The Icelandic Guide

Snorkelling and Diving Silfra: Iceland's Tectonic Fissure

· 4 min read Activities
Snorkeller floating in the crystal-clear blue water of Silfra fissure, Iceland

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Contents

  1. What You’ll See
  2. Snorkelling Tours
  3. Diving Tours
  4. Choosing an Operator
  5. Practical Notes
  6. Related Guides

Silfra is a fissure in the rift valley at Þingvellir National Park, where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet. The fissure runs between the two plates and is filled with glacially filtered freshwater from Langjökull. The visibility in the water is consistently 80–100m - some of the clearest water accessible to divers and snorkellers anywhere in the world. You can touch both tectonic plates simultaneously.

What You’ll See

The fissure is divided into sections:

  • Silfra Hall: The entry point - a wide, shallow beginning with dramatic green algae formations (locally called ‘troll hair’)
  • Silfra Cathedral: The most impressive section - a broad, deep channel of vivid blue water, 100m visibility
  • Silfra Lagoon: The exit - a wider, shallower area where the fissure opens into the lake

The colour of the water in Silfra Cathedral - a deep, clear blue fading to turquoise at the edges - is extraordinary. Photography conditions are excellent.

Snorkelling Tours

All access to Silfra is via guided tour. Operating from the Þingvellir National Park, approximately 40km east of Reykjavík.

Arctic Adventures (adventures.is): 3-hour snorkelling tour approximately ISK 19,900 adult as of 2026. Includes drysuit and all equipment. Minimum age 12, minimum weight 50kg.

Dive.is (dive.is): Snorkelling from approximately ISK 19,900 adult. Combination snorkelling + diving packages available. PADI courses offered.

DIVE.IS and Local Guide also run tours. Most operators collect from Reykjavík hotels or meet at the Þingvellir site.

Typical tour duration: approximately 3 hours including briefing, getting into the drysuit, and the swim itself (approximately 45–60 minutes in the water).

Diving Tours

Requires PADI Open Water certification (or equivalent) and ideally dry suit experience. Cold water diving is a different skill from tropical diving.

Diving tours approximately ISK 24,900–32,900 adult. PADI Dry Suit specialty course available (can be started in Iceland in a pool, then completed at Silfra). Check with operators for current PADI course pricing.

Choosing an Operator

The main licensed operators for Silfra are Arctic Adventures (adventures.is) and DIVE.IS (dive.is). Both use the same site access permit and drysuit equipment standards - the main differences are group size and combination packages. Arctic Adventures tends to run slightly larger groups; DIVE.IS focuses more on diving instruction and smaller groups. A third licensed operator is Local Guide (localguide.is), which runs smaller snorkelling tours from approximately ISK 17,900.

Most Reykjavík-based tour desks also sell Silfra via GetYourGuide - pricing is typically ISK 19,900–21,900 on booking platforms, which sometimes includes hotel pickup. Direct booking with the operator can be marginally cheaper in low season.

Photography: The water clarity makes Silfra exceptionally photogenic. Operators allow GoPros and underwater cameras - attach a short mount to your wrist or helmet. Most drysuits have a front pocket suitable for a small action camera. Waterproof camera housings for smartphones are available to rent from some operators.

Practical Notes

What operators provide: Drysuit, undersuit, hood, gloves, fins, mask, and snorkel. You wear thin base layers underneath.

What to bring: Warm base layers (fleece or thermal leggings and top) - you wear these inside the drysuit. Warm socks (wetsuit booties go over them). A change of clothes for after.

Getting there: Þingvellir is 40km from Reykjavík on Route 36. Most operators offer bus pickup from Reykjavík or meet at the dive site car park.

Time of year: Year-round, but surface conditions are most pleasant in summer. Winter snorkelling in Silfra - with snow on the surrounding landscape visible from inside the water - is a distinctive experience.

Pregnancy: Not permitted. Ear infections or active respiratory illness: check with your operator before booking.

Browse Silfra snorkelling tours - drysuit snorkelling and diving between the tectonic plates at Þingvellir, with photos included.

Get travel insurance for Iceland - policies covering glacier hikes, F-road driving, and volcanic disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How cold is the water in Silfra?
The water temperature in Silfra is approximately 2–4°C year-round. The water comes from Langjökull glacier, filtered through lava rock for 30–100 years before emerging in Þingvellir. Operators provide thick drysuits that keep the cold away from your body - most people stay comfortably warm inside the suit.
Do I need a diving qualification to snorkel Silfra?
No - snorkelling tours require no certification. You swim on the surface rather than diving. You need to be a confident swimmer (basic ability to swim 200m). SCUBA diving in Silfra requires a PADI Open Water certificate (minimum) and recent cold water experience, or you can take a PADI Dry Suit course in Iceland before diving.
Why is the water so clear?
The water is glacial meltwater from Langjökull, filtered through volcanic rock for 30–100 years. This natural filtration removes almost all particulates and pathogens. Visibility in Silfra is typically 80–100m - among the highest in the world for fresh water.

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