Thingvellir: Silfra Fissure Diving with Optional Pickup

GYG

Thingvellir: Silfra Fissure Diving with Optional Pickup

★ 4.5(75 reviews)

• Eight of the outdoor sights around Reykjavik charge for parking rather than for entry. That fee is per car, so it falls away entirely when somebody else is driving.
• Guide works in English
• Duration per the operator: 4 to 6 hours

from $275

See dates, price and what is included at the operator

Diving the Silfra Fissure from Reykjavik

This tour takes you from Reykjavik to Thingvellir National Park for a dive in the Silfra fissure, the crack where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates pull apart. The trip runs 4 to 6 hours and is led by Arctic Adventures, with the dive itself taking place in the crystal-clear glacial water that filters through the lava field. You will be picked up in Reykjavik, though an optional pickup is available if you are staying outside the central area. The tour is conducted in English, and a guide stays with you throughout. You will need your own dry suit experience, as this is a dive rather than a snorkel, and the water temperature sits just above freezing year-round. It suits certified divers who want to swim between two continents in water so clear that visibility extends over 100 meters. The price starts at 275 USD, which places it in the mid-range of the 162 Golden Circle tours listed in this directory.

Photographs from the operator Arctic Adventures. They show the listing, not your day.

What the Price Covers

The entry price of 275 USD includes your admission to the Silfra fissure itself, so you will not pay the 1,500 ISK per-person park fee that independent visitors are charged. Your guide and dive equipment are part of the package, and the tour operator explicitly states that admission is covered. What you will not pay on the day is the parking fee at either Thingvellir National Park or the Silfra car park, since both charge 1,000 ISK per car and a guided trip does not require you to bring a vehicle. The visitor centre exhibition at Thingvellir, which costs 1,200 ISK for adults, is not part of the tour, so if you want to see it you will pay separately. Free cancellation is offered, though the operator does not give a deadline for when you must cancel to receive a refund. The price you see is the starting point; the actual cost may vary depending on the date and how many people are in your group.

What the Score Means

The tour holds a rating of 4.5 out of 5, based on 75 reviews. That is a solid score, but the number of ratings is small compared to the most-reviewed tours in this category. The Golden Circle Full-Day Tour with Kerid Crater, for instance, has over 26,000 reviews behind its 4.8 score, and the 10-hour Golden Circle, Kerid, and Secret Lagoon Tour has 6,359 reviews at 4.8. With only 75 votes, this rating tells you that the tour is well regarded by those who have taken it, but it does not carry the statistical weight of the higher-volume tours. In the category of 162 Golden Circle tours, this listing ranks 43rd by strength of evidence, which is a mid-table position. The price of 275 USD puts it 69th out of 162, meaning it is neither a budget option nor the most expensive way to see the Golden Circle. What you are paying for is the dive itself, which is a specialist activity rather than a standard sightseeing circuit.

Season and Time of Day

The dive runs year-round, and the water temperature in the fissure stays at around 2 to 4 degrees Celsius regardless of the season. What changes is the air temperature above. From November through March, Reykjavik sees average highs of 3 to 5 degrees and lows around minus 2, so you will be suiting up in cold air before entering colder water. The summer months of June, July, and August bring highs of 13 to 15 degrees, which makes the surface time more comfortable but does nothing to warm the water. The tour lasts 4 to 6 hours, so you will be outside for a significant stretch. In winter, daylight is short, and a morning departure is the practical choice. In summer, the long daylight hours mean an afternoon start is feasible, though the fissure is busiest between late morning and early afternoon. The shoulder months of May and September, with highs around 10 to 11 degrees and lows above freezing, offer the best balance of reasonable air temperature and manageable crowds.

On Arrival at the Fissure

You will be driven to the Silfra car park, where the guide handles the logistics. The fissure itself is a designated dive site with a changing area, though it is basic and open to the elements. You will put on your dry suit at the site, and the guide will brief you on the entry and exit points. The water is so clear that the bottom appears closer than it is, and the current is gentle, but the cold is the main factor. You will be in the water for roughly 30 to 40 minutes, depending on your air consumption and comfort. After the dive, you will change out of the wet gear and return to Reykjavik. There are no staffed facilities at the fissure beyond the car park and the changing shelter, so you should come prepared with warm, dry clothes to change into. The weather can close the road to the site in winter, and the guide has the final say on whether conditions are safe for diving.

Who This Tour Is For

This dive is for certified divers who are comfortable in a dry suit and in cold water. It is not a first dive, and it is not suitable for anyone who has not completed a dry suit certification, since the suit is essential for surviving the near-freezing water. If you are not a diver, or if you want to experience Silfra without the certification requirement, the snorkeling version of this tour is the alternative. Among the comparable listings in this category, the Golden Circle Full-Day Tour with Kerid Crater is the closest in spirit, running 7 to 8.5 hours and covering the main sights by bus. That tour is rated 4.8 from over 26,000 reviews and costs from 91 USD, making it a far cheaper and more accessible option for travellers who want to see Thingvellir and the surrounding area without getting wet. The 6.5-hour Golden Circle Full Day Tour at 82 USD is the budget choice, while the 11-hour version that adds the Blue Lagoon at 257 USD is for those who want a full day out. This dive tour is the only one of the five that puts you in the water, and that is its entire appeal.

GYG

Thingvellir: Silfra Fissure Diving with Optional Pickup

Dates, remaining places and the current version of what is included are at the operator. This page reflects the state of the catalogue, not the state of this morning.

from $275

Ansehen