Themoon’s shadow will move over Iceland at a speed of approx. 3400 km/h (2095 mph), and its length over Latrabjarg will be about 125 km (78 mi).
As if the usual attractions in Iceland weren’t enough, this is where you will be able to observe an additional, completely unusual event in 2026 – a total eclipse of the Sun, which will occur on August 12, 2026.
This will be a unique opportunity to observe one of nature’s most spectacular phenomena, and Iceland will be in the path of the total eclipse, offering ideal conditions for admiring the spectacle.
Where and when to observe a solar eclipse in Iceland?
A total solar eclipse will be visible in a belt that will cut through the western and northern parts of Iceland. The best places to observe it will be on the peninsulas of the West Fjords (Westfjords) and Snæfellsnes. On the western ends of these peninsulas, the total eclipse will be visible for more than 2 minutes. The total eclipse will also be visible in Reykjavik, on the Reykjanes peninsula and near Keflavik Airport, but there the total eclipse will last less than 2 minutes (see map below).
Map: Area of the total solar eclipse in Iceland, according to its duration
Own work; map: OpenStreetMap; data: timeanddate.com
Importantly – the eclipse in Iceland will occur as much as 4 hours before sunset, which is not expected to occur until about 9:57 p .m. on that day. Therefore, the Sun, or its eclipse, will be visible quite high – at an altitude of about 24.4 – 24.6 degrees above the horizon.
Sun Voyager sculpture (by Jón Gunnar Árnason) in Reykjavik
The eclipse maximum over Latrabjarg in the north will pass at 17:45:35, and over Grindavik in the south at 17:49:14, 219 seconds later. In a straight line this is a distance of about 210 kilometers, but in the line along which the eclipse will travel the distance will be about 205 kilometers. Counting in this way, the speed of the Moon’s shadow will be about 3372 km/h (Mach 2.75). Hence, it can also be calculated that in Latrabjarg the length of the shadow will be about 125.5 km. On the line of the maximum length of the full eclipse, it will be about 130 km.
How to organize a trip to see the solar eclipse in Iceland
When to go to Iceland to see a full solar eclipse
You will be able to observe a full solar eclipse in Iceland on August 12, 2026 between 5:44 PM and 5:50 PM (depending on where you are observing from).
Getting to one of the best land-based observation points – the area around the Öndverðarnesviti lighthouse on the western tip of the Snaefellsness peninsula – straight from Keflavik Airport, is only about a 4-hour drive on an ordinary day. Latrabjarg cliffs on Westfjords peninsula are a bit further out – more than a 6-hour drive, but still perfectly doable in a single day. This means that, theoretically, you only need to arrive in Iceland the same morning, and you can plan your departure for the very next day – August 13.
However, on the day of the eclipse, expect very heavy traffic and congestion, especially just around these westernmost points. In addition, it is possible that there will be restrictions on car traffic and you will only be able to get to the site by bus (there is no exact information on this yet, but work is reportedly underway).
Therefore, you definitely need to leave more time to get to the eclipse observation site, and it is best to get there at least the day before (August 11th), and plan your drive out (and departure) for the day after the eclipse at the earliest – so August 13th.
In addition, also the prices of airline tickets for flights in close proximity to August 12 are likely to be very high. So it’s worth planning for a longer trip, if you’re going anyway, and perhaps look for flights arriving and departing Iceland at least a week before/after the eclipse.
The best places to view the eclipse in 2026
As for the places where the full solar eclipse will last the longest, these are:
- The line of maximum totality
At the line of maximum totality the Moon will fully cover the Sun for about 2 minutes and 19 seconds (i.e. 2’19”). [source: timeanddate.com]This line goes through the open ocean, about 28 miles (45 km) west of the coast of Iceland. So observing the eclipse there requires buying a place on a special boat trip.
Such cruises currently (August 2025) cost from about 15,000 ISK (about $360) per person and take off from both Reykjavik and ports on the Snaefellsnes and West Fjords peninsulas. There will certainly be more and more such cruises organised over time, but they are also unlikely to become less expensive. So it’s worth booking your places as early as possible, if you’re interested. See a boat trip starting from Reykjavik harbour here: Solar eclipse cruise from Reykjavik.
