Planning
The changing seasons of Iceland
Date
01. Apr 202001. Apr 20
Reading time
3 min
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There’s never a bad time to visit Iceland
There’s something for everyone all year round in Iceland. Come and see for yourself!
Date
01. Apr 202001. Apr 20
Reading time
3 min
Share
There’s something for everyone all year round in Iceland. Come and see for yourself!
Photographer Benjamin Hardman captures the striking natural landscapes of Iceland during the transition from winter to spring.
The welcome sight of sunshine, colorful mountains, and longer days signal the return of the spring season in Iceland. The intensity of a harsh winter has finally settled, however it’s not all smooth sailing as unexpected gale-force wind, cold spells, and snowstorms will still sweep across the landscape from time to time.
The sudden changes between white and green often feel as though winter transitions straight into summer. Whilst cold and winter-like, the spring season should not be overlooked, bringing the bloom of nature’s plant life and a sense of warmth and revitalization to the people of Iceland.
From mountains to coast, the visual transformations can be simply magnificent. As the snow begins to disappear, fields of moss regain their vibrancy, as if they’re waking from a long slumber.
As spring continues, days of rain and cloud cover become more frequent, though when contrasted with the colorful landscape, these conditions create a truly mystical atmosphere.
Those calm yet foggy days can feel as though you’ve stepped into a prehistoric world. With the melting snow and heavy rain showers, Iceland’s glacial rivers start to swell. Freshwater streams mix with silt- and sediment-filled water running down from the glaciers, creating incredible patterns and formations when seen from above.
In the east of the country, reindeer stroll once again through snowless valleys, basking in the rays of sunlight that hadn’t appeared for months. While they can be hard to find in the wild, it’s an all-too-calming experience to stumble across a herd in the countryside and observe them moving around the open fields along the edges of Vatnajökull glacier.
A journey through the spring landscape is one of unexpected moments and visual transformations.
With a camera in hand, you’ll be able to capture images that will forever retain the memory of a unique and transitional moment in the changing seasons of Iceland.
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Travel notes: Winter conditions can be very unpredictable in Iceland. It’s important to check road.is regularly for local road conditions while you’re traveling to ensure that the roads are passable and safe for driving. Read more tips for winter travel in Iceland.
Check out Benjamin’s other seasonal photo essays, including fall in Þórsmörk and winter in snowy North Iceland. For more information on the seasons in Iceland – including average temperatures and daylight hours – see our guide to the best time to visit Iceland.
This article first appeared in Icelandair's in-flight Stopover magazine, and was updated in summer 2026.
Benjamin Hardman
Benjamin’s core focus is to tell deeper visual stories of nature in the Arctic and sub-Arctic, both as a traveler and a local. He forged a career as a photographer, filmmaker, and field guide after beginning to travel around Iceland and later moving from his home in Australia in 2015. Read more at benjaminhardman.com.
