“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer,” – Albert Camus
It was a cold January morning on Mr. Iceland farm in Southern Iceland. The sun peaked delicately over the horizon, casting a creamy golden hue between the drifting clouds.
I had emerged from the cottage that I had stayed in after a long night watching the snowfall. There was no Aurora last night; lady green made a spectacle the night prior, filling the sky for hours with dancing green and red.
Last night there was a heavy, quiet snowfall, that I enjoyed watching from the glass doors in the cabin. The snow promised to deliver its own unique beauty the following day, which I was witnessing now on th farm.
Up ahead, a trio of horses grazed on a pile of hay. Lights twinkled around the distant farmhouse; behind it, a creamy blue sky met the snowy landscape in winter’s splendor.
As I watched, one horse, a dark mare named Brúða, left the hay to do her usual morning greet to me; a playful head rub against me, followed by a nibble on my coat collar.
It had only been a few days, but I had already developed a strong attachment to this horse, one that I knew would be difficult to sever when I departed.
Beyond the farm, to the left of me, the glacier peaked beneath a veil of fog. Its ice cap sparkled as the light hit it. Even partially concealed, it was a thing of beauty.
I took a deep breath, savoring the moment; the scent of the farm filled my nostrils: horse, fresh snow, and the coffee I held in my mittened hand. The silence, the dreamy blues and whites blanketed the landscape, was peaceful and simple, and I wished it could be forever.
My boots sank as I took my first steps down the path to the summer fields. There was a satisfying crunch sound with each step as the soles of my shoes gripped the frosty layer beneath the fresh snow.
Above, two ravens soared; their throaty calls echoed across the silence, and I wondered what kind of antics they were up to.
I paused to take it all in when I reached the summer fields. This moment, this scene, this feeling that January in Iceland brings; I wished it would last forever.
Why January in Iceland is Magical
Most people visit Iceland in the summer, and I can’t blame them. The midnight sun, the emerald, green mountain slopes, warmer temperatures, and colorful highlands make summer in Iceland a JRR Tolkien fantasy book come to life.
Plus, it is puffin season, and these adorable clowns of the sea are one of my favorite reasons to visit this Nordic gem!
However, for me, winter in Iceland is my favorite. Iceland´s winters are dark, cold, quiet, and magical. They are beautiful and mystical at best, unpredicable and raw at their worst.
The days are short, the nights are long, and the vibes are cozy, and if you get lucky, the night skies are splendid.
On a winter night in Iceland, nothing makes me happier than curling up on a couch, drinking a cup of hot chocolate, and peeking outside occasionally to wait for the northern lights.
In fact, in Icelandic, the term for this is “kósykvöld” and it means cozy nights, which is the best way to spend your January nights in this Nordic country!
For this January, two friends joined me for a week of exploring Reykjavik and on a four-day Northern Lights Adventure with Midgard Adventure in Southern Iceland.
We tasted Icelandic faire, soaked in the Sky Lagoon, paid a visit to the Jólakotturin (The Christmas Cat!), toured Þingvellir, hiked Solheimjökull, visited ice caves and embarked on an incredible Super Jeep tour in Þórsmörk!
We had an incredible time, and it was such a pleasure witnessing the awe on my friend’s faces when they saw places like Gljúfrabrúi (cave dweller waterfall) and Katla ice caves.
I remember that first time of experiencing Iceland feeling, and even though most of these sights are now my familiars, I am still awestruck and grateful every time I visit them.
I will never forget when my friends and I waded through the water in the cave to reach Gljúfrabúi. When the cave opened to reveal the cascading falls, my friends were so amazed the fact that we were getting soaked didn’t matter!
When it was my turn to stand on the boulder for the classic cave dweller shot, and when I raised my arms, I could feel my entire being swell with gratitude for Iceland—everything she has given me through the years, shown me and even breathed new life into me.
A few days later, my friends departed, already vowing to return. My adventure continued at a much-slowed pace as I arrived for a quiet stay at Mr. Iceland’s Horseback riding farm in Southern Iceland.
The days were short, the nights were long, the vibes were cozy, the horses were therapy for my soul, and the Northern Lights were fantastic!
During my stay, I made a new friend. Her name is Brúða, and it means bride in Icelandic. Horses are healers, and if you spend any amount of time around them you will feel this.
During this part of the stay, I focused on my photography and even flew my drone a few times to capture the Iceland´s one of a kind winter beauty. I visited a few waterfalls, ate way too many Icelandic pastries, walked on a mysterious black sand beach and spent time photographing and petting the horses.
One day, I met up with an Icelandic language teacher in Reykjavik, Oskar Bragi, (aka Speak Viking) to take portraits of him. It snowed heavily during our meet, and I captured one of my favorite shots of him standing in front of Harpa Concert Hall.
Below are the top images I captured during January in Iceland, including the Harpa shot and a gorgeous set of the shipwreck on the black sand beach.
Most photographers will agree, when it comes to many of their photographs; they are more than images, but special moment and memories we wish we could relive. Some of these you will see below; the healing power of horses, the snowy beauty and stillness, the magical Northern Lights, a farm after a snowfall and a landscape that speaks stories of gods and giants.
January in Iceland
On this morning, I had decided to walk out to the summer fields where the horses on the farm were. The walk itself was beautiful and quiet. Winter in Iceland is like an eternal blue and golden hour- the lighting is almost always perfect!
These horses are part of the Mr. Iceland Farm. I enjoyed spending five nights here, tucked inside a cottage with views of the horses and the glacier. It was pure bliss, being with the silence and the nature. The only problem is I enjoyed my stay so much that I had difficulty being motivated to leave and explore. I just wanted to be immersed in the winter beauty.