- West Fjords
The point of the longest total eclipse on land is near the Latrabjarg cliffs in the West Fjords.Here we will be able to observe the full eclipse for about 2 minutes and 14 seconds [source: a.i.], which is about 5 seconds shorter than the maximum totality, visible from the sea only.
However, one needs to consider that there is only one and quite narrow, and at times also quite steep gravel road (road 612) leading to the Latrabjarg cliffs. This is not a mountain road, so formally entering it does not require a 4×4 drive, but we will certainly feel safer in a car with such a drive.
Map: Duration of the total solar eclipse in the West Fjords
own work; map: kortasja.lmi.is; data: timeanddate.com
Due to the low capacity of the road, traffic jams, even very long ones, are to be expected, and due to Iceland’s high conservation standards and the microscopic size of the parking lot at Latrabjarg (compared to expected attendance), restrictions on the number of cars that will be allowed on Road 612 are also possible.
Special traffic arrangements are planned for the eclipse period. It is very possible that Latrabjarg will only be accessible by special public transportation [source: RUV.is].
We will inform you of the details when they are made public.However, in the town closest to Latrabjarg – Patreksfjörður – the full eclipse will be visible for 2 minutes and 4 seconds (2’4″), which is really not much shorter than at Latrabjarg. There is a paved road to Patreksfjörður, and the town has a campground, a store, a gas station and a swimming pool. A bus (line 62) also reaches here, and it is possible to see the eclipse even from the center of the town, because the hills on the opposite shore of the fjord rise less than 4 degrees above the horizon (the eclipse will be visible more than 24 degrees above the horizon).
Raudisandur beach may also be an interesting alternative to the Latrabjarg cliffs. Admittedly, it, too, is reached by a narrow, steep and even more winding gravel road – Road 614 – but at least there is plenty of space on site to accommodate a lot of of cars. In addition, there is also a campsite on Raudisandur – Melanes campsite, where you will be able to spend the night before and avoid having to drive to the site on the day of the eclipse itself (for the time being, the campsite has no plans to introduce reservations for places)
- Snaefellsnes Peninsula
The optimal place to view the full eclipse will certainly be the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. It’s an area much closer to Reykjavik and much better connected – among other things, you can get here practically everywhere on paved roads.The maximum duration of the total eclipse on the Snaefellsnes peninsula is about 2 minutes and 10 seconds (2’10”) near the Öndverðarnesviti lighthouse.
Map: Duration of the total solar eclipse on the Snaefellsnes peninsula.
own work; map: kortasja.lmi.is; data: timeanddate.comThe eclipse area of more than 2 minutes here will extend (on the southern coast of the peninsula) almost as far as the (southern) intersection of Road 54 and 574, so quite a bit east of the village of Arnarstapi.
The solar eclipse in Iceland will be visible in a west-southwest direction (azimuth 251.6º; source: PhotoPills). This means that we must be just on the south or southwest side of the hills. On Snaefellsnes, this means that basically everywhere along road 574 west of Arnarstapi and up to Saxhóll crater, Skarðsvík beach and the aforementioned Öndverðarnesviti lighthouse should be great vantage points. The area around Sönghellir cave will also be an interesting spot, just above the town and the coast.
Panoramic view from near Songhellir cave (Snaefellsnes)
It’s worth noting, however, that here, too, we have practically only one, admittedly paved, but nevertheless single-lane road, which everyone must drive to and then back from the viewing area. So traffic jams are probably inevitable.
Road 574 (Snaefellsnes)
What’s more, a music festival is also planned here on August 12-15 (near Hellisandur – north of Saxholl). So we should expect a really huge number of visitors in this area.
When to buy tickets, rent a car, book accommodation for the eclipse in Iceland
August 2026 is sure to be an unusual month in Iceland’s tourist history. A huge interest in tourists and an influx of very large numbers of them is expected. This also has a significant impact on when and how to book flights, cars and accommodation.
