Guide to the 20 Best Waterfalls in Iceland

Iceland has an estimated 10,000+ waterfalls, giving it more per square kilometer than almost anywhere else on Earth. Glaciers cover around 10% of the country, rainfall is heavy year-round, and the steep volcanic highlands channel meltwater over cliff edges in every season.

What sets Iceland's waterfalls apart is the variety. You can walk behind some, stand at the edge of others, and reach several with no hiking: just pull over on the Ring Road. A few are so forceful that the spray reaches you from far away. No two look alike, and no single region holds them all.

The South Coast sits beneath a line of volcanic cliffs and glaciers—Eyjafjallajökull, Mýrdalsjökull, and the western edge of Vatnajökull among them. Meltwater and rainfall drain off these heights year-round, feeding rivers that cut through lava before reaching the coastal plain.

Most of the waterfalls here are easy to reach: several sit right on or just off Route 1, while others require short detours inland toward Þjórsárdalur or into the Skaftafell area of Vatnajökull National Park. The Skaftafell trail to Svartifoss is a 5.5 km (around 3.4 miles) return; Háifoss and Hjálparfoss are off Route 32, further from the coast. No other region in Iceland packs this much waterfall variety into a single driving route.

Seljalandsfoss drops about 60 m (about 197 ft) off the South Coast cliffs, just a short detour from Route 1. It's one of the few waterfalls in Iceland where a path takes you directly behind the curtain of water. Standing there, you look out through the falls rather than at them.

The path behind Seljalandsfoss waterfall is open from late spring through early autumn. In winter, ice makes it unsafe and it’s typically closed. Even when the behind-path is off-limits, the waterfall is worth stopping for. The front view is impressive on its own. Note that Gljúfrabúi, the hidden gorge waterfall, is a short walk away and easy to combine into the same stop.

Gljúfrabúi sits just a few hundred meters from Seljalandsfoss on Iceland's South Coast, but most visitors walk straight past it. The waterfall is hidden inside a narrow gorge, invisible from the road and easy to miss if you don't know to look for the gap in the rock face.

To see Gljúfrabúi waterfall properly, you need to wade through a shallow stream and step inside the gorge itself. Once in, it drops about 40 m (about 132 ft) into a confined space, and the spray soaks you fast. It's not a gentle viewpoint, but an immersive one. Bring a waterproof jacket and pants together with waterproof shoes or a spare pair of socks.

Skógafoss drops 60 m (around 197 ft) and spans 25 m (around 82 ft) across. It’s wide and powerful enough to generate a permanent mist at the base and a near-constant rainbow on sunny days. It sits just off Route 1 near the village of Skógar on the South Coast, making it one of the most accessible major waterfalls in Iceland.

You can walk directly to the base of Skógafoss waterfall and into the spray, or take the staircase beside the falls to the top. From up there, the view stretches along the South Coast and the river continues upstream past a series of smaller cascades, worth following if you have time. Those stairs also mark the start of the Fimmvörðuháls trail toward Thorsmork, the first leg of the Laugavegur hiking route.

According to Icelandic folklore, the first settler in the area, Þrasi Þórólfsson, hid a chest of gold behind the falls. A ring was later found on the chest's handle, which is now kept at the Skógar Museum.

Svartifoss, or the “Black Waterfall,” is named for the dark basalt columns that frame it on three sides. As lava cooled and contracted thousands of years ago, it fractured into geometric, near-hexagonal columns. The result is a waterfall that looks less like a natural formation and more like a carefully designed structure. Architect Guðjón Samúelsson drew directly from this geometry when designing Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík's landmark church.

The Svartifoss waterfall drops about 20 m (around 66 ft) into a pool below. The contrast between the white curtain of water and the black columns is sharp enough to make the setting feel cinematic regardless of the season. Svartifoss is located in the Skaftafell area of Vatnajökull National Park. It's not a roadside stop; the walk from the Skaftafell visitor center is roughly 5.5 km (around 3.4 miles) both ways. The path is well-maintained and suitable for most fitness levels.

Háifoss drops about 122 m (around 400 ft) on the Fossá river in Þjórsárdalur valley, near Hekla volcano. It's one of Iceland's tallest waterfalls, and it rarely appears alone. Granni waterfall sits directly beside it in the same canyon, and the two are best seen together from the viewing area above.

The area carries some weight beyond the view. A short distance away stands Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng, a reconstructed Viking Age longhouse built on the site of a farm buried in Hekla's 1104 eruption. The site is open daily from May 1st to October 15th. The road to Háifoss can be rough depending on conditions; check before you go and use a capable vehicle if in doubt.

