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Hvalfjordur is a scenic fjord in West Iceland, often referred to as “the Whale fjord.” It’s home to Glymur, Iceland’s highest waterfall, many trees, an old naval base, a thermal pool, and top nature. Plan a trip to the unspoiled nature of Hvalfjordur in Iceland!
Hvalfjörður is located in the West Iceland. It’s the second fjord north of Reykjavík. The lands are fertile and home to the famous Glymur Waterfall. Hvalfjörður used to be connected to the Ring Road 1. However, at the end of the last century, the legendary undersea tunnel Hvalfjarðargögn opened and shortened the trip along the Ring Road by an hour.
During World War II, a British and American naval base could be found in the fjord. The British base HMS Baldur was located at Hvitanes, and you can still today visit the ruins of the once great housing.
Today Hvalfjordur is a quiet place with farms and beaches. You can see seals flapping around on the shores and rivers slowly running down its hills. The fjord is about 30 kilometers long and around 5 kilometers wide. The drive around it is about 60 kilometers.
Glymur, Iceland’s second highest waterfall, drops at the bottom of the fjord. The hike to it is like something from a fairytale. You first go through a birch forest and then a cave. You then cross a river on a log holding a rope and up the picturesque hills. Here you’ll be greeted with three different leveled viewing points. You can see the falls from these points.
The thin lined powder white waterfall drops in the most unique setting and birds circle around the area adding to the dramaticness of the whole scene. The hike takes about 3-4 hours as a whole and can be done as a circle, going up one side of the falls and down the other. If you decide to do it this way you might want to bring wading shoes as you will need to cross the river at the top. The hike is highly recommended!
Fun Fact: three months out of the year Morsárfoss waterfall which drops from Morsárjökull glacier is the highest waterfall in Iceland, placing Glymur temporarily in the second place but come winter Glymur takes number one again!
Hvalfjordur is located in the West of Iceland, the fjord above Mt Esja. It can easily be reached on a day tour from the city and has roads leading from both Reykjavík and Þingvellir National Park.
The distance between Reykjavík and the start of the read 47 leading to Hvalfjörður is 34 kilometers (21 mi). This is where you make the decision to either take the Hvalfjarðargöng tunnel or make the turn to Hvalfjörður.
GPS coordinates of Hvalfjordur: 64.3565° N, 21.7104° W
Hvalfjörður is easy to reach and can be visited in any season.
Driving from Reykjavík to Hvalfjörður will take you through Mosfellsbaer, via route 1 past Mt. Esja, until you see the sign to turn onto road 47. This long “detour” of 62 km will take you through the beautiful Hvalfjörður.
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At Hlaðir, right next to the swimming pool you can find a big and big camping lot with a bbq, toilets and showers and washing facilities. There is a lovely playground for the children and of course the thermal pool.
The road of Hvalfjörður can easily be driven in winter but the hike to Glymur is too hazardous at this time, the slopes are too steep to be walked in icy conditions. We still encourage anyone traveling by car in the West to make the detour of 62 km into the fjord to enjoy the splendid views, the complete serenity and the openness is immense.
In winter Hvalfjordur is recognized as a fabulous place to see the Northern Lights, only a short distance from the city but away from all the city lights making the auroras more visible. You should definitely keep this in mind if you are looking to explore them on your own.
