Visiting Thingvellir Without a Tour: Driving, Parking and Silfra
The short version. Yes, you can visit Thingvellir on your own, and for many travellers it is the better choice. The park has no gate and no ticket. It is about 40 km from Reykjavík on Route 36, and the one fee you cannot avoid is parking: 1,000 ISK a car for the whole day. Book a tour instead if you have no car, if you would rather not drive winter roads, or if you want a Silfra snorkel with the drysuit and guide handled.
This is the honest channel question: do you need a tour at all? For a lot of people the answer is no. Here is what driving yourself costs, how the parking works, which road rules matter, and when a tour earns its fare. If you decide on a tour after all, the Iceland day tours to Thingvellir are compared side by side.
Can you visit Thingvellir without a tour?
Yes. There is no Thingvellir entrance fee, no gate and no ticket office. The national park charges for parking and for its exhibition, and it sells permits for Silfra, camping and fishing. It charges for nothing else.
That makes Thingvellir easy to see independently. You drive in, pay for parking, and walk. The tour fares you see are for transport, a guide and the other Golden Circle stops.
What does a visit on your own cost?
| What you pay for | Price |
|---|---|
| Parking, car with up to 5 seats | 1,000 ISK a day |
| Parking, 6–9 seats | 1,200 ISK a day |
| Parking, motorcycle | 400 ISK a day |
| Heart of Iceland exhibition, adult | 1,200 ISK |
| Exhibition, 17 and under | Free |
| Exhibition, seniors or students | 600 ISK |
| Silfra snorkel or dive permit | Sold at Leirar and online; price at booking |
| Camping and fishing permits | Sold at Leirar |
A car carrying a disabled parking permit pays nothing, but must unregister its plate at Hakið or by email. Groups of ten or more pay 1,000 ISK each for the exhibition, and disabled visitors go free.
How do you drive there from Reykjavík?
Take Route 36, Þingvallavegur. It is a primary road, 68 km long, and the main route from Reykjavík. It leaves the Ring Road just outside the city, passes the junction with Route 48, and runs round the north of the park. There it meets Route 52, Uxahryggir, and Route 550, before running south along the lake's western shore to Route 35 near Selfoss.
The park is about 40 km north-east of Reykjavík. Road 361 runs into the park towards the Silfra car park. The road conditions page covers the route and how to check it.
How does parking work?
The park has three paid car parks: P1 Hakið by the visitor centre, P2 Efri-Vellir below Öxarárfoss, and P5 Valhöll nearest the church and Silfra. Cameras read your number plate as you arrive. One payment covers the day in all three.
You pay at the machines at the visitor centre, in the restroom building beside it, at P2 and at P5, or online at Checkit.is. The map page shows where each car park sits.
Move the car, not your legs. Because one payment covers all three car parks, you can start at P1 for the view down Almannagjá, drive to P2 for the waterfall and finish at P5 for the church and Silfra.
Which driving rules matter on the way?
Safetravel, run by the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue, sets out the rules that most often surprise visitors. Most of them apply on the drive to Thingvellir.
- Headlights on at all times, all year; "Auto" is not enough.
- No stopping on or beside the road for photos.
- Slow down before the tarmac turns to gravel.
- Single-lane bridges are 50 km/h, and the car that reaches one first goes first.
- Off-road driving is forbidden, everywhere.
- Children under 135 cm need a car seat.
- Using a phone at the wheel is illegal.
- "Lokað" on a sign means the road is closed.
What changes in winter?
Route 36 is a primary road, but you check it every morning and again during the day. Use umferdin.is, the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration's map and road notifications, or call its traffic service on 1777. Safetravel.is carries a conditions map too.
F-roads are usually closed from mid-September until June or July. Route 550, Kaldadalsvegur, is a 40 km highland track north of the park; it is not an F-road, but many rental companies forbid 2WD cars on it. The visitor centre closes at 17:00 from November to March. The winter guide covers the dark months in full.
Can you snorkel Silfra without a tour?
You can buy a permit from the park yourself: they are sold at the Leirar service centre and through the park's online booking. The park's rules then apply to you. You never go in alone, you stay out of caves and overhead spaces, you wear full cold-water exposure protection, and you complete a medical screening form.
For most people, the practical way to do it on your own is a self-drive fare. You drive to the park and meet the guide at the fissure, and the drysuit and the guide come with the fare. DIVE.IS meets at the Silfra car park from $159, with the permit in the fare. Troll meets by P5 from $149, with photos included; its fare leaves out parking, so you pay the 1,000 ISK yourself.