Hjálparfoss is a double waterfall in Þjórsárdalur valley, South Iceland, north of Hekla volcano. Two streams fall side by side into a shared pool, framed by dark basalt columns and ancient lava flows. The valley setting is green and sheltered, noticeably quieter than Iceland's more exposed waterfall stops. It's easily reached by Route 32, with a short walk from the parking area.

The name means "Helping Falls," and its story is part of the appeal. Travelers crossing the old Sprengisandur highland route used this spot to rest their horses and resupply before or after the long stretch through the barren interior. It was a practical place to pause then, and it still is now.

The Golden Circle covers roughly 300 km (about 190 miles) from Reykjavik, looping through Þingvellir, the Geysir geothermal area, and back. It's Iceland's most traveled day-trip circuit, and both waterfalls in this section are straightforward to include without adding significant distance.

Gullfoss is anchored by the Hvítá glacial river draining from Langjökull. Brúarfoss sits a few kilometers upstream on a tributary of the same river system, less visited but striking for its vivid turquoise color. Both are flat walks from designated parking areas and carry stories that add something to the stop beyond the scenery.

Gullfoss sits on the Golden Circle in southwest Iceland and is one of the most visited natural sites in the country. The Hvítá glacial river drops in two stages into a narrow canyon, with a total fall of about 32 m (around 105 ft). On sunny days, the mist rising from the gorge catches the light and produces a rainbow over the falls.

Gullfoss waterfall nearly didn't survive in the early 20th century as foreign investors planned to dam it for a hydroelectric project. A local farmer's daughter, Sigríður Tómasdóttir, fought to protect it, refusing to give up until the plans were dropped. Gullfoss was eventually preserved, and a monument near the viewing platform commemorates her efforts.

The first thing people notice about Brúarfoss is the color. Glacial meltwater flows over a pale riverbed, producing a vivid turquoise that looks almost too blue to be natural. The name means "Bridge Falls," a reference to a natural stone arch that once spanned the river here.

Bruarfoss waterfall sits on the Golden Circle, between Þingvellir National Park and the Geysir geothermal area. From the parking lot, it's a flat walk along the river to reach the falls. The trail passes two smaller waterfalls, Hlauptungufoss and Miðfoss, both worth a pause before you reach the main cascade. Stick to the marked path. The surrounding vegetation is fragile, and the marked paths help protect an environment that takes decades to recover from damage.

West Iceland spreads from Reykjavik's immediate surroundings out to the tip of Snæfellsnes Peninsula, taking in ancient lava fields, deep fjords, and a coastline far quieter than the South. Most waterfalls here are reachable by car.

Hraunfossar and Barnafoss sit off Route 518, around 2 hours from the capital. Glymur, Iceland's second-tallest waterfall, is the exception: it demands a proper hike above Hvalfjörður with river crossings and uneven terrain, and should be planned as a dedicated half-day. Kirkjufellsfoss sits further west on Snæfellsnes, and Álafoss is close enough to Reykjavik to fold into an afternoon in the city.

Hraunfossar doesn't fall over a cliff like other waterfalls. Instead, water seeps through the ancient Hallmundarhraun lava field and emerges along the riverbank in hundreds of small streams, spilling into the Hvítá river below. The result stretches roughly 900 m (about 2,953 ft). It’s not a single waterfall, but a long, continuous wall of water that looks unique among others in Iceland.

Hraunfossar waterfall is one of the easiest waterfall sites in the country to visit. There's parking directly at the falls, marked walking paths along the river, and clear viewpoints from multiple angles. The water runs dark against the lava rock, edged in places with green moss. Hraunfossar shares a parking area with Barnafoss, about 210 m (about 689 ft) away, and the two are almost always visited together.

Barnafoss means "Children's Falls" and sits on the Hvítá river in Borgarfjörður, West Iceland. It shares a parking area with Hraunfossar, about 210 m (about 689 ft) away, and the two are almost always visited together. The contrast between them is immediate. Hraunfossar spreads wide in quiet, pale ribbons. Barnafoss cuts through a narrow volcanic channel in fast, twisting blue rapids.

The name comes from a local legend. Two boys drowned after falling from a natural stone arch above the river. Their mother, grief-stricken, cursed the crossing. The bridge was later destroyed by an earthquake. That mix of unusual water movement, black rock, and local folklore holds your attention in a way that's harder to explain than to feel.

Glymur drops about 198 m (around 650 ft) into a steep canyon on the Botnsá river in Botnsdalur valley, above Hvalfjörður in West Iceland. It's Iceland's second-tallest waterfall and one of the least accessible, which is part of what makes it memorable.

The hike to Glymur waterfall is roughly 7 km (around 4.4 miles) round trip. The trail passes through a narrow canyon, climbs above the gorge for open views, and involves at least one river crossing. Expect to remove your shoes or use a log bridge depending on water levels. Glymur is about 75 km (around 47 miles) from Reykjavík, making it a solid half-day trip from the capital. Go prepared for uneven terrain and bring waterproof layers.

