Waterfalls in Southern Iceland: The mythical and majestic fantasy lands of our childhood do exist.
TLC might have to revise their greatest hit’s song lyrics about chasing waterfalls if they ever get the chance to visit Iceland. I have visited Iceland on four occasions now and each time, it leaves a lasting impression deep within the cockles of my heart. It would indeed compel one to chase waterfalls.
Moving forward I will focus travel posts in one of two styles: tips and tricks on how to travel with less stress, and more targeted posts about specific regions and sites to experience during my travels. These can focus on natural wonders, cultural or historical sites, food and drink recommendations, or quirky but noteworthy tidbits that make those locations and people unique and charming.
In this post, will take you through southwestern and southcentral Iceland, which is adourned with epic waterfalls, green valleys, cliffs and mountains, volcanoes, glaciers, black sand beaches and cute villages with incredibly good burger and pizza bistros. It is an accessible region of Iceland from Keflavik International Airport, Iceland’s main hub to the outside world. Within a 2.5 hour drive, most of these destinations are in reach. These falls are in order from traveling from Keflavik and Reykjavik
A word of advice, please keep in mind the weather conditions if one choses to embark in hikes up the cliffs and slopes near these falls. Icy and windy conditions can make the trek dangerous and risk of injury. Iceland has set up weather and conditions advisories throughout the country and can be found at the Safe Travel’s website provided by the Icelandic travel and tourism authority.
Urriðafoss
Iceland has many accessible points that are near road ways that do not require an extensive hike. Most of the falls here are accessible for most physical fitness levels. Urriðafoss is no exception. It is right off the major Ring Road, Iceland Highway 1 that acts as a parameter across the entire country. Urriðafoss is a a wide and cascading series of waterfalls that flow along the Þjórsá River. Þjórsá is Iceland’s longest river, 230 km and empties into the Atlantic. While not the tallest falls in Iceland by any stretch of the imagination, the width of the river and fast current makes it one of the most voluminous falls in the country.
Urriðafoss is a very tranquil falls along the wide part of the Thjorsa River, and less than a kilometer from Route 1 to make for a quick stop, Parking is located very close to the falls and an few observation platforms. The area around the falls have a few streams and wildflowers that adorn the shores of the Thorjsa. It is near the town of Selfoss, which is one of Iceland’s larger communities. If hungry or in need of lodging, there are many options in Selfoss.
Seljalandsfoss
Seljalandsfoss is one of Iceland’s most iconic waterfalls. You may have already seen photos of it. It is an iconic feature of Southern Iceland’s landscape. Tucked into a steep cliff side over 60 meter or 200 foot drop, the Seljalandsá River feeds the falls. The water source is the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic glacier in south central Iceland.
The most distinguishing feature of this falls are that one can actually walk behind the falls without much of a climb on a flat path not far from the parking area. The other distinguishing feature is how close it is to the Ring Road, and the falls are visible from a few miles out driving from the west (greater Keflavik, Reykjavik and Selfoss). One can climb to the top of the falls with a guided path, but the base of the falls and even to walk behind them is a very accessible walk even for those with some mobility issues. It is a good scenic place to see some of Iceland’s wonders for families with young children as well. There are public restroom facilities and a few snack stands for some food after a long day on the road. For more information, please visit Visit South Iceland’s page for accommodations and more information about the falls.
This is personally one of my favorite falls to visit in Iceland given its proximity between Vik and Keflavik, and accessibility from the Ring Road. 200 feet is a very tall waterfall and the landscape is some of the first volcanic cliffs once you get past the fertile southern farmlands that take you through Selfoss. It is not everyday that one can walk behind a waterfall with ease. It reminds me of one of my favorite waterfalls closer to where I live, Kaeterskill Falls in the Hudson Valley and Catskills, New York.
But wait, there’s more! Don’t leave Seljalandsfoss just yet. A hidden falls is just a 10-15 minute walk away, hidden the same cliffs.
