We booked our Silfra Snorkeling tour online through Arctic Adventures for 17,990 ISK per person (about $130 USD). You can also book the tour at their office in Reykjavik, but booking online is best if you want to guarantee your reservation time and plan in advance.

Located in the heart of Thingvellir National Park, Silfra exists because it’s the place where two tectonic plates–Eurasian and North American–are slowly drifting apart by about 2cm per year. In some parts you can touch both sides of the fissure and be touching two continents at once.

The water that fills the fissure is the clearest and purest in the world, with visibility exceeding 100 meters. Where does the water come from? Way back when, glacial water from the Langjökull glacier was covered by a volcanic eruption and pushed deep underground. The water has been and continues to filter through the lava rock–a process that takes up to 100 years–and eventually wells up from an underground spring directly into Silfra.

How do you get there?

If you are driving, Arctic Adventures tells you to meet at the information center in Thingvellir National Park 15 minutes before your start time. If you are leaving from Reykjavik, this will take you about 45 minutes. You’ll park at the information center, and an Arctic Adventures van will pick you up and bring you to Silfra. The information center is located just east of 550, and just north of 36. The GPS location is 64°15’23.508″N 21°6’58.676″W (WGS84).

If you don’t have a car, Arctic Adventures can pick you up at multiple locations within Reykjavik for an additional 5,000 ISK (about $40 USD).

Why should you go?

You will be snorkeling in between two continents in the clearest water in the world. Just do it.

Tips & comments from our experience:

• Don’t worry if you are not confident with your swimming abilities, the wet suits are very buoyant. They also have an experienced diver swimming in front of, and behind your snorkeling group.
• The wet suit is meant to be very tight fitting to prevent the freezing water from getting in. It will feel very uncomfortable at first, but you will get used to it.
• If you have a GoPro and waterproof case, bring it. If you don’t attach it to your body, and you drop it, a diver will (reluctantly) dive to the bottom to fetch it.
• Wear long underwear or other tight fitting, warm clothes as well as long wool socks. Also bring an extra set of clothes in case water does get into your suit! (We didn’t need to change, but better safe than sorry?)
• The water is just a few degrees above freezing but the suits will keep you at an comfortable temperature. The only part of your body that is exposed to the water are your lips, which will go numb in about 60 seconds.
• Drink the water while you’re snorkeling. Seriously, it’s some of the purest water in the world.
• The amount of time you are in the water is about 20 minutes.
• There are two small bathrooms on site.
• There are beverages and snacks at the information center.

Want to read about our trip to Iceland?