Kirkjufellsfoss is a set of three small waterfalls on the Kirkjufellsá river, near the town of Grundarfjörður on the north coast of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. On their own, they would be easy to pass by. What makes the stop iconic is Kirkjufell mountain behind them: a steep, symmetrical peak whose reflection in the river has made this one of the most photographed views in Iceland.

The scene of Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall shifts with the seasons, with the mountain appearing green in summer, snow-covered in winter, and golden under the midnight sun in June. It also appeared as the "Arrowhead Mountain" in seasons 6 and 7 of Game of Thrones, which brought a new wave of visitors. The waterfall is easy to reach, and the viewing area is well-positioned for the classic mountain-and-falls composition.

Álafoss is a modest waterfall on the Varmá river in Mosfellsbær, a small town about 15 km (around 10 miles) from Reykjavík. It's not dramatic by Icelandic standards, but it's one of the easiest waterfalls to reach from the capital—and the setting along the river is quiet and pleasant.

The waterfall sits just behind the Álafoss Shop, a well-known Icelandic wool store that has occupied the old mill building on the river since the factory closed. It's worth combining both into one stop. Mosfellsbær is reachable by public bus from Reykjavík, but check current Strætó routes and stops before you go, as schedules are updated regularly.

The Westfjords form Iceland's most remote corner, a peninsula of deep fjords and steep ridges in the country's northwest. Getting here from Reykjavik takes roughly 5 hours and there's no way to make it a casual detour. The roads are paved but winding; a ferry from Snæfellsnes offers an alternative approach if you're already on the peninsula.

Dynjandi alone justifies the trip. Its fan-shaped, multi-tiered descent makes it unlike anything else on this list, and the region is best treated as a destination in its own right rather than a side trip.

Dynjandi is the largest waterfall in the Westfjords, the remote fjord region in Iceland’s northwest corner. Standing about 100 m tall (about 329 ft), it fans out as it descends—narrow at the crest, broad at the base—making it look like a bridal veil.

Reaching Dynjandi waterfall takes some effort. It sits in the remote Westfjords, roughly 5 hours and 355 km (around 220 miles) from Reykjavik, making it a deliberate detour that requires planning ahead. The walk from the parking area climbs gently for about 15 minutes before reaching the main cascade. Along the way, you pass six smaller waterfalls on the same river, each with its own character. They break up the climb and make the approach feel like part of the experience rather than just a means to an end.

North Iceland's waterfall landscape is anchored by the Skjálfandafljót river, which carries 3 of the 4 falls in this section across different stretches of the same drainage. Goðafoss sits right off Route 1 near Mývatn and requires no planning to reach. Dettifoss, the outlier, runs on a river inside Vatnajökull National Park, accessed from Route 862 (paved) or 864 (gravel). Aldeyjarfoss and Hrafnabjargafoss are further along the F26 highland road, open in summer only, requiring a 4WD vehicle, and rewarding the effort with some of the most dramatic basalt formations in Iceland.

In the year 999 or 1000, Iceland's Lawspeaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði formally adopted Christianity at the national assembly. This event was documented in the medieval Íslendingabók. Local tradition holds that he then rode home and threw his statues of the Norse gods into the waterfall on his land. That waterfall became known as Goðafoss—"Waterfall of the Gods."

The Godafoss waterfall sits on the Skjálfandafljót river in North Iceland, right off Route 1 near Mývatn, and is easy to reach from both banks. Goðafoss curves in a broad horseshoe arc about 30 m (around 99 ft) wide and drops roughly 12 m (around 40 ft). In winter, ice builds up along the basalt rock faces, and the contrast against the dark stone makes the whole site feel even more dramatic.

Dettifoss waterfall sits in Vatnajökull National Park in northeast Iceland. It drops roughly 45 m (around 148 ft) and spans about 100 m (around 328 ft) across, making it one of Europe's most powerful waterfalls.

You can approach Dettifoss waterfall from two sides. The west bank, reached via Route 862 (paved road), brings you closer to the falls and is the more accessible option. The east bank, via Route 864 (gravel road, sometimes requiring 4WD), offers a broader view of the canyon and fewer visitors.

About 1 km (around 0.7 miles) upstream, Selfoss waterfall provides a calmer, wider contrast worth the short walk. Hafragilsfoss waterfall sits roughly 2 km (around 1.3 miles) downstream in the same canyon. It's smaller, much quieter, and worth the extension if you want to avoid the crowd.

Aldeyjarfoss drops about 20 m (around 66 ft) on the Skjálfandafljót river, enclosed on three sides by dark basalt columns rising from the Suðurárhraun lava field. The columns form a natural bowl around the falls, which gives the whole site a contained, almost theatrical quality: very different from the wide-open landscapes that frame most of Iceland's waterfalls.