Gljúfrabúi
Not more than a five minute walk for Seljalandsfoss is a hidden gem tucked away in the gorges known as Gljúfrabúi Waterfall or foss. This fall stands at a height of about 40 meters or about 131 feel and is fed from Gljúfurá River along the Þórsmörk Valley as with Seljalandsfoss. In typical and logical Icelandic (and other Nordic) conventions in language and naming, the name Gljúfur translates to gorge in English. Behind a footpath lies the falls within a semi enclosed gorge or cave.
To reach the fall, one only needs to follow the river and gorge side just north of Seljalandsfoss. From the parking area, it is maybe a five minute walk. Approaching the gorge will give you an opportunity to really get at point blank range to the falls itself. Be prepared, you will get wet by the falls mist. If you are really adventurous, you can actually touch the falls (and thusly get drenched). During the windiest of days, the spray from the waterfalls is similar to a shower! Be sure to wear either waterproof clothes or a sweater or jacket one does not mind getting torrents of mist and water if the day is windy, which is often in Iceland.
One can use the same parking area they use for Seljalandsfoss, and it is surprisingly not as well visited or known as its more visible counterpart. There is a 200 to 250 meter footpath that takes one directly from the trail loop by Seljaslandsfoss to the gorge opening that the Gljúfurá River and Falls leads. You will need to walk in some swallow water in the gorge path to reach the falls, but it is only a few inches deep. Be sure to have waterproof boots or shoes. Even in July, the water can be quite brisk. Be sure to check it out since it is just out of sight, but very near an easy waterfall stop along the Ring Road. You’ll regret it if you learn you were only 200 or so meters away from it. The reward however is perhaps one of the prettiest falls in Iceland, a memorable experience, a tremendous photo opportunity and a landscape akin to Lord of the Rings.
Svartifoss
As as casual student who enjoys learning about language and history as much as travel, visiting places often give cues to some linguistic structure to the local and national culture. Throughout the Nordic countries, language is very direct and descriptive. Svartifoss is no exception, it literally means black falls.
While it is not nearly as tall as the other falls mentioned in this post, it still commands a stunning 20 meter or 66 feet vertical drop over black basalt columns formed by volcanic activity from about 340,000 years ago at the apex of a horseshoe shaped bow. Basalt is an interesting rock as it is created through very slow seeping lava flows. Due to the vertical drop over the cliffside, the liquid basalt lava forms hexagonal and octagonal columns has it cools and solidifies.
Getting to Svartifoss is not too tricky either. It is a slightly longer walk than its counterparts at the other falls, but it is a gentle 1.5 kilometers (just over a mile) with small hills. To access the falls, it is part of Skaftafell National Park, which is home of a massive glacier formation in southcentral Iceland. The path to Svartifoss begins at the Visitor Center in Skaftafell. Along the way to Svartifoss you will come across three other waterfalls; Þjófafoss (Thieves’ Fall), Hundafoss (Dogs’ Fall) and Magnúsarfoss (The Falls of Magnús). Once you get to Svartifoss, a small footbridge awaits which offers a nice photographic angle of Svartifoss. Trust me, you will hear the roaring water before you see it.
Kvernufoss
This less frequently visited neighbor of its counterpart, Skogasfoss might offer the most peace and quiet, and meditation opportunities of all the waterfalls listed in this post. Kvernufoss is located just east of Skogasfoss and is only a kilometer or a kilometer and a quarter from the main parking area for Skogas.
It is deceptively tall, due to Skogasfoss being a gargantuan falls, at 60 meters or 98 feet. This waterfall is relatively secluded in its gorge. Given the angle of the gorge that hosts the falls, it is not visible until you make the final truns on the walk path towards the falls. Like the more notorious Seljalandsfoss, one can actually walk behind the waterfall. The orientation of the gorge and that it is out of view from the parking area, many travelers tend to overlook this falls, much to their own loss. Even with the Kaeterskills Falls in New York closer to my home, it feels magical and epic to walk behind a fall. It gives a sense of proportion and power that water and Mother Nature can have. I was able to take my time here, enjoy some private and peace with only the roaring falls and river, and the chirping of shore birds being the only noises for half hours at a time.
