Iceland is a place that’s quite hard to describe if you’ve never experienced it yourself. I’ve tried, and the best I can come up with is to simply say: it’s awe-inspiring. Everywhere you look, you'll see landscapes you've likely never encountered before. For me, being there made me feel—in the best way possible—like I’d landed on some distant planet. I felt small and insignificant, which is something I think we all could benefit from feeling a bit more from time to time.
For as magical as Iceland’s landscapes are, they are also unforgiving. Wind whips, rain comes down in sheets, the terrain is unpredictable, you can cycle through multiple climates in a single afternoon, and the midnight sun presents a unique obstacle for sleep. Which means when it came time to put together my packing list for my trip, I faced one of my biggest challenges yet.
Read on for:
The exact layering system I used to stay warm and dry through Iceland’s wind, rain, waterfalls, and wild weather
5 outfits for actual Iceland itinerary moments, from hiking and sightseeing to dinner in Reykjavik
The less-obvious Iceland essentials I’m very glad I packed (and the things you really don’t want to skimp on)
Shoppable links for everything in my suitcase, from technical gear to the pieces that made it all feel a little less “gorpcore”
Flying to Iceland is a pretty quick trip from New York, but it’s still an overnight flight, which means every hour of sleep counts. If you’re like me and flying economy, this is the only travel pillow that lets me sleep without killing my neck. I’ve been singing its praises for years! (My mom actually just got one for our upcoming trip abroad, which I feel is the highest trust…) Outfit-wise, I’m sticking to my usual formula: relaxed trousers, comfortable layers, and sneakers that can go straight into rotation once we land.
Before even thinking about leaving for the airport, though, I’m gonna have you do two things: weigh your luggage with a scale to make sure it’s under the limit and then—my #1 non-negotiable—put an AirTag in every! single! thing! coming with you on your trip. You think you don’t need them until you very much do. Trust me on that—don’t wait for trauma to teach you. You can hang them on keyrings from the zipper or just toss them in one of the compartments inside.
Iceland taught me there are few better ways to recover from a long, overnight flight cramped in an economy seat than immediately submerging yourself in very hot water. As such, my jetlag hack here is to head straight from the airport to Sky Lagoon. I highly recommend doing what I did and booking a private changing room so you can have ample room to shower, change, and make yourself feel human again post-flight/pre-spa. Otherwise, keep your swimsuit, flip-flops, skincare, dry pouch, and anything else you’ll need easily accessible (that way you’re not trying to find space to unpack your entire suitcase in the locker room).
Now for the part of packing for Iceland that gets a little trickier… Below the paywall, I’m breaking down exactly how I would recommend dressing for Iceland’s less forgiving moments: waterfalls, long driving days on the Ring Road, and dinner back in Reykjavik, including the three-layer system that kept me warm (in the middle of Summer!) and dry, and the waterproof gear actually worth buying.