Snorkeling Silfra & Northern Lights - Selfdrive
Iceland's most spectacular views
Silfra and Aurora Borealis
The clearest water and most dazzling sky
This tour combines two spectacular Icelandic vistas: the underwater sights in Silfra and the Northern lights.
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.
Your adventure begins with the snorkeling tour of Silfra. This is a self-drive tour so you will meet us at the Silfra meeting point in Thingvellir National Park. Silfra, the famous fissure between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, provides an underwater experience unlike anywhere else on earth. Floating in the crystal clear glacial water will give you the sensation of flying as you pass through an expansive canyon created by the slow separation of the tectonic plates. You will be provided with a dry suit and an undergarment to keep you dry and warm while in the near-freezing water. We recommend that you wear thermal long-underwear and wool socks for additional warmth. Make sure to drink some of the Silfra water while you are snorkeling! Who knows when you will be able to drink water so pure again. After your 30-40 minute snorkeling session in Silfra, you can explore the Thingvellir area as you wish.
Your northern lights hunt will begin later in the evening when you make your way the 20 minute drive from Reykjavík to Aurora Basecamp, a brand new Northern Lights Observatory where you will get tips on how to spot them, how to hunt for them in your rental car, how to take photos of them on your camera and much more making it a perfect starting point for your Northern Lights hunt in Iceland. At Aurora Basecamp you will also experience a unique indoor simulation of the Northern Lights.
Also known as aurora borealis, northern lights are caused by the effect of solar flares on earth's athmosphere. They appear in many forms and colors, ranging from green and white to pink and purple. Sometimes they appear as a dancing streak across the sky. At other times, they'll appear as lasers shooting down from outer space. As the possibility of viewing the northern lights depends on both solar activity and weather conditions here on earth, it is not possible to guarantee the northern lights. However, the simulation in the Dark Park at Aurora Basecamp allows you to see a simulation so real that you will not be disappointed if you are not able to catch the real lights.
This is a self-drive tour. Meeting point for Silfra Snorkeling is at Thingvellir national park. The drive from Reykjavik is about 1 hour. Meeting point for the Northern Lights tour is at Aurora Basecamp. The drive from Reykjavik is about 20 minutes.
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.
Tour Details
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September - March
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Snorkeling: approx. 3 hours at Silfra. Aurora Basecamp: as long as you like. Approx. 3 hours driving.
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Maximum 6 snorkelers per snorkel guide.
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Northern Lights experience offered by Aurora Basecamp
Please bring:
- Long underwear
- Thick socks
- Suitable clothes for the weather of the day
- Contact lenses if you wear glasses
Included:
- Guided snorkeling tour
- All necessary snorkeling equipment
- Hot chocolate and cookies after the snorkeling trip
- Entrance fee into Silfra
- Aurora Basecamp Entrance fee
Head over to our Merch page and grab a souvenir to remember your adventure by!
POPULAR TIMES AT SILFRA
For your safety, all participants must:
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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
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
Northern Lights tour:
- Drive out to Aurora Basecamp Northern Lights Observatory (20 minutes away from Reykjavik)
- Visit the Northern Lights simulation show
- Get tips and tricks on how to find the lights, how to photograph them and much more
- Enjoy the warmth of the domes while waiting for the lights to appear
- Go on your own Northern Lights hunt
Your bookable extras
Experience the tour
Guides on this tour
You might be guided by one of these nice guys
You will dive here
Address
Silfra
Thingvellir National Park
801 Selfoss
Aurora Basecamp Northern Lights Observatory
Bláfjallavegur
220 Hafnarfjörður
Frequently asked questions
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Are photos always taken on the Silfra Snorkeling Tours?
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In general, the answer is yes. However, it can happen on rare occasions that your Silfra snorkeling guide is not able to take photos because they might be busy assisting other snorkelers in the water. Another issue could be that the camera has a problem. In this unlikely case you will receive a full refund for the photos you purchased.
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Can I buy food at Silfra?
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Unfortunately, there is no food sold directly at Silfra. There is however a restaurant at the Thingvellir Information Centre which is located just 3,5km away from Silfra.
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Do I need to see a doctor before I join your tour?
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We have a special Medical Statement that all our participants need to read and sign prior our tour. If you say YES to any of the questions in section 1 we unfortunately can't take you on our tour. If you say YES to any of the questions in section 2 you need a Physicians approval. Our form for the Physicians approval is on the second page of the form Snorkeling Silfra Medical Form
Diving Silfra Medical Form Or you can use our Online Check-In site HERE once you have booked. There you can fill out the electronic
Medical Statement and then all you need to do is sign it at Silfra
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Do you see any life in Silfra?
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Although there is plenty of life in Silfra, most of it is either plant life or micro-invertebrates, which are not visible to the human eye. Silfra is home to a unique amphipod called Crymostygius Thingvallensis found only in Thingvellir Lake and the surrounding fissures, such as Silfra.
In regard to fish life, there are three different species of fish that live in the lake: Brown Trout, Arctic Char and Sticklebacks, however, only the Arctic Char visit the fissure; they are frequent visitors during mating season in August and September. Throughout the rest of the year, the only fish who live in the Silfra fissure are the Dwarf Char, a subspecies of the Arctic Char. These range in size from a few centimeters to approximately 10cm maximum and live down in the darker recesses near the rocks and as such are not often spotted by divers or snorkelers.
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How cold is the water in Silfra?
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The water temperature in Silfra is 2-4°Celsius all year around. This converts to 35-39°Fahrenheit.
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How long is the Snorkeling Silfra tour?
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The tour time is between 2.5 and 3 hours from start to finish at Silfra, not including pick-up and drop-off times. The speed of the tour depends on the participants in the group and the number of people at Silfra, so if you are planning a second activity afterwards, please consider a maximum time frame of three hours. Please note that this is the duration of the tour on-site at Silfra. If you have chosen to use our transport options, your tour time will be between five and six hours from pick up to drop off.
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