Silfra Snorkeling & Whale Watching
An awe inspiring experience of whales and Silfra
Dive into the world of whales
The combination of snorkeling through the famous Silfra fissure and whale watching is a great way to get to know the many forms of one of Iceland’s most prominent elements: water.
The day begins on a whale watching boat for an unforgettable trip into the world of whales and sea birds with our trusted whale watching partner, Elding adventure at sea. As this is a self drive tour, you will make your way to Elding's office at the old Reykjavik harbor.
The various types of whales commonly sighted include minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbor porpoises and the popular humpback whales. You will be accompanied by sea birds such as gannets, guillemots, cormorants, kittiwakes, arctic terns, and many more. The trip also takes you past several islands inhabited by colonies of puffins, which provides a great photo opportunity!
You will then have time for a quick bite before your drive to the National Park Thingvellir where you will snorkel Silfra. You can meet us directly at the Silfra meeting point in Thingvellir National Park.
A snorkeling adventure in the famous Silfra fissure is an unforgettable experience, there is a reason this Snorkeling Tour was awarded the best tour in Iceland and 10th in the world on the 2024 Best of the Best Traveler's choice awards by Tripadvisor.
We can proudly state that DIVE.IS will offer you the best service level at Silfra. Let us tell you why:
- We built our own changing room so that our guests have the opportunity to dress up inside a heated changing van.
- After snorkeling in the cold water, we warm you up with hot cocoa and cookies.
- Our guides are all experienced PADI divemasters and instructors that have been through professional training before running any of our tours.
Silfra is a crack in the earth created by the powerful forces of the movement of tectonic plates. The fissure was created by the North American and Eurasian continental plates ripping apart from one another. Crystal clear glacial water fills this crack in the earth, creating a stunning underwater world. You can read more about the Snorkeling Silfra Day Tour here.
Silfra fissure is located at Thingvellir National Park which is on the Golden circle, a very popular sightseeing route in Iceland. Other sightseeing locations on the Golden circle are Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir hot spring and Kerið crater.
If someone in your party doesn't snorkel but wants to join the whale watching tour, you can book them in from our other tours page.
Our Souvenirs can be purchased in your booking process by selecting them under "Extras". If the Souvenir you are looking for is not listed below please contact us or leave a comment in your booking and we will bring it on tour with us. Photos from your tour can be purchased directly from your guide at Silfra for 3000 ISK.
Very cool and unique experience
The whole experience was very memorable. Denise was our guide and did a great job getting us suited up and ready to go. The snorkeling itself wasn’t nearly as cold as people said and I had to be told to get out at the end! The channel was really interesting to look at as you float easily at the surface, and Denise got some great pictures of my group.
Tour Details
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1 February - 31 October, daily
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Time: Whale Watching at 09:00 & Snorkeling at 14:00 (March - October) or 14:30 (February)
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Don't see a tour time that works for you? Contact us at dive@dive.is and we will find the best time
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7 hours
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Maximum of 6 snorkelers per snorkel guide
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Minimum 3 snorkelers. We will refund you in full if the minimum is not met
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More people on the whale watching boat
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Available as a self-drive tour only
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Whale watching tour operated by Elding Adventures at Sea
Included:
- Guide
- Guided snorkelling trip
- All necessary snorkelling equipment
- Hot chocolate and cookies after the snorkeling trip
- Entrance fee into Silfra
- Guided boat trip to watch the whales
Please bring:
- Long underwear
- Thick socks
- Suitable clothes for the weather of the day
- Contact lenses if you wear glasses
Head over to our Merch page and grab a souvenir to remember your adventure by!
Safety requirements
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have read, signed, and followed directions on our online Snorkeling Silfra Medical Statement PDF
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have our Snorkeling Medical form signed off by a doctor if they are age 60 or older PDF
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sign our liability release form at the start of the snorkeling tour PDF
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be at minimum 150cm / maximum 200cm
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be at minimum 45kg / maximum 120kg
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fit within our dry suit size chart PDF
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be at least 12 years of age on the year and at least 45 kg / 99 lbs
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be comfortable in water and be able to swim
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be physically fit
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be ready to wear a sometimes tight & constricting dry suit
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be able to communicate in English
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not be pregnant
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eat well before the tour
Timeline of your tour
Whale watching tour:
- Arrival at the meeting point of Elding Adventures at Sea (Reykjavik old harbor)
- Check in, receive boarding tickets
- Meeting with the crew at the visitor center
- Wildlife exhibition visit to get to know the animals you might encounter on your tour
- Board the whale watching boat and enjoy about 3 hours out at sea
- Return to the harbor
In between tours:
- Drive to Thingvellir National park
Snorkeling Silfra tour:
- Arrival at the meeting point at Silfra 15 minutes before the tour start time, check-in with guides
- Division into groups of 6 people, one group per guide
- Briefing and gear-up with your guide (∼1 hour total)
- Once you are fully dressed, your guide will take a number from the park ranger and that will be your group’s number to enter the water
- Make your way to the entry platform, short wait (wait time may vary)
- 30-45 minutes spent in the water
- Exit through platform, walk back to the meeting point (∼250 meters)
- Take off equipment, enjoy hot chocolate and cookies to warm up
- At this point, you will have time to chat with your guide, ask any questions you might have and take a look at the pics taken during the tour
Your bookable extras
Experience the tour
Experience the tour
Guides on this tour
You might be guided by one of these nice guys
You'll go snorkeling and whale watching here
Address
Silfra
Thingvellir National Park
801 Selfoss
Elding
Ægisgardur 5
101 Reykjavík
