Dive into Iceland's crystal clear waters and unwind in geothermal luxury.
Snorkel between the North American and Eurasian continental plates in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Silfra fissure in Þingvellir National Park fills with glacial water that has been seeping through underground lava rocks for decades producing the most transparent water on earth. After snorkelling, drive your rental car to the heavenly Laugarvatn Fontana spa to warm up and relax!
Hop in your car and kick off this spectacular self-drive tour to the Silfra fissure for a snorkelling adventure! The crack is filled with fresh spring water, making it a popular site for diving and snorkelling tours. The crystal-clear water reveals an underwater world with jagged canyon walls, plant life, and fish. The fissure is said to have opened in 1789 due to moving tectonic plates. It never freezes, keeping a constant temperature of 35-37°F.
On the snorkelling tour, you will receive a dry suit and be briefed on safety measures. Your expert guide will explain how to use the snorkelling equipment and ensure you stay warm and comfortable during your 30 to 40-minute tour.
Once briefed, the guide will lead you through the four parts of the fissure, including the Big Crack, Silfra’s most narrow section. The continental plates are so close you can almost stretch out and touch them. The guide will also take you to Silfra Hall, which has striking colours and exceptional clarity, as well as the Silfra Cathedral and the Silfra Lagoon.
After your snorkelling session in Silfra, the guide will offer you some hot chocolate and cookies. You can explore the Þingvellir area at your leisure before hopping back into your rental car and driving to the Laugarvatn Fontana spa to warm up. This is a self-drive tour, so you determine your schedule after the snorkelling session.
Go from the cold water of Silfra to the warmth of Fontana. The original sauna was built in the 1920s and was little more than a shack with two compartments, built above the hot spring that bubbles and gurgles below the ground. Today, a modern complex welcomes you to relax with various hot tubs and steam baths heated by powerful Icelandic hot springs. At Fontana, you can purchase drinks while relaxing in the healing hot springs and enjoying the spectacular view.
Once you are all warmed up, you can continue on the Golden Circle route, which both Þingvellir and Laugarvatn are on. You are only a stone’s throw away from the famous geothermal region of Geysir and the spectacular Gullfoss waterfall!
- Availability
- All year
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Duration
- 6 hours
- Minimum age
- 12
- Meeting Point
- Silfra Meeting Point
TourID: SSHC
Activity provider: Dive.is
Silfra Meeting Point
Need to know
Participants are not allowed on tour without signing the Snorkeling Silfra Medical Statement and, if necessary, a physician’s approval which can be found on the second page of the Medical Statement document. Please read the Snorkeling Silfra Medical Statement prior to booking to make sure that you are eligible for the tour. Each participant must sign our liability release form at the start of the tour.
Please bring with you: long thermal underwear, thick socks, suitable clothes for the weather of the day, if you wear glasses, please bring contact lenses or your own prescription mask if you have one.
Requirements
- have read, signed, and followed directions on the Snorkeling Silfra Medical Statement
- sign our liability release form at the start of the tour
- be between 150cm and 200cm in height
- be between 45kg and 120kg in weight
- fit within our dry suit size chart
- be minimum 12 years of age on the year
- be comfortable in the water and be able to swim
- be physically fit
- be ready to wear a sometimes tight and constricting dry suit
- be able to communicate in English or have a translator available at all times during the tour
- not be pregnant
- Flexible Cancellation
- No Booking Fees
Tour itinerary
What’s included and what to bring on this tour
It’s important to always be prepared for your next adventure in Iceland. See our list of what’s included, and what you should bring or add to your trip
Included
- Guided snorkeling trip
- All necessary snorkeling equipment
- Hot chocolate and cookies after the snorkelling trip
- Entrance fee of 1.500 ISK per person into Silfra
- Entrance fee at Laugarvatn Fontana Geothermal Baths
Not included
- Clothing to be worn under the dry suit and undergarment is not provided. Please bring: Long thermal underwear Warm wool socks Hat, gloves and scarf
- Bathing suit and towel for your visit to Laugarvatn Fontana
Tour highlights
Are you wondering about something?
If you're planning a trip to Iceland, it's important to be prepared with the right information. Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help you plan your trip
- Warm, wind & waterproof jacket
- Three layers of clothes as the weather can change quickly
- Warm sweater, fleece and thermal layer
- Warm trousers – waterproof and breathable
- Sturdy water-resistant footwear/boots
- Woollen socks
- Warm hat and scarf
- Warm and waterproof gloves
- Crampons (advisable during winter) – can be bought on the spot. Some of our beautiful places in nature are protected and cannot be salted to protect nature. That is why it can get quite icy at Gullfoss and Geysir, so we recommend wearing crampons there.
All admission to sites, museums or exhibitions visited are included, unless otherwise stated in tour description.
Reykjavik Excursions offers guidance in most of the tours. Guidance is in English. Some tours are additionally guided in German, French or Scandinavian (maximum 2 languages per tour).
Our tour guides are professionals with degrees in various languages and/or subjects relating to Icelandic tourism. Your guide tells you about the area you are visiting and leads the way throughout the tour. He will also be able to answer your questions, if you have any. Our aim is to offer quality tours that feature the different aspects of Iceland's nature, history, culture and modern living.
Passengers with reduced mobility and using a manual wheelchair are more than welcome to join our day tours. Please advise your reduced mobility when booking a day tour in order for us to be able to make appropriate measures. Our staff assists as much as possible in moving to/from or within the bus.
Guidance is in English.
Some tours are additionally guided in German, French or Scandinavian (maximum 2 languages per tour). Further information and details are listed with each tour.
Similar tours
Snorkeling Silfra
Snorkel between the North American and Eurasian continental plates in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Silfra fissure in Þingvellir National Park is filled with glacial water that has been seeping through underground lava rocks for decades producing the clearest water on earth. The fissure allows for over 100 metres of visibility.
Diving Silfra Tour - Selfdrive
Dive between the North American and Eurasian continental plates in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Silfra fissure in Þingvellir National Park fills with glacial water that has been seeping through underground lava rocks for decades producing the most transparent water on earth. The fissure allows for over 100 metres of visibility. This tour is a fantastic way not just to see Iceland but to get in the water and experience it.