In a nutshell
- Thingvellir National Park is 47 km northeast of Reykjavík on Route 36, and Silfra sits inside the park.[1]
- The Silfra Fissure Snorkeling between Two Continents listing has pickup available, confirmed when you check availability.[2]
- Allow 3 - 5.5 hours from Reykjavík on the snorkeling tour, depending on the starting time you choose.[2]
- In Silfra the water allows for underwater visibility of over 100 meters.[3]
- Reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[2]
- Top choice Silfra Fissure Snorkeling from US$137 Duration3 - 5.5 hours[2]Rating4.71 from 2,142 reviews[2]GuideEnglish[2]CancellationUp to 24 hours in advance[2] Check availability
- Silfra with Free Photos from US$215 Duration4.5 hours[4]Rating4.83 from 628 reviews[4]GuideEnglish[4]CancellationUp to 24 hours in advance[4] See this tour
- Golden Circle and Silfra from US$298 Duration10 hours[5]Rating4.82 from 304 reviews[5]GuideEnglish[5]CancellationUp to 24 hours in advance[5] See this tour
Where: Southwest Iceland, 47 km northeast of Reykjavík on Route 36, at the northern shore of Þingvallavatn, Iceland’s largest natural lake.
Is the trip from Reykjavik to Silfra worth it?
On the way there
- Pickup option: check availability for pickup options when you book the tour from Reykjavík.[2]
- Timing: the tour runs 3 - 5.5 hours, so keep the rest of the day light.[2]
- Self-drive: Thingvellir National Park is 47 km northeast of Reykjavík on Route 36.[1]
- Guide: a live tour guide in English leads the group.[2]
Hotel pickup and drop-off from Reykjavik
Most people reach Silfra on a tour that collects them in Reykjavík, and the Silfra Fissure Snorkeling between Two Continents listing has pickup available, with the options shown when you check availability.[2] That takes the driving, the parking and the navigation out of your day: you are collected, driven out to the rift, kitted out in a dry suit and brought back afterwards. The tour runs 3 - 5.5 hours depending on the starting time you pick, and the group is limited to 6 participants, so the briefing stays calm and the guide can keep an eye on everyone in the water.[2]
If you would rather keep control of your own schedule, driving yourself gives you the freedom to stop at the viewpoints on the way and to spend longer in the national park afterwards, and the road is easy to follow on a map. Whichever you choose, sort it out before you leave the city, because starting times vary through the day and popular slots fill. The listing lets you reserve now and pay later, and you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[2] The live tour guide speaks English.[2]
The drive to Thingvellir National Park
Thingvellir National Park is 47 km northeast of Reykjavík on Route 36.[1] The usual approach is to leave the city and follow the signs for Thingvellir, crossing open moorland and dropping down into the rift valley where the park begins. The road is sealed the whole way and the driving is undemanding in good weather, though the moorland stretch is exposed and can feel wild when the wind picks up. Services along the way are thin, so fuel up and pick up snacks before you leave the city.
The park was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2004[7] and receives approximately 1.5 million visitors each year[8], so the main car parks and viewpoints are busy in high season and you may wait briefly for a space. Þingvallavatn, the lake that fills the valley floor, covers an area of 84 square kilometres and has a greatest depth of 114 metres.[9] The fissure itself lies at the northern end of the lake, a short walk from the parking areas, with the water visible through the gap in the rock as you come down the path.
The bright blue water of the Silfra fissure, seen from the snorkelling route between the plates.
Finding the meeting point and parking at Silfra
Silfra is a fissure in the ground rather than a building, so there is no front door to look for and no address to type into a satnav. The fissure reaches depths of up to 200 feet (60 meters) in its deepest sections, though most snorkeling takes place near the surface[10], and the water allows for underwater visibility of over 100 meters.[3] Follow the signs from the car park and the marked path down towards the water, where your guide will be waiting with the gear.
Take your time on the walk back up afterwards, because you will be carrying equipment and the return leg is uphill. The car parks belong to the national park, so read the signs when you arrive and follow the instructions there. If you are driving yourself, an earlier arrival gives you a quieter walk down to the water before the groups build up, and it leaves room for a slow lap of the park afterwards. If you are meeting a coach, stay with your group and keep an eye on your guide's timings.
