Float through glacial water so clear you see more than 100 metres, in a crack in
Iceland's rift valley. Drive yourself, meet the guides at the fissure, and pick the right small-group tour.
Fees spelled outParking, Silfra fee and photos, tour by tour
Real guest ratingsLive Viator & Tripadvisor figures
Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, on every tour here
Secure checkout on ViatorMobile ticket, instant confirmation
Tours
Choose your Silfra snorkeling tour
Three meet-on-location drysuit snorkels, the best reviewed on the fissure: you drive to
Thingvellir, the guides bring the gear. The route and the water are the same; the differences are group
size, what is included and the price.
Troll Expeditions keeps groups to six and the guide shoots GoPro photos above and below the water for free. Hot chocolate and a chocolate bar wait at the end.
What's included
Guided snorkel through Silfra with a PADI divemaster, max 6 guests
Drysuit, thermal undersuit, hood, gloves, mask, snorkel and fins
Free GoPro photos, underwater and on land
Hot chocolate or tea and a chocolate bar
Not included: transport and Thingvellir parking; ages 12 to 69
DIVE.IS, the longest-running Silfra operator, meets you at the fissure with drysuits and a heated changing van. The Silfra fee is included; souvenir photos cost extra.
What's included
Guided snorkel through Silfra with a PADI instructor, groups of up to 6
Drysuit, warm undersuit, hood, gloves, mask, snorkel and fins
Silfra entrance fee (ISK 1,500) and a heated changing van
Hot chocolate and cookies afterwards
Not included: transport, Thingvellir parking (ISK 1,000), photos, tips
Adventure Vikings runs the lowest-priced drysuit snorkel at Silfra and puts the underwater photos in the price. Same fissure, same route, in small groups of six.
What's included
Guided snorkel with a PADI divemaster or instructor, groups of up to 6
Drysuit and all snorkelling equipment
Underwater photos taken by your guide
Hot chocolate afterwards
Not included: transport, Thingvellir parking, food
Every snorkel follows the same route through the fissure. What changes is how you get there,
what is in the price (the Silfra fee, photos, parking) and how big the group is.
Tour
How you get there
Best for
Length
Rating
From
Silfra Snorkeling: Meet on Location
Self-drive, meet at Silfra
The most experienced operator; Silfra fee included
Drivers pay Thingvellir parking on top: ISK 1,000 per car for the day. Minimum age is 12 on
most snorkels (14 for the wetsuit option) and 18 for scuba. Every tour here cancels free up to 24 hours ahead.
The fissure, honestly
Not quite between two continents: something better.
Silfra is a water-filled crack in Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the North
American and Eurasian plates drift apart by about 2 cm a year. You will read that you "swim between two
continents". In fact the plate boundary is a rift zone kilometres wide, and Silfra is one of many cracks
inside it. As one guest put it, the real plate walls are "more than a km apart".
What makes it extraordinary is the water. It starts as meltwater on the Langjökull glacier about
50 km north and filters through porous lava for 30 to 100 years before it wells up here, so clean you
can drink it and clear enough to see more than 100 metres. It is also 2 to 4 °C all year, which is
why everyone wears a drysuit over warm layers, and why your face and fingers will tell you about it.
100 m+
Typical visibility in Silfra, among the clearest
water anywhere in the world.
Big CrackSilfra HallCathedralLagoon
Almannagjá, the rift valley wall at Thingvellir, a short drive from Silfra.
01
Do I need a car?
For the tours on this page, yes: there is no public bus to Silfra. No car? Take a pickup tour.
02
How cold is it?
2 to 4 °C. The drysuit keeps you dry; your face and hands feel the cold for the first minutes.
03
Do I need to swim?
Yes, and be comfortable in open water. The suit floats you and a gentle current does most of the work.
04
Who should skip it?
Under-12s, pregnant travelers, and anyone with heart or breathing conditions without a doctor's approval.
The snorkel
How a Silfra snorkel unfolds
About two and a half to three hours at the fissure, of which 30 to 45 minutes are in the water.
01
Park and check in
Park at P5, walk back to the operators' vans and meet your guide with your medical form done.
15 to 20 min early
02
Suit up
Warm undersuit over your base layers, then the drysuit, hood, gloves and fins. The neck seal is snug.
About 30 min
03
Float the fissure
Down the steps, through the Big Crack and Silfra Hall, past the Cathedral and out across the Lagoon.
30 to 45 min
04
Warm up
Walk back, peel off the suit and thaw your hands around a hot chocolate.
Getting there, the requirements, the cold and the fees: one tab each.
Drive about 45 km from Reykjavik via Route 1 and Route 36: 45 to 60 minutes, longer in winter.
Inside the park, turn onto road 361 and park at P5, the car park nearest Silfra.
Walk about 400 m (5 minutes) back along the road to the small car park with the operators' vans.
Arrive 15 to 20 minutes before your slot. Late arrivals can lose their place.
There is no public bus to Silfra. Without a car, book a tour with Reykjavik pickup.
