Jennifer Halter
Google
My daughter and I did this amazing tour back in September, but I just now realized I never wrote a review. Hands down the most incredible thing we did during our time in Iceland - if you are at all on the fence about doing it - just BOOK IT! You won't regret it.
We were concerned about the cold - it was a non-issue. Troll suited us up so well that we were toasty warm the whole time. Your head and hands get wet, but the rest of you is perfectly warm and dry and you don't feel a thing. I promise.
We were concerned about the suit being too tight and panicking - again, non-issue. Yes, it was tight, but not so tight as to feel claustrophobia kick in. It is heavy though, so be prepared to walk a short distance in a heavy suit both before and after the swim.
I was mildly concerned because I am not a super strong swimmer - the suit is unbelievably buoyant and there is very little actual swimming that you have to do. It was windy on our day with just a little chop on the water at the end, and I was able to get through it just fine.
The actual swim itself was incredible - the visibility was amazing, it almost didn't feel real. You are not in the water for too long (about 45-50 mins or so) but we found it just perfect. I HIGHLY recommend booking the first tour of the day as we did (8:30 am but this may be different at different times of the year depending on the daylight), so that you are one of the first groups in the water. Otherwise, you can be waiting in line for an hour or more for your turn, as only a certain number of swimmers are allowed in at a time. By the time we were walking back from our swim, the line to enter was already pretty long.
I had looked at a couple of other companies when trying to decide who to book this tour with, and I am super happy that I chose Troll. They prepared us so well, great equipment, the changing facility was spacious and dry, the pictures were incredible and our guide (Manon) was just amazing. I loved her. She made us feel so comfortable in the water and ensured we were all having a great time. The hot chocolate and chocolate bar treat at the end was an awesome way to finish this experience. 5++ Stars and worth every penny!