Our most extreme iceland adventure has definitely been snorkeling silfra, a crack between the north american and eurasian continents. There is no shore diving site quite like the silfra fissure in iceland, famous for being. The silfra fissure has four important, and distinctive sections that can be dived or snorkeled. Its some of the purest and clearest water in the world, attracting divers. Chantelle wyatt iceland picaga photography radoslaw krol scuba diving iceland silfra silfra crack. Big crack, silfra hall, the cathedral and silfra lagoon. With us, you are guaranteed a small group experience. Dive in silfra september 2012, national park thingvellir, iceland.
Snorkeling in silfra in iceland between 2 continents. This process formed the midatlantic ridge and later, the island of iceland. Dive site silfra in thingvellir national park, iceland dive. Snorkelling silfra with scuba iceland the scuba news. Snorkeling in the silfra fissure is a once in a lifetime experience that you dont want to miss.
Silfra diving day tour at thingvellir national park extreme. We would absolutely book another excursion with arctic adventures if we returned to iceland. We are proud that tripadvisor has named our snorkeling silfra day tour the no. Pushing apart the continental plates the north american and european tectonic plates move apart on an average of two centimeters per year, at silfra crack you can dive in between them and touch both sides in some sections. Snorkeling at silfra is suitable for anyone who feels comfortable in the water. Silfra is a fissure between the north american and eurasian continental plates. Silfra is a crack in the earth ripped open by the movement of the north american and eurasian tectonic plates. Located in the thingvallavatn lake in the thingvellir national park in iceland, silfra is part of the atlantic rift the dividing line between the continents of europe and america.
It takes 30100 years for the glacial waters from the nearby langjokull glacier to filter through the underground lava rocks and into the fissure. Silfra diving day tour at thingvellir national park extreme iceland. Which may seem odd because its a freshwater dive with almost no interesting visible life. These are the silfra big crack, the silfra hall, the silfra cathedral and the silfra lagoon. Silfra is a fissure between two continental plates with over 100m visibility underwater. The first section near the entrance is the silfra deep crack, which is long and narrow as it winds a little to the left and right. The one must do on their list was snorkeling silfra. The silfra fissure is a crack between the north american and eurasian continental plates. Silfra is actually the ravine between the eurasian and the. During the tour, you will explore the four main parts of silfra. Scuba diving the silfra in iceland dive buddies 4 life. Silfra tectonic fissure is the only place in the world where you can dive or snorkel between two continental plates. Water travels from the langjokull glacier through porous lava rock during a journey that takes between 30 and 100 years before seeping into the fissure.
Diving silfra is your opportunity to dive the famous silfra fissure. Proximity to the arctic circle, rapidly changing weather patterns, ancient glaciers when it comes to cold, icelands got it covered big time. It takes the water about 30 to 100 years to filter through the lava before it comes in silfra. Dry suit diving adventures in silfra, iceland diving island. With this tour, you can experience the mysteries below without being a fully qualified diver, and make a fun afternoon of it while you enjoy the national park. Dive silfra is an icelandic owned and operated snorkeling and diving tour company deadicated to leading fun and ecofriendly underwater excursions for all of our visitors. We visited silfra in february for diving and had a couple of days that we made a few diva at this wonderful place. It is a multilevel dive, so diving silfra means having good control of your buoyancy. Located in the thingvellir national park, silfras crystal clear waters are unmatched and perfect for underwater sightseeing. Feb 17, 2017 one of the people diving in silfra, a crevasse at. You will also receive a padi dry suit specialty certificate, which is an internationally recognised certification and often a requirement for diving in challenging coldwater dive sites elsewhere in the world. As always, you should control your dive position in the water with your lungs first, bcd second, and drysuit. Here the full spectrum of silfras colors and clarity become all the more apparent. Diving silfra day tour in iceland dive silfra with dive.
Silfra is a crack between the american and the eurasian continents, where the two massive tectonic plates are slowly drifting apart. Silfra fissure snorkeling tour thingvellir national park. You will see why snorkeling in iceland is so popular and why divers from all over the world come to iceland to explore this unique place. Icelands silfra dive site is revered around the world. Icelands silfra dive site is revered around the world, but as mark evans found out, there is much more to this dramatic island than this singular iconic location. Next enter silfra hall, a wide area covered in seaweed. It provides a unique and rugged underwater landscape, made of vibrant rocks cliffs and incredible blue appearances. With about 100 metres visibility and water temperature between 2 and 4 degrees celsius, there. The silfra fissure is a waterfilled crack between the north american and eurasian tectonic plates, where the two continents drift apart from each other. Freedive silfra tour in a wetsuit guide to iceland.
We provide dry suit diving opportunities and various kinds of diving adventures in silfra, iceland. Silfra consists of many different rooms and includes two smaller rifts. Snorkeling in silfra in iceland between 2 continents what to wear for snorkeling in silfra when i received my tour confirmation email from dive. A diver diving inbetween the north american and european continental plates at silfra crack, iceland.
