Is Silfra Snorkeling Worth It?

What you get

Silfra is a flooded fissure between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, filled with glacial meltwater that has been filtered through lava rock for an estimated 30 to 100 years. The result is visibility over 100 metres. You actually can drink it mid-swim if you want to prove the point. You float between two continental shelves with nothing but blue water and geological walls — that is not common.

Anne Marie from the US was hesitant about the cold but went anyway and called it once-in-a-lifetime. Atia from the US said the water was crystal clear and tasted great. That is the honest upside: you see something that does not exist anywhere else, and you are the kind of person who gets that.

What slows it down

The drysuit is not optional. You are wearing a thick wetsuit-like layer, a hood that covers your head, gloves that fit snugly at the wrists, and thermal base layers underneath. Paige from the US said the suits were "pretty uncomfortable while on land but felt much better once you got into the water." Toni from the pickup tour said it takes some time to get into your suit and patience is needed. That is the honest middle ground: the suit feels cumbersome at first, but once you are in the water, it works.

Your face and hands still get cold. Hannah from the pickup tour said the cold did get tough. Holly from the Golden Circle tour said if you are sensitive to cold, this will test you. Guides learn to watch for signs and pull people out if they need to. It is not dangerous; it is just the nature of the water.

What is missing

There are no fish in Silfra. No marine life to speak of. You might see troll hair algae (bright green) and occasionally a tiny char near the lagoon, but nobody comes for wildlife. If you are expecting a reef snorkel with bright schools of fish, you will be disappointed. If you are coming to float in the clearest freshwater on Earth and see two tectonic plates, you have the right expectations.

The numbers

Across the six main Silfra tours on GetYourGuide, there are over 6,400 reviews. The ratings run 4.5 to 4.9. That consistency comes from the fact that people who understand what Silfra is — geology, not wildlife — report exactly that: extraordinary clarity, the scale of the fissure, the cold handled by the drysuit, and no complaints about missing fish. People who come expecting tropical snorkeling rates it lower. The people who know what they are getting give it the high marks.

Book the highest-rated Silfra tour

The most reviewed tour is the Silfra Fissure Snorkeling with Underwater Photos, 4.9 stars from over 3,100 reviews, small groups, meet on location.

My take

I have guided a thousand groups through Silfra in 11 seasons. The people who say it was worth it came in knowing they were floating between two plate boundaries, that the water was going to be cold, that there were no fish, and that the drysuit was part of the deal. The people who say it was okay but not worth the money often expected a different kind of snorkeling. Know what you are signing up for, and you will understand the ratings.

Frequently asked questions