Ice to Bliss: Silfra Snorkeling and Fontana Spa

by Arctic Adventures · Silfra snorkelling & diving · Lagoons & spas · Golden Circle

4.60· 5,195 Google reviews of the operator

Fine on your own
Eco-certified

from €172.93 per person

Next departure: Sat 24 Oct

Book Sat 24 Oct · €172.93 Other dates

Ice to Bliss: Silfra Snorkeling and Fontana Spa — Arctic Adventures

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Duration
6 hours
Difficulty
Moderate
Season
All year
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Arctic Adventures in Thingvellir National Park
Arctic Adventures Silfra Fissure, Thingvellir National Park, Iceland, Thingvellir
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
10:00, 11:00, 12:30
Minimum age
12
Cancellation
Free until 24 hours before

About this experience

Snorkel between two continents in the crystal-clear waters of the Silfra Fissure at Þingvellir National Park, then unwind at Fontana Spa in Laugarvatn. Soak in geothermal baths, sweat it out in a steam sauna, and warm up lakeside after your glacial swim. Dry suits and all snorkeling gear are included — just bring your sense of adventure.

Tour Highlights

Snorkel between two continents in the Silfra Fissure, one of the clearest bodies of water on Earth
Experience the clearest waters in the world. The glacial water originates from Langjökull (Long Glacier) and is naturally filtered through lava fields, resulting in some of the purest water on Earth, with an incredible visibility of up to 150 meters.
Dry suits, thermal layers, and all snorkeling gear are included, so no experience or certification is needed (basic swimming skills are enough.)
The Silfra Fissure is located in the stunning Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site only 45 minutes from Reykjavík
Drive yourself to Laugarvatn Fontana and soak in geothermal baths with views over Lake Laugarvatn
Finish the day in Fontana's steam saunas, built directly over natural hot springs
A self-drive combo that pairs Iceland's coldest adventure with one of its warmest rewards

Meeting Points

Silfra Snorkeling in Thingvellir National Park
Meet-on-Location guests must be at the Silfra car park in Thingvellir National Park at least 15 minutes before their scheduled tour departure time.
Guests can park their car at ''Thingvellir P5'' - click here for driving directions. To meet your guide: walk 400m back along the road until you reach a smaller car park with all the snorkel and dive vans, and look for your guide.
Please be ready in the Silfra car park to meet your guide 15 MINUTES before your tour is due to begin. GPS: 64°15’23.508″N 21°6’58.676″W
Laugarvatn Fontana Spa
Once your snorkeling tour wraps up, drive yourself to Fontana Steam by the Lake Spa in Laugarvatn. It's roughly a 30-minute drive (about 15–18 km) from the Silfra car park. Please make sure to arrive a bit in advance to check in at the reception. Stay as long as you like once you're there — your Fontana ticket isn't time-limited.

Description from the operator, Arctic Adventures. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

Silfra Snorkeling
Fontana Spa

Included

For Silfra Snorkeling:

English-speaking tour guide (Certified divemaster)
All necessary snorkeling gear and safety equipment
Thingvellir National Park admission fee
Hot chocolate & cookies to warm up after snorkeling
Free underwater photos taken by your guide

For the Fontana Spa:

Admission to the geothermal baths, natural steam baths
The use of showers and changing rooms with personal lockers
Shampoo, conditioner, creams, and cotton pads are available in locker rooms free of charge.

Good to know

Warm, thick socks and undergarments for extra warmth in the dry suit
Towel
Change of clothes
A towel and a swimsuit for Fontana, if needed (can be rented)
Signed doctor's approval (if required)
Contact lenses (if required - glasses cannot be worn under the snorkeling mask)

Getting there:
This is a self-drive, meet-on-location combo of Snorkeling in Silfra Fissure and Fontana Spa general admission — transportation between Reykjavík, Silfra, and Fontana isn't included. You'll need a valid driver's license and your own vehicle or rental car. Check road.is and vedur.is before you set out, since Icelandic weather and road conditions can change quickly.

