21 Waterfalls you cannot miss in iceland

Iceland and waterfalls go hand in hand. It is home to some of the most special and unique waterfalls you will see and a paradise for waterfall chasers. Estimates say that there are around 10,000 waterfalls on this island and you will spot them all the time while driving around the country. So which ones do you choose? Keep reading this guide to have a list of the 21 waterfalls you cannot miss in Iceland!

To help you locate them, I have divided the blog into the different regions of the country. There is also a map at the end of this article with the exact location of each waterfall listed here.

Waterfalls in the Golden Circle

Due to its close proximity to Reykjavik, the Golden Circle is the first contact with Icelandic nature and waterfalls for many tourists visiting Iceland.

1. Öxarárfoss (Height: 13 m; Width: 6 m)

Öxarárfos is a small waterfall situated within Thingvellir National Park. It is created by the river Öxará that falls over the cliffs of Almannagjá gorge.

It is one of the park’s main sites so it can get a bit crowded in the peak summer months. However, if you are a bit patient, there are always some moments when it gets a bit less crowded.

Getting to Öxarárfoss: Park your car in Öxarárfoss P3 Parking. From there, you will have to do a short 15 min hike to reach it.

2. Gullfoss (Height: 32 m; Width: 175 m)

Gullfoss is one of the most impressive waterfalls you will see in Iceland and one of the three main stops in The Golden Circle. It was named like this after this waterfall since the Icelandic word Gullfoss translates as Golden Waterfall. It has two levels with a total height of 32 m and a water flow of 140 cubic meters. This waterfall is so powerful that you can hear its noise as soon as you step out of the car.

There are two different viewpoints from which you can see the waterfall, one from further away that will give you a frontal view of the waterfall and a second one from above. Make sure to visit both of them as the views are amazing from both!

Getting to Gullfoss: To reach Gullfoss, you can park your car in one of the two available parkings. The first one is Gullfoss Main Car Park which is close to the above lookout point. The second one is next to the entry to the path that brings you closer to the waterfall itself.

3. Faxi Waterfall (Height: 7 m; Width: 91m)

Faxi Waterfall (also known as Vatnsleysufoss) is another waterfall on the Tungufljót river. It is not as powerful as Gullfoss but it is a quite peaceful waterfall to watch.

Getting to Faxi: To reach Faxi, you will have to leave your car in the parking next to Faxi Waterfall, which is unfortunately a paying one (700 ISK in June 2022). From there, you just have to walk down following the road until you reach the waterfall.

4. Þórufoss (Height: 16 m; Width 30 m)

Small waterfall east of Lake Þingvallatnt. It is not as impressive as other waterfalls but it appeared in Game of Thrones as the home of the children of the Forest.

Getting to Þórufoss: Þórufoss parking is located right next to the waterfall so it is quite easy to reach.

5. Bruarfoss

A beautiful turquoise waterfall that is located only 14 km from The Golden Circle.

Parking: The parking for Bruarfoss is located at the entry of the trail which will bring you to this waterfall.

Waterfalls in the South of Iceland

The South of Iceland is one of the most photogenic regions of Iceland and so are its waterfalls. If this is your first trip to Iceland, you don’t want to miss the following waterfalls.

6. Seljalandsfoss (Height: 60 m; Width: 11 m)

Seljalandsfoss is a super popular waterfall in the south of Iceland because it can be walked behind it. It is so popular that it is always quite crowded but you should not let this stop you from visiting it! This waterfall is photogenic from every angle you look at it.

It is part of the river Seljalandsá that begins underneath the glacier Eyjafjallajökull. This waterfall falls over a cliff that used to be the beginning of the sea but now it is a few kilometers away.

Tip: If you are planning to visit this waterfall, make sure to bring your rain clothes with you. Otherwise, you will get completely wet if you decide to walk behind it!

Getting to Seljalandfoss: Reaching this waterfall is very easy. It is located right next to Route 1 and there is a huge parking right in front of it.

7. Gljufrafoss (Height: 40m; Width: 5 m)

Gljufrafoss is a hidden waterfall inside a canyon just a few hundred meters away for Seljalandsfoss. It is still one of those relatively hidden gems in Iceland and many visitors that go to Seljalandsfoss leave without knowing it is there.

Tip: If you want to visit Gljufrafoss, you will need all sorts of water-resistant clothes and shoes. To reach this waterfall you will have to walk through a small stream of water and once inside the cave, the spray will leave you completely soaked! Unfortunately, since it was a sunny day we didn’t wear our water-resistant shoes that day and could not get inside the cave. Otherwise, we would have had wet feet for the rest of the day.

