Davíðsgjá – Into the Hidden Rift of Þingvellir
Davíðsgjá is a freshwater fissure dive in Þingvellir National Park in southwest Iceland, in the same rift landscape as Silfra. It is often called the darker sibling of Silfra: an equally stunning fissure, but with a more secluded and mysterious feel. Unlike Silfra, the fissure starts inland and opens up beneath the lake, Þingvallavatn, into an underwater canyon that stretches into the depths.
For divers who want an adventure away from the crowds, Davíðsgjá offers serenity, dramatic rock scenery and a dive that feels almost unreal.
The dive
The fissure begins on land and continues beneath the surface of the lake, where it opens into a canyon of rock that stretches into the depths. Towering walls rise on both sides as you glide through, and the light shifts constantly as you move, which gives the dive a cinematic quality that is hard to describe and easy to remember.
The most fascinating feature of Davíðsgjá is the halocline, where cold, clear glacial water meets the warmer, murkier water of the lake. As you pass through it the view shimmers and blurs, and both temperature and visibility change suddenly. It is like diving between two worlds: one moment you are in crystal-clear water with the walls sharp around you, the next you are in the softer, darker light of the lake.
What you will see
Rock, light and water are the attractions here. The canyon walls tower over you, the clear glacial water shows you the shape of the fissure all around, and the shifting light from the surface changes the scene as you move through it. The halocline adds the shimmering, almost surreal effect that divers remember most from Davíðsgjá.
Compared with Silfra, Davíðsgjá feels quieter and more mysterious. Here you are away from the crowds, and the darker, more enclosed character of the site is exactly what makes it special.
Who is it for
Davíðsgjá suits certified divers with a dry suit certification who want a fissure dive away from the crowds. It is a natural choice for anyone who has dived Silfra and wants to see its quieter sibling, for divers drawn to dramatic rock scenery and the strange effect of the halocline, and for anyone who prefers serenity and mystery to a busy site.
Not dry suit certified yet? Have a look at our diving courses. The dry suit course can be combined with a dive tour.
Good to know
- Location: Þingvellir National Park, southwest Iceland, in the same national park as Silfra
- Type: freshwater fissure dive, an underwater canyon beneath the lake with towering rock walls
- Water: cold, clear glacial water meeting warmer, murkier lake water at the halocline. Every dive is made in a dry suit
- Conditions: visibility and temperature change suddenly at the halocline. Quieter and more secluded than Silfra
- Requirements: Open Water certification and a dry suit certification
Tours and pricing
Davíðsgjá is dived on our Davíðsgjá & Silfra day tour, which pairs it with Silfra so you explore the clear waters of both fissures in one day. A single dive at Davíðsgjá can be arranged on request.
- Davíðsgjá & Silfra: 85,000 ISK per person
Discount: bring your own dry suit and receive a 10,000 ISK discount.
Included: all necessary dive equipment, hotel pickup and drop-off, and transportation to and from the dive site. A minimum of two divers is required per tour. Private tours get a separate quote on request. See all our dive tours in Iceland and the other dive sites in Iceland we visit.
Davíðsgjá is also part of our adventure dive tours: the Reykjanes Dive Explorer, the Tear of Odin Highland Tour, Diving Across Iceland and the optional extra day of Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Book a dive at Davíðsgjá
If you are interested or have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at icedive@icedive.is. We’d love to dive with you!