Shoulder season, and one of the four cheapest months
Iceland in April: Weather, Events and the Best Tours
April is the changeover month and one of the cheapest to visit. The aurora season ends on 15 April, the puffins return from 20 April and whale watching reopens. Daylight jumps from about 13 and a half hours to about 17 across the month, averaging 15 hours 11 minutes mid-month, and occupancy is only 56.6 percent.
Quick picks: the best tours in Iceland in April
Ranked for April by seasonal relevance, then by verified GetYourGuide rating and review count. Prices are the current lowest available and were verified against live GetYourGuide listings on 28 July 2026.
| # | Tour | Best for | Duration | From | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Circle Full-Day Tour with Kerid Crater | First-time visitors | 7 - 8.5 hours | £68 | 4.8 (26,622) |
| 2 | South Coast Waterfalls, Black Sand & Glacier Tour | First-time visitors | 10 hours | £89 | 4.8 (12,213) |
| 3 | Glacier Hike, Waterfalls and Black Sand Beach | First-time visitors | 11 hours | £141 | 4.8 (1,648) |
| 4 | Silfra Fissure Snorkeling between Two Continents | Couples | 3 - 5.5 hours | £96 | 4.7 (2,115) |
| 5 | Whale and Puffin Watching RIB Boat Tour | Couples | 2 hours | £145 | 4.7 (415) |
| 6 | Puffin Watching Boat Tour | First-time visitors | 1 hour | £47 | 4.6 (1,325) |
| 7 | Northern Lights Bus Tour with Hot Cocoa | First-time visitors | 4 hours | £62 | 4.3 (14,846) |
| 8 | Golden Circle, Kerid Crater, & Blue Lagoon Tour | First-time visitors | 11 hours | £192 | 4.9 (5,858) |
| 9 | Guided Foodie Walking Tour with 6 Tastings | First-time visitors | 3 hours | £112 | 4.9 (1,920) |
| 10 | Sky Lagoon Entrance Pass With 7-Step Spa Ritual | First-time visitors | Varies | £86 | 4.8 (7,331) |
Is April a good time to visit Iceland?
Yes, if you want value and do not mind that April is two different months bolted together. The first half still has northern lights, the second half has puffins and whales. Hotel occupancy is 56.6 percent, operators name April one of the four cheapest months, and daylight jumps by three and a half hours.
April is the hinge of the Icelandic year and the trick is knowing which half you are booking. Up to 15 April you are in the tail of the aurora season, with cold nights, snow still on higher ground and winter tour conditions. From 20 April the puffins are back on the cliffs, the whale boats have reopened and the country tips into spring. The five days between are neither.
Value is the strong argument. Occupancy is 56.6 percent, barely above November’s 57.0, and April sits on the operators’ shortlist of cheapest months alongside February, May and October. What makes April different from those is the light: 15 hours 11 minutes mid-month is more than September gets, so you are paying low-season rates for long days.
Weather-wise April is drier than anything since the summer, at around 11 wet days, and the average high climbs to 7.0C. That does not mean warm. Overnight lows still hover at 0.8C, snow is still possible, and the wind is unchanged.
The highlands stay shut. F-roads do not reopen until June or July, so Landmannalaugar and the interior are off the table whatever the weather does in Reykjavik.
Iceland weather in April
April in Reykjavik averages a high of 7.0C and a low of 0.8C across around 11 wet days, making it the second driest month of the year. Daylight averages 15 hours 11 minutes mid-month, climbing from about 13 and a half hours on the 1st to about 17 hours by the 30th.
| Measure | Reykjavik in April |
|---|---|
| Average daily high | 7C |
| Average daily low | 0.8C |
| Wet days | 11 days. Noticeably drier, around 11 wet days, the second driest month after May |
| Daylight, mid-month | 15h 11m |
| Daylight range across the month | about 13h 30m on the 1st to about 17h on the last day |
Climate figures for Reykjavik from climatestotravel.com; daylight from worlddata.info, cross-checked against Icelandic operator daylight tables. Rainfall is given as wet days rather than millimetres because published Reykjavik rainfall totals differ materially between sources, from roughly 870mm to over 1,400mm a year. The monthly shape is reliable, the absolute total is not.
The jump in daylight is the headline. Gaining three and a half hours across April takes you from an autumn-length day to a summer-length one inside a single month, and by 30 April you have more daylight than London gets at midsummer. It also means the aurora window closes: from mid-April the sky simply does not get dark enough.
April is drier than any month since last spring, at around 11 wet days against 15 in December and January. The average high of 7.0C is a real improvement, but the overnight average of 0.8C means frost, ice on paths and snow on higher ground are all still normal.
Conditions vary enormously by where you are. Reykjavik can be in spring while the South Coast is still in winter and the interior is under metres of snow. Pack for both and check road conditions before any long day trip.