Reaching the falls is easy. The trail starts behind the interesting Skogasfatn Museum near the Hotel Skogas Bar and Grille.
Editorial note, this waterfall and river can easily be confused with Kvernafoss and river in the Snæfellsnes peninsula. A future post will highlight main points on interest for the Snæfellsnes peninsula in northwestern Iceland.
Skógafoss
There is a reason why I saved Skogasfoss for last. It is Iceland’s most iconic waterfall, which is saying a lot for a country full of epic waterfalls and natural beauty that is entirely unique to this North Atlantic nation. Logically speaking, I should have included this before Kvernufoss, but it is too majestic, which is why it deserves to be the concluding falls in this post. It is so massive that it has other falls that feed into it.
This is the quintessential waterfall of Iceland. It belongs in science fiction films and high fantasy novels. It has inspired paintings, poetry and Viking lore. It is one of the largest falls in Iceland. It is 82 meters in width and over 60 meters, or over 200 feet tall. The drop is vertical the whole way down the 60 meter falls. Millions of years ago, these cliffs were directly on the Atlantic Ocean, with the Skogas River emptying directly into the ocean. ow, the ocean has receded over time, and the cliffs sit just under 5 kilometers from the shore. Most falls are created by eventual eroding from rivers. Skogasfoss was created by tectonic shifts as the cliffs moved away from the oceans.
The lead into Skogasfoss is the parking lot near the Skogas River with mountains hugging the west bank of Skogas. as one draws closer to the roaring falls, the green vegetation of the cliffs hug the falls itself. The path itself leads right to the base of the falls. One will get sprayed with the semi arctic mists of the fall. It is as epci as it sounds, and is worth doing it to live a little. Since this waterfall generates so much power and with both a wide and a steep vertical drop, the mist created from the waters crashing on the volcanic rock and and sands below creates plumes of mist that will extend over 100 meters tall, if not more. This creates nearly ever lasting rainbows so long as the sun is unobstructed by clouds in the spring and summer months.
Another great path is the hike up the cliffs to look down from the top of the falls. Tat vantage point allows one to see miles of Iceland’s rugged but majestic coast. There is ample parking and the falls are visible from the lot. Additionally, there is good food and lodging along the way, and a museum. If one has time, the hiking trails are well worth the time and energy.
In the summertime, where the sunlight is nearly 24 hours a day, lupin flowers adorn the southern countryside near these falls with pinks and purples. During the winter, the cliffs are coated in icy and snowy crystalized mists from the falls, giving it a silvery appearances. The summer time setting with the long daylight hours and lupin fields really give the falls a mystical aesthetic. According to Viking legends, gold was found in this river, but I attribute the gold being its natural wonders. It is a place that will forever imprint into one’s memory.
Other falls along the Skógas River
Skogasfoss’s tectonic origins are so geologically epic, that it created a series of cascades and falls along the Skogas River that feed directly into the 200 foot titan of a fall. One of the most rewarding hikes is following the river up beyond Skogasfoss. You will be greeted first by an epic view of Skógasfoss from the top and overlooking the Atlantic. The hardest part of the hike is the first part, the 500 step climbs adjacent to Skogasfoss. Hikers are immediately rewarded with a top-down view of Skogasfoss. If one were to continue northwards and continue the hike, it is an 8 kilometer journey with over 25 additional waterfalls, both large and small. There are three that are over 30 meters tall. It is a fairly robust hike with some elevation, so please consider hiking poles or a hiking stick, and good footwear. This section won’t cover all of the falls, but the “best hits” of the first 5 kilometers or so. This path is affectionately known as Waterfall Way. and some of the smaller falls are not formally named or charted. An editorial note, some of these falls might be out of order as my iCloud was using data, and this is between two trips between September 2018 and July 2024.
