you see the Northern Lights in Iceland in April?
In the first half of the month, yes. Aurora activity itself does not stop, but the sky does not get dark enough for long enough once you pass mid April, so your realistic window narrows fast. If the lights are the main reason for your trip, come in the first two weeks and plan on late evening rather than the small hours.
If you are here late in the month, treat any aurora as a bonus rather than a plan. February and March are better months for that specific goal, and it is better to say so than to sell you a 5 percent chance.
Best Things To Do in Iceland In April
April is a great month to visit Iceland, and it offers a wide array of things to do. These are some of the best.
Easter
Easter is the biggest April event in the Icelandic calendar. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Monday are all public holidays, so schools close and many shops and restaurants run reduced hours or shut entirely. Plan your supermarket runs around it. The upside is páskaegg, the chocolate eggs that come with a folded fortune inside, sold in every shop for weeks beforehand.
Go Dog Sledding
Dog sled tours are mainly held during the winter months in Iceland, thanks to all of the fluffy snow. With Dog Sledding Iceland HQ, you can still sign up for a dryland or snow DogSledding tour, which runs until April. The ride takes 45 minutes, and the tour will be operated on snow, if there is any. If there is no recent snow, your tour will be operated on dry land instead of being canceled.
The Dog Sledding facility is a short 30-minute drive from Reykjavík, perfect for a quick day trip with your Iceland rental car.
Reykjavík Blues Festival
Icelandic, European and North American blues acts across venues in downtown Reykjavík. Dates move each year, so check blues.is.
Whale watching from Húsavík
The Húsavík season opens in April, and going early means fewer boats on the water. Húsavík is around five and a half hours from Reykjavík, so treat it as part of a north Iceland leg rather than a day trip.
Children's Culture Festival, Reykjavík
A week of free events across Reykjavík schools, museums and cultural venues, all aimed at children and families. If you are travelling with kids in the second half of April it is an easy and genuinely local thing to build a day around.
Take Photos at the Sun Voyager
If you are an art lover, you have to visit The Sun Voyager in Reykjavik. This famous sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason is next to the downtown Sæbraut Road. The Sun Voyager is commonly referred to as a dreamboat or an ode to the Sun. The sculpture is made out of steel, representing a promise of undiscovered territory, a dream of hope, progress, and freedom.
It is an excellent place for a photo opportunity, especially at sunset, as the sun will reflect off of the water behind it. A quick stop you can make during your tour of Reykjavik.
Hot springs and pools
April is a good month for this, because the air is still cold enough to make the contrast worth it and the pools are less busy. Hvammsvík is 45 minutes from Reykjavík with pools running along the shoreline of the fjord, and the Secret Lagoon and Sky Lagoon both stay open year round.
Sumardagurinn fyrsti, the first day of summer
Iceland's official first day of summer comes from the old Norse calendar and lands on the first Thursday after 18 April, so somewhere between 19 and 25 April. It is a public holiday, with parades and children's events around the country. Nobody pretends it is actually summer. That is part of the joke.
Visit Hallgrímskirkja
Visit the largest church in all of Iceland, Hallgrímskirkja. The church sits at 74.5 meters or 244 feet into the sky and is located right in downtown Reykjavik. Architect Guðjón Samúelsson used Scandinavian Modernism to bring out Icelandic nature to the building. The columns are known to represent volcanic basalt. The architecture is one of the reasons it attracts tourists from all over.
The church is free to wander and explore. But, if you want to visit the exclusive tower, you will need to purchase an admission ticket. Check out their calendar as they host Winter and Spring musical events throughout the year.
Shop at Lucky Records
Shop Vinyls at Iceland’s infamous Lucky Records. This is Iceland‘s biggest record store and offers a variety of vinyl and CDs, posters, and T-shirts. They opened in 2005 in the Kolaportið flea market, and since then, they have blown up in the best way possible.
Now you can visit their storefront, which has over 50,000 items covering a wide variety of musical genres, from jazz to soul, funk, afro-beat, rock and pop, punk, electronic and classical music.
Want to explore local Icelandic bands? Then check out their Icelandic section, which has plenty of records and CDs for you to explore. Even if you do not own a record player, you can still walk around the store and admire the mass amount of old records. There is even artwork on the walls which adds to its charm.
Ride Horses & Eat Waffles at Ishestar Horse Riding Centre
Want to ride a horse and eat homemade waffles? You can by heading over to the Ishestar Horse Riding Centre in Hafnarfjörður. The Centre is only a 40 minutes drive from Reykjavik, so all you have to do is get in your rental car and head over.