Silfra Snorkelling requirements:

Guests must read and sign the medical statement form in our Snorkelling Handbook. If you have a listed medical condition, approval from a doctor is required
Participants need to be comfortable in the water and able to swim
It is crucial that guests can both understand and communicate in English to participate in the tour
This tour is not suitable for pregnant people due to the small risk of cold water entering the suit
Dry suit sizes: Our gear is limited to standard sizes available on the market, and guests must fall within the specified size parameters. This ensures the safety equipment fits properly, keeping you warm and protected in the glacial waters. For your safety and comfort, please confirm that you meet the required sizing guidelines:
- Weight: 99-265 lbs (45-120 kg)
- Height: 4'11" - 6'7" (150-200 cm)
Snorkelling masks cannot accommodate glasses. If you do not have a prescription mask of your own, please arrange to use contact lenses

Participants are responsible for reviewing our Snorkelling Handbook before the tour. The handbook contains important medical and safety information. If guests do not meet the requirements for safe participation, we are unable to accommodate them on the tour.

Fontana Spa requirements:

Guests need a swimsuit and a towel. However, if you don't want to bring anything, a swimsuit, a dressing gown and towels are available for rent and sale on the spot for a reasonable price.

Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until 24 hours before departure; no refund after that. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.

If the weather cancels this tour

Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is rarely: Silfra is spring-fed and sheltered, but access can close in a storm. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

1Arctic Adventures decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.

What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until 1 day before departure, the operator's policy after that.

Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →

Why this one and not the cheaper one?

The nearest cheaper Silfra Snorkel tour from Freedive Iceland is €100 — €73 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

	Arctic Adventures · €173	Freedive Iceland · €100
How long it runs	6 hours	3 hours
Changing your mind	Free until 24 h before	Not stated
How hard it is	Moderate	Very easy

The €73 buys you 3 more hours out and free cancellation up to 24 h before. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.

Who this is not for

Not for families with children under 12 — the operator will not take them, even with a parent.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

Arctic Adventures is one of 207 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →

What travellers say about Arctic Adventures

Read all 5,195 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.6/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

Kai Gilchrist
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
This was a phenomenal trip with AMAZING sights. Our tour guide was informative, friendly, and easy to listen to. You will learn a lot and see nature at its greatest. We absolutely loved this tour and would recommend it to anyone. The car ride is comfortable and there is wifi as well! Shout out to our tour guide, Magnus (I hope I’m spelling his name correctly), who told us some hilarious stories.
Tatjana Kultaniemi
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
I spent six days on a bus tour around Iceland with a professional guide. It was an excellent opportunity to gain a comprehensive overview of Iceland's breathtaking nature while also learning about the country's history and the everyday lives of its people. Iceland's landscape and animals are truly unique, featuring magnificent waterfalls, geysers, whales, seals, puffins, volcanoes, glaciers, and mountains. Every day brought new and unforgettable experiences. Of course, none of this would have been possible without our guide, Viko. He not only drove the bus safely but also shared fascinating stories about Icelandic history, culture, and way of life. He was willing to tailor the itinerary to our group's interests and wishes, making the experience even more enjoyable. I am very grateful for his professionalism, knowledge, and enthusiasm in interpreting Iceland's natural and cultural heritage. He played a key role in making this tour such a memorable experience.
Chloe Lamm
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
I did the Iceland South Coast Full Day Small-Group Tour from Reykjavik. Such an amazing tour and one of the highlights of my trip to Iceland! Our guide, Erik, was incredibly knowledgeable and shared so much interesting information about Iceland throughout the day. We visited some of the country’s most beautiful sights, including stunning waterfalls, Vik, black sand beaches, and other breathtaking stops along the South Coast. The pickup process was simple and organized, making the day completely stress-free. The scenery was incredible from start to finish, and Erik helped make the experience even better with his knowledge, friendliness, and enthusiasm. If you’re visiting Iceland, the South Coast is a must-do, and I highly recommend taking this tour with Erik as your guide!
Nicole Y.
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
What a wonderful adventure! The 3 Day South Coast/Golden Circle tour included all of the sites we wanted to see and it did not disappoint. We were picked up at a bus stop in downtown Reykjavik and our journey began with about 16 other guests, a good group size. Our tour guide "Good" John did an excellent job teaching us about the history of Iceland and the sites we saw. The tour is well organized with just enough time at each site. He also made adjustments to the itinerary based on the weather as well as including sites not on the tour to give us more to see, which we loved! There were plenty of bathroom/food breaks as needed and we loved that we could just sit back, relax, and enjoy the views outside the window rather than worrying about driving and parking. Our multi-day tour included a 2 night stay at Adventure Hotel Geirland, which Arctic Adventures owns. Such a quiet hotel, convenient location with beautiful views. Our only complaints were that the shower leaked and made the floor wet, and that dinner at the restaurant was expensive with limited options. However the food was good and breakfast was included. The Katla Ice Cave was our favorite part, which was partnered with Southcoast Adventure, and our guide Inga was very friendly and knowledgeable. We did pay for a hiking boot rental for my husband but never received the boots. We did not ask our tour guide so we are not sure what happened with that. Overall we absolutely loved this tour and would highly recommend Arctic Adventures to anyone visiting Iceland for the first time!