Getting to Aldeyjarfoss waterfall requires planning. Aldeyjarfoss is accessed via the F26 Sprengisandur highland road, which is only open in summer and requires a 4WD vehicle. It's not a detour you stumble into, but the remoteness is exactly what makes it feel like a genuine discovery.

Hrafnabjargafoss sits on the Skjálfandafljót river in North Iceland, roughly 43 km (about 27 miles) south of Goðafoss waterfall. At about 5 m (about 17 ft) tall, it's not Iceland's most dramatic waterfall in terms of height. What makes it worth the effort is the setting: the water splits around a central rock formation and falls in two cascades from the edge of the ancient Bárðardalshraun lava field.

Access is via road F26, the Sprengisandur highland road, which requires a 4WD vehicle and is open in summer only. Hrafnabjargafoss is about 3–4 km (about 1.9–2.5 miles) further along from Aldeyjarfoss waterfall on the same road, making the two a natural pair if you're already making the detour.

East Iceland is the country's most undervisited region, which means shorter queues and a quieter experience at waterfalls that would draw crowds anywhere else. Both falls in this section share a single trail from the same parking area in the Fljótsdalur valley, near Egilsstaðir. Litlanesfoss comes first, roughly halfway up; Hengifoss, at around 128 m, is the destination at the top. The trail takes roughly 60 minutes on a well-maintained path.

East Iceland is typically reached via the Ring Road, with Egilsstaðir as the main hub, making this a natural stop whether you're driving the full circuit or flying in.

What makes Hengifoss worth the hike isn't just the height, though at around 128 m, it ranks among Iceland's tallest waterfalls. It's the cliff behind it: alternating horizontal bands of red iron-rich clay and dark basalt record millions of years of volcanic activity.

The Hengifoss waterfall is located near Egilsstaðir in East Iceland, in the Fljótsdalur valley. The trail from the parking area usually takes about 40–60 minutes, and along the way you pass Litlanesfoss, a smaller waterfall framed by tall basalt columns. This makes the route feel like more than just a climb to one viewpoint.

Litlanesfoss drops about 30 m (around 99 ft) on the Hengifossá river, near Egilsstaðir in East Iceland. It’s surrounded on both sides by tall basalt columns that rise in near-perfect vertical lines, resembling organ pipes in both shape and scale. Standing at the base, the columns frame the waterfall on either side and make the setting feel more like a constructed space than a natural one.

It sits roughly 1.5 km (around 1 mile) below Hengifoss waterfall on the same trail, making it a natural first stop on the way up. Most visitors reach it about halfway through the hike from the parking area. It's worth pausing here rather than walking straight past; the columns at Litlanesfoss are among the most well-formed in Iceland.

Use the map below to see where each waterfall sits and which ones line up along the same route. Most travelers cluster stops by region rather than chasing individual falls across the country, and the map makes those natural groupings easy to spot at a glance.

Fitting Iceland's waterfalls into your journey takes more planning than most visitors expect. A guided day tour handles the transport, timing, and local knowledge, so you can focus on the experience rather than the logistics between stops.

Day tours are a practical way to cover several waterfalls in one route without rushing between them or second-guessing the road conditions along the way.

Some of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland include Gullfoss, Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Goðafoss, and Dettifoss. Each stands out for a different reason: Seljalandsfoss for its walk-behind path, Dettifoss for its raw power, and Goðafoss for its role in Iceland's conversion to Christianity. Gullfoss and Skógafoss round out the list as two of the South Coast's most visited and most photographed stops.

It is estimated that there are more than 10,000 waterfalls in Iceland. The exact number is not fixed, but the country’s glaciers, rivers, steep valleys, and frequent runoff explain why waterfalls are so common here. Many smaller falls have no official name and appear on no map. They’re simply part of the landscape.

Morsárfoss is currently considered the tallest waterfall in Iceland, at roughly 227–240 m (around 745–788 ft). Glymur, on the other hand, is the second-highest, even though it was previously considered the tallest waterfall in Iceland, at approximately 198 m (around 650 ft).

Swimming directly in or beneath Iceland's waterfalls is not recommended. The water is often extremely cold, and strong currents, slippery rocks, and changing conditions can make even smaller sites risky. If you want to swim in Iceland, geothermal pools are the better option: warm, scenic, and often located along some waterfall routes.

Iceland’s waterfalls can be visited year-round, but each season offers something different. Summer brings the highest water volume and open access to highland roads. Winter frames some falls in ice and frost, though certain paths, including the walk-behind at Seljalandsfoss, may close due to icy conditions. Spring and autumn offer fewer crowds and full rivers without the peak season prices.