When I met Subhash Motwani of Namaste Tourism in Mumbai recently, it confirmed something I have been sensing for a while: Indian travelers are discovering Iceland, and they are bringing exactly the kind of curiosity and enthusiasm that makes this country come alive for visitors.
Having run Iceland Unwrapped for almost eleven years, I have welcomed guests from all over the world. But the growing interest from India presents a distinctive opportunity and, I will be honest, it also requires some straight talk about what Iceland is, what it is not, and how to get the most extraordinary experience out of this volcanic rock in the North Atlantic.
What makes Iceland remarkable
When people ask me the three most remarkable things about Iceland, I always start with the same one: the possibility of peace and quiet. Having travelled in India in December, I understand that solitude in nature is something that can be difficult to find there. In Iceland, you can stand at a waterfall or on a black sand beach and hear nothing but the wind and the water. That silence is extraordinary, and it is something we can genuinely offer.
Nature, of course, is the main attraction the waterfalls, black beaches, glaciers, geothermal areas, and volcanic landscapes that look like nothing else on Earth. But I want to challenge one common assumption: the most beautiful places in Iceland are not all on the south coast. The famous Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach near Vík gets all the attention, but we have dozens of equally stunning black beaches around the country that most visitors never see. My favorite waterfall is in the Westfjords, not on the well-worn tourist trail.
And then there is the culture. We are 390,000 people with the infrastructure of a much larger country, multiple theatres, vibrant music scenes, world-class restaurants even in villages of a hundred people all while managing two million tourists a year. The musicians alone are remarkable: Laufey, who has modernized jazz for a global audience, Sigur Rós, Björk, Of Monsters and Men, Kaleo. Music is part of our education system, and it shows.
The geothermal advantage: what sets Iceland apart from Norway and the Nordics
Indian travelers often ask how Iceland compares with Norway or other Nordic countries. The decisive differentiator is our geothermal energy. The Faroe Islands do not have it. Norway, Sweden, and Denmark do not have it. Iceland sits atop volcanic activity that gives us natural hot springs, geothermal spas, local swimming pools heated by the earth, and guides who will cook food using geothermal heat right in front of you and create private natural pools on the spot for their guests. That is an experience you simply cannot replicate elsewhere in Scandinavia.
I recommend that visitors include a geothermal experience every single day of their trip, whether it is a world-famous spa, a local pool, or a hidden natural hot spring reached by a short hike. It is the heartbeat of what makes Iceland feel like nowhere else.
Every season has its charm but timing matters
Every season in Iceland has something to offer, but let me be transparent about the trade-offs. Winter, from November through March, brings the possibility of Northern Lights but also challenging road conditions. Self-driving in snow and ice is not for everyone and I would say it can be genuinely dangerous if you are not experienced.
Spring, which arrives later here than in continental Europe. May is our spring, brings everything to life, and by June you have nearly 24 hours of daylight. The energy is extraordinary. Summer is the most popular and most expensive season, but also the most predictable for weather, and it is when the puffins arrive and the highlands open for guided tours. The highlands, incidentally, look so much like the surface of the moon that NASA astronauts practiced there before the Apollo missions.
My personal recommendation for Indian travelers: consider August, September, or October. You get a chance at Northern Lights, potentially better weather than deep winter, fewer crowds than peak summer, and lower prices. It is something of a sweet spot.
Volcanoes, safety, and the resilience question
I know the volcanic activity concerns some potential visitors. Let me address this directly: we are extremely used to it. We have had recent eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula, close to Keflavík airport. One eruption sent lava over the Blue Lagoon parking lot and within days, a new road and parking area were built. Subhash himself saw an eruption near the Blue Lagoon while driving to the airport, and his flight departed on time.
We have strong systems for monitoring, communication, and rapid response. Having a local travel planner is valuable here. Me and my team keep a close eye on conditions and stay in direct contact with our clients if anything develops. But I would never tell someone not to come because of volcanic activity. It is part of what makes this island what it is, and we handle it without drama.
On the broader safety question: Iceland is one of the safest countries in the world. It is particularly safe for women travelling alone or in groups. At this moment, our president is a woman, the prime minister is a woman, all three coalition party leaders are women, the head of police and head of the courts are women. That is not a coincidence. It reflects values of equality and respect that are deeply embedded in Icelandic society. We also have a strong and visible LGBTQ+ community. Respect for people is simply how things work here.