Jul 06, 2016 there is definitively no need to hire a dive guide to dive at silfra. Snorkelling tours in silfra, iceland diving island. The fissure lies between the plates of europe and america making it possible for. As it is located in a national park, you will need to join a dive tour operator. Explore silfra fissure on iceland scuba diving tours. Silfra is an otherworldly scene located in the lava field directly on top of the continental rift valley between america and europe. The entire island is situated on top of a fault line between two tectonic plates. Here the full spectrum of silfra s colors and clarity become all the more apparent. During your snorkel, you will explore the four main parts of silfra.
We also visited gullfoss, gejser and some other places. But what makes diving silfra crack in the thingvellir national park extraordinary is that, by diving here, youre in the space between two worlds. Big crack also holds the shallowest areas it is only 0. You will float through big crack, silfra s narrowest section, where you can have your dive between the continents photo taken.
Yes, it is a thing, and if it isnt already you should add it to your iceland bucket list. Apr 14, 2017 snorkeling in silfra with scuba iceland published. On my first trip to iceland five years ago i asked my viking what was something on his iceland bucket list. Dec 30, 2019 i traveled to iceland with my teenage daughter and her friend. Snorkeling between continents silfra fissure, iceland. Even though snorkelling in winter is one of the last things you expect to do, you really shouldnt pass up snorkeling silfra, a fissure between two tectonic plates, with some of the clearest water and best visibility in the world. A silfra fissure snorkeling tour is an adventure you cannot miss in iceland. Silfra diving day tour discovering the unique underwater world between two tectonic plates in iceland, through the hues of turquoise and sapphire light. Diving silfra was one of the most fantastic things ive ever done. The water is crystal clear and i can see the jet black lava stone bottom 70 or 80 feet beneath the surface. When world war ii came to bell island, newfoundland. Silfra snorkeling trips to silfra, thingvellir traveller. Unbelievable visibility and out of this world experience.
Silfra constantly fills with glacial water that has been trickling through underground lava rock for 30 years. Silfra fissure is the only place in the world where you can dive between two. We offer daily tours where you get the chance to float between the two continental plates while enjoying the clarity of the water. The valley, and silfra itself, were formed by the divergent tectonic. Because its basically a 4 hour thing, it does take a big chunk out of a day. During your dive you will explore the four main parts of silfra. Snorkeling between two continents at the silfra fissure in. I look down into icelands silfra crevasse and i can feel the chill of the pristine glacial water drifting up toward my face.
The rift was formed in 1789 by the earthquakes accompanying the divergent movement of the two tectonic plates. Iceland is a volcanic island of striking landscapes. Float between two continental plates, surrounded by astonishingly clear water and mesmerizing colors while admiring this underwater world. Ive been seeing all over tripadvisor and everywhere else how highly rated and recommended snorkeling the silfra in thingvellir national park is just wanted some of your thoughts. You dont need to be a certified diver in order to experience water at its clearest. There is no shore diving site quite like the silfra fissure in iceland, famous for being, well a giant crack in the earth.
The force of the spring is strong enough that it creates a current that runs through the crack. You will learn how to safely and confidently dive in a dry suit and thus enjoy diving in silfra even more. If the current is not strong enough, you can use your flippers to propel yourself. Explore one of the most beautiful diving locations in the world. Jan 29, 20 our most extreme iceland adventure has definitely been snorkeling silfra, a crack between the north american and eurasian continents. It has the clearest water in the world with underwater visibility over 300 feet. Silfra is located in thingvellir national park, about 45 minutes from reykjavik. During the dive, you will explore the four main parts of silfra. We snorkeled between two tectonic plates in glacier water at the silfra fissure and it.
Silfra fissure snorkeling tour at thingvellir arctic adventures. We are a family owned company with a closeknit team and we are passionate about exploring nature through diving and. Enjoy a onceinalifetime experience with a snorkeling tour of silfra. This then widens slightly into what we appropriately call the silfra hall, which leads to the deepest point at 22m called the silfra cathedral. The crystal clear glacial water filling the silfra fissure has been filtered for decades through underground lava rock, providing over 100 meters of underwater visibility.
Experience snorkeling in iceland in silfra fissure. When you enter the pool, you will feel the current slowly pushing you forward. Scuba diving the silfra fissure in iceland youtube. The maximum depth of your dive in silfra will be 18 meters, but the average is around five meters. I found iceland adventure tours which was by far the best deal going. The crystal clear water at this unesco world heritage site in thingvellir national park will leave you speechless. Snorkeling silfra, thingvellir national park, iceland. Perched on the edge of the atlantic, iceland is one of the most geologically active places on earth.