Hestavaðsfoss
While not as impressive as Skogasfoss, Hestavaðsfoss is the first foray up the Skogas River. It is not far from the summit of Skogasfoss and only takes a few minutes, at about a kilometer or six tenths of a mile from the trail opening at the bottom of Skogasfoss, to walk to, but once reached one realizes there is a lot more hidden or under visited falls and ravines along the river. It stands at about 10 meters or 30 feet tall. It is a gentler cascade before the waters reach the peak of Skogasfoss.
Til hamingju! Þú hefur séð fleiri fossa en venjulegur ferðamaður á þessum tímapunkti. This is just the first kilometer of the Waterfall Way however.
Fosstorfufoss
About 400 to 450 meters past Hestavaðsfoss lies Fosstorfufoss. These falls immediately follow a 90-degree bend in the Skógá River. It is most distinguishable for three factors. First is its semi horseshoe shape, like a miniature Niagara Falls (well, the Canadian falls at least, also please visit Canada!). The second is how the water cascades with a majority of the water gliding down a cascade and spreading out across a ledge, then reversing direction and falling over the cliff facing away from the trail. The third distinct feature are the rock formations before and after the falls. Fosstofufoss Falls is approximately 34 or 25 feet tall.
Here are two fun extra tidbits while you are near Fosstofufoss. Just past these falls are a few rock formations that look like they fell into the ravine, creating a fresher look into millions of years of Iceland’s geological history. Additionally, Waterfall Way is part of the larger Laugavegur hiking trail. The Laugavegur in of itself can dominate a trip to Iceland.
Steinbogafoss
My German heritage and sensibilities will tell me anything with the word stein in it means rock or stone. Steinbogafoss is no different. Steinbogafoss means stone arch falls, and is the third significant waterfall along Waterfall Way. While it is not as impressive as its previous two predecessors, it does feature a very clear view of the falls. It sits at about 8 meters or 25 feet in height. It is also a vertical drop and is wide at 60 to 70 feet at its widest points. From the path is a very clear shot for photographers and the Instagram faithful.
At this point, you will reap the benefits of having scaled the steepest points, and 90 percent of Skogasfoss travelers do not make it this far. Þú gengur nú veg harðsnúinna íslenskra göngumanna
Femri-Fellsfoss
At this point, one is nearing a 2.5 kilometer point past Skogasfoss. Reaching hear will treat visitors with a majestic 15 meter or 47 feet high Femri Fellsfoss. It is actually two falls, with Innri Fellsfoss being the smaller one that leads into Femri. Given that is is one of the taller falls along this path, it will kick up a decent mist that can dampen hikers along the trail. It was one of my favorite falls along the trail. It has some of the best vistas along the hike. If one is getting tired, this is not a bad waterfall to take a moment to rest, take in the scenery, and start making the way back to the parking area. It is about 2.5 km back to the trail head, and mostly downhill. It is easier going back.
Haltu áfram, þú stendur þig frábærlega! Og lundarnir líkar við þig líka.
Kæfufoss
This could be the ninth, or possibly the eleventh, waterfall one could encounter up the Skogas River. There is a bit of a dispute that I wont weigh in on whether a few cascades or unmarked falls count or not. This is the ninth fall that is at least 10 meters or more in height. It easily surpasses that at about 14 meters or 46 feet and is nearly 28 meters or 100 feet wide. This is not more than a few minutes walk past the previous falls. You can even see the crest of that falls from Kæfufoss. This falls also has a unique “V” shape to its base allowing. The other great thing about these falls is that this is now at least the ninth fall within 2.5 kilometers from the base of Skogasfoss.
