
Snorkel between Continents in the Silfra Fissure, with Photos
Duration: 3 hours Easy Unique experience
Why we love this tour
Snorkel like never before and swim through a crack in the earth's crust. Jump into Iceland's clear glacial water and flip your fins from the Eurasian to the North American tectonic plates.
- Visit Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Float over deep canyons with uncharted caves
- See shades of blue only found in glacial water
- Swim back and forth between tectonic plates
- Snorkel in a shallow lagoon covered in colorful algae












Just because Iceland is full of ice doesn't mean you can't still jump in the water. Bundle up and snorkel in a bright blue glacial lagoon over a crack in the earth's crust. Marvel at Iceland's impressive landscape as you swim from one tectonic plate to the other along the rock walls of Silfra fissure.
You meet your guide, a certified diver, in Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. You take a short journey through the park for a chance to admire the volcanic, moss-laden fields. Along the way, the friendly and experienced PADI Divemaster guide provides a safety briefing.
You receive all of the necessary equipment for snorkeling in the chilly waters of Silfra, including neoprene hoods and gloves, a thermal undersuit, a drysuit and, of course, a mask, snorkel, and fins. This equipment will keep you buoyant throughout your time in the fissure, as well as offering a protection so you can enjoy the glacial freshwater water.
Submerge below the surface to find incredible shades of blue along the rocky canyon walls. As you flip your fins, you move from one continent to another; this rift separates the North American plate from the Eurasian plate. Thingvellir National Park is famous for giving visitors the opportunity to swim in two places at once; it's also been named by National Geographic as one of the top dive sites in the world.
Swimming further, you arrive at Silfra Hall, the widest section on the fissure, and the majestic Silfra Cathedral, the deepest section. The fissure reaches 63 m (207 ft), and snorkeling in such pure waters gives you unbelievable visibility of 70–80 m (230–260 ft).
Finally, you reach the stunning oasis of the “Real Blue Lagoon," a stunning shallow body of water at the fissure. The entire 45-minute aquatic adventure reveals a magically isolated canyon for you to explore the earth's crust up close.
Snorkel in unending shades of blue in the center of Iceland's gorgeously green Thingvellir National Park. The thrill of continent-hopping is balanced equally by the calming sensation swimming in the clear freshwater of the Silfra fissure.
Need to know before you go
Tours run every day at 9:00 am (summer only), 10:00 am, 11:00 am (summer only), 1:00 p.m. (summer only) and 2:00 pm, all year round.
Each guide takes a group of a maximum of 6 people. Larger groups will be split among guides.
Participants must be between 45-120 kg (100-265 lbs), 150-200 cm (59-79 in), and 12-65 years of age.
Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult or guardian.
You must sign and present the Medical Statement Form before the activity.
If you are under 60, you can sign the form at the meeting point. Those over 60 must present a medical waiver (on page 2 of the form).
No previous snorkel experience is necessary. You must only be able to swim and be physically fit.
Please bring thick, warm socks, a towel, long underwear, change of clothes (just in case), contact lenses if you wear glasses, and water.
You must be ready to wear a tight and constricting dry suit to protect your body from the cold.
Pregnant women are not allowed to participate.
Important information. To be able to do this tour, you must be able to comply with the following requirements
- Have read, signed, and followed directions on the Snorkeling Silfra Medical Statement Form (to be sent after booking).
- You can sign the form at the meeting location.
- Be comfortable in the water and be able to swim.
- Communicate in English or have an interpreter with you at the time of the tour.
- Be physically fit.
- Not be pregnant.
- You must be ready to wear a tight and constricting dry suit to protect your body from the cold.
- You must be a minimum of 150 cm (59 in) and a maximum of 200 in (79 in) in height and weigh between 45-120 kg (100-265 lbs) along with being physically fit.
- You must be a maximum of 65 years of age to participate in this tour. If you are over 60 years of age, you need a medical waiver, available on page 2 of the medical form.
- You must be a minimum of 12 years of age to participate in this tour. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian booked on the same tour.
- If you are over 45 and partake/have partaken in pipe smoking or heavy alcohol intake, you need a medical waiver.
- Please note that should you have any neurological, circulatory or respiratory problems or underlying diseases, battled any illnesses or have any physical problems you might have to turn in a physicians allowance to participate in this tour.
Cancellation
Your booking will become valid after we receive your payment and send you a confirmation email.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance with 100% reimbursement.
There is no reimbursement for later cancellations. In case of cancellation from our side due to bad weather, we will return your payment in full.
Meeting point
At company’s van marked with a big TROLL, inside the “companies only “parking lot in Silfra. You need to park your car in the parking lot P5 (500m away) and walk back to the “companies only” parking lot in Silfra.
You can look up “Troll Expedition Silfra” on Google Maps to find the exact location.
Enter address in Google Maps. Park your car at P5 parking lot at Thingvellir National Park.
Provided by
Troll ExpeditionsReviews for this provider
29 Jun 2023
I attempted to contact your company twice via email before my tour due to inability to travel to Iceland to cancel and be reimbursed but never heard back. I am very disappointed in your customer service. I was frustrated to receive this email today.
18 Jun 2023
The booking was not in the systemen of Troll expedities and your email send us to the wrong location.
23 Feb 2023
We went in February and had the best weather we could have wished for. The tour was well organised and the preparation went very smoothly. Our guide was very friendly and always happy to answer any questions we had. The hike was amazing. Even though some of our group were worried that it might be too difficult, it worked quite well (all of us were used to walking the dog/ going on daily walks). The view from the glacier was absolutely stunning and we could stop to take pictures. Unfortunately, the „Blue Ice Cave“ was incredibly disappointing. It was maybe 5 metres long/„deep“ and only four people could enter at a time. Each group of four probably spent up to 10 min in the tiny „cave“ (to take pictures as there wasn‘t anything else to do/see there. The pictures on the website are completely misleading. Organisation of the tour: 5 stars Guide: 5 stars Glacier hike: 5 stars Ice „Cave“: 1 star
21 Jun 2022
11 Oct 2021
Wonderful and exciting. Guide Sven was very experienced and knowledgeable. Dark humor. Loved it.
14 Aug 2019
We didn’t know what to expect. This tour was worth it. We learned a good amount about the glaciers and, sadly, about how they are disappearing. The hiking was easy and the views were fabulous.
2 Jan 2019
It was the most fantastic time in Iceland. I would like to recommend this activites to others. Thank you very much.