Getting to North Iceland

Getting to a remote northern town for a heliski week sounds daunting, but it breaks down into a handful of well-worn steps. Viking Heliskiing is based in Siglufjörður, on the Troll Peninsula (Tröllaskagi) in North Iceland, with guests staying at the four-star Sigló Hótel. The town is a long drive or a short flight-plus-transfer from Reykjavík, so nearly every guest follows the same broad route: an international flight to the south-west, then an onward hop or drive to the north. This guide walks that journey end to end. It's a companion to the getting-to-Iceland chapter in our full Iceland heliskiing guide — here we focus purely on the travel logistics, in more practical detail.

The journey in one glance

Before the detail, the whole trip in three moves. Almost everyone travelling to North Iceland for heliskiing follows the same skeleton, and holding it in your head makes every later decision simpler.

• Fly to Keflavík. International flights arrive at Keflavík International Airport, near Reykjavík in Iceland's south-west. This is your gateway however you're travelling.
• Reach the north. From the Reykjavík area you continue to North Iceland either by a domestic flight to Akureyri, the main northern hub, or by road across the country.
• Final leg to Siglufjörður. Akureyri sits roughly an hour's drive from Siglufjörður, so the last stretch is short whichever way you approach.

That's the entire shape of it. The choices that remain — fly or drive to the north, how much buffer to build in, what the operator handles — are the subject of the sections below. Exact routings and transfer details vary, so treat everything here as the practical framework and confirm the specifics with the operator when you book.

Arriving at Keflavík

Keflavík International Airport is Iceland's main international gateway, sitting on the Reykjanes peninsula about 45 minutes' drive south-west of Reykjavík itself. Whether you're flying from the UK, mainland Europe or North America, this is almost certainly where you'll first set foot in the country. It's a modern, well-run airport, and clearing it is generally quick.

The key thing to understand is that Keflavík is not where your onward journey to the north begins. International arrivals land here, but the domestic flights to Akureyri depart from a separate, smaller airport — Reykjavík's city airport, close to the centre of the capital. So if you're connecting by air, you'll have a transfer between the two airports to factor in. A few points worth holding in mind on arrival:

• Two different airports. Keflavík (international) and Reykjavík city airport (domestic) are not the same place — allow time and transport to move between them.
• The transfer takes time. Getting from Keflavík to the Reykjavík area is a drive of roughly three-quarters of an hour, so don't plan a tight same-hour connection.
• Weather can intervene. Icelandic conditions occasionally disrupt schedules, which is one reason a buffer, covered later, is so valuable.

Many guests find the neatest approach is to overnight in or near Reykjavík after a long-haul flight, then take the onward journey north fresh the next day rather than racing straight through. It removes pressure from the connection and lets you shake off the travel.

Onward to the north: fly or drive

Once you're in the Reykjavík area, you have two genuine ways to reach North Iceland, and both are perfectly viable. The right one depends on how much time you have, how you feel about winter driving, and whether the journey itself is part of the holiday for you.

• Domestic flight to Akureyri. The fastest and simplest option. Reykjavík's city airport serves Akureyri, so a short domestic hop puts you in the northern hub, leaving only the brief transfer to Siglufjörður. This is the path most guests take, and it's the easiest with ski luggage.
• Driving across Iceland. The road route runs north from the Reykjavík region across the country to the peninsula. It's considerably longer than flying but gives you independence, scenery and the freedom to stop — and some travellers genuinely enjoy it as part of the trip.

The Reykjavík–Akureyri leg is the pivot of the whole journey. Done by air it's quick and low-fuss; done by road it's a substantial drive that needs planning around spring conditions. For a first heliski trip, and especially for anyone travelling with heavy or awkward ski bags, flying to Akureyri is usually the calmer choice. If you'd like to build in a road-trip element, one popular compromise is to fly one direction and drive the other. We're happy to talk through which suits your group; drop us a line via the contact page.

Akureyri & the transfer to Siglufjörður

Akureyri is the capital of the north — the largest town in the region and its transport hub. For heliskiing purposes, it's the practical arrival point: the nearest major airport to the Troll Peninsula, and the place from which the final short transfer to Siglufjörður begins. Reaching Akureyri, whether by air or road, effectively means you've arrived in heliski country.

From Akureyri, Siglufjörður is roughly an hour's drive along the coast and through the peninsula. It's a scenic final leg, and a manageable one. What this means in planning terms:

• Akureyri is the last hub. Beyond it you're onto quieter roads into the peninsula, so it's your natural staging point if you want a buffer stop before the base.
• The final transfer is short. Around an hour by road to Siglufjörður — a small fraction of the overall journey from home.
• Confirm how this leg is handled. Whether you drive it yourself or the operator arranges it depends on your package, so check when you book.

Once you reach Siglufjörður and check in to the Sigló Hótel, the travelling is done and the skiing takes over. The town is a former herring port turned charming coastal base, and it's the springboard for the peninsula's terrain.

Driving in Iceland in spring

If you choose to drive any part of the journey — the full Reykjavík–north route, or just the Akureyri–Siglufjörður transfer — it pays to respect Icelandic spring conditions. The heliski season runs March to mid-June, which in the north still very much overlaps with winter weather, particularly early in that window.

• Conditions change fast. Snow, ice, wind and reduced visibility are all possible in spring, even as the days lengthen. Check forecasts and road-condition information before setting off.
• A suitable 4x4 is wise. For northern roads in this season, a capable four-wheel-drive vehicle with appropriate tyres gives you far more margin than a small car.
• Daylight is your friend. As the season progresses, daylight extends dramatically, and by late spring the north enjoys extraordinarily long days — a real advantage for driving safely and unhurried.
• Don't rush. Allow generous time, avoid driving tired straight off a long flight, and build slack into your schedule.