- Book early
At Rumbomundo, we are quite meticulous in researching the cost of car and RV rentals. This research shows that, especially in summer, it’s usually worth waiting until the last minute. One-two months before your departure date, you can usually find great deals on both flight prices and car and RV rentals.However, August 2026 is likely to be different. All companies and private renters are expecting a huge influx of tourists. At present (August 2025), prices are not yet exaggerated – often typical of summer in Iceland. But very soon this could change, and drastically so. That’s why it’s a good idea to book the key elements of your trip – flight, car and accommodation – as early as possible!
- Book at reliable places
Unfortunately, although the Internet is full of various “patents” on how to cheat reality and buy – or rent – something cheaper than everyone else, especially in August 2026 we strongly advise against using such solutions. Especially since you can also expect increased activity of scammers then. Therefore, for August 2026 – even more than usual – we recommend booking everything only through really trustworthy services.
In particular, from our own experience, we recommend the following:- accommodationHotels, guesthouses and hostels in western Iceland were sold out for August 2026 as early as June 2025 [see RUV.is]; if you want try your luck and find an available bed – look for it only at booking.com;
no places available for Aug’26
- car rental
for car rental, we recommend two websites: Discover Cars (international, but usually the cheapest) and Reykjavik Cars (local); and if you want to rent a car directly from a reputable rental company, we recommend Lava Car Rental – a much respected local company; - renting an RV
For those looking to rent an RV, as always, we recommend two verified and trustworthy websites: the international Motor Home Republic and the local one: CamperVan Iceland; together they offer the widest selection and best prices of all RV-rental places in Iceland; - Buying airline tickets
During peak season (and August ’26 is sure to be peak season), flying cheaply to Iceland often requires a connecting flight, sometimes a non-obvious one. And it is absolutely not true that the cheapest flight will always be one of the so-called low-cost airlines. Therefore, for finding the best connection at the best price, we recommend Kayak – a great website (and app) to quickly find and buy the flight that works best for you;
- accommodation
Current prices for flights, cars, RVs, ferries, hostels and hotels for the 2026 eclipse period
Prices for all travel goods and services in Iceland in August 2026 are likely to be extremely high. If they go down at all (and that’s a big “if”), it will only be at the last minute – in June or more likely July 2026. And that will happen only if the interest in the eclipse will be significantly lower than expected. In August 2025 – a year before the eclipse – selected key prices are as follows:
- Flight prices
At least as far as the intra-EU airfares are considered, the prices are not particularly high for August 2026. They are rather quite regular summer prices. They are much more likely to go up, then down, so it’s definitely a good idea to book your flights as quickly as possible. - Ferry crossing prices
Unfortunately, the ferry for August 2026 is already expensive, and it will certainly not get any cheaper. The cheapest crossing for 2 people and a small car (up to 1.9 m in height and 4 m in length) for the sailing on August 4 (arriving in Seydisfjordur on August 6), and returning on August 20 (arriving in Hirthals on August 22) costs a total of EUR 2,916.Reservations and purchase of tickets for the crossing can be made directly on the website of the (only) carrier – Smyril Line. The ferry runs from the Danish port of Hirthals.
- Car rental prices for the eclipse
As recently as August 2025, car rental prices for the week of the August 2026 eclipse were about 10% lower than typical car rental prices for July (see price charts and historical data here: Renting a Car in Iceland – a Complete Guide).However, by September 2025 they had already equaled typical summer prices. Currently (September 2025) , renting the smallest car (such as a Hyundai i10 or Toyota Aygo) for 5 days “around” August 12, 2026, costs from about $450; a slightly larger car (B-segment – Huyndai i30, Peugeot 308) costs just over $630; C-class (e.g. Skoda Octavia) – about $660; a small 4×4 SUV (such as the Dacia Duster) – $680; a larger 4×4 SUV (such as the Dacia Bigster, Toyota RAV4 or Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross) – costs $890; and really large SUVs (Nissan X-Trail, Toyota HiLux, Mitsubishi Pajero) are more than $1,900 per 5 days of rental.
So, compared to the typical July rental prices for such cars that we survey every year, we can say these prices are typical for summer or even already slightly higher (for larger SUVs even noticeably higher). Given the example and experience from past years, it is unlikely that the car rental prices will get lower.
