I had already visited many fascinating locations in Iceland years ago, and Silfra was one of them. But until now, I had never seen beneath the surface of this glacial stream, which is fed by Langjökull, Iceland’s second-largest glacier.
I could have, though, as snorkelling in Silfra is one of the top-rated activities for visitors to Iceland.
I love diving and exploring the underwater world—especially freediving—so this time, I decided to be brave (the water is a chilling 2–4°C!) and visit Þingvellir National Park, located about 40 minutes from Reykjavík.
Here, the North American (on the RIGHT) and Eurasian tectonic plates (on the LEFT) are drifting apart at a rate of 2 cm per year! I’ll learn more about this geological wonder when I return to explore the entire park later this week. 😉
But for now, back to the water adventure…
Stefan, our driver and diving guide, had an unmistakable Italian flair about him—his smile alone gave away his roots. In his lively Italian-accented English, he quickly explained the rules of the game and handed each of us our gear (a drysuit, neoprene gloves, mask, snorkel, and fins). After a short walk through moss-covered lava field, we arrived at the entrance to Silfra.
Since I had already spent a week mentally preparing for the freezing water, stepping into the icy bath wasn’t as hard as I had imagined. And guess what? It wasn’t even that cold!
It felt like floating on the surface of the sea in summer after about an hour of swimming—chilly, but manageable. The only thing I gradually lost feeling in was… my lips.
We snorkelled in the crystal-clear waters of Silfra for about 30 minutes, drifting between two tectonic plates, with some free exploration of a lagoon at the end.
This entire fractured landscape, filled with cracks and crevices, is also a beloved diving spot for scuba divers.
Why?
Maybe the video below will answer that better than words. 😉
Even though Silfra has the best underwater visibility in the world, the only fish species you’ll see here is the Arctic char—a tiny, 10 cm-long fish that hides in the cracks of the rocks, far from the curious eyes of divers.
In the photo, you can clearly see the effects of nearly two months of breathing Icelandic air—JOKING! We all looked like this, including the two hilarious retirees from Canada who joined me in the water.)
Also, I thought I was making a thumbs-up sign in the picture.
The problem? I didn’t have an index finger to point with! To keep my hands warm, I stuffed all four fingers into one section of the glove and left my thumb free—just so I could hold the camera.
Now that you know all the behind-the-scenes details, the only thing left is to watch the video below. 😉
<3, Alenka