Iceland
The Muslim Travel Guide to the Icy North
Iceland is an incredibly unique, picturesque and exciting country to visit. Iceland, unlike its name, is actually not cold all year round. The weather in the summer can go up to 20–25 °C (68–77 °F) making it a pleasantly warm travel destination. Iceland has an abundance of natural beauty ranging from volcanoes, glaciers, craters, geysers, and mountains making it an ideal location for Muslim travelers. You’ll be amazed at the number of Allah’s signs you will see when you travel this beautiful country.
“And He it is Who spread the earth and placed mountains and streams in it and inserted in it two pairs of the each kind of fruit. He covers the day with the night. Certainly, there are signs in these matters for a people who reflect.” – Surah Ar-Ra’d
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Things to do and see
If you want to see man-made architecture and beauty, then Iceland is NOT the right place. However, if you want to be mesmerized and left in awe of the sheer magnitude of the vastness of Allah’s creation than Iceland is hands down the perfect place to visit. Here are the top places you HAVE to visit when in Iceland.
Where to Pray in Iceland
You will find Muslims and Masjids only in the capital city of Reykjavik. There are three main Masjids:
- Félag múslima á Íslandi – located in downtown Reykjavik
Where to Eat
Halal options are very few due to the small Mulsim population. We did stop by one spot called Mandi where the staff was super kind and the food was good. Shalimar is another halal Pakistani restaurant in Reykjavik.
Where to Stay
The population of Iceland is less than 340,000 and 60% of that population lives in the capital Reykjavic and the surrounding areas of Reykjavic. This means as you drive further from the capital city, finding hotels easily and inexpensively is difficult. Rather, all over Iceland, you will find beautiful, well equipped mobile homes. This was the best part about my trip to Iceland because you get to experience nature right in the middle of nature by living in mobile homes. Check out AirBnB for unique and fun places to stay. All of the hosts I had the chance of interacting with were absolutely wonderful people.
How to get around
Due to the small population of Iceland and long distances between cities, the best way to get around Iceland in my experience is by car, especially if you are traveling with family. The best option is to rent a car from the airport or have the rental company pick you up. On my trip to Iceland, I used Ice Car Rental and they offered us a free pick up shuttle from the airport to their office which was about a 5-minute drive away. It was a smooth rental experience.
Busses do operate throughout Iceland. The bus company Strætó has a bus network throughout the country. However, you will only be able to get one from city to another without the ability to stop over at tourist spots. There are companies like Reykjavik Excursions that offer bus day trips if you do not want to drive.
Camper vans are very popular in Iceland and they come in all shapes and sizes. Living in a camper van adds to the experience of exploring Iceland. KuKu Camper, CampEasy and GoCampers are reputable companies if you want to take the camper van route.
How to Stay Safe
Iceland is a safe country. Use common sense like you would anywhere else.
General Tips
- English is commonly spoken and understood, however, Icelandic is the official language.
- Iceland is expensive. To save costs, buy food from grocery stores and make your own meals
- Winter weather is unpredictable and harsh. Road closures are common so be mentally prepared for a last-minute change of plans
- Halal food is hard to find and not easily available Expect to be on a vegetarian/seafood diet for most of your stay.
- Wear comfortable, waterproof footwear. You are likely to be walking all sorts of dirt, soil, snow, and ice.
Fun Facts
- Icelandic Horses are unique to Iceland and the only breed of horse allowed in the country.
- 2.3 million tourists visited Iceland in 2018. That is almost 7X the countries population.
- One of the safest countries on Earth
- Despite the “Ice” in the countries name, Iceland is a very pleasantly warm country to visit in the Summer.