Iceland Packing List for Summer (July and August)

Iceland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Visiting in summer brings the country’s warmest temperatures, but be prepared for rain, cold temps, and harsh waterfalls. Here’s what I brought for our 10 day trip to Iceland.

I did a lot of traveling in 2022 and started to have my routine down to a science. I have a fairly good idea of what I need. I also got a lot of inspiration from packing lists from The Amazing Race.

I brought my Osprey 36L. It was the perfect carry-on size and allowed me to easily go from A to B. I strapped my 18L REI backpack to it which was heavy at times, but it was great for easily transporting between places and was easy on my shoulders and back. REI makes hiking backpacks with removable daypacks which I highly recommend getting. I also love packing cubes for separating clean/dirty laundry and organizing.

Clothing to Pack for Iceland

Waterproof and windproof raincoat

I have the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L Jacket which I highly recommend. It folds down nicely and protects against both wind and rain. Layer it with fleece and it’ll keep you warm for a variety of situations. This allowed me to layer easily.

Puffer jacket

I’ll be honest – this was mostly for photos! No regrets. Still, I could’ve gotten by with just my raincoat and base layers. I purchased this Michael Kors one secondhand from Mercari.

Rain pants

These waterproof pants are a must for intense waterfalls. I bought mine secondhand from eBay. They also provided extra wind resistance.

Merino wool socks

Darn Tough socks are excellent for hiking. At $22/pair they are expensive, but are well worth it for no stink, no blisters, and overall comfort on long days.

Others include:

• Fleece pullover
• Short sleeve top
• 2 warm long sleeve tops
• 3 pairs of Leggings
• 1 pair of PJs
• Pair of jeans
• Swimsuit (lots of lagoons to see!)
• Hat
• Gloves

Shoes I packed:

• Hiking boots
• Tevas (waterproof and great for relaxing after a long day)
• Shower shoes (hostel)

Electronics and Cell Phone

If you live in the United States, you need a travel adapter for Iceland. I brought my GoPro, laptop, phone, and charger. Before each trip, always back up your devices! Iceland’s an incredibly safe country, but it never hurts to have your phone backed up in cloud storage in case it is damaged or stolen.

We rented a camper van, which came with wifi.

For my cell phone plan, I switched to Google Fi, which gives me free international data. I had better overall US coverage with my previous carrier, Verizon, but Google Fi is pretty solid and I’ve been happily using them for 6 months. It’s worth the switch if you travel frequently.

Other options for international data include:

• Airalo (eSIM card)
• Local SIM card

Personal hygiene

• Shampoo, conditioner
• Body wash
• Menstrual cup
• Moisturizer
• Tweezers

Other stuff

• Water bottle
• Portable chargers
• Airpods