Iceland’s Most Famous Waterfalls

When in Iceland, one thing you will find is that there are many waterfalls here. The reason for that is that we have glaciers and the Gulf Stream. We also have reasonably mild weather with a lot of rain in the summer and snow in the winter. The rain helps to feed the rivers; the snow keeps the glaciers going strong, and in the summer months, when they melt, the waterfalls get even more spectacular. Additionally, we have a lot of spring water, giving us lovely freshwater waterfalls.

The most famous waterfalls in Iceland

The most famous waterfalls of Iceland are Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Gullfoss, Goðafoss, and Dettifoss. There are, however, plenty of other famous Iceland waterfalls that are just as interesting and beautiful, and we recommend you try and check out.

Gljúfrafoss or Gljúfrabúi

This hidden waterfall is only a few meters away from the larger Seljalandsfoss. To get to this waterfall, you need to follow a trail that leads you to a narrow canyon in which the waterfall is. A wooden staircase also allows you to see the waterfall from another perspective.

Dynjandi

Dynjandi is in Arnarfjörður, in the West Fjords, and is about 100 meters tall (330 feet). The waterfall is a spectacular sight but to get near it, you will need to do a small hike. The waterfall is about 30 meters wide when it tumbles over the mountain’s edge, but it has spread out to 60 meters wide at the bottom.

Svartifoss

Svartifoss is in Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park. The area in the summer is blessed with delightful weather, and it has one of the most popular camping grounds in the country. The waterfall is surrounded by black columnar basalt, which is why the waterfall’s name; Black Waterfall. The area has many walking routes for you to explore.

Aldeyjarfoss

This waterfall is in the Skjálfandafljót river in North Iceland. The waterfall is about 20 meters high and surrounded by basalt columns. To get to it, you will need to drive an F-road into the highlands, which means you can only really access it during the summer months and only if you rent our Easy Clever camper. During winter, we recommend you check out local tours from Mývatn or Egilsstaðir.

Brúarfoss

This beautiful freshwater waterfall is in South Iceland. It is surrounded by birch shrubbery, and nearby are three forests; Miðhúsaskógur, Brekkuskógur, and Reykjaskógur. The waterfall is not far away from Gullfoss or Geysir so that it could be an added stop on the Golden Circle route. The fall is not large compared to Gullfoss, but that does not take away from its beauty. The freshwater gives the famous waterfall a blue-ish tint, a spectacular sight.

Please note that there is no parking lot next to the waterfall on private land. We recommend you park your camper by Brúará bridge, on Road 37, and then walk to the waterfall. Even though it is in private land and you might see a “No Trespassing” sign, you can still walk the path towards the waterfall.

Hraunfossar

These beautiful waterfalls in West Iceland run from underneath the Hallmundarhraun lava. The water comes from Langjökull, which is a few kilometers away. The waterfalls are about one kilometer long and are neither tall nor powerful but are quite a sight to see.

Next to the waterfalls is another beautiful waterfall with a tragic history, Barnafoss, or Children’s waterfall. The story goes that a few centuries ago, a farmer, his wife, and their workers from a nearby farm went to church one Sunday morning. The shortest way was to cross the natural stone bridge over the waterfall. The housewife had told her two children to stay behind and behave themselves. However, as children are wont to do, they grew impatient and decided to go after their parents. They went over the stone bridge, but while there, they got dizzy, tumbled down into the waterfall, and drowned.

The distraught mother vowed that anyone who would walk over that bridge would perish in the fall. Thankfully, the stone bridge collapsed not long after, and no one could cross it again.

Háifoss

The fourth highest waterfall in Iceland is situated near the volcano Hekla in South Iceland. The waterfall, which drops some 122 meters down, is not far from the historical farm Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng, which can be seen in Game of Thrones for example. Háifoss was, until recently, thought to be the third-highest waterfall in Iceland, but Hengifoss in Fljótsdalur valley in East Iceland was found to be higher, or 128 meters.

Glymur

The highest easily accessible waterfall in Iceland is in Hvalfjörður near Reykjavík and is about 198 meters high. Glymur falls down Hvalsfell into a steep canyon, and it is possible to drive almost all the way up to it. If you want to take a closer look, you can hike the marked paths on the east side of the Botnsá river.

It is now thought the waterfalls in Morsárjökull glacier (outlet glacier from Vatnajökull) are the highest or about 240 meters high. They became visible when Morsárjökull started melting in 2007. It is, however, difficult to reach and we do not recommend you try to go there without an experienced guide.

Where to find more famous Iceland waterfalls?

Feeling like chasing waterfalls? Here’s a map of some more favorite waterfalls in Iceland: