Waterfalls in Iceland

September 8, 2023

Blog

Brúarfoss

South Iceland

Campervan Freedom

Celeste rented a camper van and went around Iceland and discovered the many facets of Iceland. Brúarfoss requires a slight hike on small paths but Celeste found it and wasn’t disappointed.

This waterfall is just a little off of the Golden circle. You will find it between Þingvellir national park and Geysir and is north of the road, north of an area full of summer cabins.

Coming from Reykjavik and driving towards Geysir, you will pass a blue sign on your right with an arrow pointing to the left (you have a field on your left), take that left turn and pass all the summer houses. On the north end, you will arrive to a small parking lot. Park your car and follow the trail.

This is not one of the biggest waterfalls but it‘s one of the more unique ones, both in shape and color and definitely worth the visit.

GPS Coordinates: 64°15’53.74″N 20°31’0.24″W

Seljalandsfoss

South Iceland

A long weekend in Iceland

Ben Jacobsen took some amazing shots while traveling around in Iceland. He visited Seljalandsfoss and took this stunning shot.

Seljalandsfoss, together with Gullfoss, are probably the most visited waterfalls in Iceland. If you want to drive there, try to do it very early or very late to get some privacy while enjoying this beautiful place.

Finding this waterfall is very easy indeed. Driving east from Reykjavik on the Ring road, you will see it on your left side when you arrive to the majestic mountain range Eyjafjöllum.

Just take a left turn after the river and you will arrive by the fall, park your car and enjoy. One of the interesting features with Seljalandsfoss is that you can take a walk behind the waterfall but dress accordingly so you won’t get wet.

GPS Coordinates: 63°36’57.07″N 19°59’32.53″W

Gljúfráfoss (Gljúfrabúi)

South Iceland

Camper honeymoon in Iceland

This waterfall is a hidden gem. It is hidden in a crack and the walls are mossy and gorgeous. When you visit Seljalandsfoss, you just walk/drive a few hundred feet north and you will find Gljúfráfoss. Have proper shoes on, rain clothes and enjoy a truly fantastic experience.

There is also a trail close by and a wooden staircase to enable hikers to climb halfway up and view the falls from another angle.

This astounding shot was taken by a couple who spent their long overdue honeymoon and they chose Iceland! A good choice! ?

GPS Coordinates: 63°37’14.94″N 19°59’11.52″W

Skógafoss

South Iceland

Trip of a lifetime

These travelers caught this stunning shot below Skógafoss with a double rainbow. Skógafoss is probably one of our most elegant waterfalls in Iceland. It’s wide, straight, lush and soft and has such easy access too. Not only is it beautiful to watch from below, one can also hike up the waterfall and see it from above. The trail to the top you find on the right side of the waterfall and while up there, take a walk up there for it’s truly beautiful.

When you have visited Seljalandsfoss and you continue east, you drive for perhaps 25 minutes and you will arrive at Skógafoss to your left. You will see it from the road but it pops up fast so be prepared to do the left turn. Remember you are on a holiday so just enjoy the drive and take it easy.

There is also a campsite by Skógafoss if you want to take a load off for the day and maybe want explore the area above better.

GPS Coordinates: 63°31’37.31″N 19°30’38.65″W

Gullfoss

South Iceland

A Magical place called Iceland

Chase and his buddy drove around together and loved the power of Gullfoss. One of the most visited waterfalls in Iceland. It is also a part of the Golden circle. No wonder for the waterfall is truly magnificent, all year around. But during winter, the path leading to the waterfall is closed at times due to extreme icing so if you do encounter stop signs while there, please do not enter the area. There is a reason why they are up at times.

It’s easy enough to find the fall. Just drive the Golden circle and you will find it on the eastern most part of the circle.

GPS Coordinates: 64°19’30.14″N 20° 7’30.49″W

Faxafoss

South Iceland

Craig’s Camper Van trip in Iceland

Craig traveled south Iceland and while visiting Gullfoss, he also visited Faxafoss, a very wide and gorgeous fall just southwest of Gullfoss. It’s easy access with a parking lot close by and there are pick-nick tables too.

Very close to the waterfall which is full of Salmon during summer and fall, there is a restaurant that according to rumor serves great food.

GPS Coordinates: 64°13’33.17″N 20°20’19.48″W

Dettifoss

North Iceland

4 friends & a Camper Van

These guys drove the whole Ring road and stopped by Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall. It is simply amazing to stand close to the fall and see all that glacier water rushing down with terrible force. You are met by a wall of water thundering down the gorge below you. A must if you are traveling in north Iceland.

The road leading to a parking lot half a kilometer from the fall might be closed off season so be prepared for a hike in case it’s closed. Make sure you don’t park the camper so it blocks other cars. Up to 2011 that road was classified as an F-road but is passable in ordinary cars and campers when it’s open. You find the road going off the road that lies between Ásbyrgi and Mývatn.

GPS Coordinates: 65°49’7.97″N 16°22’45.17″W

Goðafoss

North Iceland

We came, we camped, we conquered

Goðafoss, the fall of the gods got its name when a lawmaker decided to make his district christian and he threw all statues of Norse gods into the fall.

A very popular fall in North Iceland with easy access and close to the Ring road. It lies maybe an hour east of Akureyri and a perfect stop before continuing to Mývatn or Dettifoss and Ásbyrgi. It’s about 12m/39ft and 30m/98ft wide and is shaped like a horse shoe, just like Niagara falls.