Ishestar Horse Riding Centre has been open since 1982 and has become a leader in equine tourism ever since. They offer both shorter day tours to longer multi-day tours. The Horses and Waffles Tour is hard to pass up since there is no better combination than waffles and horses. This tour is offered during both winter and spring, which is great for those coming to Iceland during the shoulder season.
The ride brings you through the snowy landscape for about 50 minutes. Once the ride is over, you will enjoy freshly baked waffles with toppings of your choice as well as hot chocolate, coffee, or tea. For just 13900 ISK or $96, we can’t think of a better way to spend a lovely spring day.
Hike to Fagradalsfjall Volcano
Hiking is such a popular activity in Iceland, but most trails will still be inaccessible in Iceland’s Highlands. This is why hiking to Fagradalsfjall Volcano in Geldingadalur made out April list. This hike is near Keflavik airport, making it a quick drive from Reykjavik. The Fagradalsfjall volcano is continuously erupting and is currently active too. Scientists have no idea how long it will be active, so hiking it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The hike to the new eruption site is not rated as easy and will take a whole day to complete since it is 8.4 miles in total, with an elevation gain of 1,984 feet. To be able to hike a currently active volcano is a bucket list item for many, so we recommend giving it a shot.
Please check for more information on Safetravel.is before attempting, as the volcano paths can be closed due to lava.
Drink Beer in Southern Iceland
Spend some time in Southern Iceland by visiting The Brothers Brewery. In 2012 friends Jóhann Guðmundsson and Kjartan Vídó had a dream to start brewing beer. Jóhann and Kjartan initially brought their brothers Davíð and Hlyn into the team, and the homebrew was called The Brothers Brewery. Hannes Eiríksson replaced Davíð in 2014, as Hannes had a garage and is a steelworker, so he was a perfect fit for the team. In 2015, Jói invited his friend Einar Birn to the garage to watch the brewing process and taste the products, so Einar wanted to sell the beer at his restaurant Einsa Kalda in Vestmannaeyjar.
You can taste all of the hard work this team put into their beer. Try the Volcano Red Ale, which is fitting for Iceland. The Easy Brother Amber Ale and the Golli IPA are a few other favorites. You really can go right with all of their beers! Stop by their brewery to try them for yourself next time you are in Vestmannaeyjabær.
April is one of the best months to visit Iceland. You can see the Northern Lights yet still enjoy plenty of daylight. It’s not extremely cold, but you can still catch snowy views. It’s also a great time for whale watching, and there are tons of festivals. Plus, prices are lower, and there are fewer tourists. What are you waiting for?
Frequently asked questions about Iceland in April
For most people, yes. You get long days without summer crowds or summer prices, the main roads are open, and you can still catch the Northern Lights in the first half of the month. It is a weaker choice if your trip depends on ice caves, the highlands or guaranteed aurora.
Reykjavík averages 6.9°C by day and 1.0°C at night. Akureyri in the north is about the same during the day but drops just below freezing overnight. Wind is what makes it feel cold rather than the temperature itself, so a windproof outer layer matters more than a thick one.
In Reykjavík, about 13 hours 30 minutes on 1 April rising to 16 hours 42 minutes on 30 April, so you gain roughly 6 to 7 minutes a day. Akureyri and the north get around 25 minutes more by the end of the month. Iceland does not use daylight saving, so the clocks do not change during your trip.
In the first two weeks, yes, on clear nights. After mid April the sky stays too bright for long enough that your chances drop sharply. If aurora is the priority, February or March is the better trip.
Not for Reykjavík, the Golden Circle and the South Coast in normal conditions. Take one if you are driving the full Ring Road, heading north or east, travelling early in the month, or staying somewhere with a gravel access road.
Yes, and usually studded ones. Studded tyres are legal from 1 November to mid April and the authorities can extend that window when conditions require it, so rental companies keep them on while there is still snow and ice rather than swapping on a fixed date. Check what is fitted when you collect the car.
Yes. The Ring Road is open and maintained all year, with temporary closures during storms. Check umferdin.is each morning, particularly for the north and east.
No. They stay closed until roughly mid June to early July depending on the road and snow conditions, and driving them before they open is illegal.
Most natural ice caves close by late March as the glacier starts melting. The Katla ice cave and the man made tunnel in Langjökull run year round, so book one of those instead.
They start arriving in April, with the first birds usually reaching the cliffs mid month and numbers building into May. Late April gives you a reasonable chance, early May is more reliable.
Yes. Car rental, accommodation and flights all sit below summer rates, with the biggest savings in the first half of the month. Easter week is the exception, when domestic travel pushes accommodation prices up outside Reykjavík.
