Day trip to Thingvellir from Iceland
Thingvellir is 45 minutes from Reykjavik and the only place on Earth where you can walk between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. It is also the site of the world's oldest parliament, founded in 930 AD.
Rift valley at Thingvellir where tectonic plates meet
Getting there
Drive Route 36 from Reykjavik — 49km, about 45 minutes. Parking is $8 at the main visitor centre (P1) and $5 at P2 near Oxararfoss waterfall. Do not lose the ticket; there are cameras.
No public bus, but every Golden Circle tour stops here for 60-90 minutes. If you want more time, drive yourself or hire a private guide ($400 half-day).
What to see
Walk the Almannagja gorge — the crack between the plates — from P1 down to the Logberg (Law Rock) where the assembly met. It is a 15-minute downhill walk. Continue to Oxararfoss, a compact waterfall inside the rift, another 15 minutes. Loop back via the flag at the church and the river.
Silfra fissure is the bucket-list snorkel or dive spot — glacier meltwater between the plates with 100m visibility. Tours run $180 for snorkel, $380 for dive. Book ahead with DIVE.IS.
Combine with what
Thingvellir alone is a half day. Pair it with Laugarvatn Fontana geothermal baths ($47, 25km away) for a soak, or push on to Geysir and Gullfoss to complete the Golden Circle.
For lunch, Efstidalur farm on Route 37 has a restaurant above the dairy — burgers made from the herd, $22, and homemade ice cream you eat while looking at the cows through a window.
Frequently asked questions
What people ask before they set off on this one.
Entry to the park is free. Parking costs $5-8 and there is a fee for the visitor centre exhibition.
1.5-2 hours for the main walk. Add 3-4 hours if you are snorkelling Silfra.
Yes — snorkel tours require only that you can swim. Dry suits are provided and the water is 2C year-round.
Yes, though paths can be icy. Studded boots or crampons ($15 rental in town) help. The gorge in snow is spectacular.
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