May is late spring in Iceland, and one of the best months for value. Reykjavík averages about 4°C to 10°C (39–50°F), daylight grows from just under 17 hours to 20, the puffins are back on the cliffs and the summer crowds have not arrived. The trade-offs are that the highland roads are still closed and the nights are too bright for the Northern Lights.
New to Iceland? Read our guide for your first time in Iceland.
Iceland weather in May
In Reykjavík the long-term average high is about 10°C (50°F) and the average low about 4°C (39°F). A calm, sunny afternoon can feel warm, but a frosty night is still possible. North Iceland, the East Fjords and anywhere at height are colder.
It is also one of the drier and brighter months. Reykjavík gets about 53 mm of rain in May, spread over roughly 11 wet days, and around 209 hours of sunshine, more than in April or June. Snow is rare in the capital by now, but it can still fall in the north and on mountain passes. Wind is the thing to plan for: a 9°C day on a boat or a black sand beach feels much colder than it sounds.
Daylight hours in Iceland in May
The days grow by about six minutes every day. On 1 May the sun rises in Reykjavík at about 5:00 and sets at about 21:50, giving almost 17 hours of daylight. By mid-May sunrise is around 4:15 and sunset around 22:35. On 31 May the sun is up from about 3:25 to 23:25, a full 20 hours.
From around the middle of the month it no longer gets dark at all, only a few hours of twilight around midnight. The north has even longer days: Akureyri gets about 21 hours of daylight at the end of May. You can sightsee late into the evening, when the popular stops are quiet. See our daylight hours guide for the whole year.
Northern Lights in Iceland in May
You cannot see the Northern Lights in Iceland in May. The aurora is still active, but the sky never gets dark enough to show it. The season ends in mid-April and starts again in late August. If the lights are your main goal, read our Northern Lights guide and come between September and March.
May gives you bright evenings instead. One way to use them is our Midnight Sun Whale Watching from Reykjavík, an evening cruise that runs roughly from May to September.
What is open in May
Nearly everything in the lowlands is open. The Ring Road, the Golden Circle, the South Coast, Snæfellsnes and the north are all easy to reach, and the summer activities start up one by one.
- Open all month: glacier hikes, whale watching, lava caves, hot springs and lagoons, and the Katla ice cave, which is visited all year.
- Starting in May: puffin tours, amphibian boat tours on Jökulsárlón (May to November) and Inside the Volcano (from 5 May).
- Opening in late May or June: most campsites. See our camping guide.
- Closed: the highland F-roads, and the natural ice caves in Vatnajökull, which are a winter trip.
Are the highland roads open in May?
No, and this is the main limit on a May trip. Most highland roads (F-roads) open between mid-June and early July, depending on the snow and on how fast the ground dries out. The northern road to Landmannalaugar has opened in early June on average in recent years, and the Kjölur road usually opens in mid-June. So Landmannalaugar, Kerlingarfjöll and Askja are not part of a May trip, and the Laugavegur trek does not start until mid-June.
The exception is Þórsmörk. Our Þórsmörk Private Super Jeep Tour from Reykjavík takes you across the rivers with a private driver-guide, past Seljalandsfoss and the Gígjökull glacier viewpoint, in a day of about 10 hours. It is a good way to get a taste of the highlands before the roads open. If the interior is your main goal, come in July instead.
Puffins in Iceland in May
May is when the puffin season gets going. The birds come ashore to breed around the end of April, and most have left again by about the middle of August. May to July is the safest window for good sightings.
The Westman Islands hold roughly half of Iceland's breeding puffins. Other good places are Dyrhólaey on the South Coast, Látrabjarg in the Westfjords, Borgarfjörður eystri in the east and the island of Lundey near Húsavík. Dyrhólaey usually has restricted access for some weeks in May and June to protect nesting birds, in recent years 9:00 to 19:00 only, so follow the signs. Colonies on land are often busiest in the evening.
You do not have to leave the capital to see them. Our Puffin Watching Tour from Reykjavík is a boat trip of about one hour from the Old Harbour. It runs from late April to mid-August, with binoculars to borrow and a free second trip if no puffins are spotted. To see whales as well, the Reykjavík Whale Watching & Puffins Tour combines both boat trips in 3 to 5 hours. Our Westman Islands Day Tour from Reykjavík runs from June to September, so in May the boat tours from Reykjavík are the easy way to see puffins. If your trip runs into June, that day tour includes the ferry, a guide, the Eldheimar museum about the 1973 eruption and puffin watching at Stórhöfði.
Read our puffin guide and bird watching guide, or see all our puffin tours.
Whale watching in May
Whales can be seen around Iceland all year, but April to September is the best period, when several species can be spotted. Our Whale Watching Tour from Reykjavík sails into Faxaflói Bay with departures at 9:00, 13:00 and 17:00. It takes about three hours, and minke whales, white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises are the usual sightings. If nothing is seen, you get a free ticket for another tour.
Húsavík in North Iceland is known as the whale watching capital of Iceland, with humpback, minke and sometimes blue whales in Skjálfandi Bay. Our Puffins & Whale Watching from Húsavík tour runs from mid-April to mid-August on a wooden boat, takes about 3.5 hours and also visits an island with a large puffin colony. See all our whale watching tours.
Best things to do in Iceland in May
Long days and quiet roads make May a good month for the classic sights. These are the things to do in Iceland in May that we recommend most.
- The Golden Circle: Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss. Our Golden Circle Private Tour takes 8 to 9 hours with pick-up at your accommodation in Reykjavík. It adds the Kerið crater and the Friðheimar tomato farm, with entry and parking fees included.