None of this should put you off driving if you fancy it — plenty of visitors drive Iceland happily in spring. But go prepared, and if winter mountain driving isn't your idea of a relaxing start, flying to Akureyri sidesteps the question entirely. For a broader sense of the spring conditions you'll be skiing in, see our Iceland heliskiing overview.

How long to allow & arriving early

The single best piece of travel advice for a heliski trip is to give yourself margin. Your holiday hinges on being in Siglufjörður on the operator's schedule, and the journey involves an international flight, an onward connection and a final transfer — each a potential point of delay. Weather can disrupt flights and roads, so a tight itinerary is a fragile one.

For this reason, arriving a day early is strongly worth considering. A buffer day does several things at once:

• It absorbs delays. A missed connection or a weather-grounded domestic flight won't cost you your first ski day if you've built in slack.
• It lets you recover. After long-haul travel, a night's rest near Reykjavík or in Akureyri means you arrive fresh rather than frazzled.
• It de-stresses the connection. Splitting Keflavík arrival and the northern leg across two days removes the pressure of a same-day dash.

Check the operator's stated arrival and departure days, then book flights that give sensible margins around every transfer — particularly the Reykjavík–Akureyri leg and the final drive to Siglufjörður. Getting this right is a big part of planning your first heliski trip well, and it's the sort of detail we're glad to help you sanity-check.

What the operator arranges vs what you book

A common and sensible question is where the operator's responsibility begins and yours ends. The general pattern across heliski operations is that the company looks after the last part of the journey and the mountain side of things, while you handle the flights that get you to the country. Knowing roughly which is which helps you plan without gaps.

• You typically book: your international flights to Keflavík, any domestic flight to Akureyri, and any nights you spend before or after the programme.
• The operator typically handles: the arrangements at their base and often the final leg to Siglufjörður, plus everything once you've arrived — guiding, equipment and the heliskiing itself.
• Always confirm the specifics. Exactly what's included varies by package and season, so check the recommended arrival point and what transfers are covered when you reserve.

This is precisely where booking through an authorised agent earns its keep. Heliski Travel books Viking Heliskiing at the same price as booking direct, and part of that service is making the routing clear: what's covered, where you connect, and how to slot your own flights around it. If in doubt, ask us before you book anything, so your flights line up cleanly with the operator's schedule.

Luggage & ski carriage

Heliski trips come with more baggage than most holidays — and a chunk of it is long and awkward. It's worth a little forethought so your kit reaches Siglufjörður intact and you're not caught out by allowances along the way.

• Check every leg's allowance. Your international flight, your domestic flight to Akureyri and any onward transfer may have different baggage and ski-carriage rules. Confirm each rather than assuming they match.
• Domestic flights can be stricter. Smaller aircraft on the Reykjavík–Akureyri leg may have tighter weight limits than your long-haul flight, so check ski-bag policies specifically.
• Consider what to bring. Viking provides the technical safety and ski equipment, so you may not need to travel with your own skis at all — confirm what's included, which can simplify your luggage considerably. Our what to pack for heliskiing guide covers the full personal kit list.
• Label and protect. Use a proper padded ski bag, label everything clearly, and keep essentials in your carry-on in case a bag is delayed.

Because so much of the specialist gear is provided at the base, many guests travel lighter than they expect. Confirming the equipment situation early lets you decide whether to bring your own skis or leave them at home.

A suggested journey plan

To pull it all together, here's an unhurried template many guests find works well. Treat it as a shape to adapt rather than a fixed itinerary, and always cross-check the exact days against your operator's schedule.

• Day before — travel to Iceland. Fly from home to Keflavík International Airport. Transfer to the Reykjavík area and overnight there to recover from the flight and de-risk the connection.
• Arrival day — head north. Take the domestic flight from Reykjavík's city airport to Akureyri (or drive across, allowing plenty of time and a suitable vehicle).
• Arrival day — final leg. From Akureyri, the roughly one-hour transfer to Siglufjörður and check-in at the Sigló Hótel, ready to meet your guides.
• Ski days. The heliski programme on the Troll Peninsula, run entirely by the operator.
• Departure — reverse the route. Transfer back to Akureyri, fly or drive south, and connect to your international departure from Keflavík — again leaving comfortable margins.

The through-line is simple: build in buffer, keep the northern leg calm, and let the operator handle the mountain end. Get that framework right and the journey feels far smaller than the map suggests.

Passports & entry practicalities

Finally, the paperwork. Entry requirements depend on your nationality and can change, so this is general guidance only — always check the current, official requirements for your own passport well before you travel.

• Passport validity. Ensure your passport is valid for your travel dates with sensible margin, and check any minimum-validity rules that apply to you.
• Visa and entry rules. Requirements vary by nationality — confirm whether you need a visa or any entry authorisation for Iceland, and verify this from official sources close to departure.
• Insurance to hand. Separately from entry rules, travel to remote heliski terrain calls for proper cover — keep your policy documents accessible for the journey.

With documents in order and a sensibly buffered itinerary, the trip north is genuinely manageable. If you'd like a hand mapping your door-to-door journey — which flights, where to overnight, how the transfers slot together — that's exactly the kind of logistics we help with, at the same price as booking direct. Browse the packages, read the full Iceland heliskiing guide, or get in touch and we'll reply within 12 hours.

Frequently asked questions