Silfra Snorkeling Tours in Iceland

Silfra’s water stays at around 2–4°C (35–39°F) throughout the year. The temperature changes very little between seasons because the fissure is fed by underground glacial water. Summer doesn't warm the water, and winter doesn’t make it significantly colder.

Your body should stay warm and dry inside the thermal undersuit and dry suit, although a small amount of water can occasionally enter the suit. Most guests feel the cold just on the face and hands when they first enter the water. The thermal undersuit and dry suit protect your body, and most people adjust quickly once they settle into the snorkel.

Bring warm thermal base layers for your upper and lower body, along with thick wool or fleece socks. A towel and a complete change of clothes are also recommended in case anything gets damp. If you normally wear glasses, use contact lenses because you can't wear regular glasses under a snorkeling mask.

Our standalone Silfra snorkeling tour currently starts from about 15,990 ISK (US$132 / €114) per adult. Combo tours cost more because they include another activity or sightseeing experience. The Golden Circle and Silfra snorkeling tour starts from about 34,990 ISK (US$289 / €249) per adult, while the Black & Blue snorkeling and lava caving tour starts from about 23,990 ISK (US$199 / €171) per adult. Prices and approximate currency equivalents checked in September 2026. 

Combo tours cost less than booking the included activities separately, and individual tours may also have discounts. Check the tour pages for the current live price when you book.

Your guide helps you put on and fit the dry suit, so no previous dry suit experience is needed for snorkeling. You wear the provided thermal undersuit over your own base layers, then step into the dry suit while your guide helps secure and check the neck and wrist seals. Before you enter Silfra, your guide makes sure the suit fits properly and that all equipment is in place.

Silfra snorkeling is open to guests ages 12 and up. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian booked on the same tour. Participants must be able to swim independently, feel comfortable in the water, understand and communicate in English, and have a moderate level of fitness. 

Dry suit sizing also creates firm height and weight limits. Participants must be 150–200 cm (4'11"–6'7") tall and weigh between 45–120 kg (99–265 lbs). 

Before booking, you must read the Silfra Snorkeling Handbook and complete the medical statement. Certain medical conditions require written clearance from a doctor, while some conditions may prevent participation.

The height and weight limits are based on the available dry suit sizes and are necessary for the equipment to work safely. A dry suit needs to fit properly to protect you from Silfra’s cold water and provide the intended buoyancy.

You don’t need to be an advanced swimmer, but you must be able to swim independently and feel comfortable in the water. The dry suit gives you considerable buoyancy, and Silfra’s gentle current carries you through much of the route. You still need to control your movement, follow your guide’s instructions, and remain calm and comfortable with your face in the water. A flotation aid can’t replace the swimming requirement.

You can move yourself through the water, but Silfra snorkeling involves much more floating and drifting than active swimming. The current carries you gradually through the fissure, while small movements with your fins help you control your direction. Guides generally encourage relaxed movement rather than constant paddling. Keeping your hands by your sides also helps retain warmth inside the neoprene gloves.

No. Pregnant guests can't participate in Silfra snorkeling. There is a small possibility of cold water entering the dry suit, and the activity takes place in cold water, so pregnancy is a participation restriction.

No, you can't wear regular glasses under a snorkeling mask because the frames prevent the mask from sealing properly against your face. Contact lenses are the easiest option for most guests.

Yes. Your guide takes underwater photos during the snorkeling tour and shares them with you afterward at no additional cost. This means you don't need to bring a waterproof camera to get photos of your Silfra tour. Photo-taking always comes second to guiding the group safely, so the exact number and type of photos can vary. You can also see how we take underwater photos in Silfra.

The snorkeling portion usually lasts around 30–35 minutes. The complete tour takes longer because you also need time to meet your guide, get into the equipment, complete the safety briefing, walk to the entry point, and change out of the gear afterward.

Silfra snorkeling is run with strict safety procedures, equipment checks, and participation requirements. Groups are limited to 6 snorkelers per guide, and our guides are certified divemasters or instructors qualified to guide at Silfra. Every guide on the Silfra team is also a trained first-aid responder, and the team takes part in a safety workshop before each season opens, run together with Þingvellir National Park and local paramedics.  

Before entering the water, your guide checks your equipment and explains how to float, move through the fissure, stay with the group, and ask for help if needed. Guests must also meet the medical, swimming, height, weight, and equipment-fit requirements before taking part.

You can get to Silfra either with Reykjavík pickup or by driving yourself to Thingvellir National Park. If you drive, take Route 49 east out of Reykjavík, continue onto Route 1, then turn onto Route 36 toward Þingvellir National Park. Follow Route 36 to parking area P5. From there, walk to the Silfra meeting area and follow the exact arrival instructions in your booking confirmation.

Silfra is known for exceptionally clear water, with underwater visibility reaching more than 100 m (328 ft) in good conditions. The snorkeling route passes through four main sections: Big Crack, Silfra Hall, Silfra Cathedral, and Silfra Lagoon, with volcanic rock and bright green algae visible along the way. Silfra has very little animal life, so the experience is mainly about the geology, water clarity, colors, and depth of the fissure.

Silfra snorkeling is available year-round, and the water remains around 2–4°C (35–39°F) in every season. Summer has longer daylight hours and milder temperatures while you are getting changed above the water, while winter gives the surrounding Thingvellir landscape a very different atmosphere. The underwater experience remains remarkably consistent throughout the year because Silfra’s water temperature and clarity change very little.  

Snorkeling is the right choice for most visitors because it requires no diving certification and is available to guests ages 12 and up who meet the participation requirements. Diving allows certified divers to descend deeper into Silfra, but it is restricted to guests ages 18 and up with the required diving certification and dry suit experience. If you don’t already meet the diving requirements, choose snorkeling.

Silfra diving is for qualified divers aged 18 and up. Divers need an Open Water Diver certification or equivalent and must also meet the dry suit requirements. You need either a recognized dry suit diving certification or written proof of at least 10 logged dry suit dives completed within the previous two years. 

Diving and snorkeling therefore have very different entry requirements. If you don’t already have the required diving qualifications and dry suit experience, choose a Silfra snorkeling tour instead.

Yes. Silfra is inside Þingvellir National Park, one of the main stops on Iceland’s Golden Circle, so the two activities can easily be combined in one day. Our Golden Circle and Silfra snorkeling tour lasts about 10 hours from Reykjavik and includes snorkeling at Silfra, Geysir geothermal area, Gullfoss waterfall, and Kerið crater. Transportation, snorkeling equipment, the Silfra admission fee, and underwater photos are included.