This horse was part of another farm I discovered while walking on the back roads near Mr Iceland’s farm. I can’t get enough of photographing them, and the snowy backgrounds made it even more Icelandic looking!
Please be aware it is illegal to approach horses in Iceland that belong to someone unless you are staying at a farm or booking a horseback ride or visit. This is to protect you and the horses. If you want to stop and photograph them, always find a safe place designated for parking a car.
This next photograph I snapped on a morning walk at Mr. Iceland’s farm. The entire landscape was blanked with fresh snow. Sometimes, simple can be the most stunning and peaceful. I then added a slight exposure edit in Lightroom to add some contrast so the black-and-white would pop.
These three photographs were taken at Landeyjafara, a black sand beach near the ferry that departs for Vestmannaeyjar. Following the fresh snowfall, I knew exactly where I wanted to head to, a black sand beach with my drone.
I love the contrast of the snow with the black sand and the ocean water. It gives the black sand beaches even more majesty!
Furthermore, this beach is home to an old shipwreck, lending to an even more mysterious scene. The shipwreck is a vessel that caught fire in the 1970´s. It was pulled ashore but was consumed by the sand, only to reappear in 2013.
These photos were all taken with my DJI Mavic Mini. Please read all current drone regulations in Iceland before bringing a drone. Every drone must be registered in Iceland, and your name and phone number must be written on the drone.
Nothing says winter in Iceland more than the Northern Lights, and what a show it was this time! The northern lights are caused by solar flares on the sun’s surface. When particles are released from these flares, they react with particles in our atmosphere, setting them aglow. The most common color is green which happens when the sun’s particles react with oxygen.
This year (2025) is said to have high solar activity on record, so we are experiencing epic aurora displays.
During my stay, I had two nights where they appeared. These photographs were taken on the second night when the sky erupted in the most beautiful display I have ever seen.
At first the Aurora was a long bow that stretched across the entire the sky. It faded after one hour and I had shut down my timelapse but kept my camera set on the tripod. It was very windy that night so I remember seeking shelter beside my cabin to block the wind.
I had gone inside to make some hot chocolate and warm up. When I emerged from the cabin I could not believe what I saw. The entire sky was filled with the brightest aurora I had ever seen!
Afraid I would miss the moment, I avoided the timelapse and instead took a few stills.
Next is one of my favorite photos I have ever taken in Iceland, and it is of Oskar Bragi in front of Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik. It was snowing heavily that day and we were covered in snow by the time the shoot was over.
I had a blast photographing Oskar; he even helped me with some of my Icelandic pronunciation!
Harpa Concert Hall was built during the economic collapse in 2007. It was not finished until years later due to funding. If you are ever in Reykjavik and there is a concert, I highly recommend attending if it is music you enjoy! The acoustics are fantastic, and the design is stunning.
A short walk from there is the Sun Voyager at the harbor, and bonus points: most walking food tours meet at Harpa! We really enjoyed our walking food tour with Viator.
The guide taught us about local traditional cuisine and pointed out some history on the way. The food was delicious, and yes, I made my friends try the fermented shark.
If you ever consider learning Icelandic, I cannot recommend Oskar enough. He is a patient and fun teacher who is passionate about preserving the Icelandic language. You can find him on Instagram at Speak Viking.
This photo below of Gluggafoss I snapped with my drone after the fresh snowfall. Gluggafoss means “window falls” and is a quieter, less visited waterfall on Iceland’s south coast.
There is a small fee to visit the falls that you can pay using the Parka app. It is highly worth a visit and there are several viewpoints that you can see the falls from via a path next to the falls!
Below is my favorite image which I captured in Þórsmörk, (Thor’s Valley) in Iceland’s southern highlands region. Þórsmörk is my favorite place in Iceland and highly recommend a guided visit if you are a nature enthusiast or photographer or someone who wants to experience something off the beaten path in Iceland!
Þórsmörk is a nature preserve in the highlands region named after the Norse god of thunder and weather, Thor. The valley is home to three glacier volcanoes, rivers, a wide variety of fauna, and gorgeous mountain peaks.
The panoramic views are endless and the scenery is like no other place in Iceland. You can read more about how Nordic Mythology has inspired Iceland´s landscapes here.
Also, and locals will agree with this, there is a peaceful vibe in Þórsmörk that you will notice if you stand still and just be quiet.
Getting to Þórsmörk is an adventure within itself which is why it is best to go with an experienced guide. Due to the dangerous river crossings, Þórsmörk is only reachable with a specialized vehicle operated by someone who has the skill and knowledge to negotiate the river crossings that flunctuate frequently.
I highy recommend a guided tour to Þórsmörk. You will not regret it!
I hope you enjoyed my top stills captured in Iceland in January and that it either inspired you to visit, or reminded you of your own fond memories of this special country.
Book that winter trip to Iceland. Slow down and savor the moment, the magic is waiting for you.
Here are more articles you might be interested in regarding Iceland in the winter months and beyond…
Experiencing Iceland’s Magical Northern Lights
Iceland Travel Tips: Embracing Spontaneity and Slowing Down
Puffin Photography in Iceland: Tips, Techniques and Nature Immersion
To experience a guided tour of Iceland’s southern gems during winter like my friends and I did, you can book the 4 Day Northern Light Tour with Midgard Adventure click here.
Also stay tuned for an entire new look for my website which will include details on how to book a tour to Iceland with me as well as an entire section dedicated to Nordic Mythology and folklore!