Minimum age 12 on most tours (14 for the wetsuit option); under-18s with a parent on the same tour.
You must swim, be comfortable in open water and communicate in English.
Everyone completes a medical form; older guests need a doctor's signature (from 60 at DIVE.IS, 65 at Adventure Vikings).
Typical size limits: 150 to 200 cm tall and 45 to 120 kg (DIVE.IS); they vary by operator.
Not for pregnant travelers. Glasses do not fit under the mask: bring contacts.
The water is 2 to 4 °C year-round; the drysuit keeps your body dry.
Wear a thermal base layer (wool or fleece, not cotton) and thick wool socks under the suit.
Your face and hands get cold; most guests say it eases after the first few minutes.
A small trickle of water at the neck or wrists is normal. Bring a towel and dry clothes.
Eat a proper breakfast: staying warm burns energy.
Parking: ISK 1,000 per car per day at Thingvellir, paid at the machines or on Checkit.is.
Silfra fee: ISK 1,500 per person; included by DIVE.IS and Diving Island, check other listings.
Photos: free with Troll, Adventure Vikings and Arctic Adventures; sold separately by DIVE.IS.
Pickup: the same snorkel with Reykjavik transport costs about $50 to $60 more.
Tips are not included and are up to you.
Snorkel routeSilfra Big CrackThe narrow first stretch, where the walls feel close enough to touch on both sides.
Snorkel routeSilfra HallA wider, deeper section with giant boulders far below you.
Snorkel routeSilfra CathedralA long, deep blue channel where the visibility is at its most startling.
Snorkel routeSilfra LagoonThe shallow finish, with bright green algae guides call "troll hair".
Divers onlyDeeper sectionsCertified drysuit divers go down to 18 m, the park's limit.
Add-onSky LagoonA geothermal soak near Reykjavik to warm up after the cold water.
Where to meet
Silfra meeting point and parking
Silfra, Thingvellir National Park
Road 361, 806 Thingvellir, Iceland
Every self-drive tour on this page meets in the same small area beside the fissure, where the operators
park their vans. You cannot park there yourself: leave the car at P5, pay the park's daily fee, and
walk about 400 metres back along the road. Your voucher names the operator and the exact van to look for.
Save the meeting point on an offline map before you set off, as signal can drop in the park.
4.9★★★★★ 5,161 reviews · Silfra snorkeling, meet on location live Viator & Tripadvisor figure
★★★★★
Do this! It was an incredible experience, one you won't find anywhere else! She made us feel safe and confident. The views were stunning, the gear well maintained, the staff helpful. Once in a lifetime!
★★★★★
It's definitely cold, but not shockingly so. Wear something form fitting under the dry suit and heavy socks and you'll be fine. Exceptional experience.
★★★★★
Super fun experience! We went at 9am and it wasn't so crowded as the later times. They provide you with a warm jumpsuit to wear under the dry suit. Even with that, definitely bring thick warm socks and a wool base layer.
★★★★★
Thoroughly read the email from the company beforehand so you know what to wear under the dry suit. The water is crystal clear all throughout. I was a little concerned about being cold in the water but I was completely comfortable.
★★★★★
I'm in my late 50's and this was a pinch yourself moment. I've dreamt of doing this snorkel and it didn't disappoint. The staff are amazing, professional and very knowledgeable, friendly and organised from start to finish.
★★★★★
Very fun. A little physically challenging. Very very cold face at first, but exhilarating, exciting, unique. Loved it! Super friendly staff and an amazing experience!
★★★★★
Fantastic experience. Not as cold as you might think, and so beautiful. Be warned it can be hard to find parking. Once ready to snorkel the line to get in the water can also be long. Unique and fun experience.
★★★★★
Great unique experience with helpful interesting guides. We had a nice small group of 6 of us and it was perfect. Oh yes! I snorkeled in Iceland!
★★★★★
Cold water snorkeling through the tectonic plates. Super cool experience and crystal clear view through the water. Staff extremely friendly and helpful as well.
No rental car?
Take the pickup instead
There is no public bus to Silfra. If you are not driving, the same small-group snorkel runs with a
minibus from Reykjavik.
Silfra Drysuit Snorkel with Reykjavik Pickup
★ 4.9 · 730 reviews · 5 hours
No rental car? This is the same small-group drysuit snorkel with underwater photos, plus a minibus from Reykjavik: pickups run about 90 minutes before the tour, and you are back in town around five hours later. It costs $50 more than the same operator's meet-on-location snorkel, and you skip the drive, the parking fee and the hunt for the meeting point.
Snorkeling Silfra is one of Iceland's signature experiences, and one of the easiest to do
on your own schedule: drive to Thingvellir, meet the guides at the fissure, and spend the rest of the day on
the Golden Circle. Here is what you pay, what you feel and how to get it right.
What "self-drive" really means
Self-drive, or "meet on location", means the snorkel itself is fully guided, but you get yourself to
Silfra. The operator supplies the drysuit, undersuit, hood, gloves, fins, mask and a PADI-certified guide for
a group of up to six. You bring warm layers, a towel and your car. The saving is real: meet-on-location
tours start at $139, while the same operators charge $189 to $219 with a Reykjavik pickup. The trade-off is
that you handle the drive, the parking and the timing, and if you are late, you can miss your slot.