Króksfoss
Iceland is an interesting place. Every few miles is a completely different landscape and vibe. Yet they are all connected by the sharp vistas and legendary tales of a Viking paradise in the ocean. Kroksfoss is one of those sharp contrasts along Waterfall Way. It is large, and large enough where it can standout as its own destination. Standing at 144 feet or 44 meters, one can hear the roar of water clashing against rock and stone from hundreds of feet away. At this point we are well into Waterfall Way. From about a kilometer away, you will see the gargantuan mist clouds bellow up from the canyon. It’s roar is a thunderous hammer, as of it was from Thor himself. The canyon is narrow, contributing to the heavy bass of hundreds of gallons of water crashing into hard volcanic and sedimentary rock.
Króksfoss roaring into the Skogas River Valley
There are some smaller falls after Kæfufoss that are not referenced here. One can make a whole website dedicated the waterfalls and hiking trails of Iceland.
Where to Stay and Eat Near Vik
If you are looking to stay near Southern Iceland’s sites, being in or near Vík í Mýrdal is a good base of operations. Vik is a growing community with very good food options. It is within a 20 to 30 minute drive of both Skógasfoss and Svartifoss, as well as being right near the famed black volcanic sands beach of Reynisfjara. The Vik Church, formally known as Reyniskirkja is a very picturesque and quaint modern Lutheran church atop of a hill overlooking the Town of Vik and the charcoal black shores of Reynisfjara to the south, the Reynisdrangar sea stack rock formations to the West, and mountains to the north. From Keflavik Airport, Vik is maybe 2 to 2.5 hours by car with clear traffic.
Vik i Mydral Hotel is a leisurely ten minute walk from the Reynhisfjara Beach and very close to the center of town. Berg Restaurant also offers a lot of tasty bistro pub offerings. Vik is also bountiful in good eating. My favorite spot was Smiðjan Brugghuis, which has its own beers and well made burgers. Their IPAs and lagers were very hoppy and a nice way to warm up and refresh after a day chasing falls. Iceland has excellent microbreweries. One wouldnt immediately assume pizza and Iceland being a good pair, but it is true. There is an interesting take however unique to this part of Iceland. Owing its likeness to the volcanic black sands of Vik’s shores, Black Crust Pizzeria has charcoal fired pizzas where the crust is charred black. I live near New Haven, Connecticut. I am used to a little char and a thin crust on my pizzas. We boast about being the pizza capitol of the USA, if not world. It might not even be hyperbole, but the pizza at Black Crust Pizzeria was an excellent lunch before I departed back to Reykjavik. Another good recommendation is Strondin Pub, which offers outdoor seating right on the black sanded shores of Reynisfjara. Strond and Strand are Germanic and Nordic words for beach, so it is literally beach pub. There is good Icelandic fare on their menu as well as a solid gastropub offering.
Not far from there is Hotel Skogas (next to Skogasfoss) which is also a good base of operations in the area. the rooms are comfy, and the hiking trails are literally just outside your door. The Skofas Hotel Bar and Grill offers traditional Icelandic meals, local beers and traditional Icelandic brennevin schnapps. I have eaten here twice, each time I always had the Plokkfiskur (plucked fish), a cod or haddock fish stew
Word of advice, Iceland has a very unique and vulnerable environment. Please heed the signs and instructions at scenic locations and stay on the pathways. Some of the vegetation is very fragile and can be permanently damaged from human interactions. The Icelandic people and government take environmental and historical preservation exceptionally seriously. Please respect their culture and traditions as well as the natural habitat.
Iceland’s tourism industry and digital presence is exceptionally helpful. Guide to Iceland and The Golden Circle websites and social media provide very informative tips on how to make the most of your journey and insights on what to see. For more about Iceland’s southern falls, including some additions from the Golden Circle National Park, please visit Golden Circle Iceland’s write up about the falls.
For additional travel posts, please visit the travel section of my blog. There will be other posts about Iceland, and other Nordic Countries forthcoming.
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