Which is Better? Iceland or Norway?
Over the past ten plus years, I have travelled to countless amazing photography destinations ranging from the Caribbean to some of the North most locations on this planet. I have realized over the years that my kind of travel destination will need to include a few snowy mountain tops, coastlines and dramatic light. I am far from being a palm tree type of guy and if I am looking for a beach, it will hopefully have a few icebergs laying in the sand. I was seriously built for the northern countries! I hate to sweat and my idea of the perfect vacation often includes bringing a set of snow shoes.
Since I returned from my most recent trip to northern Norway, many of my customers have asked me a very interesting question. Which one is better; Iceland or Norway?
And to be 100% honest with you, it’s a really tough question to answer now that I’ve been to both countries a couple of times. I think it’s fair to say that both destinations have many pros and cons…which I will be talking about in this article. I will be comparing a few of the key things to keep in consideration when choosing which one will be your next photography adventure.
COMPARING THE LANDSCAPE
Comparing the landscape between Norway and Iceland is a truly important aspect to take into consideration. There are a lot of similarities between the two countries but as far as I can tell, Iceland has a greater diversed palette of subjects to photograph. If I compare the parts of Norway that I have seen, most of the landscape is based on fjords. Don’t get me wrong, the Norwegian fjords are truly breathtakingly beautiful but if you want to photograph waterfalls, volcanic craters, glacier lagoons, rugged mountain ranges and fjords all together, then I would say that Iceland is definitely the better option. Did you know that Iceland has over 10000 waterfalls? And how many volcanoes does it have? Iceland is home of over 125 volcanoes, many of which are active and have craters. Talking about diversity, it’s not everywhere that you can walk on a black sand beach around icebergs, visit ice caves and see flowing lava on the same day! Iceland has all of this! And the beauty of Iceland is that most of the photography locations you want to see are fairly easy to access. Most of them are pretty close to the main road that circles around the island.
Norway in comparison with Iceland isn’t that bad either…what an amazing country it is. Traveling from one town to the next can take a while because you have to drive around the fjords. But around each next curve will unveil the most beautiful coastal scene you’ve ever seen in your life. Norway is a very narrow country but is very long from South to North. In fact, if you consider every fjord and island, Norway has over 100000km of coastline. So, if you are a seascape photography lover, this is your place my friends. Each time I went to Norway, I spent most of my time up north in the Lofoten Islands, Senja and Tromso surrounding areas. I still have yet to see the south of the country which seems to be as equally spectacular as the north. And if you drive away from the coast, you will find beautiful valleys surrounded by amazing peaks. There are over 20000 significant lakes in Norway and well over 100000 rivers and creeks. That my friends is what dreams are made of! Norway truly is a photographers’ paradise.
WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE?
The weather situation in both countries can be very tricky…both countries have very unpredictable weather systems coming from ocean streams. One day it can be lovely, sunny and the next day can feel like you have fast forward by two seasons… Both countries have very similar temperature averages all year long ranging from -10 to +20 ish degrees celsius. That temperature range is my comfort zone. I love it!
The first time I went to Iceland, I was traveling with a female friend of mine…and even though we went during the summer season, we were using our spring/fall jackets. Geneviève brought many leggings which aren’t very insulated, She was complaining that the temperature was cold for a summer… I gently told her: You are in Iceland! Better said, the land of ice…you know? Both countries are so far up north that it can be a bit chilly all year long. The most important thing about Norwegian and Icelandic weather is to be prepared for all four seasons…in a single day. And always bring your rain jacket with you!
The beauty of both countries is that they both look great even on days that are grey. There is nothing quite like a moody Icelandic mountain with low hanging clouds and ground fog… Please be aware that since Norway has mostly fjords, if the weather gets bad, you might not be able to photograph much. You go to Lofoten to photograph the fjords…it kind of sucks if you can’t see them, right? If you can’t see across the fjords, it’s going to be challenging to find a proper background interest for the compositions. In my opinion, due to the fact that Iceland’s geology is much more diverse, there is always something to photograph.
WHICH ONE IS CHEAPER?
You probably have been told that Iceland is very expensive…and you weren’t being lied to. Iceland is super expensive. But you may ask which one is cheaper between Iceland and Norway? I can definitely say that both will cost a hefty penny. Both destinations are going to require a good financial budget. We are far from the « All-Inclusive » trip to Cuba here! The good news is that for the most part, you will get your money’s worth in quality services and epic views. Lodging in both countries is expensive though..overpriced if you ask me. For the past few years, we have access to a really interesting option called Airbnb. If you travel as a small group with your family or with some long time friends, this is the option to consider.
I love renting complete small houses with a cute little kitchen. It makes a lot of sense since you can’t always rely on limited restaurant schedules…you can actually cook your own food. You can also prepare lunch snacks and be 100% food independent. I remember during my last trip to Iceland, my friend Chaim and I went to a restaurant near our hotel. A very nice and well respected burger place. The concept of that restaurant was to eat a fresh burger in a dinning room that had windows over the stable and we could see the cows! Some would think that the odor in there must be bad…not at all! Super clean place…but the burgers were US 45$! I can afford to travel…but paying 45 American Dollars for a burger is too much. By having your own kitchen, you can avoid situations like that.
HOW ABOUT THE CROWD?
And now, how about the crowd? How busy is Iceland? How busy is Norway? Iceland has been a very popular touristic destination for years…and Norway just recently had a serious touristic boom. Both countries can be kind of chaotic. The iconic locations will be busy. But as soon as you drive away from the easier more popular spots, you will be able to be on your own. If you go to Skagfoss in Iceland or Hamnoy in Norway, you will see a lot of tourists. If your main goal for traveling to any of these two countries is to photograph the landscape without people in your shot, then you will get frustrated because people will be walking in front of you and photographing clean scenes without anybody in it will be challenging. You simply need to drive away from the bigger cities with the iconic photography locations. As a matter of fact, I remember photographing sunrise and sunset all by myself at many locations in both countries.
You love camping and overloading excursions? If you are going to Iceland during the summer season, you should definitely plan a trip to the highlands. The Highlands are packed with epic views and are much more quiet than the most popular locations along route 1. The Highlands require much more preparation though…and you can’t take a regular car up there. Iceland has a whole network of F roads which are off-road rated roads and require special vehicles.
Norway and more specifically the Lofoten Islands are very busy all year long. What sucks a little is that the infrastructures aren’t ready for such a touristic boom. Going to the most popular locations will require patience…finding parking spots will be frustrating. But as soon as you drive away from the crowd, you will get your few minutes of calmness. The other locations I have visited in Senja and around Tromso were fairly quiet which is probably why I enjoyed them more.
…IN CONCLUSION
In conclusion, asking me which is better between Norway and Iceland isn’t fair at all. It would be exactly like asking which of my dogs I like the most… Could you answer which one of your kids is your favorite? And I am not talking when the other one annoys you…answer honestly, which one is your favorite? It’s an impossible question to answer. It truly is! Both countries have so many similar and different features to offer. A trip to Norway or Iceland will for the most part change your life. And you will want to go back again and again…and again!
Speaking of which…I am well overdue to go back to Iceland…the last time was maybe in 2017? That feels like an eternity ago. And it will happen soon. I will probably be heading back to Iceland in January of 2026! Very hopeful that I will finally be able to photograph the dancing green dragons over Iceland.
Would you like to read more about Norway? Please feel free to read my previous article called Why You Should Never Go To Norway.
Have a wonderful week!
