Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls: a guide by experience, not fame

Why Iceland has so many waterfalls

Iceland has more than 10,000 waterfalls — the direct result of three geological forces combining in a way found nowhere else in the world. Volcanism creates vertical basalt walls that are perfect for waterfalls (the hexagonal columns at Svartifoss and Aldeyjarfoss are the most extreme examples). Ice from the great glaciers feeds fast-flowing rivers heading towards the sea, and where the land drops sharply, the water falls. Tectonics — the island lies on the boundary between two plates moving apart by 2.5 cm each year — creates canyons and sudden drops that waterfalls have flowed through for millennia.

South Coast: the classics that earn their reputation

• Seljalandsfoss (60 m) — Iceland’s only waterfall that you can walk all the way around by passing behind the curtain of water. Bring a waterproof jacket. In winter, the trail may close because of ice.
• Gljúfrabúi — hidden in a gorge 500 m from Seljalandsfoss, reached only by bending down through a crack in the rock. Almost nobody finds it. Worth every effort.
• Skógafoss (60 m x 25 m) — almost always produces a morning rainbow. The 527 steps beside it lead to the Fimmvörðuháls trail. Arrive before 8:00 or after 18:00 to avoid the crowds.
• Kvernufoss — Skógafoss’s forgotten twin: same geological formation, same height, no tourists. Trail from Skógar campsite, 20 minutes. One of the south coast’s most interesting photography spots.
• Gullfoss — double drop (32 m), 70 m canyon. In spring, with meltwater, the flow doubles. The lower viewpoint is wet but closest to the water.

North-East: raw power, unfiltered

• Dettifoss — Europe’s most powerful: 44 m high, 100 m wide, ~500 m³/sec. The water is murky grey from glacial sediment. No protection, no mediation. The east bank (F862) offers the best viewpoint, just metres from the edge.
• Selfoss — 1 km upstream from Dettifoss, 10 m high, and almost empty. Worth the extra 20-minute walk.
• Goðafoss — 30 m wide, 12 m high. In AD 1000, the priest Þorgeir threw figurines of the old Norse gods into it after the adoption of Christianity. Accessible two minutes from the car park.
• Aldeyjarfoss — basalt columns among Iceland’s most regular and geometrically perfect. Requires F26 and a 4×4, open only in summer. The isolation is part of its appeal.

West: anomalies that defy logic

• Hraunfossar (lava waterfalls) — Iceland’s most striking anomaly: the water does not fall from a cliff, it emerges directly from volcanic rock for 900 metres. Hundreds of rivulets filter through the Hallmundarhraun lava field and slip into the Hvítá river. At 200 m: Barnafoss, completely different — fast and forceful.
• Glymur (198 m) — Iceland’s tallest easily accessible waterfall. A 3–4-hour hike with a river crossing on a log. The intensely green canyon, with fulmars nesting on the walls, is among the island’s most memorable scenes. Open from May to October.

Westfjords: Dynjandi and the seven sisters

Dynjandi (the thunderer) is the signature waterfall of the Westfjords — and perhaps the island’s most scenic. It falls freely for 100 m in a triangular shape that widens from 30 m at the top to 60 m at the base. Before reaching it, you pass seven smaller waterfalls with their own names. The contrast between the silence of the remote fjord and the power of the water is difficult to describe. It requires being in the Vestfjörðir — a major detour — but those who see it rarely consider it a mistake.

Highlands: for those who go beyond the Ring Road

• Háifoss (122 m) — Iceland’s fourth-highest waterfall, in a canyon of reddish rock. Beside it, Granni falls in parallel. Via F225 by 4×4.
• Gjáin — not one single waterfall, but a series of small cascades among lava and bright green moss. Away from the standard tourist maps and almost always empty. The scene looks as if it came from a Norse tale.

How to plan: clusters by area, not fame

The most common mistake is making a list of the most famous waterfalls and trying to see them all on the same trip. The result is a day of car parks and 20-minute stops. The approach that works: choose a geographical area, identify 2–3 waterfalls in the same zone, include at least one lesser-known stop, and leave real time to linger.

• South coast: Seljalandsfoss + Gljúfrabúi + Skógafoss + Kvernufoss — all within 10 km
• Golden Circle: Gullfoss + Bruarfoss (20 km away, electric-blue water, almost unknown)
• North: Goðafoss + Dettifoss + Selfoss + Aldeyjarfoss (Aldeyjarfoss requires a dedicated day)
• West: Hraunfossar + Barnafoss + Glymur — based in Borgarnes, a full day
• Westfjords: Dynjandi as a standalone destination; do not combine it with anything else

Seasons: waterfalls change radically

• Spring (April–May): peak water flow from glacial melt. Gullfoss and Dettifoss run at twice their summer volume. High-elevation trails may be snowy.
• Summer (June–August): all waterfalls are accessible, including those in the highlands. Peak crowds at the classics. Midnight sun creates dramatic late-evening light.
• Autumn (September–October): reduced water flow, explosive tundra colours, smaller crowds. The days grow shorter — plan carefully.
• Winter (November–March): spectacular partially frozen waterfalls, closed highlands. Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss remain accessible (the path behind may close because of ice).

Photography: silk or ice — choose the effect

• Silky effect (water like mist): tripod + 6–10-stop ND filter + 2–30 sec exposure + ISO 100 + f/8–f/11. During the day, it is impossible without an ND filter.
• Freeze the movement (visible droplets): 1/500–1/2000 sec + ISO 400–800. Best with very powerful waterfalls such as Dettifoss.
• Always use a foreground: rocks, moss, ice in the foreground. A waterfall without context is just a wall of water.
• Lens cloth: spray from Gullfoss, Skógafoss and Dettifoss soaks the lens in under a minute. Carry several dry cloths in a waterproof pocket.

Safety: moss is as treacherous as the waves

• Shoes with non-slip soles: wet moss is one of the slipperiest surfaces there is. Most injuries come from slips on moss-covered rocks — not from the waterfall itself.
• Do not cross fences: in Iceland, they are there for concrete reasons — unstable ground, crumbling edges, invisible dangers. Dettifoss’s edge is particularly uneven.
• Waterproof jacket: not optional. Spray from the most powerful waterfalls soaks you within minutes.
• Waterproof camera bag: protect your gear before getting close, not afterwards.