Snorkeling Silfra and horseback riding
Ride Icelandic horses through Mosfellsdalur and snorkel the crystal-clear Silfra fissure in one self-drive day.
7 hours•Languages: English
A self-drive day of two Icelandic classics: a horseback ride through the scenic Mosfell valley with Laxnes Horse Farm, then snorkelling between the tectonic plates in the crystal-clear Silfra fissure.
Fit two uniquely Icelandic experiences into one self-drive day, both within an hour of Reykjavík: a horseback ride through the Mosfell valley and a snorkel in the crystal-clear Silfra fissure.
Your day starts at Laxnes Horse Farm, about 30 minutes from Reykjavík, with a roughly two-hour ride through the scenic valley of Mosfellsdalur. The Icelandic horse is a special, protected breed, and the farm's friendly, sure-footed horses suit beginners and experienced riders alike. Riding equipment is provided.
Afterwards you drive yourself about 30 minutes to Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO site on the Golden Circle. There is time to explore the park and have lunch before you meet your guide at the Silfra meeting point.
Silfra is a crack between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, filled with glacial water so clear that visibility tops 100 metres – among the clearest water on Earth. Your guide fits you in a dry suit and leads you through the fissure's four sections; floating through the near-freezing water, with its astonishing colours and the sensation of flying, is an unforgettable, meditative experience.
Afterwards, warm up with hot chocolate and cookies. As this is a self-drive tour with no pick-up, you can continue along the Golden Circle to Gullfoss and Geysir before heading back.
TourID: SSHR
Activity provider: Dive.is by Icelandia
Silfra Meeting Point
Need to know
Participants must:
- 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
Requirements
- Long 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
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- 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
Entry/admission fee
- guided snorkeling trip
- all necessary snorkeling equipment
- hot chocolate and cookies after snorkeling in Silfra
Not included
Parking fees Food and drinks
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
Yes – this is a self-drive tour with no pick-up. You drive yourself to Laxnes Horse Farm (about 30 minutes from Reykjavík) for the morning ride, then on to the Silfra meeting point at Þingvellir National Park (about 30 minutes from the farm) for the afternoon snorkel.
The combo runs all year round, daily, and takes about 7 hours in total – roughly a two-hour horseback ride and a three-hour snorkelling experience. The horse tour starts at 10:00, so arrive at Laxnes around 09:30.
No experience is needed for either. The Icelandic horses suit beginners and experienced riders alike, and all riding equipment is provided. For the snorkel, no certification is required, but you must be comfortable in water and able to swim (life jackets are not permitted at Silfra), at least 12 years old, 150–200 cm tall, 45–120 kg, physically fit and not pregnant.
They are not part of the tour, which covers the horseback ride and snorkelling Silfra. But Gullfoss and Geysir are only about 1 to 1.5 hours further along the Golden Circle, so as a self-drive tour you can easily add the rest of the Golden Circle yourself afterwards.
Bring long underwear, thick socks, suitable clothes for the day's weather, and contact lenses (or your own prescription mask) if you wear glasses. All snorkelling and riding equipment, including a dry suit, is provided.