Ultimate Golden Circle & Silfra Snorkel Adventure

Silfra was the stand out moment of this tour. With only one day in Reykjavík this was a great way of seeing all the major sights plus having the opportunity to snorkel between two tectonic plates. Only awarded 4 out of 5 as it’s expensive. Our guide Gona was fantastic.

Been there with our very knowledgeable Guide Marcello, who also gave lots of background insights to Iceland, the culture and aspects of everyday life on the Island. The snorkeling run is great, but water at 2 degrees is just cold, no matter the (very good) provided equipment used. But this makes the experience so unique.

Site far too busy. Unique experience but ruined by the very people who came to enjoy it. There is one place to get in the water for everyone, so there was a long line, which took over an HOUR standing in full dry suit regalia. The float itself took less than 15 minutes. They said you could drink the water, but there were so many people swimming and kicking up debris it was full of particles. Guide tried to leave me with a fogged up mask in her haste to get us in the water until I insisted on cleaning it again.

This was supposed to be a bucket list adventure, but unfortunately, the experience was ruined by improper gear. Myself and another woman (both around 5'3") were given dry suits far too big for us. The staff attempted to shorten the legs with rubber bands so our flippers would stay on, but once I got in the water, that solution failed. My feet kept slipping out of the flippers, making it impossible to kick properly. Using my arms which we were instructed not to do, was the only way I could move. Doing so caused water to enter my suit. The instructor ultimately had to drag me and the other woman to the end, which resulted in water entering my snorkel and mouth. It was a stressful, frustrating experience rather than an enjoyable one. I was soaked by the end but thankfully, I had dry clothes to change into in their heated van. Snorkeling was the first stop of this golden circle tour and being wet and cold in Iceland is risky. 2 star because my boyfriend who’s suit fit had a great time. The rest of the golden circle tour was good. After this experience I saw there are other companies that ask for your height and weight to have a proper size suit on hand for your tour. please look for one that does this or use this knowledge to ensure you enter the water in a properly fitting dry suit.

The guides were awesome! Ferde took me out snorkeling and it was very smooth and she was super upbeat and happy to help with anything. I saw a lot of people complaining in the reviews about it being cold and uncomfortable, but remember you’re snorkeling in Iceland… so I found it more comfortable than I expected. Franklin was very funny knowledgeable about Iceland and the best tour guide I’ve had anywhere. I learned a lot more about Icelandic farming than I ever thought I would have.

This was our favorite tour and checked off a lot of musts for us. The tour bus picked us up and then we headed to Silfra for snorkeling. The ride is about an hour and we made 1 stop along the way. We then got to Silfra where we snorkeled. The instructors were amazing and it’s about 40 minutes of getting dressed and instructions before you actually snorkel. My wife and I brought a change of clothes but the dry suits work very well. I stripped down to my thermals and then put the dry suit on. Once in the water you snorkel for 40 minutes. They give you 10 minutes to decide if this is for you. After that you have to finish the swim. It’s a very easy swim where you can float most of the time. When we were done the only things that were wet were my forearm and feet and only a little wet. Def bring a change of socks. The gloves they give you are not warm and your hands will be cold but you forget about it as soon as you start snorkeling. The instructors also take pics as you snorkel. After this you get dropped off for the golden circle tour which was good. You get to see a giant waterfall, a geyser, and a huge crater. We also made a stop to see small Icelandic horse. This was our favorite tour and it is a long day. You can bring food/snacks but tour buses make frequent stops for bathroom/snacks. I highly recommend this trip and the only thing I can say that was bad was our tour driver was 25 minutes late picking us up for initial trip but other than that it was perfect!!!!

A full day of exploring some amazing sights in southwest Iceland, all a short distance from Reykjavik: Thingvellir National Park, Geysir hot springs (origin of our word "geyser"), the Kerid volcano crater lake, the awesome & massive Gullfoss waterfall, but the highlight for most of us was snorkeling the crystal clear glacial water of the Silfra fissure between the North American & Eurasian tectonic plates! Although just 2 degrees above freezing, we remained totally dry & (relatively) warm thanks to dry suits and our fantastic Arctic Adventures guides (thanks Sara!)

Snorkel part of the tour, the guides were patient and helpful as we were getting into the dry suits. The water was so clear although cold to the exposed areas. Golden Circle part, enjoyed the stops. Each one had their own uniqueness.

We've been waiting for a long time to snorkel at Silfra and it did not disappoint! Arctic Adventures was extremely professional and well prepared. Have never seen better visibility anywhere. Hot chocolate and cookies at the end was a perfect touch. Our guide Federica was outstanding and it could not have been a better experience!

The Silfra snorkeling between the tectonic plates was a once in a lifetime experience. I was worried about freezing my face, but after a minute or two, your face gets numb and you dont mind the cold as much. I did not realize that your head and hands would get wet too, and water did leak into my suit because apparently you are not supposed to move your head or hands too much, but I did not mind it. Could have stayed longer. You only need one layer underneath. The outer layer before the dry suit is provided. A change of clothes is needed, as you may get wet. In the summer, you do not need hiking boots. It is a short walk on pavement to the entry point. The guides were extremely professional and helpful. The Golden circle afterward was relaxing. The best stop was the waterfall and petting some Icelandic horses. The Golden Circle was very touristy and packed with people. Overall a great tout and experience.