Going on a trip abroad can be stressful especially if you don’t know what you need to bring. We will explain what someone who is on a budget would want to bring (bare essentials) and what a photographer would want to bring. When you’re purchasing your plane ticket to Iceland, your luggage might not be included in the airfare.
How to Pack for November / Winter
You want to remember that if you are visiting Iceland during the winter season, it can get very cold. Our trip was from November 2 to 10, 2017. The lowest temperature was -6 degrees Celsius (21.2F) with highs of 5 degrees Celsius (41F). This does not include wind chill. Winds were up to 20 miles per hour where my drone kept moving backwards!
Bare Essentials
1 carry-on luggage – Either a duffle bag or small hard case luggage.
1 waterproof jacket – I bought ours from Abercrombie & Fitch because I got it for 40% off during Columbus Holiday. If you are going after Black Friday, it will be 50% off everything so it is a good cheap buy. The puffer jacket we got from there didn’t withstand wind and rain. Got wet underneath. The second jacket I bought was the 3-in-1 Parka. I definitely favored this one over the puffer because I wanted to have different styles for pictures. It also had a vest that I thought would add some heat.
2 pairs of jeggings / pants – In case you get dirty from adventuring the waterfalls, we would recommend bringing an extra pair. It can definitely get wet and dirt on your pants even if you are careful when visiting waterfalls.
1 pair of water resistant snow pants – I really didn’t want to spend over $80 for pants that I know I would only wear for this trip. I wanted something similar to the pants I wear already (jeggings) to compliment for photos. So I bought this from Amazon.
Best thing I bought for the trip. Completely worth it. Kept us warm and dry.
1 pair of water resistant hiking shoes – Your feet are very important so make sure to get comfortable shoes. You’ll be doing a lot of walking and not in the best conditions either. Our mistake was not breaking in our brand new shoes. We bought our shoes through Timberland. Make sure to look under hiking category and that the shoes are waterproof. We bought these shoes – 1 and 2. We rinsed out both of the shoes, and the first pair definitely does not look like how we originally bought it. Make sure to take care of them if you want to use it over with Timberland’s recommended products.
1 pair of tennis shoes – I had working out in my mind so I brought an extra pair. I’m glad I did because my feet got tired of being in the hiking shoes and they got cut up pretty bad after walking to the black sand beach. Cathy wished she brought some too.
Long sleeve shirts – A lot of other people recommend bringing thermals. If you easily get cold, then do bring thermals. But you’ll be fine with a long sleeve shirt and a thick jacket. Walking around will help you get warm. Your hands are the main problem.
1 pair of water proof snow gloves – Snow gloves are very important because when you are walking around, you might be hiking in snow. I wanted to make sure I can use my hands for working with my camera and phone. I bought snow gloves, but ended up taking them off whenever I used my camera gear. It might be hard to use your gear with thick gloves so be careful. Either bring two pairs of gloves – 1 thick and 1 thin for using your camera gear.
1 pair of wool socks – We didn’t bring any but our friend offered us 1 pair to wear between the both of us. It wasn’t necessary but I used it and made it comfortable, especially if it was raining.
1 swim suit – Most likely you will be going to a lagoon while in Iceland. If you plan to not go to the Blue Lagoon, I would suggest getting a microfiber towel to bring along to quickly dry you off.
This one I bought, really nice quality, lightweight, comes with a bag, but didn’t end up using. We were planning to go to the Secret Lagoon, but didn’t have time.
Chargers and extra batteries – I forgot my GoPro charger, but luckily I brought extra batteries that were charged. Darn those new USB-C chargers.
USA to Europe Travel Adapter Converters – The outlets in Iceland are different than the ones in the United States so make sure you bring a couple of converters. We had 3 and it still wasn’t enough to charge all of our electronics. Just make sure that the conversion rates are compatible to your devices. This is the one we got from Amazon.
That’s pretty much it for the normal bare essentials. Don’t forget to pack your underwear, socks (for underneath your wool socks), and pajamas.
Photography Essentials
You’re going to Iceland. It’s reeeeally pretty over there. You should want to take pictures. Especially if you are going during the Northern Lights / Aurora Borealis season. You cannot capture the Northern Lights on your phone, unless you download an app that changes the shutter speed and aperture, but it won’t look as great if you took it with a camera. Here’s an example on an iPhone 7 with an app that adjusted shutter speed etc:
Here are some tips on what to bring:
DSLR Camera – It is very important to have a camera where you can adjust the aperture and and shutter speed for taking pictures of the Northern Lights. You can’t just use a point and shoot either. Here’s a link to some recommended entry level DSLR’s from B&H Photo: LINK. You don’t have to get a “full” frame one. B&H Photo is a good website to buy gear from. Ships fast for free and no tax, if you are not in New York.
Wide angle lens attachment – If you just bought a camera with a lens kit, you probably got a standard zoom kit lens. You should buy a fixed wide angle lens. Great for landscape pictures. It helps you capture area in a picture. Here’s a link of some recommended wide angle lenses: LINK. Here’s also an example from our trip.
I like to use the 50mm portrait lens a lot because it gives the bokeh that’s great in every picture. But I realized I should have switched lenses near the end of our trip. My excitement sparked, again, when I put the wide angle on. Notice how the city is zoomed in and takes a lot of space on the 50mm vs the wide angle – it is very small. You get tons more space when using the wide angle.
Water resistant camera bag – Iceland has some unpredictable weather. The weather can easily change every 15 minutes. It might look like it’s clear skies but the wind is fast so it might rain too or be cloudy. I always buy from Ona. Their bags are top of the line, a little pricey but fashionable. I bought this in truffle.
Best money I randomly dropped. The bag kept my back dry and didn’t get wet inside. If it did, there are camera lens bags for your gear which can act as the second level of protection.
Rain cover for your camera – I bought one. But to be honest, I didn’t get a chance to use it. If you aren’t in a hurry and can take your time taking pictures, I would suggest to buy one. Taking care of your gear is vital. But I get into the mindset of “I need to take this picture and only have this amount of time.” Always be aware of your surroundings. Other people may want that same shot as you so be courteous.
Drone – Iceland is a beautiful place on the ground and above. Just note that there have been signs that state that “Drones are Forbidden” so fly with caution. If you have never flown with a drone before, make sure to always put lithium batteries in your carry on vs checking in your bag. Nothing much else to bringing a drone on a plane. Some people worry about if they can even bring it over. I’ve gone to 3 different countries and a couple of in-state flights and they have all been fine. If you’re thinking of buying one and don’t know which one to buy, DJI is a great company to look into with what you might be looking for – they have something for everyone – from a complete novice to a professional.
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