Booking choice: The DIVE.IS meet-on-location snorkel, from $159 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
The rules for snorkeling Silfra were tightened in 2017: smaller groups, health assessments and stricter checks. Today every operator asks for a medical form, and most ask for your height, weight and age after booking so they can bring a drysuit that fits.
The limits below come from each operator's current Viator listing. If you are close to one of them, contact the operator before you book.
The quick answer
You need to be at least 12 (14 for the Adventure Vikings wetsuit option), able to swim, comfortable in open water and able to communicate in English. Everyone fills in a medical form; DIVE.IS needs a doctor's signature from 60, Adventure Vikings from 65, and Troll takes no one over 69. Most operators require 150 to 200 cm and roughly 45 to 120 kg. Pregnant travelers cannot join, and glasses do not fit under the mask.
What is the minimum age for Silfra snorkeling?
12 on almost every tour, and 14 for the Adventure Vikings wetsuit or drysuit option.
Under-18s must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian booked on the same tour (Troll and Arctic Adventures spell this out). Adventure Vikings asks families with younger children to contact it directly. Size limits often matter more than age for younger teens, so check the height and weight table below.
Travelling with a teenager? DIVE.IS takes snorkelers from 12, with a PADI instructor leading every group.
Check dates for the DIVE.IS meet-on-location snorkelIs there a maximum age, and when do you need a doctor?
Troll takes no one over 69 and Diving Island no one 60 or over; DIVE.IS needs a doctor's signature from 60, Adventure Vikings from 65, and Troll a medical waiver from 60.
DIVE.IS and Adventure Vikings set no upper age on Viator, and Arctic Adventures' Viator listing takes bookings up to age 80. Guests report older relatives doing it happily: one Arctic Adventures group included a 75-year-old grandmother, and a 63-year-old Adventure Vikings guest chose the wetsuit and had no problems. Get the doctor's signature before you travel, not at the car park.
What are the height and weight limits?
Most operators accept 150 to 200 cm and about 45 to 120 kg; Troll is the widest, from 135 cm and up to 140 kg.
The limits exist because the drysuits have to seal at the neck and wrists. Give the operator your exact height and weight after booking, and contact them first if you are near a limit: guests outside the range report that there was no suit to fit them.
| Operator | Age | Height | Weight | Doctor or waiver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIVE.IS | 12+ | 150 to 200 cm | 45 to 120 kg | Doctor signs from 60 |
| Troll Expeditions | 12 to 69 | 135 to 200 cm | 30 to 140 kg | Medical waiver from 60 |
| Adventure Vikings | 12+ (wetsuit 14+) | 150 to 200 cm | 50 to 120 kg | Physician approval from 65 |
| Arctic Adventures | 12+ | See handbook | See handbook | For listed conditions (e.g. asthma, diabetes) |
| Diving Island | 12 to 59 | From 145 cm | Up to 130 kg, BMI up to 35 | No |
Do you need to be able to swim?
Yes. Every operator requires you to swim, be comfortable in open water and communicate in English with the guide.
The drysuit is very buoyant and a gentle current carries you along, so you float rather than swim hard. Even so, guests report that the swim was more tiring than they expected, and one guest whose friend panicked with the mask on credits the guide's quick help. If you have never snorkeled, practise with a mask in a pool first.
What is on the Silfra medical form?
Questions about your heart, lungs, circulation and other conditions; serious heart problems rule you out, and some conditions need a doctor's approval.
Troll asks for a physician's allowance for neurological, circulatory or respiratory problems, and a waiver if you are over 45 and smoke a pipe or drink heavily. Arctic Adventures asks guests to read its snorkeling handbook, where conditions such as asthma and diabetes need a doctor's approval. Fill the form in online before the day; the link is on your voucher.
Checked the form? Troll runs groups of six with free GoPro photos and hot chocolate at the end.
Explore the Troll self-drive snorkelCan you snorkel Silfra while pregnant?
No. Every operator excludes pregnant travelers; Arctic Adventures explains that water can enter the suit.
Most listings also say the tour is not recommended for people with back problems, and none of them is wheelchair accessible. The path from the vans to the entry steps and the climb out at the end are on uneven ground.
Can you wear glasses under the mask?
No. Glasses do not fit under a snorkel mask, so wear contact lenses or bring your own prescription mask if you have one.
Adventure Vikings and Troll both recommend contact lenses. The water is so clear that guests with mild short sight still enjoy the view, but lenses make a big difference.
What if a drysuit feels too tight or claustrophobic?
Ask for a wetsuit: Adventure Vikings says its drysuit tour is not recommended for claustrophobic guests and offers a wetsuit option for them.
Drysuits seal tightly at the neck and wrists, which every operator warns about. The park allows snorkelers to use a suitable thick wetsuit instead. The trade-offs are covered in drysuit vs wetsuit at Silfra.
Tight seals worry you? The Adventure Vikings option lets you choose a wetsuit when you book.
Check dates for the wetsuit or drysuit snorkelFrequently asked questions
Can a 10-year-old snorkel Silfra?
Not on the tours listed here: the minimum age is 12 (14 for the wetsuit option). Adventure Vikings asks families with younger children to contact it directly.
Do I need snorkeling experience?
No, but you must swim and be comfortable in open water. The guide briefs you before you get in, and the drysuit keeps you afloat.
What happens if I do not meet a requirement on the day?
Operators say they cannot take guests who do not meet their safety requirements, so check the limits and complete the medical form before you travel.
Ready to book
Choose your snorkel
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Silfra Snorkeling: Meet on Location
- 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
Small-Group Silfra Snorkel, Self-Drive
- 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
Silfra Wetsuit or Drysuit Snorkel
A wetsuit if drysuit seals feel too tight (14+)