The video is from “Campervan Freedom“

GPS Coordinates: 65°41’9.36″N 17°32’18.29″W

Glýmur

Southeast Iceland

Iceland on three days

This couple only spent 3 days in Iceland but managed to get a lot out of their trip. They also hiked to Glýmur, Iceland’s highest waterfall.

It’s not difficult to find it but it does require a bit of hiking, especially if you want to enjoy the view as seen in the video below.

To get there, drive the Ring road north but instead of driving through the tunnel going under the fjord Hvalfjörður, drive north into the fjord. At the bottom of the fjord, you will find a right turn that takes you to the parking lot and from there, you have to hike.

UPDATE!

Glýmur is no longer the tallest waterfall in Iceland. Now a waterfall coming off the glacier Morsárjökul is considered the highest and it’s 30m higher than Glýmur.

The video is from “Unplanned adventures in the Land of Fire and Ice“

GPS Coordinate at the right turn: 64°23’7.97″N 21°21’18.34″W

GPS Coordinates to the parking lot: 64°23’7.09″N 21°17’41.38″W

Svartifoss

South Iceland

Amazing Iceland

These friends from Holland went all around Iceland and shot some stunning shots of the Icelandic waterfalls, Svartifoss being one of them.

Svartifoss is such a special fall and is one of the more beautiful places in Skaftafell national park. It is surrounded by dark columnar jointing lava columns, which gave rise to its name. These hexagonal shaped rocks have been the inspiration to many architects and Hallgrímskirkju might be the most famous one. It’s an easy 5.5km (3.4 miles) hike from Skaftafell Visitor Center, round trip.

GPS Coordinates parking: 64° 1’0.64″N 16°59’1.25″W

GPS Coordinates: 64° 1’39.56″N 16°58’30.88″W

Hraunfossar

West Iceland

Trip to the land of the Midnight sun

The couple who took the shot drove the whole Ring road and enjoyed all the big sites. This waterfall is not close to the Ring road but is easy to find. It’s an hour and a half drive north from Reykjavík.

Hraunfossar might be one of the more unique waterfalls we have here in Iceland. This is not one solid waterfall but made up hundreds of streams seeping through cracks in the lava field, coming together in one, wide area called Hraunfossar (lava falls). The water is crystal clear and is wonderfully blue. Access to the falls is as easy as it gets and above Hraunfossar you have Barnafoss, a smaller waterfall a minute upstream.

GPS Coordinates: 64°42’5.70″N 20°58’43.59″W

Dynjandi

Westfjords

The Ultimate whirlwind tour of Iceland

This couple drove all around Iceland, including the Westfjords where they visited Dynjandi. Their CamperStories also includes a lot of great shots and information good to have while being on the road in Iceland.

The name means Thundering and you will know why when you arrive there. It’s about 100 m (330feet) high and it spreads out in the bottom and the splits up into five smaller falls creating this thunderous sound. There are also places where you can take a peak behind the fall.

GPS Coordinates: 65°44’11.94″N 23°12’32.08″W

Stjórnarfoss

South Iceland

Iceland Ring road adventure

The couple in the pic visited so many waterfalls and other great places, a CamperStories well worth reading. One of the waterfalls they visited was Stjórnarfoss. Not only is the waterfall beautiful, parts of the ground leading up to the waterfall many thinks looks like a church floor and the surrounding areas offer great opportunities for some easy explorations. Very nice indeed.

Stjórnarfoss is a small but very charming little fall just east of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. It’s very easy access to the parking lot and is a great place to get off the Ring road, stretch your legs and enjoy the wonderful landscape surrounding the fall. It’s also very close to the camping site Kleifar.

GPS Coordinates: 63°48’0.18″N 18° 3’23.00″W

Hengifoss

East Iceland

Amazing honeymoon in Iceland

Hengifoss is a small detour off the Ring road in East Iceland. This couple hiked all the way up to the waterfall and they recommend you to wear hiking shoes. It’s a 40 minute walk one way. The parking lot has facilities for travelers.

It’s interesting to see the “timelines” in the rocks which shows the different volcanic eruptions from the time when Iceland was formed. Hengifoss is also one of Iceland’s highest waterfalls,

On the way to the waterfall, you would also pass another fall called Litlanesfoss. Not a big one but has a big concentration of basalt columns making it very photogenic and unique too see.

GPS Coordinats parking lot: 65° 4’25.08″N 14°52’53.91″W

Kirkjufellsfoss

West Iceland

Unplanned adventures in the land of Fire & Ice

This couple, despite being unlucky with the weather, visited and hiked to so many waterfalls. One they visited is on on the north side of Snæfellsnes peninsula. It’s very close to the village Grundarfjörður and lies by the roots of the mountain Kirkjufell. The waterfall is Kirkjufellsfoss and almost lies by the road so you don’t need to hike for this one.

A very pretty but small fall with stunning views.

GPS Coordinates: 64°55’33.96″N 23°18’41.26″W

While driving around Iceland in your camper van, you will see so many waterfalls and this is just a list of many of the more spectacular ones. There are not many roads taking you to these sites that you can’t drive on with campers. The only possible hindrance might be seasonal ones like snow.

Of these waterfalls we have featured here, which one is your favorite?

Waterfalls featured above Other waterfalls