Best of the best things to do in Iceland - four award winning experiences

If you’re in the initial stages of planning your trip to Iceland, then it’s highly likely that you’ve already encountered a big problem: there are just too many must-sees and must-dos. Paring down activities and sightseeing stops from an enormous list of possibilities can be a massive challenge. How do you know whether you’ll regret leaving something out of your itinerary? In this article we’ll focus on the best of the best, four award-winning tours from Icelandia that deliver expertly guided adventures that immerse you in the country’s extraordinary landscapes. Unique and unforgettable, here are our picks (and Tripadvisor's) for the best things to do in Iceland.

Why is Silfra diving in Iceland considered a must-do experience?

Þingvellir National Park is a popular stop on the Golden Circle and many consider it an essential stop for any visitor to Iceland. Intrepid travellers might wish to get a different perspective on this fascinating landscape by seeing it from the water. Sign up for our meet on location Diving Silfra Fissure tour, don a wetsuit and slip into the crystal clear water – it’s one of the most unique things to do in Iceland.

Þingvellir National Park is one of a number of places in Iceland where you can see where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are moving apart. The country sits on top of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the plates beneath are diverging at a snail’s pace – normally the rate is about 2 centimetres a year according to scientific measurements (don’t expect to see any movement because it’s too slow).

Here, though, the fissure that results – which opened up in 1789 – is filled with water which has filtered through the surrounding lava to remove all the impurities that you’d usually encounter. The water originates from Langjökull, and this glacial meltwater percolates slowly underground over a considerable distance before it collects at Silfra Fissure.

The water appears blue and is very cold, with temperatures typically averaging about 2 to 4°C throughout the year. But the frigid conditions will quickly be forgotten as you slip through a magical underwater world where visibility is often as much as 100 metres. That’s extraordinarily clear, and the reason why this dive is held in such high regard by divers the world over – it tops Trip Advisor’s list of must-do activities in Iceland as well.

What should you expect if you dive Silfra Fissure?

Silfra Fissure’s dimensions measure about 600 by 200 metres. It can be divided into four main sections, each of which has its own characteristics. First, you’ll be guided through the thinnest part of the fissure. Entering the water via a platform, you’ll immerse yourself at Silfra Big Crack. Here, you get a real sense of what it’s like between the two plates as you move through the narrow gap.

Next, you move into Silfra Hall. This is a much wider space than the Silfra Big Crack and you’ll get a much better sense of the striking blue colours and the scale of the place. As you dive, you’ll see what’s colloquially known as Troll’s Hair. This is green, string-like algae that carpets the rock like a verdant underground cobweb.

Many of those who dive here consider the third part as the most impressive of all. Silfra Cathedral – its divine name is certainly apt – boasts steep lava walls flanking an area about 20 metres deep and 100 metres long. Because of the incredible clarity of the water, divers can appreciate the space in its entirety and appreciate the full effect of this amazing landscape. The bubbles from any divers ahead will resemble chandeliers rising within this breathtaking chamber.

Finally, you reach Silfra Lagoon, where the dive finishes. You’ll exit the water here and walk back to where you started. Because of Iceland’s unique terrain, this is the only place in the world where you can dive between tectonic plates. That goes some way to explaining why our Silfra Diving Tour crowns Trip Advisor’s list of the best tours in Iceland.

The tour comprises one dive down to about 7 to 12 metres (the maximum allowed is 18 metres) and in all the tour lasts about three hours with 30 to 40 minutes for the dive itself. For safety reasons, to dive here you do need to be properly certified as a dry suit diver and this can be arranged here too if you have a spare couple of days to get your qualification. You also have the option to snorkel in this remarkable place.

Alongside Iceland’s volcanic scenery, the country’s glaciers provide another compelling reason to visit. While many visitors enjoy amphibious and Zodiac boat trips on glacier lagoons such as Jökulsárlón and Fjallsárlón, there’s another way to get out on the water: in a kayak.

Our Kayaking by the Glacier tour is another of our bestsellers and this activity also rates highly on Trip Advisor’s Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best list for 2025. And with good reason: it’s a splendid way to appreciate the nuanced appearance of the ice and get up close to appreciate the glacier’s enormous volume.

The tour is centred on Sólheimajökull, one of Mýrdalsjökull’s outlet glaciers located within striking distance of Vik. It’s not only a convenient location to tie in with the rest of your Iceland itinerary, it’s also the ideal place to connect with nature as you slow down your pace and paddle out into the lagoon.

Full instruction is included so there’s no need for you to have any prior kayaking experience, though it helps if you’re used to physical activity especially when the wind is against you. You’ll change into a dry suit to protect you against the cold and learn some of the basic techniques about manoeuvring the craft from your accomplished demonstrator. Sit on top kayaks are easy to steer so you’ll soon pick it up. Glacier kayaking in Iceland really isn’t that hard.

