Low to shoulder season, the last full aurora month
Iceland in March: Weather, Events and the Best Tours
March is the last full month of the northern lights season and the month the light comes back properly. Daylight runs 11 hours 47 minutes mid-month, up from about 10 hours on the 1st to about 13 and a half by the 31st. Highs reach 4.2C, occupancy is 62.4 percent, and Easter falls on 25 to 29 March 2027.
Quick picks: the best tours in Iceland in March
Ranked for March 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 | Northern Lights Bus Tour with Hot Cocoa | First-time visitors | 4 hours | £62 | 4.3 (14,846) |
| 2 | Golden Circle Full-Day Tour with Kerid Crater | First-time visitors | 7 - 8.5 hours | £68 | 4.8 (26,622) |
| 3 | South Coast Waterfalls, Black Sand & Glacier Tour | First-time visitors | 10 hours | £89 | 4.8 (12,213) |
| 4 | Sky Lagoon Entrance Pass With 7-Step Spa Ritual | First-time visitors | Varies | £86 | 4.8 (7,331) |
| 5 | Glacier Hike, Waterfalls and Black Sand Beach | First-time visitors | 11 hours | £141 | 4.8 (1,648) |
| 6 | Golden Circle Afternoon Small Group Tour | First-time visitors | 6 hours | £79 | 4.7 (1,372) |
| 7 | Official Blue Lagoon Iceland | First-time visitors | Varies | £108 | 4.6 (6,031) |
| 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 | Red Lava Horse Riding Tour | First-time visitors | 2.5 hours | £107 | 4.8 (2,637) |
Is March a good time to visit Iceland?
Yes, and it is the best-balanced winter month. March gives you 11 hours 47 minutes of daylight mid-month and a full aurora season at the same time, which no other month does. Occupancy is a modest 62.4 percent, the snow is still on the ground, and the natural ice cave season runs to the end of the month.
March is the mirror image of September. Where September gave you the first dark nights on top of a summer day, March gives you the last dark nights on top of a returning spring day. At 11 hours 47 minutes mid-month you can run a full South Coast or glacier day and still go out looking for the aurora that night, and by the end of the month you have 13 and a half hours to play with.
The northern lights season runs to 15 April, so March is your last full month. It is also the last month of the natural ice cave season under Vatnajokull, which runs November to March. If your trip is built around winter experiences, March is the last call, and you get the light as a bonus.
Prices stay reasonable. Occupancy sits at 62.4 percent, near identical to February’s 62.8, and Keflavik departures at 152,485 are less than half August’s. March is not on the operators’ shortlist of absolute cheapest months, which is February, April, May and October, but it is close.
The catch is that March weather is volatile rather than reliably wintry. You can get deep snow one week and rain the next, and road closures still happen. Treat any long day tour as provisional and keep a spare day.
Iceland weather in March
March in Reykjavik averages a high of 4.2C and a low of -1.8C across around 14 wet days. Daylight averages 11 hours 47 minutes mid-month and climbs from about 10 hours on 1 March to about 13 and a half hours by the 31st, a gain of three and a half hours.
| Measure | Reykjavik in March |
|---|---|
| Average daily high | 4.2C |
| Average daily low | -1.8C |
| Wet days | 14 days. Wet and volatile, around 14 wet days, with snow and rain alternating week to week |
| Daylight, mid-month | 11h 47m |
| Daylight range across the month | about 10h on the 1st to about 13h 30m 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.
March is barely warmer than February on paper, up eight tenths of a degree on the daily high, but the sun is now high enough in the sky to actually warm things in shelter. That also means thaw, and the freeze and thaw cycle is at its most active, so ice underfoot remains the main hazard in the city.
The weather itself is less predictable than midwinter. March can deliver a proper snowstorm and a mild wet week in the same fortnight, and the transition brings wind. Anything on the South Coast should be treated as conditional until the morning of the tour.