Reviews from Google · updated 23 Oct 2026

Read before you book

Best Lagoon in Iceland (2026): 5 Picks ComparedWhich hot lagoon or hot spring tour to book in Iceland, ranked. Real prices, where each one starts, and who should skip it.
Best Silfra Snorkelling Tour (2026): 5 Picks ComparedWhich Silfra snorkelling tour to book at Þingvellir: drysuit or wetsuit, pickup or self-drive, with real adult prices and who each one suits.
Blue Lagoon vs Sky Lagoon vs Secret LagoonThree hot lagoons near Reykjavík, three very different days. We say which one fits an airport day, a city evening and a Golden Circle loop.

Reviews from our travellers

Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.

Reviews arrive the day after each trip — none yet for this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

Silfra snorkelling & diving — questions people ask

How cold is the water at Silfra?

Two to four degrees Celsius, all year. It is glacial meltwater filtered through lava for decades, which is why visibility runs to a hundred metres. You wear a dry suit over a thermal undersuit, so your body stays dry and warm. Your face, lips and hands are the parts that feel it, and after thirty to forty minutes in the water most people are ready to get out. Hot chocolate afterwards is standard.

Do I need to be a strong swimmer to snorkel Silfra?

No, but you must be comfortable in water. The dry suit floats you, so you drift along the fissure with a gentle current doing most of the work. You do need to be able to swim, and operators set minimum age, height and weight limits and ask about medical conditions on a form. Check the tour page for the current limits before booking. Glasses cannot be worn under the mask; contact lenses are fine.

Is Silfra snorkelling worth it in winter?

Yes. The water is the same temperature in January as in July, and the visibility is the same. What changes is the air: getting into and out of the suit at minus five with wind is unpleasant, and daylight limits the departure times. Fewer people snorkel in winter, so the fissure is quieter. If you are here between November and February and want it, book the earliest slot for the best light.

Can I dive Silfra without a dry suit certification?

Not on a standard dive tour. Operators require a dry suit certification or a logged number of dry-suit dives within the last two years, plus an open-water certificate. If you have neither, the two-day PADI dry suit course with a Silfra dive (/experience/19038/) gets you certified and in the fissure. Snorkelling (/experience/208/) has no certification requirement and shows you the same rock walls from the surface. Most people are happy with snorkelling.

Hotels

Where to stay for this tour

From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Selfoss, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in Golden Circle →

One checkout, any number of operators
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If it falls short, we fix it

from

€172.93 per person

Arctic Adventures's own price. 3% off the whole trip when you book two or more tours together, in one checkout.

Your date

The next departure we can see — change it if this tour is for another day.

Pick a date to check departures.

Departs10:0011:0012:30

Selfoss: light 08:38–17:38, 9 h of daylight.

✓ Free cancellation until 24 hours before
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If Arctic Adventures cancels for weather or safety: a full refund, or another date
✓ Card — Apple Pay or Google Pay where your device offers it — through Stripe; the charge is made in Icelandic krónur
✓ Price promise: Arctic Adventures's own price, or we refund the difference
✓ One checkout, even with tours from several operators
✓ Vetted operator — the six checks every operator passes

Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €9 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.