Renting a Car in Iceland – a Complete Guide
If you’re looking to rent a car in Iceland (for an eclipse trip or any other season), be sure to go through our complete compendium of all you need to know about the topic here: Renting a Car in Iceland – a Complete Guide.
- RV rental prices
The smallest two-person campervan (Dacia Dokker type) rented for 5 days, around the date of the solar eclipse, in both August and September 2025 costed about $770;
the cost of renting a 4-person campervan has not changed either – it is still approx. $1,900 and a 4-person motorhome costs $2,550 (also same as August).4×4 cars with rooftop tent have become about 20% more expensive. In August ’25 it was still possible to rent them for about $625, where now (Sept’25) it costs $750.
However, the record-holder of the price increase are 4-person 4×4 campers (ones usually based on Dodge RAM 1500 or Toyota HiLux). In August ’25 (for August ’26) they could be rented at a fairly typical summer price – about $1,880 (still a 5-day rental), whereas now (September ’25) the same rental costs $3,230!
Given the experience of previous years (see historical data and charts here: Renting an RV in Iceland – a Complete Guide), it can be expected that the prices of car and camper rentals will now rise, and maybe fall in June-July ’26, but only if it turns out that the tourist interest in eclipse is not as high as expected.
Renting an RV in Iceland – a Complete Guide
If you’re looking to rent an RV, motorhome, camper or campervan in Iceland (whether for the eclipse or any other trip), be sure to read our in-depth guide on the matter here: Renting an RV in Iceland – a Complete Guide
- Going to the eclipse without a car
Is it necessary to rent a car to see the eclipse in Iceland? Certainly not.Firstly, you can fly to Keflavik, get a shuttle bus to Reykjavik and book a boat trip from there to the line of maximum totality (45 km / 30 mi off coast). If you’re only interested in seeing the eclipse and absolutely nothing else, you should be fine flying in on the morning of Aug. 12th, and you should be ready to fly out on the evening of the same day.
But you don’t need to rent a car even if you’d rather observe the eclipse from the land. The best solar eclipse viewing points on land in Iceland can also be reached by local buses. It will take few hours, as these trips require several transfers, but it saves you the cost of renting a car or an RV.
If you want to get to Hellisandur – in the western part of the Snaefellsnes peninsula – from Keflavik Airport you need to take lines 55 (to Mjodd in Reykjavik), then 57 (to Borgarnes), 58 (to Vatnaleid) and 82 to Hellisandur. That’s a total of three transfers, but the trip should be doable in a single day (although the schedules for 2026 are not yet available). The cost of a one-way trip for an adult (by 2025 prices) is ISK 9,600, or about $82. [source: straeto.is]
Bus travel is also possible to Patreksfjordur in the West Fjords, but you’re unlikely to complete this connection in one day (even though the timetables for 2026 are not yet available). In this option, from Keflavik Airport we also start with line 55 to Mjodd Station in Reykjavik, and then 57 to Borgarnes, but in Borgarnes we change to line 59 to Holmavik, and then 61 to Isafjordur, and there to line 62 to Patreksfjordur. The total cost of such a trip should be about $110 each way.
It is possible that special bus lines will be launched on the eclipse day, taking tourists to eclipse observation sites and back. It is also possible that all car traffic will be halted far east of the top viewing spots and we’ll have to complete the journey in shuttle buses. Local authorities are considering these scenarios, but there is currently no specific, official information on this. We’ll update the article as soon as such decisions are taken and made public.
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Organized eclipse tours
Local guides are already offering day trips from Reykjavik to areas with longer predicted eclipse duration, mostly – the Snaefellsness peninsula. You can review those offers here: Eclipse viewing tours from Reykjavik.A regular tour cost about 19,000 ISK (about $160) per person, and versions with supervision by a professional photographer or done in a special Super Jeep – about 50,000 ISK (about $430) per person. It is likely that the closer we get to the event, the more offers will be available, but it is difficult to speculate now about their future prices.
- Accommodation rental prices
In Western Iceland, accommodation for the eclipse period is already unavailable.The Icelandic service RUV reported on the near-complete sell-out of hotels, hostels and guesthouses in the southern part of the West Fjords already back in June 2025 (see this article in Icelandic: Undirbúningi vegna sólmyrkva á næsta ári).