Three and a half hours of daylight gained across the month is the biggest swing of the year alongside February. Around the equinox in the second half of March, day and night are close to equal, which is the only point in the Icelandic calendar where that is true and it is a genuinely strange thing to experience after a winter of extremes.
Crowds, prices and what to book ahead
March is quiet by any standard except Iceland’s own winter. Keflavik departures reach 152,485 and hotel occupancy is 62.4 percent, almost identical to February. That is 27 points below August, so the Golden Circle and South Coast are comfortable rather than crowded.
| Measure | March | Busiest month (August) | Quietest month (December) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keflavik departures, 2025 | 152,485 | 312,964 | 120,016 |
| Hotel room occupancy, 2025 | 62.4% | 89.8% | 45.3% |
| Share of the 2025 total | 6.7% | 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 March occupancy at 62.4 percent against February’s 62.8 and August’s 89.8. Icelandic Tourist Board departure counts show 152,485 for March, up modestly on February and less than half of August’s 312,964. In practice that means space at Gullfoss, small groups that are actually small, and rooms available at short notice.
The exception is Easter, which falls from Maundy Thursday 25 March to Easter Monday 29 March in 2027. Easter is a five-day holiday period in Iceland, Icelanders travel domestically, and hotel and hire car availability tightens across the country. Book that window ahead.
Outside Easter, March day tours are bookable within the same week. The genuine risk to a March itinerary is weather cancellation, especially on the South Coast, so put the tours you care most about early in your trip.
The best tours in Iceland in March
These ten are ranked for March. The aurora tour still leads because this is the last full month of the season, and the long day trips climb the list as the daylight window passes eleven and then thirteen hours. The afternoon Golden Circle departure becomes usable again for the first time since October.
1. Northern Lights Bus Tour with Hot Cocoa
Why it ranks here in March: The last full month of the published 1 September to 15 April season, and there is still plenty of dark. It is our lowest-rated tour at 4.3 from 14,846 reviews, and in March it is the booking you should make first because there is no second chance 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 £622. Golden Circle Full-Day Tour with Kerid Crater
Why it ranks here in March: Snow still on the ground, twelve hours of light to see it in, and none of the summer coach queues. This is the Golden Circle at its best.
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 £683. South Coast Waterfalls, Black Sand & Glacier Tour
Why it ranks here in March: The 10-hour day finally fits inside daylight again, with the waterfalls still partly frozen. Check the road forecast the night before.
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 £894. Sky Lagoon Entrance Pass With 7-Step Spa Ritual
Why it ranks here in March: Still cold enough for the hot water contrast to be the point, and now with enough evening light to see the ocean you are looking at.
Get entry tickets to Sky Lagoon, an oceanside geothermal spa, located only minutes from downtown…
4.8 (7,331 reviews)VariesFrom £865. Glacier Hike, Waterfalls and Black Sand Beach
Why it ranks here in March: Firm winter ice with a proper day of light around it. March is the best month of the winter half for the 11-hour glacier day.
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 £1416. Golden Circle Afternoon Small Group Tour
Why it ranks here in March: Usable again for the first time since October. An afternoon start now finishes in the light and dodges the morning departures entirely.
Enjoy an afternoon tour visiting Iceland's most popular attractions on this small-group Golden Circle tour.
4.7 (1,372 reviews)6 hoursFrom £797. Official Blue Lagoon Iceland
Why it ranks here in March: The last month where the cold air makes it a winter experience rather than a warm-weather spa.
Comfort admission brings full access to all lagoon spaces, a towel, non-alcoholic drink, and one face mask at the…
4.6 (6,031 reviews)VariesFrom £1088. Golden Circle, Kerid Crater, & Blue Lagoon Tour
Why it ranks here in March: Our highest-rated tour at 4.9, and March daylight makes the full 11-hour combined itinerary comfortable again.
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 March: Rated 4.9. March evenings are still cold and often wet, which is when this comes into its own.
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. Red Lava Horse Riding Tour
Why it ranks here in March: Snow on the lava fields with enough daylight for a proper afternoon ride.
