Driving in Iceland in December
December is the darkest month - 4 to 5 hours of usable light around the solstice - and a proper winter-driving month. It rewards a different trip: short, well-chosen drives from a festive Reykjavík base, long aurora nights, ice caves, and Christmas lights against black winter afternoons. It punishes ambitious itineraries.
5 down to 4 hours at the solstice, then creeping back
−3 to +2 °C in the lowlands
Closed, deep under snow.
Maximum darkness of the year - displays can appear from mid-afternoon. December's enemy is cloud, not light.
What’s open and driveable
The prioritised southwest network (Reykjavík, Keflavík, Golden Circle, South Coast) is kept open with the usual storm interruptions. Long legs east and north are for experienced winter drivers only - a closure with 4 hours of daylight leaves little room to improvise.
Typical conditions
Full winter: ice and packed snow standard, storms regular, and the solstice light - two long golden hours bracketing a brief day - unlike anything else on the calendar. New Year's Eve in Reykjavík is a legitimately world-class (and chaotic) fireworks night; roads empty out completely on the holiday itself.
December driving tips
- Plan one sight per day and treat anything more as a bonus - the light budget is 4–5 hours.
- Golden Circle and Seljalandsfoss/Skógafoss day trips fit the daylight window; Jökulsárlón in a day does not.
- Christmas Eve through Boxing Day, Iceland genuinely closes - plan fuel, food and activities around it.
- The low solstice sun never climbs far: effectively hours of golden light for photographers, but drive with it out of your eyes.
Common questions
How many hours of daylight does Iceland get in December?
Around the solstice, about 4 hours of direct daylight in Reykjavík (roughly 11:20–15:30), padded by long twilights that stretch usable light somewhat. Early and late December manage closer to 5 hours.
Is driving in Iceland in December safe for visitors?
On the maintained southwest routes, with studded tyres, daylight-window planning and a storm-day buffer - yes, it's routinely done. What's unsafe is treating December like summer: long legs, tight schedules, or pressing on into weather warnings.