On booking.com, literally a single room was still available back in August 2025 for the period of August 11-13th. It was a double room in Mánagisting Guesthouse in Isafjordur. Two nights for two adults, in a room without a private bathroom, was priced at $1,400. So a night in a bed is quite expensive in the eclipse period.
Due to the expected influx of huge numbers of tourists, accommodation outside the eclipse area is also already very expensive for virtually whole August 2026. Therefore, you need to consider basing your trip to see the total solar eclipse on sleeping in a tent or an RV/campervan. While it’s not allowed to wild camp in Iceland (if you’re traveling by car and/or there’s a campground nearby), places in campgrounds are sure to be available and probably won’t be that expensive.
It’s best to get to the chosen campsite (such as Hellisandur Campsite or Melanes Campsite) a day or two beforehand to avoid traffic on August 12th.
How to safely observe a solar eclipse
Just before the total eclipse, the Sun is still shining very strongly. So strongly, in fact, that looking directly at its disk, being slowly obscured by the Moon, would certainly cause damage to your eyesight. So how to observe the eclipse phenomenon and not damage your eyes? It all starts with proper precautions.
Neverlook directly at the Sun without proper protection! Even a short moment without protection can cause irreversible damage to the retina, known as solar retinopathy.
Observation equipment
- Special glasses for solar eclipses (so-called “eclipse glasses”): These are an absolute must, but they have to be certified for meeting strict safety standards (specifically: ISO 12312-2; see: NASA safety sheet).
eclipse glasses
Ordinary sunglasses, even the darkest ones, do not provide sufficient protection. However, simple paper glasses with a film that meets this ISO standard, are not expensive. Prices on popular portals start as low as $10 for a 5-pack. This is really a small cost for protecting your eyesight.
- Telescopes and binoculars with appropriate solar filters: Never look directly at the Sun through a telescope or binoculars without a special solar filter placed on the lens! The filter must be designed specifically for observing the Sun. By looking through unprotected optical equipment you risk immediate and permanent blindness!
- Pinhole projector (camera obscura): This is a safe and simple method of indirect observation. All you need is a small hole in a cardboard box, which projects an image of the Sun onto a second surface.
- Don’t use makeshift filters: Plastic bags, CDs, tinted glass, or X-ray film are not safe. They do not sufficiently filter ultraviolet and infrared radiation, which are invisible, but very harmful.
- Monitor your children: Make sure your children also understand and follow the safety rules for observing.
How to look at the eclipse
- Partial phases (before and after totality): It is imperative to use certified eclipse glasses or optical equipment with appropriate filters throughout the partial phases (when the Moon gradually covers or reveals the Sun).
- Totality (total darkness): During the totality, when the Sun’s disk is fully obscured by the Moon and the sky becomes as dark as twilight, it is safe to remove your eclipse glasses and admire the solar corona. The corona is the outer atmosphere of the Sun, which is normally invisible due to the brightness of the solar disk. This is the moment when you can see effects such as Baily’s pearls (the last rays of the sun shining through the valleys on the moon) and the diamond ring (the last or first bright light just before or after totality).
solar corona
- After the totality: Immediately after the end of the totality, as soon as the first light of the Sun appears, you should put on your protective glasses again.
Why Iceland may be best for observing the 2026 eclipse
The full solar eclipse in August 2026 will be visible only in Iceland and Spain. And while we associate Spain with beautiful, sunny weather and Iceland with rather, khm…, variable conditions, observing the 2026 Total Solar Eclipse may be best in Iceland for several key reasons:
- The height of the sun above the horizon
One of the most important factors in making an eclipse unusual is the height of the Sun above the horizon during the eclipse.In Iceland, the Sun will be much higher in the sky during this eclipse than in Spain. At its highest point it will be about 25 degrees above the horizon, while in Spain the eclipse will occur at only 10-14 degrees in Galicia, and as low as 3 degrees in the Balearic Islands.
Given the practical absence of trees in Iceland, you just have to be careful there that the eclipse will not be obscured by any volcano or mountain. In Spain, it will certainly be more difficult to find a place with an exposed horizon.