Yes, Iceland is expensive and here is how to be smart about it
I believe in being transparent: Iceland is an expensive destination. We are 390,000 people on a rock in the North Atlantic, importing much of our food, with high salaries that keep service standards up but also keep prices high.
But there are smart strategies. First, you do not need to buy tours for everything. If you are self-driving, many of Iceland’s greatest experiences are free. You can drive to a waterfall and walk up to it; you may just need to pay for parking. Second, choosing your season matters enormously. July is peak pricing; September and October offer much better value. Third, venturing beyond the south coast and the Golden Circle unlocks both better prices and fewer crowds. And fourth, you do not need to over-plan with two tours every day. That drives costs up quickly. Sometimes the best moments in Iceland are the unplanned ones.
Practical matters: food, roads, and what to expect
Indian travelers often ask about vegetarian and vegan options. The good news is that Iceland follows food trends closely, and plant-based eating has become mainstream here. You will not struggle to find vegetarian or vegan food. We also have excellent Indian restaurants, including in the north of Iceland, not just in Reykjavik, run by people from India.
On driving: we have one main highway, Route 1, which circles the country. The roads are smaller than what you may be used to. We have one-lane bridges, free-roaming sheep in summer, and distances that take longer than you expect because you will want to stop constantly. A drive that looks like one hour on the map can easily take half a day once you factor in all the incredible things to see along the way. That is the biggest planning mistake people make before they talk to me.
Iceland does not have many five-star hotels in the traditional sense. But our three- and four-star accommodation is generally very good and improving rapidly. In remote areas, book early. Those properties fill up fast. And I always recommend mixing accommodation types: a cottage one night, a boutique hotel the next, perhaps a farm stay. It gives you a richer sense of how Icelanders actually live.
Why a local travel planner changes everything
Just this past week, I met two couples who arrived in Iceland with four days and no plan.
They were in a location where I thought: what are you doing here? This is not where you should be spending your limited time in Iceland. They had clearly booked online without local knowledge.
A local travel planner offers three things you cannot get from a search engine.
First, hidden gems. Places that are breathtakingly beautiful but not yet on the tourist trail.
Second, safety and contingency. I once had a group stranded by flooding, and I was able to arrange emergency accommodation through my personal network when nothing was available online.
Third, human connection. The reason I started Iceland Unwrapped eleven years ago was meeting Americans who had visited Iceland four times without ever meeting an Icelandic person. I found that heartbreaking. Now I offer dining in Icelandic homes, music evenings, and introductions to locals. That human connection is the icing on the cake of any trip.
Iceland as a meeting point for global Indian families
One trend I find particularly exciting is multi-generational Indian families using Iceland as a gathering point. With the Indian diaspora spread across the United States, Europe, and beyond, Iceland is a natural midpoint. A short flight from both North America and continental Europe. Senior family members can enjoy the spas and the peacefulness, younger members can pursue adventure activities, and everyone shares something genuinely unforgettable.
For a trip like this, I always recommend at least ten days, with two of those being travel days. A week of actual exploration is the minimum, and two to three weeks is ideal. I have lived here most of my life and still have not seen everything. Iceland is that kind of place.
An invitation
My conversation with Subhash reinforced something important: The more I understand what Indian travelers need and expect, the better I can help them experience the Iceland that locals know. Not just the Instagram version, but the real thing. The quiet moments at midnight under the summer sun. The hidden waterfall with no one else around. The farmer who invites you in for coffee. That is what I am here to make happen.
Helga Kristin Fridjonsdottir (Helga Stina) is the founder of Iceland Unwrapped, a Reykjavik-based travel planning service specializing in personalized itineraries that connect visitors with the authentic Iceland beyond the tourist trail. Contact: icelandunwrapped.com
Subhash Motwani is the founder of Namaste Tourism, a Mumbai-based travel company specializing in curated international travel experiences for Indian travelers, including Nordic and Icelandic itineraries – namastetourism
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Photos by Helga Stina, Frida Hjaltested, Piotr Krajewski and clients of Iceland Unwrapped