Diving & Snorkeling Tours

Diving And Snorkeling Tours In Iceland

Most snorkeling and diving trips in Iceland end up in the same water: Silfra, a flooded rift in Thingvellir National Park where the North American and Eurasian plates pull apart. It is fed by glacial meltwater that spent decades filtering through porous lava rock, so visibility is routinely quoted at over 330 feet (100 meters). The water sits at 36 to 39 F (2 to 4 C) every day of the year. The cold is the price of the clarity.

What It Is Actually Like

You float face down and drift between two rock walls, hands behind your back. Because the water is that clear, it feels less like swimming than like flying over a canyon. You wear a dry suit over thermal undergarments, with a hood and gloves, so only your face and lips touch the water. Suiting up and the briefing take longer than the swim, so set aside two hours.

Snorkel, Dive, or Head North

Most visitors snorkel. Diving Silfra is limited to certified divers aged 18 and up, and your paperwork is checked before you get in the water.

Trip	Who it suits	Requirement
Silfra snorkeling	Most visitors	Swim ability, medical form, size limits
Silfra diving	Certified divers	Open water plus dry suit certification or logged dry suit dives
Strytan, north Iceland	Experienced divers	Certification and a base up north

Davidsgja, a quieter dive site in the same lake, is the local alternative. Strytan in Eyjafjordur, up in northern Iceland, is an active hydrothermal vent rising to within about 50 feet (15 meters) of the surface.

What It Costs and What To Bring

Snorkeling Silfra starts around 18,600 ISK (about $135 / EUR 124) meeting the guides at the park, and around 29,000 ISK (about $210 / EUR 193) with return transfer from Reykjavik. Dry suit diving and private groups cost considerably more. Silfra sits on the Golden Circle route, so it slots into a sightseeing day.

Dry suit, undergarment, hood, gloves, mask and fins come with the tour. You bring thin wool base layers, warm socks, a hat and dry clothes to change into, plus contact lenses, since glasses do not fit under a mask. If you rent a car instead of joining a tour from Reykjavik, add the Thingvellir parking fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need diving experience to snorkel Silfra?

No. It is a guided surface swim, though you must be able to swim unaided and sign a medical declaration.

Is there a minimum age?

Snorkeling is usually 12 and up, diving 18 and up. Height and weight limits also apply, set by dry suit sizing rather than fitness, so check before booking for a child.

Can you do it in winter?

Yes, it runs all year, and the water is the same in January as in July. What changes is the air and the daylight, so read Iceland in winter first.

How cold does it actually feel?

Your face and lips are the only skin touching 36 to 39 F (2 to 4 C) water, so the first minute stings and then goes numb. Tell your guide if you get properly cold.