Bjarnagjá & Kleifarvatn – where fresh water meets the sea
A brackish fissure and a geothermal lake: a calm day of diving on the Reykjanes Peninsula.
Dive two of the most unusual waters on the Reykjanes Peninsula in one day. Bjarnagjá is a fissure near Grindavík that holds brackish water, a mix of fresh water and seawater, between narrow rock walls. Kleifarvatn is a volcanic lake where bubbles rise from hot springs on the lakebed.
Neither site is exposed to the ocean swell, so this is a good tour to choose when the sea is rough. And after the brackish fissure, the fresh water of Kleifarvatn rinses the salt off.
85,000 ISK per person · 2 guided dives · Full day, up to 8 hours · Pickup in the capital area
All dive equipment, including the dry suit, is included.
Dive 1 – Bjarnagjá: a brackish fissure
Our first dive is at Bjarnagjá, a fissure tucked away on the rugged coast near Grindavík, a stone’s throw from the Atlantic. Between its narrow rock walls the water is brackish, a mix of fresh water and seawater, so you dive where two very different worlds meet. Temperature and visibility change from dive to dive, which gives every visit a character of its own.
It is a hidden gem with a bit of wild character. Read more about the Bjarnagjá dive site.
Dive 2 – Kleifarvatn: underwater geothermal activity
From the fissure we drive through the lava fields to Kleifarvatn, a lake surrounded by volcanic mountains. In its geothermal area, bubbles rise from the lakebed where hot springs release mineral-rich water into the cold lake, and pale mineral deposits create an unusual landscape. Recreational dives stay on the shallower geothermal fields.
After the brackish water of Bjarnagjá, the fresh water of the lake rinses the salt off. Read more about the Kleifarvatn dive site.
Why this tour
- A brackish fissure and a geothermal lake in one day
- Where fresh water meets the sea at Bjarnagjá
- Bubbles and mineral deposits in Kleifarvatn
- Sheltered from the ocean swell: a good choice when the sea is rough
- A different side of the Reykjanes Peninsula
How the day works
Tours usually start in the morning, and we agree the pickup time with you when you book. We pick you up at your hotel anywhere in the capital area and drive you to the Reykjanes Peninsula. You dive Bjarnagjá first and then Kleifarvatn, and we take you back to your hotel at the end of the day. The tour is a full day of up to 8 hours.
Pickup outside the capital area can be arranged by agreement, depending on the distance.
What is included
- Two guided dives, at Bjarnagjá and in Kleifarvatn
- All dive equipment, including a dry suit, BCD, regulator, weights, hood, gloves, mask and fins
- Cylinders and air fills
- A dive briefing and help preparing your equipment
- An experienced local dive guide
- Pickup and drop-off at your hotel in the capital area
- Transportation between the dive sites
Price
85,000 ISK per person. A minimum of two divers is required per departure, and solo divers can join an existing departure. Discounts for bringing your own dry suit or driving to the dive site yourself, and private tours, are listed under prices and discounts.
Who can join
- Open Water certification or equivalent
- A dry suit certification, or at least 10 logged dry suit dives confirmed by an instructor
- Minimum age 17
- Good health and fitness for cold-water diving: you carry heavy dive equipment a short distance
- A medical form, which you sign on site before diving
Not dry suit certified yet? See our diving courses.
What to bring
We provide all scuba equipment. Bring long thermal underwear (wool or synthetic, not cotton), thick wool socks, a towel, your certification card and warm clothes for before and after the dive. See the full what to bring list.
Weather and conditions
Diving is always subject to conditions. Access to the dive sites depends on weather, conditions and road access, and we may choose an alternative site when necessary. If we have to cancel a dive because of the weather, we rebook you when that is possible, and otherwise refund you.
More ways to dive Reykjanes
Looking for a wilder day? Óttarsstaðir & Flekkuvík takes you to a remote ocean site reached by 4×4, and Óttarsstaðir & Kleifarvatn pairs a kelp forest with the same geothermal lake, both for 85,000 ISK per person. See all our dive tours in Iceland.
Book Bjarnagjá & Kleifarvatn
Book online with the button below: choose your date and the number of divers, and we will confirm your booking. Questions? Write to us at icedive@icedive.is.