Winter driving considerations and safety
In winter the drive can change character completely, and even in summer the weather on the moorland above the city can be very different from conditions at sea level. Snow, ice and strong wind can make the road slower, and daylight is short in midwinter, which matters if your tour finishes late in the afternoon. Check the forecast and the road status before you set off, leave a generous margin in your timing, and be ready to move your booking if conditions look poor.
The water itself does not care what the air is doing. The glacial meltwater in Silfra stays very cold, and because fresh water keeps filling the fissure it never freezes.[3] A dry suit and the warm layers you wear underneath are what make the snorkel comfortable, and your guide will check that everything is sealed before you step down into the water. Take the briefing seriously, stay with your guide, and let them know if you feel cold at any point.
from US$137
The Reykjavík: Silfra Fissure Snorkeling between Two Continents tour runs 3 - 5.5 hours and is limited to 6 participants.[2]
Combining Silfra with a Golden Circle day trip
Because the fissure sits inside Thingvellir National Park, it slots neatly into a Golden Circle day. The From Reykjavík: Golden Circle Tour and Silfra Snorkeling listing runs 10 hours, has pickup included, costs from US$298 and is rated 4.82 from 304 reviews.[5] You see the rift valley first, then the geysers and the waterfall, with the snorkel threaded into the middle of the day. It is a long day out, but a well organised one.
There are other ways to pair the two. The Reykjavík: Golden Circle and Silfra Snorkeling Combo Tour also runs 10 hours, has pickup included, costs from US$282 and is rated 4.61 from 153 reviews.[11] Both suit travellers who would rather see the big sights in one organised loop than drive themselves. If you have the choice, ask for a morning snorkel slot, because the park is at its quietest early and the light through the water is at its best.
Public transport and alternative access
If you are not hiring a car, the most straightforward answer is a tour with pickup, which is what the Silfra Fissure Snorkeling between Two Continents listing offers.[2] Because starting times depend on availability, a tour that collects you from the city and brings you back afterwards keeps that side of the logistics in someone else's hands and means you are not chasing a timetable on the day.
Drivers who are already in the park, or who plan to stay nearby, can join a tour that begins at the fissure itself. The Silfra: Snorkel Between Continents, Drygloves for Warm Hands listing starts at the Silfra meeting point, continues on foot to the water and back, runs 2.5 hours and costs from US$160.[12] That format keeps your day short and leaves the rest of your time free for the park, the lake shore and the walking paths above the rift.
Preparation checklist before you set off
Snorkelling at Silfra has requirements worth checking before you book. Participants must be at least 12 years old and at least 150 cm tall, and they must be able to swim and be comfortable in water. Life jackets and swimming aids are not permitted.[6] If you would rather dive than snorkel, you need either a drysuit diver certification or drysuit dive experience.[13] If your group does not meet the rules, plan a different activity in the park instead.
Pack warm base layers, wool socks and a change of clothes for afterwards, and bring a towel. Leave jewellery and loose items behind, eat something before you go, and remember that the meltwater you float in has been filtered through porous underground lava for 30-100 years before it reaches the spring that feeds Silfra.[3] Underwater, the life you pass is mostly bright green troll hair and different types of algae.[3] Then all you have to do is hold position in the current and look up at the walls of the rift.
From-prices for Silfra tours leaving Reykjavik
From-prices in US dollars as listed on GetYourGuide:[2][4][5][11]
Silfra tour from-prices
From-prices in US dollars for the listings cited:[2][4][5][11][14]
When to plan your Silfra trip
Getting to Silfra
Book your tour and pickup
Pick a starting time that suits you and check availability for pickup options before you confirm.[2]
Drive to Thingvellir
Leave Reykjavík and take Route 36 for Thingvellir National Park, 47 km northeast of the city.[1]
Park in the national park
Park where the signs direct you inside the park, then walk the marked path down towards the water.
Check in with your guide
Meet your guide at the meeting point, collect your dry suit and listen to the safety briefing.
Walk down to the water
Follow the steps into the fissure and float with the gentle current through the clear blue channel.
Ready to snorkel between two continents?
from US$138Reserve now & pay later
