Snorkeling Silfra & Whale Watching
Watch whales on Faxaflói bay and snorkel the crystal-clear Silfra fissure in one self-drive day.
7 hours•Languages: English
A self-drive day on the water: whale watching from Reykjavík's old harbour with Elding, then snorkelling between the tectonic plates in Silfra. Available February to October.
Get to know one of Iceland's most prominent elements – water – in two unforgettable forms in a single day: whale watching on Faxaflói bay and snorkelling the crystal-clear Silfra fissure. The tour is available from February to October.
The day begins on a whale watching boat with our trusted partner, Elding Adventure at Sea. As this is a self-drive tour, you make your own way to Elding's office at Reykjavík's old harbour for the morning departure.
Out on the bay you may spot minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises and the ever-popular humpback whales, accompanied by seabirds such as gannets, guillemots, cormorants, kittiwakes and arctic terns. The boat also passes islands home to puffin colonies – a great photo opportunity.
The whale watching trip lasts about three hours, returning around midday, so you have time for a quick bite before the roughly one-hour drive to Þingvellir National Park, where 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 leads you through the fissure's four sections; floating through the near-freezing water, with its astonishing colours and the sensation of flying, is a uniquely meditative experience.
Afterwards, warm up with hot chocolate and cookies and take your time exploring Þingvellir. It sits on the Golden Circle, so you can easily continue to the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall before heading back to Reykjavík.
TourID: SSWW
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 tourbe between 150cm and 200cm in heightbe between 45kg and 120kg in weightfit within our dry suit size chart be minimum 12 years of age on the yearbe comfortable in the water and be able to swimbe physically fitbe ready to wear a sometimes tight and constricting dry suitbe able to communicate in English or have a translator available at all
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
guided snorkeling trip
all necessary snorkeling equipment
hot chocolate and cookies after snorkeling in Silfra
Silfra entrance fee of 1.500 ISK per person
guided whale watching tour
Not included
Parking fees
Food and drinks
Pick up and transfer
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 tour is available as self-drive only; there is no pick-up. You drive yourself to Elding Adventure at Sea at Reykjavík's old harbour for the morning whale watching trip, then on to the Silfra meeting point at Þingvellir National Park (about an hour away) for the afternoon snorkel.
The combo runs daily from 1 February to 31 October. Whale watching departs at 09:00 and snorkelling starts at 14:00 (or 14:30 in February). Allow about 7 hours in total, including roughly three hours at sea.
No diving certification or snorkelling experience is needed, but you must be comfortable in water and able to swim – life jackets and other swimming aids are not permitted at Silfra. Participants must be at least 12 years old (in the year of the tour), 150–200 cm tall, 45–120 kg, physically fit and not pregnant.
Common sightings on Faxaflói bay include minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises and humpback whales. You'll also see seabirds such as gannets, guillemots, cormorants, kittiwakes and arctic terns, and the boat passes islands with puffin colonies. Sightings are never guaranteed, as these are wild animals.
No meal is included, though hot chocolate and cookies are served after the snorkel. There's time for a quick bite between the two activities, and you're welcome to bring your own food and snacks.