Joining the ranks of first-time travelers to Iceland? We asked local tour business owner and guide Ryan Connolly of Hidden Iceland to share some insider information to help you make the most of your journey. Hidden Iceland specializes in small groups with personalized and customizable service across the island country.

Global Traveler: A lot of first-time visitors to Iceland are taking advantage of Icelandair’s stopover program, but many are limiting their stay to an average of two days. For someone with a short amount of time to spend exploring, what do you suggest?

Ryan Connolly: People want to check the “must-see” spots off their list, and yet also want to go off the beaten path and find hidden gems like blue ice caves. Not an easy task when you only have two or three days to fit it all in. Sadly, many travelers end up opting for a cheap Golden Circle tour and spend the rest of the time at the Blue Lagoon and in the city of Reykjavik with a vague promise to themselves they’ll venture further “next time.”

My personal recommendation is to go with a small group tour operator like Hidden Iceland that can squeeze as much action in as possible in these short break excursions.

You want to see the Northern Lights, right? Walk on a glacier? Watch icebergs float past you at the glacier lagoon? Get the perfect picture of the world famous Eyjafjallajökull volcano on a clear day? Plus discover an off-the-beaten-path ice cave? The two-day trip we run covers all these activities with additional stops at the Black Sand Beach, Skógafoss, Seljalandsfoss and a walk along the deep gorge of Fjaðrárgljúfur. All in two days, to and from Reykjavik, which makes it the perfect break. Most people will pair this up with our Golden Circle: Platinum tour so they can see the geyser erupting after bathing in the Secret Lagoon hot pool. This combines the oldest hot pool in the country with the Golden Circle and lunch at Friðheimar Tomato farm.

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Northern Lights © Hidden Iceland, Photo by Tom Archer

GT: What surprised you most about living in Iceland?

RC: The weather. This country gives you all the remoteness and adventure of the Arctic Circle without the sub-zero temperatures. It’s fantastic. Even the ice caves are warmer than you’d think, which is why they disappear in the summer.

On a more geological side I have been humbled by the way in which Iceland was formed: Two diverging (splitting) tectonic plates pulling apart to create the Atlantic Ocean, but perfectly aligned with a hot spot of magma sending up lots of heat to create new volcanoes that formed the island. Iceland is one of the most volcanically active countries in the world, and yet people live in perfect harmony with the environment, right by destructive volcanoes.

Jökulsarlón Glacie Lagoon © Hidden Iceland, Photo by Jonny Livorti

GT: Do you have any tips for helping first-time visitors prepare for their experience prior to arrival? For instance, a lot of people seem to think it’s always dark and always cold, or that an ice bear might eat them.

RC: On the dark winter days you can be treated to a day that is a perpetual sunrise and sunset followed by a glimpse of the Northern Lights right after. Rare, but it happens. On those days you forget you’re only getting four hours of sunlight. Plus ice caves are only accessible in winter, too.

The important thing for first timers is, because the temperature is often above freezing, you’re more likely to get wet than frozen. That means waterproof pants, jacket and boots are essential to have with you. What you wear underneath is up to you, but we always say layers with hat and gloves do well for happiness levels more than anything else. The only “bad weather” that really can affect your ability to see the country is the wind. On some days there’s not a whisper in the air and others the wind can blow your car off the road. It’s always best to go around the country with seasoned drivers used to the wind, ice and snow. Then you can just focus on enjoying the must-see sights and hidden gems.

My co-founder, Dagný Björg Stefansdottir recently wrote a useful blog on what to pack if you’re planning a winter trip to Iceland.

GT: What’s some great Icelandic music travelers can add to their flight playlist to properly get in the mood?

RC: I actually have an Icelandic playlist I play on our longer drives to really let people feel like it’s a proper road trip together. My favorite bands for doing this include: Kaleo, Of Monsters and Men and Sigur Rós. You’ll be surprised how many of the songs you recognize from television shows or movies. I then throw in the odd Icelandic Eurovision song just to check everyone is awake after trekking to the ice caves in the south coast.

Gullfoss Waterfall, Golden Circle © Hidden Iceland. Photo by Norris Niman