Crowds, prices and what to book ahead
April is one of the cheapest months of the year. Keflavik departures are 149,123 and hotel occupancy is 56.6 percent, barely above November, yet you get 15 hours of daylight. Operators name April alongside February, May and October as the best value months.
| Measure | April | Busiest month (August) | Quietest month (December) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keflavik departures, 2025 | 149,123 | 312,964 | 120,016 |
| Hotel room occupancy, 2025 | 56.6% | 89.8% | 45.3% |
| Share of the 2025 total | 6.6% | 13.8% | 5.3% |
Visitor figures are departing passengers through Keflavik International Airport for the full year 2025, published by the Icelandic Tourist Board, total 2,267,638. Roughly 99 percent of visitors arrive and leave through Keflavik. Hotel room occupancy is Statistics Iceland table SAM01104, whole of Iceland, 2025.
Statistics Iceland put April occupancy at 56.6 percent, a fall from March’s 62.4 percent even though the daylight is far better, because April sits in the gap between the winter aurora market and the summer season. Icelandic Tourist Board departure counts show 149,123, less than half August’s 312,964.
That gap is the opportunity. April is the cheapest month in which you get a genuinely long day, which is why it appears on the operators’ own cheapest-month list. If your priority is doing a lot for as little as possible, April and May are the two months to compare.
Easter can fall in April in other years and pushes prices up when it does. In 2027 it falls entirely in March, from 25 to 29 March, so April is clear. The one date that shifts things is Thursday 22 April 2027, the First Day of Summer public holiday.
The best tours in Iceland in April
These ten are ranked for April, and April changes halfway through. Whale watching reopens and the puffins return from 20 April, so both make the list. The northern lights tour ranks seventh rather than first because the season ends on 15 April and only the first half of the month works.
1. Golden Circle Full-Day Tour with Kerid Crater
Why it ranks here in April: Fifteen hours of daylight, snow still on the ground for much of the month and none of the summer crowds. April is an underrated month for the Golden Circle.
Take a full-day tour of Iceland’s iconic Golden Circle. Experience the stunning natural scenery and see the…
4.8 (26,622 reviews)7 - 8.5 hoursFrom £682. South Coast Waterfalls, Black Sand & Glacier Tour
Why it ranks here in April: The 10-hour day now sits comfortably inside daylight with hours to spare, and the waterfalls are at full meltwater volume.
Experience nature at its best with waterfalls and black sand beaches. Walk behind the cascades of Seljalandsfoss & go…
4.8 (12,213 reviews)10 hoursFrom £893. Glacier Hike, Waterfalls and Black Sand Beach
Why it ranks here in April: April reopens the accessible window for the lowland and coastal glacier tongues, which runs from late April to October.
Explore the wonders of Iceland’s south coast on a day trip from Reykjavik. Walk on the stunning Sólheimajökull…
4.8 (1,648 reviews)11 hoursFrom £1414. Silfra Fissure Snorkeling between Two Continents
Why it ranks here in April: The water is unchanged year-round but the air is not. April is the first month where getting in and out of the drysuit is genuinely comfortable.
Snorkel the Silfra Fissure with PADI-certified guides and drift between the tectonic plates in remarkably clear…
4.7 (2,115 reviews)3 - 5.5 hoursFrom £965. Whale and Puffin Watching RIB Boat Tour
Why it ranks here in April: The RIB season reopens. From 20 April both halves of the trip are live again, which makes late April the first date this works all year.
See Iceland's Whales, Puffins, and the capital of Reykjavik from a unique angle on this adventurous RIB tour. Enjoy…
4.7 (415 reviews)2 hoursFrom £1456. Puffin Watching Boat Tour
Why it ranks here in April: The published puffin season opens on 20 April, so this only works in the last ten days of the month. Book the date, not the month.
Take in the natural beauty and wildlife of Iceland on this puffin-watching boat trip. Depart from the Old Harbour in…
4.6 (1,325 reviews)1 hourFrom £477. Northern Lights Bus Tour with Hot Cocoa
Why it ranks here in April: Ranked here rather than first because the published season ends on 15 April. If you are in Iceland in the first fortnight it is still worth a night. After the 15th it is over until September.
Experience one of the world’s great natural phenomena on a 4-hour evening bus tour of Iceland. Depart the bright…
4.3 (14,846 reviews)4 hoursFrom £628. Golden Circle, Kerid Crater, & Blue Lagoon Tour
Why it ranks here in April: Our highest-rated tour at 4.9, and April daylight makes the 11-hour combined day easy.
Enjoy the stunning Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon in one amazing day. Explore Thingvellir National Park, Geysir…
4.9 (5,858 reviews)11 hoursFrom £1929. Guided Foodie Walking Tour with 6 Tastings
Why it ranks here in April: Rated 4.9, and April evenings are still cold enough to make an indoor tasting tour appealing.
Learn about the culture of Reykjavik and Iceland through its tasty food on a guided walking tour. Visit 5 different…
4.9 (1,920 reviews)3 hoursFrom £11210. Sky Lagoon Entrance Pass With 7-Step Spa Ritual
Why it ranks here in April: Still cold enough for the contrast to work, and now with long evening light over the sea.
