Touching North America And Eurasia at the SAME time (Silfra, Iceland)

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After we finished up our NCL Prima 11 Night Northern Europe cruise, we enjoyed one last adventure exploring the Blue Lagoon before the rest of the family flew home. I used the complimentary two day deviation from NCL Air on this end as well and stayed on to explore more of Reykjavík and Iceland. Here’s one of the adventures I had.

What’s Included

It’s a VERY Popular Activity so….

I thought that I would start with this part because even I was surprised by how many people were here doing this. While this didn’t take away from the experience at all for me, I also know that things like this do impact others’ enjoyment. It’s about knowing what you’re getting yourself into and managing expectations. If you look closely at this photo, you will see that there’s a queue to get into the water. I was here in July on a fairly sunny day so I was getting really hot waiting and the cold water was welcomed but I have friends that have been waiting in cooler/cold weather and they said that the experience was less enjoyable because they were already chilled when hitting the water. I’ll go through the experience and then let you know if any of us regretted or would do this activity again below.

What My Experience Was Like

Pick up was really smooth for me since I was staying at the Hilton Nordica and I was given a 30 minute window for when the bus would come. The company was great to work with and very responsive. I booked this activity for the morning that I was flying out of Iceland, so I needed to see if they would guarantee when the activity would conclude and the time I would be back to my hotel and they were very receptive to this.

On the way to Silfra, we were given a short history of Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park and Silfra. Once we got to the parking lot, we were given a brief overview of dry suits and what to expect. Then we got dressed with an assist from our guides at the end. Note: if you have never been in a dry suit, note that it is VERY different than a wet suit. Dry suits are used in cold diving situations and have more buoyancy and also are constricting in different ways than wet suits. Personally I HATE anything tight around my neck (ie I can’t wear turtlenecks) so dry suits are hell for me..luckily I have used them before so this wasn’t a surprise for me – they are TIGHT around the neck, at the wrists and ankles to maintain a waterproof seal. I was able to ask to be zipped up last to minimize the time I was suffering.

I run hot when I am doing anything active so I wore thin base layers bottoms and tops. Others in the group wore thicker layers with a couple opting for a couple of layers. After you are outfitted, you make your way from the parking lot to the entrance.

There were about 6-7 groups ahead of us so we waited for awhile before we were able to get in. Things that I thought were great was that most companies will keep the groups small (6 or less) and that there was some agreement (formal or otherwise) to allow adequate spacing between groups so once you’re in the water, it typically doesn’t feel crowded. Your dry suit keeps you very warm BUT it doesn’t cover all of your body and your head and your hands are where you will feel the coldness of the water. I don’t mind the cold so it wasn’t too bad for me but if you do, definitely opt for a tour that takes pictures for you. And keep your hands tucked behind your back as you snorkel to keep them warmer (every time you move them, you are introducing cold water into the gloves)

The allure of this activity is that you will be in some of the clearest and cleanest water of your life. Visibility is so great because the glacier runoff is naturally filtered through lava in a process that takes decades combined with year-round water temps of 35 to 39°F (2-4 °C). And lastly the water flows in from an underground spring that never freezes and with enough force that a gentle current is created.

That current means that the water you are getting into is so pure (the suggesting is made to drink the water and it really is soooo good even for Iceland!) and that snorkeling is super easy as you are able to just relax and allow the current to float you down the fissure!

Verdict: Worth it? And would I do this again?

Absolutely was worth it! Where else in the world can you TOUCH two tectonic plates at the same time? I found the experience to be very meditative and I was blown away by the clarity of the water. This isn’t snorkeling in which you are looking at fish but the geological wonder of Silfra was just as mesmerizing to me as underwater coral reefs have been. My friends that have done this have said the same thing. There is that moment that you forget the cold and only focus on where you are and how unique of an experience this really is!

And I would absolutely do this again…but I would love to do the wet suit snorkeling or dry suit diving to go even further down and really experience the fissure!

Note that you do have to be dry suit certified to dive and I really struggle with dry suits. In the same way that my friends forgot the cold, I forgot my discomfort when I started to really appreciate how incredible it was to be snorkeling Silfra!

Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park

In 2004, Þingvellir was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for both its historical and geological importance.

The Mid-Atlantic Rift or Ridge, which runs through Iceland, marks the boundary between two tectonic plates. Þingvellir lies in a rift valley or where the Earth’s crust is being pulled apart. Here we were able to see the separation of the Eurasian and North American plates as it is one of the few places on Earth where this movement can be seen on land. Soooo I have also heard that it’s the only place in the world where you can see this but I don’t have the authority to say which is true – do you happen to know which is true?

As the tectonic plates slowly drift apart, they create a widening gap in the landscape with the crack expanding by about 0.78 inches (2 cm) every year. A visit to this park allowed us to observe this ongoing geological process up close.

Þingvellir (Thingvellir) Church was built in the 11th century after Christianity was declared as the official religion of Iceland in 1000 AD. You are able to walk around and tour inside the church.

We were given sufficient time to walk through and enjoy the National Park. While this looks like a river from this vantage point, this is part of Lake Þingvellir. Interestingly because it is cut off from other water sources, the marine life evolved on its own. In the summer, you can buy a fishing license to catch ice-age brown trout, for which the lake is famous. And despite the cold temperatures, the lake is very fertile and has a lot of plant life. I found it very fascinating that the water doesn’t freeze and stays around 37.4 and 41 °F (3 to 4°C).

Þingvellir (Thingvellir) translated to English means “Assembly Plains.” and as such, holds great historical significance. Althingi, the oldest parliament in the world, was established here in 930 AD and is why many consider this to be the birthplace of the nation.

For over 800 years, Icelandic lawmakers gathered at Lögberg (Law Rock) to pass legislation and make speeches until 1798. In 1000 AD, Iceland peacefully converted to Christianity here, while still allowing private worship of Norse gods. In 1928, Icelandic law officially recognized Þingvellir as a National Park to mark the millennium of Alþingi.

Silfra + Icelandic Horses!

Icelandic horses and their history is so fascinating. They came to the island with Norwegian settlers 1100 years ago and it has been revealed that they descended from an ancient breed of horse that is now extinct outside of Iceland. It is one of the purest horse breeds in the world as they have been and continue to be preserved in isolation. No horses are allowed to be imported in, with the law so rigid that once a horse leaves Iceland, it will never be allowed to return. There’s an excursion that combines the two for a uniquely Icelandic outdoor day – there were a few in my snorkeling group that were doing this activity.

WHAT I SPENT

• Activities $1 Silfra Snorkeling: I used my Viator rewards and only spent $1 on the activity that would have otherwise been $189!

OTHER TOP SPOTS AROUND/IN REYKJAVÍK TO EXPLORE

Blue Lagoon

One of the most enjoyable things to do in Iceland is to go to a lagoon and take a dip in the geothermal heated water. I consider this a must to truly experience the land of fire and ice in the same way you should sauna when visiting Finland or eat pasta and gelato in Italy. The most iconic of the lagoons is the Blue Lagoon. We did this Blue Lagoon Admission with Transfers excursion – read about our experience and how convenient it was to get to the Blue Lagoon here.

Perlan Museum

Why is the Perlan one of my FAVORITE places to go in Reykjavík? Fun and immersive museum experience? – check! Incredible 360 views of Reykjavík? – check! Delicious and reasonably priced food, drinks AND ice cream? – check! Read about my experience here. If you want to have the transportation figured out for you: consider the Reykjavík: Hop-On Hop-Off Bus and Perlan Museum Entry Ticket – where the Perlan and the cruise terminal are two of the 16 stops for the bus