The kit the operators supply: drysuit, hood, gloves, mask, snorkel and fins.
What it really costs
Take the headline price, then check three things. First, the Thingvellir parking fee: ISK 1,000
per car for the day, shared by everyone in it. Second, the Silfra fee of ISK 1,500 per person, which
DIVE.IS and Diving Island include and other operators may list separately. Third, photos: Troll
Expeditions, Adventure Vikings and Arctic Adventures include them, while DIVE.IS sells them afterwards. Once
you add those up, the tours are within a few dollars of each other, so choose on group size, reviews and the
time slot that suits your day.
The honest small print: the complaints about Silfra are rarely about the fissure. They
are about the cold on your face and hands, the tight drysuit neck seal, a crowded car park and a queue at the
entry steps in summer. Book an early slot, wear wool, arrive early, and read the operator's email before you
go.
How the cold really feels
The water is 2 to 4 °C, but in a drysuit your body stays dry over a thick undersuit and your own base
layers. Guests describe the first plunge as a sharp shock on the face, then something they get used to;
fingers are usually the coldest part by the end. Around 30 to 45 minutes in the water is plenty. If you run
cold, eat well beforehand, wear two pairs of wool socks, and tell your guide if you want to finish early.
Wool base layers and thick socks make the difference under the drysuit.
Fitting it into your day
A self-drive snorkel slots neatly into a Golden Circle loop. Take an early slot, snorkel first while
you are fresh, then walk the Almannagjá gorge and drive on to Geysir and Gullfoss. Finish with a hot soak on
the way back to Reykjavik. In winter, leave extra time for icy roads and short daylight.
The shallow Silfra Lagoon and its green "troll hair" algae end the snorkel.
Straight answers to what people ask most about snorkeling Silfra.
How much does Silfra snorkeling cost?
Meet-on-location drysuit tours cost $139 to $159 per person on Viator in 2026, and the same tours with a Reykjavik pickup cost $189 to $219. If you drive, add the Thingvellir parking fee of ISK 1,000 per car. Some operators also include the ISK 1,500 Silfra fee and photos, others do not. See the price guide.
How cold is the water in Silfra?
Between 2 and 4 °C (36 to 39 °F) all year. The drysuit keeps your body dry over a warm undersuit and your own base layers, so the cold you feel is mostly on your face and hands. Most people spend 30 to 45 minutes in the water. Read what to wear under the drysuit.
Do you need to be able to swim to snorkel Silfra?
Yes. Every operator requires you to swim and be comfortable in open water, and to communicate in English with the guide. The drysuit is very buoyant, so you float without effort, and a gentle current carries you through the fissure; you mostly steer.
What are the age and health requirements?
The minimum age is 12 at most operators (14 for the Adventure Vikings wetsuit option), and under-18s need a parent on the same tour. Everyone fills in a medical form; older guests need a doctor's signature, from 60 at DIVE.IS and 65 at Adventure Vikings, and Troll takes no one over 69. Height and weight limits apply too. Full list: Silfra snorkeling requirements.
Where do you park and meet for a self-drive Silfra tour?
Park at P5 in Thingvellir National Park, pay the ISK 1,000 daily parking fee at the machine or on Checkit.is, then walk about 400 m (5 minutes) back along road 361 to the small car park where the operators' vans wait. Arrive 15 to 20 minutes early. See the self-drive guide.
How long does Silfra snorkeling take?
Plan on 2.5 to 3 hours at Silfra: check-in, suiting up, a safety briefing, 30 to 45 minutes in the water and changing back. Driving from Reykjavik takes about 45 to 60 minutes each way, so a self-drive snorkel fits easily into a Golden Circle day.
Are you really snorkeling between two continents?
Not quite. Silfra is a crack inside the rift valley where the North American and Eurasian plates pull apart, about 2 cm a year. The boundary is a wide zone, so the classic "touch both continents" photo is a great memory rather than a literal geology fact. The water, clear enough to see more than 100 m, is the real reason to go.
Is Silfra snorkeling worth it?
For most people, yes: the DIVE.IS meet-on-location tour rates 4.9 from 5,161 reviews. The honest downsides are the cold on your face and hands, tight drysuit seals, and queues to get into the water in summer. Book an early slot and wear proper wool layers.
Can I wear glasses while snorkeling in Silfra?
No, glasses do not fit under a snorkel mask. Wear contact lenses or bring your own prescription mask if you have one.
Drysuit or wetsuit: which should I choose?
The drysuit, for most people: you stay dry and warmer in 2 °C water. A thick wetsuit is allowed for snorkelers and suits confident swimmers who find drysuit neck seals claustrophobic, but you will feel the cold much more. Compare them in drysuit vs wetsuit.
Can I cancel my Silfra snorkeling tour?
Yes. Every tour listed here cancels for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time on Viator.
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