This guide will then accompany you out onto the water and ensure you have a safe and enjoyable time during the tour as you learn about how natural processes create lagoons such as this. Icebergs can be unpredictable, largely because most of their considerable bulk is hidden beneath the water, and you’ll rely on their expert knowledge to understand how close you can go without putting yourself at risk.

At times, the guide will encourage everyone in your small group to be quiet and still. As you immerse yourself in the ice-strewn lagoon, the silence will envelope you and you’ll be at one with this extraordinary place. It’s a real privilege to find yourself in such an exquisite setting. Calm yourself as you focus on the spellbinding surroundings and you’ll see why some describe this as a meditative experience.

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to hear the crunch of ice beneath your boots, knowing that it doesn’t just cover a pavement or a grassy verge but instead extends many hundreds of metres beneath your feet? A glacier hike isn’t just a wintry walk – in fact summer’s a super time to do so, and you can head up on Iceland’s glaciers throughout the year – it’s a chance to explore an environment few get to experience.

You don’t have to travel far in Iceland to realise that glaciers form a big part in the landscape. Venturing along the south coast, they loom large as you approach Vik. This is where you’ll find Sólheimajökull, one of Mýrdalsjökull’s outlet glaciers. Base camp, from where the tours depart, is only a five minute drive from the ring road.

Before you head up onto the glacier with your professional guide, you’ll need to do some basic preparations. Glaciers look static, but they actually move and flex as they travel downhill under the influence of gravity. During this process, large cracks open up in the ice – they’re known as crevasses, of course – and meltwater can also alter the surface of the glacier, for example creating columnar holes called moulins.

If you aren’t familiar with the glacier it can be a very dangerous place. That’s why the only safe way to experience this icy paradise is with someone who knows it inside out. Close up, the ice isn’t a homogenous tongue of white. Instead, it can be streaked with ash, vivid shades of blue after the air bubbles have been forced out under the weight of the ice and even translucent. It’s a fascinating place to take a hike.

Before you explore a glacier in Iceland, you’ll be given crampons to pull on over your boots; these are metal chains that have spikes across them which dig into the surface of the glacier as you walk on it. You’ll be glad of the extra grip they provide. Crampons can feel a little odd if it’s the first time you’ve worn them, but you soon get used to them. You’ll also be asked to wear a helmet, possibly a harness and may be given an ice axe to use.

As you walk across the ice, your guide will give you some context. Though Iceland’s glaciers aren’t as vulnerable to climate change as tropical glaciers are, they are still receding and the rate at which this is happening is accelerating. Outlet glaciers such as Sólheimajökull are considerably smaller than their parent and will be lost first, which is a sobering thought.

For now, though, this remains a popular tour with overseas visitors to Iceland keen to understand what has created the country’s varied and unique countryside. It’s little wonder that this activity rates well on Trip Advisor’s Best of the Best for our little part of the North Atlantic, recommended by 99% of travellers.

In Iceland, ice experiences are commonplace – the clue’s in our name. So if you’re sifting through the top Iceland activities and looking for something related to the country’s glaciers, then this thrilling Blue Ice Experience might just be what you’re looking for, especially if you have a sense of adventure.

This tour is similar to, and as popular as, the Sólheimajökull glacier hike – yes, it’s another Trip Advisor favourite and rightly so. This activity takes place in Skaftafell, so the main glacier is Vatnajökull rather than Mýrdalsjökull. This vast ice sheet is the largest in Iceland and covers about 8% of the country’s land area. On this hike, landforms such as the ice ridges, deep crevasses and ice sculptures are proof that glaciers are anything but homogenous landscapes – don’t forget your camera.

Unlike Iceland’s glittering ice caves, many of which can only be entered safely during the winter, glacier hikes are a year-round activity. In fact, you might enjoy your time up on the ice more on a mild and sunny summer’s day than in the off-season, though the scenes that await you will distract from any kind of weather.

Up on the glacier, the abundance of ice means that it will feel colder than down at base camp; dress accordingly and throw on some extra layers. The wind can be the biggest factor, so be sure to have a close-fitting hat and warm gloves with you. As with the Sólheimajökull hike, you’ll be kitted out with all the glacier gear you need but are expected to be wearing the right kind of clothing: warm, windproof and with feet clad in sturdy boots.

We’d recommend you book ahead in summer as it is peak season, especially if there’s little flexibility in the rest of your plans. While you can afford to leave things a little later in spring, autumn and winter when typically there are fewer visitors, though it’s worth arranging the tour early in your trip in case it has to be postponed because of bad weather.

Icelandia’s top tours showcase some of the best things to do in Iceland, conveniently packaging activities with engaging and entertaining commentary and, in many cases, transportation too. Accompanied by knowledgeable guides, you can be sure you’ll appreciate the diverse array of landscapes even more on these award winning tours in Iceland. Pad out your itinerary as you see fit, but don’t leave these tours out of your plans.