Snorkelling and Diving Silfra: Iceland's Tectonic Fissure

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.

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.

Book Iceland attraction tickets — skip-the-queue entry for geothermal baths, cave tours, and top attractions.

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

Related Guides

• Þingvellir National Park — The wider national park: the Alþingi history, the rift valley, and other things to do here
• Golden Circle tours — How Silfra fits into a Golden Circle day trip from Reykjavík
• Glacier hiking in Iceland — Another unique Iceland-only outdoor experience worth combining with Silfra
• Reykjavík city guide — The base for nearly all Silfra tour operators: where to stay and eat before your dive