Tear of Odin – The Purest Dive in the Icelandic Highlands
Tear of Odin is a small, remote pool hidden deep in the Icelandic Highlands, in the south of the country near the Ófærufoss waterfall. It is a dive site like no other in Iceland: extremely remote, icy cold and so clear that the visibility seems to go on forever. Getting there is an adventure in itself, and that journey is a big part of what makes the dive special.
This is a trip for adventurous divers who want more than a dive: a highland adventure with one of the clearest dives in Iceland at the end of it. We run it on request as a tailored trip. Still choosing? Have a look at all our dive sites in Iceland.
The dive
The day starts long before you reach the water. Tear of Odin is reached by jeep. From the parking area you continue on foot, carrying your diving equipment, including your tank and weights, across uneven ground for approximately 20 minutes or more each way, depending on conditions and the group’s pace. There is no quick way in and no shortcut, which is exactly why so few dive sites feel like this one.
Once you are in, the effort pays off. Tear of Odin is a small site that can be explored in a single dive, giving you time to discover its underwater landscape without rushing. The water is icy and almost unbelievably clear, with some of the best visibility in Iceland, and the silence of the highlands follows you under the surface. It is a quiet dive in surroundings that feel like another world, the kind you will still be talking about years later.
Highlights
The water. Tear of Odin is known for some of the clearest water in Iceland. The visibility is unmatched, and on a good day it seems to have no end at all.
The silence. Deep in the highlands there is nothing around you but the landscape. The stillness, above and below the surface, is as much a part of the experience as the clarity.
Ófærufoss. The Ófærufoss waterfall is nearby. Pair the dive with a visit to the falls and the day becomes a true Icelandic journey.
Who is it for
Tear of Odin suits adventurous certified divers who are comfortable in icy water and happy to work for their dive: a jeep ride and a walk of about 20 minutes carrying your equipment come before you get wet. Good physical fitness is required: you must be able to carry your equipment, including your tank and weights, to the site and back over uneven ground and still have the energy to dive comfortably. If you have been looking for a dive far away from everything, this is it.
You need to be a certified diver with a dry suit certification. Not dry suit certified yet? Have a look at our diving courses.
Good to know
- Location: the Icelandic Highlands, in the south of the country, near the Ófærufoss waterfall
- Type: small, remote highland pool, freshwater
- Water: icy cold and exceptionally clear, with some of the best visibility in Iceland. Every dive is made in a dry suit
- Access: by jeep, then a walk of approximately 20 minutes or more each way over uneven ground, carrying your diving equipment. Depends on highland road access, weather and ground conditions. One of the most remote dive sites in Iceland
- Requirements: Open Water certification and a dry suit certification
Tours and pricing
Tear of Odin is not one of our standard day tours. Because of how remote it is, we run it as a tailored trip on request and price each trip individually. Tell us when you would like to go and how many of you there are, and we will put together a plan and a quote. Pricing is on request, so please contact us.
Tear of Odin is a recreational dive. If you are a technical diver looking for a remote lake trip, have a look at Hvalvatn.
As on all our tours, all necessary dive equipment, hotel pickup and drop-off, and transportation to and from the dive site are included. A minimum of two divers is required per tour. Private tours get a separate quote on request. See all our dive tours in Iceland.
We also run Tear of Odin as a 3-day Tear of Odin Highland Tour from Reykjavík, with dives at Davíðsgjá and Silfra on the first day, two hotel nights near Kirkjubæjarklaustur and the South Coast waterfalls on the way back.
Book a dive at Tear of Odin
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!