Set off on a riding tour through the south of Iceland and admire some incredible volcanic landscapes. Explore the…
4.8 (2,637 reviews)2.5 hoursFrom £107
Events and festivals in March 2027
March opens with Beer Day on Monday 1 March 2027, marking the end of Iceland’s beer prohibition in 1989, and closes with Easter, from Maundy Thursday 25 March to Easter Monday 29 March 2027, a five-day national holiday when Icelanders travel domestically.
| Event | Dates | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beer Day (Bjordagur) | Monday 1 March 2027 | Bars across Reykjavik | Free to join in, drinks at bar prices |
| Easter holiday period | Thursday 25 March to Monday 29 March 2027 | Nationwide | Free, but book accommodation ahead |
Beer Day marks the day in 1989 when beer became legal in Iceland again after a prohibition that had run since 1915. It is a proper Reykjavik night out rather than a tourist event, and 1 March 2027 falls on a Monday, which does not seem to slow anyone down.
Easter matters more for planning. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Monday are all public holidays in Iceland, so 25 to 29 March 2027 is effectively a five-day break. Icelanders travel within the country, accommodation and hire cars tighten nationally, and some shops and services run reduced hours. Book that window well ahead or work around it.
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 March
No whale or puffin tours yet: whale watching reopens in April and puffins from 20 April. The highland F-roads stay shut until June or July. The natural ice cave season ends with March, and the aurora season ends on 15 April.
Whale watching and puffin tours
Still closed, but not for long. GetYourGuide gives the Icelandic whale watching season as April to October, so the boats return next month. Puffins return to the cliffs from 20 April.
Natural ice caves, from the end of March
The natural Vatnajokull ice cave season runs November to March per the regional destination management organisation, so March is the last month. From April the meltwater makes most natural caves unsafe. The Katla cave under Myrdalsjokull is the exception and is open all year. We do not currently sell an ice cave tour of any kind; what is bookable here is a guided glacier hike and Perlan’s man-made ice cave exhibit.
Highland F-roads and the interior
Closed. Landmannalaugar, Askja and the interior crossings stay shut until June or July. On 2026 actual dates the earliest reopening was F35 Kjolur between 1 and 6 June and the latest F26 Sprengisandur on 6 July.
Orca watching, running but not from us
Orca trips from Olafsvik on Snaefellsnes run from March to June according to the operator that publishes those seasons, and Grundarfjordur runs December to January. Neither is a Reykjavik day tour and we do not currently sell one. If orcas are the priority, book directly on Snaefellsnes.
Tours on this site that are out of season in March
- Whale Watching and Marine Life Cruise: Outside the season. Whale watching reopens in April.
- Whale Watching by RIB Speedboat: Outside the season until April.
- Whale and Puffin Watching RIB Boat Tour: Outside the season until April.
- The Original 3-Hour Whale Watching Tour: Outside the April to October whale season.
- Puffin Watching Boat Tour: Out of season until 20 April.
- 1-Hour Puffin Watching Tour: Out of season until 20 April.
- Whales and Puffins Express Cruise Combo Tour: Out of season on both halves of the trip.
What to wear and pack for Iceland in March
March is a two-season month, so pack for both. Keep the ice cleats and thermals for the first half, add sunglasses and something lighter for the second. Waterproofs stay essential throughout, and the wind is stronger than in midwinter.
- Slip-on ice cleats, the thaw and refreeze cycle is at its most active
- Waterproof winter boots with deep tread
- Thermal base layers, top and bottom
- Insulated mid-layer under a waterproof windproof shell
- Waterproof over-trousers for the South Coast
- Warm hat, gloves and a buff
- Sunglasses, the sun is high enough now to reflect hard off snow
- Swimwear and flip-flops for the lagoons
- Camera with manual exposure and a small tripod for the last aurora nights
How we chose these tours
Every tour on this page was scored for how relevant it genuinely is in March, 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 March is not the most expensive one on the list.
FAQs about Iceland in March
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- 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