Booking choice: The glacier hike, from $149 per person. Check dates Tour details
Jökulsárlón is not as cold as people imagine. In nearby Höfn, July averages about 13°C by day and January about 3°C (WeatherSpark). The problem is the wind across the ice, and the rain that comes and goes all day.
Here is what to wear for the shore, the boats, an ice cave and a glacier hike, and what the operators lend you.
The quick answer
All year: a waterproof, windproof jacket over a warm mid layer, a hat, gloves and shoes with grip. In winter add thermal base layers and waterproof trousers. On the amphibian you get a life jacket; on the zodiac a flotation suit and life jacket. Ice caves need hiking shoes, which that tour doesn't rent. Glacier hikes need stiff ankle boots; Ice Explorers rents boots, rain jackets and rain trousers at the meeting point. Skip the umbrella.
What should you wear at Jökulsárlón?
Layers you can add and remove, a waterproof and windproof jacket, a hat, gloves and sturdy shoes with grip. Even in summer.
- Shell: a waterproof, windproof jacket with a hood. The most important thing you bring.
- Mid layer: a fleece or wool sweater. A down jacket in winter.
- Base: wool or synthetic. Cotton stays wet after rain.
- Head and hands: a warm hat that won't blow off, gloves, a buff or scarf for the face.
- Feet: walking shoes or boots with a good sole for gravel and wet sand.
Tour operators say the same. Gateway to Iceland recommends "mittens and a hat even during the summer season". A guest on the cruise shore excursion put it louder: "DON'T FORGET YOU HATS, GLOVES & LAYERS even in the summer, as we were there on a record warm day & the wind was still brutal".
Dress warm, then sit among the icebergs: the 30-minute boat ride is already booked on this day trip.
Check dates for the day trip with the boat tourWhat should you wear in each season?
Summer: shell and fleece. Spring and autumn: add a warmer layer and waterproof trousers. Winter: thermals, a down layer and winter boots.
Average temperatures in Höfn, the nearest town, about 80 km east:
| Season | Day / night (Höfn) | What to wear |
|---|---|---|
| June to August | About 12 to 13°C / 8°C | Shell, fleece, light hat and gloves, walking shoes |
| September to October | About 10°C to 7°C / 6°C to 3°C | Shell, warm fleece, hat, gloves, waterproof trousers |
| November to March | About 3 to 4°C / -1 to 1°C | Thermal base, down or insulated jacket, shell, winter hat, warm gloves, insulated boots |
| April to May | Warming to about 9°C / 4°C in May | Shell, fleece, hat, gloves, waterproof trousers |
Wind matters more than the number: January is Höfn's windiest month. A guest on another lagoon day trip: "It's worth using a scarf to cover your face because the wind is freezing at the lagoon."
What should you wear on the boat tour?
Your warmest layers under a windproof shell. The amphibian gives you a life jacket; the zodiac gives you a flotation suit and a life jacket.
On the amphibian the life jacket goes over your own clothes, and you sit on an open deck for 30 to 40 minutes. It is colder on the water than on the shore. Wear the jacket, hat and gloves you would wear for a winter walk.
On the zodiac you get a flotation suit and a life jacket, according to icelagoon.is. The suit is warm and windproof, but you sit still at speed for over an hour. Wear warm layers under it, gloves, and a hat that fits under a hood. Check-in is 30 minutes before. Details on both in amphibian or zodiac.
Thirty minutes among the icebergs, already booked in a guided day from Reykjavík. Bring a hat and gloves.
Explore the day trip with the boat tour Tour detailsWhat do you need to wear in an ice cave?
Hiking shoes, warm and waterproof clothing, and gloves. The operator gives you a helmet and crampons.
The listing for the ice cave tour is strict: hiking shoes are required, they are not rented on this tour, and without them "you will not be fit to go into the ice cave". Warm and waterproof clothing is required too. Inside the cave, water drips and the floor is ice. A buff and gloves help; the guide hands out the helmet and crampons at the start.
On the 3-day tour the ice cave gear is included, and extra gear can be booked with the operator. Bring the same boots and layers.
Helmet and crampons provided: a super jeep from the lagoon to a natural blue ice cave, in winter.
Check dates for the ice cave tourWhat should you wear on a glacier hike?
Stiff hiking boots that cover the ankle, waterproof trousers and jacket, and warm layers that breathe. Sneakers are not allowed.
The Breiðamerkurjökull glacier hike asks for "comfortable, warm, yet breathable waterproof clothing and hiking boots" with good ankle support; soft, foam or low shoes are refused. Ice Explorers rents rain trousers, rain jackets and hiking boots at the meeting point, and may make you rent if you arrive in the wrong gear. Crampons need a shoe size of at least 35, and the harness adjusts to 126 cm around.
You will warm up walking for two hours, so don't overdo the down. Andrew, in July 2026: "Good boots and a camera are a must! It can be windy so a ski cap is best, ball caps blew away." On the 2-day tour, the Sólheimajökull hike also needs good hiking shoes, and the operator rents them if you don't have them.
About two hours on Breiðamerkurjökull with crampons, helmet and harness, lunch included, 12 people at most.
Explore the glacier hike Tour detailsWhat shoes should you wear at Diamond Beach?
Waterproof shoes or boots with grip. The sand is wet, the ice is slippery, and the waves reach further than you think.
Black sand soaks through canvas shoes, and gravel on the lagoon shore is loose. Waterproof walking shoes are fine in summer; insulated boots in winter, when the beach can be icy. A guest on the shore excursion packed "waterproof shoes or shoe covers" on her list.
Stay off the ice blocks whatever you wear. The safety reasons are in the Diamond Beach guide.
What should you bring on a day trip?
A day bag with the layers you aren't wearing, food, water, a power bank and a dry pair of socks.
- Layers you can peel off: buses are warm. Shiv, on the 3-day tour: "Layers of warm outerwear is also essential so you can take them off in the vehicle and put them on quickly before venturing outside."
- Food and water: meals are extra and the stops are short.
- Power bank: cold drains phone batteries, and the day is 14 hours or more.
- Dry socks: for after Seljalandsfoss.
- Sunglasses: low sun on ice and wet sand is bright, all year.
Leave the umbrella in Reykjavík. On Breiðamerkursandur the wind turns it inside out in seconds. The full day is laid out in the day trip guide.
A long day from Reykjavík with 1 hour 20 minutes at the lagoon, from $185. Pack a sandwich.
Check dates for the Glacier Lagoon day tripFrequently asked questions
Is it cold at Jökulsárlón in summer?
Cooler than you expect. July averages about 13°C by day in nearby Höfn, and wind off the ice makes it feel colder. Bring a hat and gloves.
Do I need waterproof trousers?
For the zodiac, a glacier hike or a winter visit, yes. For a summer day on the shore, a waterproof jacket is usually enough.
Can I rent gear at Jökulsárlón?
Ice Explorers rents boots, rain jackets and rain trousers at the meeting point for its glacier hike. The ice cave tour does not rent hiking shoes, so bring your own.
What do they give you on the zodiac?
A flotation suit and a life jacket. Wear warm layers, gloves and a snug hat underneath.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier Hike
About two hours on the ice in crampons, 12 people at most, lunch included
Ice Cave Tour in Vatnajökull National Park
Super jeep to a natural ice cave; you make your own way to the lagoon
Glacier Lagoon Day Trip with Boat Tour
- About 30-minute boat tour among the icebergs
- Coach from the BSÍ terminal or central hotels, 7:30 am
- Guide in English
