Þingvellir National Park

About Þingvellir National Park

Þingvellir National Park is where Iceland's history and its geology share the same ground. The Alþingi, Iceland's parliament, first met here in 930, on the floor of a rift valley that is still pulling apart between the North American and Eurasian plates.

The park lies in Southwest Iceland, about 45 minutes' drive northeast of Reykjavík via Route 36, and it is the first stop on most Golden Circle routes. It became Iceland's first national park in 1930, and UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 2004. There is no entrance fee for Þingvellir itself, only a parking fee.

Start at the Hakið visitor center at the top of Almannagjá, where a viewing platform looks across the rift valley to Þingvallavatn lake. From there a path drops into the gorge, a cliff wall that marks the edge of the North American plate. The walk past Lögberg, the Law Rock, to Öxarárfoss waterfall and the church takes about an hour at an easy pace.

For a closer look at the plate boundary, Silfra fissure near the Valhöll parking lot holds glacial meltwater clear enough to snorkel or dive in. Everyone needs a buddy and full cold-water gear, and divers also need dry suit certification, so most visitors book a guided snorkel tour.

Summer brings long daylight and green moss on the lava, while fall turns the valley floor red and gold and thins the crowds. In winter the paths can be icy, but the snow-covered rift is worth the effort, and the park is dark enough at night to watch for the northern lights. Allow one to two hours for the main walk, or half a day if you add Silfra or a longer hike.

Parking costs 1,000 ISK per day for a car with up to five seats, paid at machines on site or online through Checkit.is, and cameras check license plates. One payment covers the P1, P2 and P5 lots for the whole day. The exhibition at Hakið costs 1,200 ISK for adults and is free for children 17 and under.

If you want to stay longer, the Nyrðri-Leirar campground by the service center is open all year. Three more campgrounds, including Vatnskot on the lakeshore, open from June 1 to September 15.