April at a glance
April is a month of change, and it rarely behaves like a single season. Days grow fast: on 1 April the sun rises at 06:45 and sets at 20:19 in Reykjavík, which gives 13 hours and 33 minutes of daylight. On 15 April it rises at 05:56 and sets at 21:01, so you have 15 hours and 5 minutes. You can fit a long day of sightseeing into that.
Snow can still fall, and thaw makes some roads and paths wet or icy in turn. The northern lights season is closing, the first boat tours for puffins are starting and the highlands are still shut. It is a good month for a trip centered on Reykjavík, the Golden Circle and the South Coast with long days and few crowds by summer standards.
April weather and daylight
Typical averages for 1991–2020, rounded, with March and May for comparison. They describe two weather stations, not a given day.
| Month | Reykjavík high / low | Reykjavík precipitation | Akureyri high / low | Daylight on 15th | Foreign departures 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 4 / −1 °C | about 81 mm | 4 / −3 °C | 11 h 42 min | about 152,000 |
| April | 7 / 1 °C | about 59 mm | 7 / 0 °C | 15 h 5 min | about 149,000 |
| May | 10 / 4 °C | about 53 mm | 10 / 3 °C | 18 h 24 min | about 160,000 |
April is the first month in which the average night low in Reykjavík rises above freezing, to about 1 °C. Akureyri in the north still sits around the freezing point at night and is much drier than the capital, with about 26 mm of precipitation against about 59 mm. Averages hide the swings between a sunny, calm day and a day of sleet and wind. Pack in layers and bring waterproofs.
Our picks for April
Northern lights by bus or boat and a whale cruise from the old harbor.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Northern lights cruise from the old harbor
A two-hour yacht trip with Wi-Fi, blankets and seasickness tablets. Drinks and souvenirs are extra, hotel pickup comes only with the matching option, and a sighting is not guaranteed.
Check availability →
Three-hour whale cruise from the old harbor
Guides, heated cabins with toilets, Wi-Fi and indoor and outdoor seating. Drinks and snacks in the onboard café are extra; there is no sighting guarantee, but you get a repeat ticket valid for up to three years.
Check availability →
Northern lights bus tour with hot cocoa
A guide, transport, hot cocoa and photo stops, with a free repeat if no lights show. It runs in the winter months and depends on the weather, so a sighting is not guaranteed.
Check availability →Iceland tours in April
Silfra snorkeling, Golden Circle and South Coast day trips, whale and puffin boat tours and northern lights tours, with live prices and availability.
Puffins and boat tours
Puffins usually arrive at the coast at the end of April or the start of May and stay until the middle or end of August. The general viewing window on land runs from May to mid August, and nobody can promise a full August. Boat tours in Reykjavík list their puffin season from 20 April: Classic Puffin Watching until 20 August and Premium until 15 August, each lasting about one hour. The listing carries no year, so check the current season before you book. In April the birds may be few, and May is the more dependable start.
Whale and dolphin tours from Reykjavík are available all year, with a larger program in summer. At Jökulsárlón the amphibious boat season listed for 2026 runs from May to November, so April is a month for walking the shore. Read more on the Jökulsárlón page.
Silfra and Þingvellir in April
Snorkeling in the Silfra fissure runs all year, which makes it a fixed point in a changeable month.
Water and rules
The water in Silfra is 2 to 4 °C, and cold-water equipment is a must. You never enter the water alone. A buddy is required, divers use dry suits, overhead diving is not allowed and the maximum depth is 18 m. Qualifications and a health check are required in addition. A year-round listing is no guarantee that a tour runs on a given day, because weather and safety rules still count.
The visitor center
From April to October the Hakið visitor center at Þingvellir is open from 09:00 to 18:00, an hour longer than in winter. The Heart of Iceland exhibition costs 1,200 ISK for adults, 600 ISK for seniors and for students from 18, and is free under 18 (2026).
Parking
A car with up to 5 seats pays 1,000 ISK to park at Þingvellir (2026), valid for the day at P1, P2 and P5. See the Golden Circle guide for the full route.
Last northern lights of the season
One source gives September to April as the northern lights season, another gives the end of August to the end of April. Either way, April is the closing month. With sunset at 21:01 on 15 April, real darkness comes late and the nights are short, so the window for a sighting shrinks through the month. You still need a dark, at least partly clear sky, and a sighting is never guaranteed. The northern lights guide explains the conditions.
Roads, thaw and the highlands
Thaw can bring wet, soft surfaces, ice at night and short closures. Check umferdin.is, safetravel.is and the Icelandic Met Office (en.vedur.is) before each drive. Tire rules are not simple. The city of Reykjavík gives 15 April as the end of the spiked tire period, another source gives 14 April, and both allow weather exceptions. Spiked tires are not the same as winter tires, so ask your rental company what your car has.
The highlands remain closed in April. The road authority's table for 2021–2025 shows that the F208 Sigalda to Landmannalaugar road opened between 23 May and 23 June, and other routes opened later in June and in July. Those are past dates, not a promise for any year. For 2026 the Landmannalaugar parking reservation for arrivals between 09:00 and 16:00 applied from 20 June to 13 September, and booking opened on 1 April. The fee is 1,500 ISK for a car with up to 5 seats. If you plan a summer trip, read Iceland in June and our road conditions guide.
Crowds and prices
April 2025 had about 149,000 foreign departures through Keflavík, the same as February and a little below March (152,000) and May (160,000). It is well below June (234,000), July (302,000) and August (313,000). Fewer travelers do not prove a set saving. Hotels and guesthouses add a lodging tax of 800 ISK per room and night, and the distance fee for cars up to 3.5 t is 6.95 ISK per km (since 1 January 2026). See the cheapest time to visit Iceland for how seasons differ.
Plan the rest of your trip
Go back to Iceland in March or ahead to Iceland in May. All twelve months side by side are on the weather by month page.
Iceland in April: frequently asked questions
Is April a good time to visit Iceland?
It suits a trip with long days, thaw scenery and fewer visitors than in summer. The highlands stay closed, the weather swings, and the northern lights season is ending.
How much daylight is there in April?
In Reykjavík 13 hours and 33 minutes on 1 April and 15 hours and 5 minutes on 15 April, measured from sunrise to sunset for 2026.
What is the weather like in April?
Reykjavík typically has highs around 7 °C (45 °F) and lows around 1 °C (34 °F). Akureyri has highs around 7 °C and lows around 0 °C. Expect a mix of sun, rain, sleet and wind.
Can I see puffins in April?
Puffins often arrive at the end of April or the start of May, and boat tours from Reykjavík list their season from 20 April. Sightings in early April are unlikely, and May is a safer month.
Can I see the northern lights in April?
April is the last month of the season. Nights are short, so the window is small. Clear, dark skies are needed, and no sighting is guaranteed.
Are the highlands open in April?
No. In 2021–2025 the earliest of the main Landmannalaugar routes opened on 23 May. Roads open on different dates, and snow conditions decide each year.