How long should you stay?
On your own, you set the time. Half an hour covers the viewpoint at Hakið, the walk down Almannagjá and the flagpole at the Law Rock. Two hours adds Öxarárfoss, Peningagjá and, in summer, the church. A half day lets you add the 40-minute exhibition, the booth ruins and a trail beyond the assembly site.
That is the real advantage of driving. A Golden Circle tour gives the park 30 to 45 minutes, whatever the weather or the light. The walking route guide sets out each length of visit stop by stop.
Where do you eat, and where are the toilets?
The Leirar service centre has a café and a shop run by Icewear, and it opens 09:00 to 18:00 from April to October and 09:00 to 17:00 from November to March. At Hakið, a restroom building stands beside the visitor centre. Bring water and snacks for the walk itself, since neither stands on the trail.
Can you camp, fish or ride in the park?
Yes, with the park's permits. Park staff at the Leirar information desk sell camping permits, fishing permits for Þingvallavatn and Silfra permits, and the desk is often open later from June to August for campsite payments.
Horse riding is allowed on three old bridle paths only: Langistígur, Skógarkotsvegur and Nýja-Hrauntúnsgata. Trails for walkers run beyond the assembly site to the abandoned farms of Hrauntún, Skógarkot and Vatnskot. Commercial filming needs a licence from the park. Things to do covers every activity.
What does a tour add?
Three things. A tour adds transport, which matters if you have no car or would rather not drive. It adds a guide, who tells you the story as you walk. And on the Golden Circle it adds Geysir, Gullfoss and sometimes Kerið, a lagoon or a horse farm.
What it takes away is time. Most Golden Circle tours give Thingvellir 30 to 45 minutes. If you drive yourself, you stay as long as you like.
Driving yourself or taking a tour, compared
| Way to visit | What you pay | What you get | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive yourself | Car hire, fuel, 1,000 ISK parking | As long as you like, in your own order | Confident drivers, above all in summer |
| Self-drive Silfra snorkel | From $149, plus parking | A guided snorkel, your own car at the fissure | Snorkellers who have a car |
| Golden Circle coach | From $85 | 30–40 min in the park, Geysir, Gullfoss | No car, one day, a budget |
| Small-group minibus | From $121 | 40–45 min, a smaller group | No car, fewer people |
| Private half-day | From $477 per person | Two to four hours, a driver | Time in the park without driving |
Who should drive, and who should book?
Drive yourself if these sound like you:
- You have a car and are comfortable on Icelandic roads.
- You want more than 45 minutes in the park.
- You want to walk the whole route, from the viewpoint to the fissures.
- You are visiting between spring and autumn, with long days.
Book a tour if these do:
- You have no car, or you would rather not drive.
- You are visiting in winter and are not used to ice and short days.
- You want Geysir and Gullfoss the same day without planning it.
- You want a guide to tell you the story on site.
A self-drive day, in order
- Before you leave: check umferdin.is, and switch your headlights to on.
- Route 36 from Reykjavík, about 40 km to the park.
- P1 Hakið: pay for parking, see the view, and walk down the gorge.
- P2 Efri-Vellir: drive round for Öxarárfoss.
- P5 Valhöll: the church in summer, the fissures, and Silfra if you have a snorkel booked.
- Leirar: the café and the shop on your way out.
What if something goes wrong on the road?
Call 112 in an emergency. Because of the 2G and 3G shutdown, 599-0112 is the backup number if 112 will not connect. For road conditions and closures, call 1777.
Save both numbers before you set off. The park's own contact number is +354 488 1800. Opening hours and fees are on visiting the park, and every tour is compared on Thingvellir Tours.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a tour to visit Thingvellir?
How much is parking at Thingvellir?
How do you pay for parking at Thingvellir?
Can you snorkel in Silfra without a guide?
Where is the Silfra car park?
Is the road to Thingvellir open in winter?
Tours for travellers who might drive themselves
Silfra Snorkeling Between Continents Photos Included- Self Drive
Drive yourself to the meeting point by P5 and snorkel in a drysuit with hood and gloves. GoPro photos are included.
From $149 per person
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Golden Circle Classic Day Tour from Reykjavik
The classic coach loop from BSÍ or a pickup: 30 minutes at Thingvellir, back in six and a half hours.
From $85 per person
Check AvailabilityThe Golden Circle Guided Bus Tour from Reykjavik
A coach from BSÍ or your accommodation, 30 minutes at Thingvellir, and an app-based audio guide in several languages.
From $88 per person
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