- The South Coast: Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Vík and the black sand beach at Reynisfjara. The Private South Coast Tour is a 10-hour day with your own driver-guide.
- A glacier walk: the Solheimajokull Glacier Hike takes about 3 hours, with 60 to 90 minutes on the ice, and is open to ages 8 and up. See our glacier hiking tours.
- Jökulsárlón: boat tours among the icebergs start in May. Our Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Boat Tour from Reykjavík does it in one 14-hour day. Read our guide to the glacier lagoons.
- Inside the Volcano: from 5 May to 30 October, Inside the Volcano takes you by lift about 120 metres down into the chamber of Þríhnúkagígur, near Reykjavík.
- Hot springs and lagoons: soak in full daylight at ten in the evening. See our hot spring tours.
- North Iceland: Akureyri, Mývatn and the whales at Húsavík. See our North Iceland tours.
- Spring in the countryside: new lambs in the fields and Arctic terns starting to nest. Grótta in Reykjavík is closed from 1 May to 15 July to protect the birds.
Events and holidays in May 2027
May is a quiet month for big festivals, but it has several public holidays, and they affect opening hours and bookings.
- Labour Day, 1 May: a public holiday, which falls on a Saturday in 2027. It is also the International Day of the Icelandic Horse, marked with rides and open stables. Read about the Icelandic horse.
- Ascension Day, Thursday 6 May 2027: a public holiday. Many shops and offices close or keep short hours.
- Whitsun, 16 and 17 May 2027: Whit Sunday and Whit Monday are both public holidays, which makes a long weekend. Icelanders travel too, so book rooms and tours ahead.
- DesignMarch: Reykjavík's design festival has moved from March to May. In 2026 it ran from 6 to 10 May. The 2027 dates were not out when we wrote this, so check before you plan around it.
- Reykjavík Arts Festival: this early-summer festival is now held every second year. It took place in 2026, so there is no festival in 2027.
Crowds and prices in May
May is shoulder season. There are clearly fewer visitors than from June to August, so the Golden Circle and the South Coast feel calmer, and rooms and rental cars often cost less than in high summer. For the month before, with a last chance of Northern Lights, see Iceland in April.
That makes May a good month for a longer trip. Our 6 Day Iceland Ring Road Tour runs from April to September in a small-group minibus, with five nights of accommodation with breakfast, a glacier hike and a whale watching trip included. If you would rather have your own guide and vehicle, see our private tours. For more ideas, browse our summer Ring Road tours and travel packages and itineraries.
Driving in Iceland in May
Driving in Iceland in May is fairly easy. The Ring Road and the main roads in the south and west are normally clear, traffic is light and you never have to drive in the dark. Snow and ice are still possible on mountain passes in the north, the east and the Westfjords, especially early in the month. Studded tyres come off by 15 April, so wait out any late cold snap.
If you want the freedom without the planning, our South Coast & Glacier Lagoon in 5 Days self-drive package includes a rental car from Keflavík Airport, four nights in hotels or guesthouses with breakfast, and a day-by-day route guide. The route covers the Golden Circle, the South Coast, Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón. See all our self-drive trips. A few rules for the road:
- Check umferdin.is (or phone 1777) for road conditions, and safetravel.is for alerts, before each drive.
- The speed limit is 90 km/h on paved roads, 80 km/h on gravel and usually 50 km/h in towns.
- Highland F-roads are closed. Never drive past a closed sign, even in a 4×4.
- Lambs are born in May, and sheep graze by the roadside from early summer. Slow down for them, for gravel and for single-lane bridges.
- Driving off roads and marked tracks is illegal, and the damage to moss and soil lasts for decades.
What to pack for Iceland in May
Pack for a cool, windy spring, with layers you can add and take off. Our Iceland packing list has the full list. These are the essentials for May.
- Waterproof and windproof jacket and trousers
- A thermal base layer and a warm mid-layer, such as a fleece or wool jumper
- Waterproof walking boots with good grip
- Hat, gloves and a buff, above all for boat trips and glaciers
- Swimwear and a quick-dry towel for pools and hot springs
- Sunglasses and sun cream, as the sun is up for most of the day
- An eye mask for the bright nights
- A plug adapter (Iceland uses the European two-pin type)
Tours to book
These trips suit May well. Book early if your dates fall on a holiday weekend.
- Reykjavík Whale Watching & Puffins Tour: whales and puffins on two boat trips from the Old Harbour, right at the start of the puffin season.
- Golden Circle Private Tour: Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss at your own pace, with a private guide and vehicle for your group.
- South Coast & Glacier Lagoon in 5 Days: a self-drive package with car and hotels, all the way to Jökulsárlón.
- 6 Day Iceland Ring Road Tour: the whole Ring Road in a small group, with a glacier hike and whale watching included.
Questions people ask
Is May a good time to visit Iceland?
Yes. May has long days, mild spring weather, puffins and whales, and fewer visitors and often lower prices than June to August. The downsides are closed highland roads and no Northern Lights.
What is the weather like in Iceland in May?
Cool and fairly dry. Reykjavík averages a high of about 10°C (50°F) and a low of about 4°C (39°F), with rain on around 11 days. The north is colder, and wind makes it feel cooler everywhere.
Can you see puffins in Iceland in May?
Yes. Puffins arrive around the end of April and stay until about mid-August, so May is a good month for them. Boat tours run from Reykjavík, and the Westman Islands have the largest colony.
Can you see the Northern Lights in Iceland in May?
No. The nights are too bright. The season ends in mid-April and starts again in late August.
Are the highland roads open in Iceland in May?
No. Most F-roads open between mid-June and early July, depending on snow. In May you can still visit Þórsmörk on a super jeep tour with a guide.