Getting to Gljufrafoss: To reach it, just follow the path that goes left of Seljaladsfoss until you get to an entry to a cave. From there, you will have to hop on a few stones in the water to enter it. Just a few meters in, the cave will open up for you to see this fairytale waterfall with a 40-meter drop.

8. Skogafoss (Height: 60 m ; Width: 25m)

Skogafoss is one of the biggest and most beautiful waterfalls you will find in Iceland. You will not be able to stop contemplating it! To make it even more special, on sunny days it is very common to see a rainbow in front of it.

Getting to Skogafoss: Skogafoss parking is located near the small village of Skogar very close to Route 1. From there you just have to walk a few hundred meters to reach it.

Tip: If you have some extra time, make sure to hike the Skoga Trail which starts at the top of Skogafoss’s viewpoint. It will take you along the river Skogá where you will be able to see multiple small waterfalls. It is one of the prettiest hikes I have done in Iceland!

9. Kvernufoss (Height: 40 m)

Kvernufoss is another one of those so-called “hidden gems” in Iceland. It is still not so known to many visitors even though it is located right next to Skogafoss.

The name Kvernufoss comes from the Kvernugil Gorge where it is located. Within this gorge, the Kverna river drops for almost 40 meters, creating this beautiful waterfall. Sounds amazing, right? Well, to make it a bit more special, it is possible to walk behind the waterfall!

Getting to Kvernufoss: Park your car at the parking of the Skogar Museum. To the right, you will see a trail that has a ladder to go over a fence. If you follow that path for around 15 minutes, you will reach it.

10. Svartifoss (Height: 20 m; Width: 2 m)

Svartifoss is a waterfall within the Skaftafell National Park and it is one of the most unique waterfalls you can see in Iceland.

It is 20 meters tall waterfall, framed by multiple layers of tall black basalt columns. From far away, the contrast of the black columns with the green moss, makes it look like a heart. Trust me, you will not regret adding this waterfall to your Iceland itinerary!

Getting to Svartifoss: To access Svartifoss you need to park your car at the Skaftafell Visitors Center Parking. From there you will have to hike 1,5 km to reach it but the path is conditioned to make it easier to access.

Waterfalls in the East Fjords

The Eastern Fjörds of Iceland are not particularly known for their waterfalls but there are still some pretty ones that are worth visiting.

11. Kliffbrekufossar (Height: 91 m; Width 9 m)

Kliffbrekufossar is a waterfall located in the eastern fjörd of Mjóifjöður. It is a series of smaller waterfalls that all combine together giving the appearance of a 90-meter-high waterfall in different steps.

Tip: This waterfall is only visible during the summer months of June to September since the mountain pass that leads to fjörd is only open during those months.

Getting to Kliffbrekufossar: This waterfall is right next to the road with a small parking area next to it. However, the gravel road that leads to it is a bit rough so it will take you some time to reach it.

12. Gufufoss (Height: 27 m; Width: 9 m)

Gufufoss is a small waterfall that we saw next to the road on our way to Seydisfjördur. It was not in our initial itinerary for the day but we were a bit ahead of time and it was right next to the road so we decided to check it out.

The place around the waterfall is very peaceful and we got to enjoy the waterfall all for ourselves.

Getting to Gufufoss: Gufufoss is right next to the road that takes you to Seydisfjordur and there is parking in front of it.

13. Hengifoss (Height: 128 m; Width: 11 m)

Hengifoss is a waterfall that runs from the river Hengifossá in East Iceland. This waterfall is surrounded by layers of basalt separated by layers of red clay that give a bright contrast.

Getting to Hengifoss: To reach Hengifoss you have to leave your car in this parking and hike a 50 min hike until you reach this waterfall. Along the way, you will find a smaller waterfall Litlaneshoff.

Waterfalls in Northen Iceland

In Northern Iceland, you will find the most impressive and powerful waterfalls (in my opinion) that this country can offer.

14. Dettifoss (Height: 45 m; Width: 100m)

Dettifoss is said to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe. It is created by the glacier river Jökulsá á Fjöllum which starts at the Vatnajökull Glacier. It is impressive to stand in front of this waterfall.

Getting to Dettifoss: Dettifoss can be visited from both sides. Each side has its advantages and disadvantages so choosing which to visit will depend on what you want to see. If you have some extra time, you can visit it from both sides but it will take you almost the whole day to do so.

Visiting the East Side of Dettifoss: The road that leads you to the East Side Parking of Dettifoss is a gravel road that is not in the best condition so I suggest you only choose this side if you have a 4×4 car. Because of this, the east side of Dettifoss is less crowded. However, you don’t get a full frontal view of the waterfall from the east side.
Visiting the West Side of Dettifoss: Reaching the West Side Parking of Dettifoss is easier since the road is in very good condition. However, this translates into more people visiting this side. To compensate you will get a complete frontal view of this magnificent waterfall.