- Eclipse in the afternoon, not in the evening
Nighttime darkness is much more unusual in the middle of the day than just after sunrise or just before sunset.In Iceland, the 2026 eclipse will occur before 6 PM, where sunset at this time of year falls around 10 PM. This will give us clear impression that the eclipse took place in the afternoon.
Meanwhile in Spain the full eclipse will arrive at around 8:30 PM, which will be only about 1 hour before the sunset. On the east coast and the Balearic Islands, the partial eclipse will end simply by sunset.
So your impression will be that the eclipse took place in the evening or by sunset. In fact, the eclipse and sunset are likely to merge into one event, especially if the southwestern horizon is obscured by the Cantabrian Mountains. It will certainly give a much less spectacular experience.
- Chances of good weather
Observing a solar eclipse naturally requires sunny, and preferably cloudless, weather.Of course, Iceland is a country with very capricious weather and – statistically – more cloud cover than Spain, but the Spanish coast of the Bay of Biscay (where the eclipse will reach Spain) does not spoil the climate either.
Statistically, the chances of cloudless weather in northern Spain are only about 50%. And although in Iceland this statistical rate is even lower, it is impossible to make a forecast for the exact two minutes when the eclipse will pass over a given point on the map, and the chances of the sky being cloudless there at that time in either country are a bit of a lottery.
- Longer total eclipse time
At the Latrabjarg cliffs in Iceland, the time of the total eclipse will be 2 minutes and 14 seconds. Meanwhile, in Spain on the north coast, the length of the total eclipse will be about 1 minute and 50 seconds and on the east cost – 1 minute 40 seconds. So the difference is not huge, but nonetheless pronounced. - Crowds and logistics
Spain is a popular tourist destination and it’s hard to imagine that tourists (and locals) having the area of the total eclipse within a few hours’ drive will not take advantage of such an opportunity.At the same time, the terrain and the late hour when the eclipse falls will force people to congregate on the exposed, unforested southeastern slopes of the mountains. There are fewer such places than one might think, so convenient observation spots are likely to be heavily crowded.
On the other hand, the area around the Öndverðarnesviti lighthouse or the parking lot on the Latrabjarg cliffs will probably look like New Orleans during Mardi Gras 🤷♂️ But it will likely be enough to drive ten miles east from these extreme points to find a quiet observation spot with stil more than 2 minutes of totality. The trees certainly won’t obstruct our view in Iceland, as there are almost none. We just need to find a spot with a good view to southwest.
All in all, despite Iceland’s reputation for unpredictable weather, its key advantages – the sun’s higher position above the horizon, the greater interval between eclipse and sunset, and finally the lack of trees – make it likely to be a better place to observe the 2026 total solar eclipse than Spain.
What is a total solar eclipse
A total solar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs when the new moon passes exactly between the Sun and Earth, completely obscuring the solar disk.
Thanks to an unusual coincidence, the Sun is about 400 times larger than the Moon, but at the same time it is about 400 times farther from the Earth. This makes the two disks (the Sun and the Moon) almost identical angular size in the sky, which allows the Moon (sometimes) to perfectly cover the Sun, creating a belt of total solar eclipse on the Earth’s surface.
How is a total solar eclipse formed? A solar eclipse is made possible by the precise alignment of three celestial bodies: the Sun, the Moon and the Earth. When these three objects align, the Moon casts its shadow on the Earth.
The belt of the Moon’s total shadow (umbra) is relatively narrow, which is why a total solar eclipse is rarely visible on Earth and only from a limited area, which is what makes it such a unique event for observers.”[Source: https://science.nasa.gov/]
How the Moon casts a partial and total shadow on Earth during a solar eclipse
[Source: science.nasa.gov]
When will there be next total solar eclipses?
The next total solar eclipse in Europe will occur relatively soon, the following year – on August 2, 2027. It will be visible in southern Spain and Portugal, North Africa and the Middle East.
However, for yet another total solar eclipse visible from Europe, you will have to wait more than 25 years – until September 12, 2053. This eclipse will also be visible in southern Spain and Portugal, North Africa and the Middle East.
Eclipses visible from the US and Canada, on the other hand, will take place on August 23, 2044 and August 12, 2045 [source: https://www.timeanddate.com/].
