What to wear and bring

What should you wear on a Snaefellsnes day tour?

Three layers and a hat: a thermal base, a warm mid-layer and a waterproof, windproof shell. Add waterproof trousers if rain is forecast.

• Base: merino or synthetic thermal top. Skip cotton, it stays wet.
• Mid: fleece or a light down jacket. You'll take it off on the bus and want it back at the beach.
• Shell: a hooded waterproof jacket that blocks wind. The single most useful item.
• Legs: hiking trousers, with rain trousers in the bag.
• Head and hands: a hat and gloves. Gateway to Iceland's listing asks for "Waterproof jacket and solid shoes (warm and windy weather). A hat (also advisable in the summer) and mittens".

A guest on the premium tour after a day of rain: "We were prepared with waterproof outerwear (a must in Iceland) so it wasn't too bad."

What shoes do you need for Djupalonssandur and Arnarstapi?

Hiking shoes or sturdy trainers with real grip. The path to Djupalonssandur is rocky, the beach is loose pebbles, and the rocks at Ytri Tunga are slippery in rain.

Waterproof hiking shoes are ideal; trainers with deep tread will do in summer. Leave smooth soles and fashion boots at the hotel. A guest on the small-group adventure gave the short version: "Wear hiking shoes or sneakers!" Guests report steep steps and slopes at several stops; if you can't manage them, you'll still see a lot from the top.

From late October to April, pack microspikes, the slip-on kind. A March guest wrote: "At some view points, the hikes were covered with ice (it had snowed the past couple of days), so crampons are recommended when it snowed."

What should you wear in winter vs summer?

Summer needs a shell, a fleece and a hat. Winter needs everything warmer, plus microspikes and a light for the dark start and finish.

What to add by season:

Wind matters more than the thermometer. An EastWest guest from March: "It's important to understand that the peninsula is windy all the time." Check the Icelandic Met Office forecast the night before, and timeanddate for sunrise and sunset.

Is lunch included on a Snaefellsnes day tour?

Only on two tours: EastWest serves a homemade buffet at Lysuholl farm, and Gateway to Iceland includes lunch at Samkomuhusid in Arnarstapi. On the rest, bring food or buy it at the stops.

The EastWest tour gives the farm 75 minutes: a hot buffet, often lamb, chicken and a vegetarian dish, with Icelandic horses outside. Drinks aren't included. Guests report you don't know the menu until you arrive, so flag dietary needs when you book. "The home cooked lunch at the horse farm was delicious and my wife loved getting the chance to pet the horses", an EastWest guest wrote.

Gateway to Iceland stops 45 minutes for lunch at Samkomuhusid Arnarstapa. The coach has no lunch stop at all: guests eat on the go.

Lunch solved: 75 minutes at a horse farm with a homemade hot buffet, in a small group with hotel pickup.

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Explore the small group with farm lunch → Tour details

What food and drinks should you bring on a Snaefellsnes tour?

A packed lunch, snacks for the afternoon and a refillable water bottle. A thermos of something hot is the luxury that wins in winter.

Tours without lunch stop at a shop near Borgarnes in the morning and often at Arnarstapi around midday, where cafe queues can eat your stop. A Nicetravel guest's tip: "Buy something to eat at the first bathroom stop so that you have it for later in the day." Better still, buy lunch the evening before in Reykjavik, where supermarkets cost less than service stations.

Tap water in Iceland is excellent, so fill your bottle before pickup. Small groups have little room for bags: pack food in your daypack, not a cool box.

Are there toilets on the Snaefellsnes route?

Yes, but they are spread out. Tours stop at a service station on the way, and there are 24/7 toilets at Arnarstapi, the Breidablik and Malarrif visitor centres, and at Djupalonssandur in summer.

• Borgarnes area: the first stop on most tours, about an hour in, with a shop.
• Breidablik (Gestastofa Snaefellsness) on Route 54: 8 toilets, 24/7.
• Arnarstapi: 5 cubicles, 24/7.
• Djupalonssandur: 2 cubicles at the car park in summer; closed for winter from 13 October until spring.
• Visitor centres at Hellissandur and Malarrif: toilets open 24/7. The centres themselves open 10:00 to 16:00 (Hellissandur) and 11:00 to 16:00 (Malarrif) in winter.
• Grundarfjordur harbour, in opening hours.

West Iceland counts around 50 public toilets on the peninsula, over 20 open all year round the clock. Guests still find them far apart. A Your Day Tours guest: "There are very few bathrooms.... Don't drink too much coffee before you go!"

Do you need cash on a Snaefellsnes tour?

No. Cards and phone payments work at every shop and cafe on the route, and the tour pays its own parking. Bring a card for food and any tip.

Iceland runs on cards, even for a coffee. On a tour your only costs are food, drinks and souvenirs; on the EastWest tour, just drinks. Tipping isn't expected in Iceland, though some guides mention that tips are welcome, and a named review helps them as much.

Driving yourself? Budget ISK 2,500 for parking: the national park service fee of ISK 1,100 per car and ISK 1,400 at Kirkjufellsfoss, both paid by app, QR code or machine.

What else should you pack for a 12-hour tour?

A charged phone and power bank, sunglasses, motion-sickness tablets if you sit at the back, and a small daypack that fits on your lap.

• Power: your phone works hard as a camera all day. Your Day Tours, EastWest and Arctic Adventures have WiFi; plan your own charging.
• Sunglasses: summer glare, and winter sun sits low all day.
• Back-row kit: travel-sickness tablets. Guests report the rear seats of full minibuses are bumpy.
• A small bag: on full minibuses there's little room for backpacks.
• Optional: binoculars for the seals at Ytri Tunga.

Not sure which tour suits you? Start with all the tours from Reykjavik.

Frequently asked questions