The last stop is silfra lagoon, a shallow water space with incredible colors. You will float through big crack, silfras narrowest section and where the continental plates are so close you can almost touch them. The silfra fissure is one of the most incredible dive destinations on earth, so it was an absolute must when i went to iceland. I will admit, when h first told me about his dream to go snorkeling in iceland there was something about swimming around the. The place is well attended by commercial diving groups. Hier kann man zwischen zwei kontinentalplatten tauchen. This halfday tour offers diving in icelands top diving destination and gets you back to reykjavik before 3pm the same day. Oct 29, 2006 a nice report about the most spectacular dive site in iceland. Silfra is a rift formed in the divergent tectonic boundary between the north american and eurasian plates and is located in the. Silfra fissure is a rift formed within this incredible feature and when you place yourself at silfra, you are literally standing between two continents.
The clearest water coming from the glazier in to silfra. Its billed as one of the best dive sites in the world. You will float through big crack, silfra s narrowest section and where the continental plates are so close you can almost touch them. Silfra is a world top 3 diving site located in just about a hour drive from reykjavik. Explore the hidden world made of lava rock, sand and algae. All depending on the weather and road conditions of course. So silfra has been on my to do list for as long as i can remember and my interest in it has developed with every visit to iceland. During this journey, you will snorkel within a crack between the eurasian and american continents. Well guide you through the main silfra big crack, silfra hall, silfra cathedral, and silfra. Its a huge crack in the earths surface, where the continental plates meet and which is slowing widening by about two centimeters per year.
The rift is the most popular diving site in iceland, first of all because it the crack between the american and eurasian continent and secondly because of the magnificent visibility that isnt anywhere else under those circumstances. Silfra is one of the best cold water dive sites in the world. Its amazing that youre swimming right in between two continental plates. Is which is a padi 5 star dive center that also offers snorkeling tours. Snorkeling silfra in iceland is like entering another world. If you opt for the silfra snorkelling or diving experience and selfdrive, note that you need about 45 minutes to 1 hour from reykjavik downtown to drive out to thingvellir national park, where the crack in the earth is located. It can be booked easily via internet and costs about 1. Snorkeling in iceland silfra snorkeling extreme iceland. Silfra snorkeling between two continents in thingvellir iceland. Come with the trolls to discover the amazing sights of silfra glacial fissure in the worlds clearest waters one of the major wonders to be found in iceland. At this point, if you look at just the right angle you can see all the way to. My fiancee and i went on the silfra fissure snorkel and glacierice cave day hike with arctic adventures and loved the experiences. Snorkeling silfra ultimate adventure in iceland free photos.
Silfra admission fee hot drinks and cookies after the tour. Tauchen in silfra, island diving silfra, iceland youtube. Drysuit snorkeling in silfra with underwater photos tra. Snorkeling in silfra is an astoundingly beautiful experience.
Silfra is the only place in the world where you can dive or snorkel directly in a crack between two tectonic plates. In the following guide, you will learn more about how silfra and the surrounding landscapes were formed. Officially known as the silfra tectonic fissure, or just silfra for short, this freshwater rift between two continents is not only geologically intriguing, it also happens to be stunningly. Divers and snorkelers travel from all over the world to experience the absolutely unique underwater world of silfra. This remarkable crack between two tectonic plates is therefore filled with the clearest water. Scuba diving and snorkeling in silfra is popular because of its clear water and location within the continental rift. Dive in the silfra fissure, between the north american and eurasian tectonic plates. Home to hundreds of volcanoes, geysers, smokers, fissures and hydrothermal vents, it straddles the rift zone between the north american and european continental plates and lies just below the arctic circle, with the small off shore island of. As the fissure widens you will find yourself in the majestic silfra hall with the possibility of local geese and ducks paddling overhead. As always, you should control your dive position in the water with your lungs first, bcd second, and drysuit third if you have little experience with drysuit diving. Snorkeling silfra, iceland day tour iceland advice. The guides were very professional, clearly well trained, and also very jovial and humorous. Silfra diving day tour at thingvellir national park.
If youre looking for a unique experience to cross off that bucket list of yours and lets be honest, to tell all your family and friends about look no further as i share happy campers experience snorkeling in silfra. Continue into silfra cathedral, the deepest part of the dive. Join the best diving tours offered by diving island and enjoy the breathtaking experiences in one of the worlds most unique freshwater sites. You begin in big crack, silfra s narrowest section.
Water temperature is always between 2 and 4 degrees celsius and the visibility over 100 meters, so diving in silfra is like diving in the purest drinking water. Although mild, the current takes particles that fall into silfra, or might be kicked up by a diver or snorkeller, out into lake thingvellir, returning silfra to her perfect clarity within minutes. The silfra fissure is one of the highest rated dive. The diving and snorkeling site at silfra is right where the two continents meet and drift apart about 2 cm per year. We will also explain how nondivers and firsttime snorkelers can have access to this site. There is also the silfra cave too, which actually leads completely under the surface of thingvellir national park. The silfra fissure is one of the highest rated dive sites in the world. Dive site silfra in thingvellir national park, iceland. Silfra is one of the largest cracks and one of the most popular dive and snorkel sites in the world. Its a result of icelands unique geographical and geological properties. Here the full spectrum of silfras colours and clarity become all the more apparent. Snorkeling in silfra with scuba iceland happycampers. Youll start by diving the silfra deep crack, a long and narrow valley.