Get entry tickets to Sky Lagoon, an oceanside geothermal spa, located only minutes from downtown…
4.8 (7,331 reviews)VariesFrom £86
Events and festivals in April 2027
April’s fixture is Sumardagurinn fyrsti, the First Day of Summer, a public holiday that falls on the first Thursday after 18 April. In 2027 that is Thursday 22 April. It is celebrated with parades and children’s events, and it happens whatever the weather is doing.
| Event | Dates | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumardagurinn fyrsti, the First Day of Summer | Thursday 22 April 2027, the first Thursday after 18 April | Parades and events nationwide, including Reykjavik | Free |
| Puffin season opens | From 20 April 2027 | Puffin islands off Reykjavik, reached from the old harbour | Tours from £47 |
The First Day of Summer is a genuine public holiday and one of the oldest fixtures in the Icelandic calendar, dating from the old two-season year of summer and winter. It is a Thursday, it is marked with parades and children’s events, and it is entirely unbothered by the fact that it is often snowing. Shops and services run holiday hours.
The more consequential April date for a tour itinerary is 20 April, when the published puffin season opens. If puffins are on your list and you are travelling in April, your dates need to fall in the last ten days of the month. Before that, the cliffs are empty.
We only list dates we can stand behind. Where a date follows a rule rather than a fixed day of the month, the rule is shown alongside it. Anything we could not verify is left off rather than guessed.
What is closed or not bookable in April
The aurora season ends on 15 April and does not return until 1 September. The highland F-roads stay shut until June or July. The natural ice caves closed at the end of March. Puffin tours do not start until 20 April.
Northern lights, from 15 April
The published aurora season ends on 15 April. After that the nights are no longer dark enough in Reykjavik, and by May it is impossible regardless of solar activity. If you are here in the first fortnight of April it is still worth a night. If you arrive after the 15th, it is over until 1 September.
Puffins, until 20 April
The published puffin season runs 20 April to 20 August. Trips before the 20th will not find occupied colonies. Check your dates against that, not against the month.
Natural ice caves
Closed. The natural Vatnajokull ice cave season runs November to March, and from April meltwater makes most caves unsafe. The Katla cave under Myrdalsjokull is open year-round. We do not currently sell an ice cave tour; Perlan’s man-made ice cave exhibit in Reykjavik is the ice cave experience bookable here from April onwards.
Highland F-roads and the interior
Still closed. On 2026 actual dates the earliest F-road reopening was F35 Kjolur between 1 and 6 June, F225 on 16 June, F206 on 20 June, F208 between 2 and 25 June, F261 on 5 July and F26 Sprengisandur on 6 July. Landmannalaugar and the interior crossings are not reachable in April.
What to wear and pack for Iceland in April
April needs a winter kit and a spring kit in the same bag, because Reykjavik can be thawing while the South Coast is still frozen. Keep the waterproofs and warm layers, add sunglasses and a sleep mask for 17 hours of daylight by the end of the month.
- Waterproof and windproof shell jacket with a hood
- Warm mid-layer, overnight averages are still only 0.8C
- Waterproof over-trousers for meltwater spray at the waterfalls
- Boots with grip, ice on paths persists into April
- Ice cleats if you are travelling in the first half of the month
- Warm hat, gloves and a buff for boat decks, the sea is cold in April
- Sunglasses and a sleep mask, the nights are short by the 30th
- Swimwear and flip-flops for the lagoons
How we chose these tours
Every tour on this page was scored for how relevant it genuinely is in April, then sorted by that score, then by verified GetYourGuide rating, then by verified review count. Anything out of season is excluded and named above rather than quietly left off.
Most month pages are a tour list with a date bolted on, which means the same ten tours appear for every month of the year. That is not useful. Our default site ordering is rating then review count, and both are static, so on that basis every month would produce an identical top ten. So each tour carries a separate seasonal relevance score for each month, from 6 for the single experience that defines the month down to 0 for anything genuinely out of season, and that score sorts the list first.
Two consequences are worth stating plainly. First, the northern lights bus tour is the lowest rated tour on this site at 4.3 stars from 14,846 reviews. From November to March it is ranked first anyway, because in those months it is the reason people come and a top ten that buried it would be dishonest. Second, we do not rank on live GetYourGuide availability. Availability calendars reflect rolling booking windows rather than seasons, so a tour that is genuinely bookable next spring can look unavailable today. Season comes from published operator seasons, not from a booking widget.
Prices, ratings, review counts, titles and durations were verified one by one against the live GetYourGuide listing for each product on 28 July 2026. We do not publish a rating or a review count we have not checked, and we do not publish a date, a season or a closure we cannot source. Where the honest answer is that we do not sell something, such as a natural ice cave tour, we say so and point you at what does exist instead.
We earn a commission if you book through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. That does not change the ranking. The tour ranked first in April is not the most expensive one on the list.
FAQs about Iceland in April
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Plan the rest of the trip
- All Iceland tours with verified prices, ratings and review counts
- The 10 best Iceland tours, ranked for the whole year rather than one month
- Is a northern lights tour worth it?
- Glacier hike or ice cave: which to book
- Golden Circle or South Coast: which day trip
- First time in Iceland
- Browse the full Iceland catalogue on GetYourGuide