Last updated on August 31st, 2024 at 03:07 pm

When we were planning our epic summer road trip in Iceland we were looking for interesting activities to add to our itinerary. That is when we stumbled upon Silfra snorkeling in Iceland, the only place where swimming between the Eurasian & N. American tectonic is possible.

Why Swim Between North American & Eurasian Tectonic Plates? 

Iceland, the geothermal sub-arctic island, has beautifully preserved its pristine landscape for nature lovers. Yet it goes beyond that to provide a haven for the adventure seekers.

Glacier hiking, Lava tube caving, ATV off-roading, Ice caves, Whale watching – you name it, and there is an adventure sport for everyone in Iceland. We indulged in snorkeling/diving between the tectonic plates in the freezing waters of Silfra fissure and now can’t stop raving about it.  For an adrenaline junkie like us, this was nothing like what we had done before, so we’d like to share below with you all where you can do this and why it was such a unique experience that you must consider doing it (do check out the video at the end).

But first ..

What Are Tectonic Plates?

Before we dive into the “why,” let’s brush through “what” is it that makes this place so unique in Iceland. Here’s a quick Geography 101.

The crust of our planet Earth is broken into several gigantic pieces of moving landmass, which are called “tectonic plates.” There are about 7 or 8 major tectonic plates on Earth that make up our continents, and then there are many other minor plates. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is one such major tectonic plate boundary in the northwestern part of the world, which separates the Eurasian tectonic plates from North American tectonic plates.

FUN FACT: These two plates, the Eurasian and North American, are drifting apart from each other by almost 6mm every year.

While about 90% of these tectonic plates, including the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, are usually an under-ocean phenomenon, there are a few rare places on Earth like Thingvellir National Park in Iceland, where the plates extend above the sea level giving us an incredible opportunity to witness it with our own eyes as you can see from the picture we took above.

Read about circling around Iceland in 7 days

How to Get to Silfra in Iceland?

If you are heading to the famous Golden Circle from Reykjavik, then your first stop will be Thingvellir National Park, where you can take a pit stop to experience Silfra.

Silfra fissure is conveniently located in the middle of a major tourist attraction in Iceland, i.e., Thingvellir National Park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thingvellir is also a key location in Icelandic history for being the world’s oldest existing Parliament which was held here in 930AD. The exact spot of the parliament is only a short hike from Silfra.

Read more: What to do in Golden Circle

It’s about 45 mins drive from Reykjavik, and 1:15 mins drive from Keflavik International Airport. The best way to see Iceland is to rent your own 4×4 and drive around, discovering places as you go. TIP: If renting a car is not on your agenda, then don’t worry; most every diving tour company provides pick-up options from Reykjavik at a slightly additional cost.

Which Company to Go Snorkeling With?

We went for dive.is for this excursion, but we drove on our own to the diving location (we are not affiliated with dive.is in any way but certainly have good reviews to give them based on our experience). It cost us 17,990 Icelandic Kronas per person, which is about $158 USD, and when we compared the price with other diving companies, it was pretty much the same.

Related: Top tips before heading to Iceland

Why Snorkel in Silfra?

Here are 5 reasons why we think this is a must-do adventure. If these won’t convince you, I’m not sure what will 🙂

1. Experience standing in between two continents

You get to stand right in between two continents, North America and Europe!! The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is causing the drift of Eurasian and North American tectonic plates every year by almost 6mm, a phenomenon you don’t get to see often above sea level. There are only a few places on Earth where it extends out of the surface of the ocean to be seen above sea level, one of which is Iceland. How cool is that!

2. Swim between the two tectonic plates and be able to touch them both

Now imagine being able to touch these 2 tectonic plates at the same time … yes, you can! There are several fissures created due to the drifting of tectonic plates, and one such fissure called Silfra is a safe and convenient spot for snorkelers and divers to experience this amazing phenomenon. The temperature of the water in Silfra is around 35^oF (2^oC) all year around. In other words, it’s freezing!! 

TIP: Wear a warm under layer of clothing but thin enough to pull a drysuit over it.

Fret not about the freezing temperatures, my friends; whichever diving company you decide to go with; they will pack you up in a dry suit that keeps your entire body insulated from the harsh cold temperatures and protect you from hypothermia. The suit even has a rubber seal on the neck and wrist to prevent any water from trickling inside. The only reminder of cold will be your face and hands, which, although provided with gloves, do tend to get wet, but that’s nothing you can’t brave for 30 mins, right? 

TIP: In order to de-freeze your face under water, turn upside down and swim on your back for a change.

3. Crystal clear underwater views with over 100m of visibility

Another reason why I said you could brave 30 mins of ice cold water is the splendid views which are like nothing you must have seen before. This will change snorkeling or diving forever for you… to be able to see things crystal clear as far as 100 meters and beyond is just incredible. 

FUN FACT: The science behind the clarity of the water is the fact that the water from nearby Langjokull Glacier passes through many different mountains of porous lava rocks for decades before reaching Silfra.  By the time it reaches Silfra fissure, the glacial water has gone through a rigorous natural filtration that provides amazing clarity to the stream.  

If you get to witness the worse of Icelandic weather as we did, don’t let it dampen your spirits; rain or shine, the beauty underwater can brighten up any gloomy day above ground.

4. Drink the purest glacial water filtered by nature for millions of years

The same science as above of water trickling through porous rocks applies here, hence creating the purest form of glacial water to reach the Silfra fissure. Unlike sea snorkeling, don’t stop yourself from accidentally taking a gulp of water or two… you probably have never had fresh water like this before. We were sipping the water off of our snorkel gear on purpose on several occasions 😉

5. Once-in-a-lifetime adventure

If all of the above isn’t enough to convince you to jump into Silfra, whether it’s snorkeling or diving, then consider this – It is your once-in-a-lifetime experience! These are the natural phenomenon that we petty humans have no control over, and since Iceland is one of the most geologically active lands on Earth, if you don’t experience it now, then when?

Having said all this, due to a sudden boom in tourism in Iceland, Silfra is taking its fair share of tourism hit. In order to be more eco-friendly, you might want to consider exploring some remote eco-friendly alternatives to Silfra.

In closing, we want to leave you with a short video below, which we made underwater (it wasn’t easy condensing 30 minutes into 3!). 

TIP: Don’t forget to carry your go-pro or an underwater camera, it will come in handy for a home video that you will remember forever.

If you liked this post, please share it with your friends & family and help us spread the word 🙂

Happy Traveling!