15. Selfoss (Height: 11 m; Width: 100 m)

Selfoss is a neighbor waterfall to Dettifoss. Even though it is created by the same river it is not as powerful as Dettifoss. However, what it lacks in power it has in elegance as it is created by many smaller water streams that fall next to each other. Selfoss was one of my favorite waterfalls in Iceland.

Getting to Selfoss: The same as Dettifoss, you will have to choose to visit either from the east side or the west side. You will have to leave your car in the same parking as Dettifoss and keep following the trail after Dettifoss.

East side of Selfoss: The east side will grant you a better frontal view of this waterfall.
West side of Selfoss: On the west side, you will only get to see Selfoss sideways.

16. Hafragilsfoss (Height: 27 m; Width: 91 m)

Hafragilsfoss is the third waterfall that is created by the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum.

Getting to Hafragilsfoss: This waterfall can only be seen if you visit Detifoss from the East side. When leaving Dettifoss parking, turn left and follow the road for 3,5km. You will reach a small parking and viewpoint from which you will be able to admire this waterfall.

It is not possible to get close to the waterfall but the view from above with the river flowing along the canyon is pretty special.

17. Godafoss (Height: 12 m; Width: 30 m)

Godafoss was another one of my favorite waterfalls in Iceland. Its name translates into English as Waterfall of the Gods. It is said to have gotten this name after it was decided in the Althingi that Iceland would adopt the Christian faith. One of the chiefs of this region returned here and threw into the water the statues of the pagan gods he had at home.

Godafoss can be visited from both sides and you should definitely do so! On the left side, you can even descend and get a frontal view of the waterfall next to the river.

Getting to Godafoss: Godafoss is located right next to the ring road (Route 1), approximately 30 minutes driving from Akureyri. There are 2 different parking lots, one on each side of the waterfall. However, unlike to Dettifoss, it doesn’t matter which one you choose since they are easily connected by a bridge.

Waterfalls in the West Fjords

The West Fjords are a region often skipped by first-time visitors to Iceland (I did too). However, this doesn’t mean that they are not just as beautiful as the rest of the country. In fact, in this region, you will be able to find some waterfalls you cannot miss in Iceland. Here are two that I have already saved for my next trip to Iceland.

18. Dynjandi (Height: 100 m; Width: 30 - 60 m)

Dynjandi is the most famous waterfall in the West Fjords and one of the most impressive waterfalls in Iceland. The way it falls makes it look like a bridal veil.

Getting to Dynjandi: To visit this beautiful waterfall, you will have to park your car in this parking lot. From there, you will have to do a short hike of around 20 minutes until you reach it. Along the trail, you will find 6 other really pretty waterfalls:

Bæjarfoss
Hundafoss
Hrísvaðfoss
Gongumannafoss
Strompgljúfrafoss
Hæstahjallafoss

19. Valagil Waterfall (Height: 100 m)

Valagil is a ravine with a waterfall inside a gorge. You can actually hike up to the gorge and be impressed with the power of nature.

Getting to Valagil: Valagil is located in the West Fjords at the end of Alftafjorður. To reach it, you will have to park your car at the Valagil Parking lot and do a 4,5km hike from there.

Waterfalls in the Snaefellsness Peninsula

20. Selvallafoss (Height: 19 m; Width: 8 m)

Selvallafoss is a small and lesser-known waterfall in the Snaefellsness Peninsula. This will guarantee you have it all for yourself if you want to visit. It is commonly called the Sheep’s Waterfall. It is made of 3 drops with the biggest one being 11 m.

Another great thing about Sevallafoss is that you can walk behind it. There is a path that will allow you to walk behind the tallest drop. Just be careful when doing so, as it can be a bit slippery.

Getting to Selvallafoss: This cute waterfall is located on Route 56 in the Snaefellsness Peninsula. You will have to park your car in this small parking next to the road. There are no signs that will show you the way to the waterfall, and it can’t be seen from the parking area. Just follow one of the small paths towards the river (remember to not step on the moss to avoid damaging it) and after 5 min, you will find it.

21. Kirkjufellsfossar (Height: 9 m; Width: 17 m)

Kirkjufellfossar is a two-drop waterfall located right next to Mt Kirkjufell, the most photographed mountain in Iceland. This waterfall in itself is not that special but, with the beautiful Kirkjufell mountain behind it, you certainly don’t want to miss it. Just be prepared to have plenty of people around you, as it gets really crowded.

Getting to Kirkjufellsfoss: You will find Kirkjufellsfoss on route 54 in the Snaefellsness Peninsula, right next to the town of Grudafjordur. There is a big paying parking next to it so you will not miss it.