Visit the best Waterfalls in Iceland

In Iceland there are more than 10,000 waterfalls throughout the country, some have no name, others are not known, but they will make you stop anyway when you pass by them to appreciate their beauty. But others, on the other hand, are world famous and you will have at your disposal several guided tours to visit them.

It will be impossible for you to visit all the waterfalls in Iceland, but there are some that you have to include in your travel itinerary, among the other things to see and do in Reykjavik. I tell you how to get there, where they are located and everything you need to know about the best waterfalls in Iceland.

It is one of the most visited and popular natural monuments in Iceland. This, due to its beauty and its proximity to Reykjavik, as it is located approximately 120 kilometers from the capital.

The most impressive thing about this waterfall is undoubtedly its particular shape, which gives the impression that the land swallowed the water. The waters flowing through Gullfoss belong to the so-called Hvítá, which means White River, and is the third longest river on the island.

In it you will find three waterfalls: one of 11, another of 21 and a last one of 32 meters high. And it pours an average amount of 100 cubic meters of water per second.

How to get to Gullfoss

Its visit is included in the guided tours of the Golden Circle tourist route that depart from Reykjavík. These tours are the best way to reach them and learn about their history in the company of an expert guide.

You can also get there by car from the capital in just 1 hour and a half. The road is well signposted and you will access the parking lot from the C35 road.

It is considered one of the most beautiful and photographed waterfalls in Iceland and I recommend you to visit it. What makes this waterfall unique is the turquoise color of its waters, characteristic of its origin from nearby glaciers.

This waterfall will not surprise you with its grandeur, the power of its waters or the noise of rushing water, but its charm goes beyond that. It is the set of small beauties such as, its jets of water of intense blue color in harmony with the foam that results from the current.

Trust me, when you see this waterfall, everything will make sense, you will be fascinated!

How to get to Brúarfoss

This waterfall is one of the closest to Reykjavik, so you can access it from the capital by car or by booking a guided tour to the Golden Circle that includes it in its itinerary.

You will find excursions from 55 euros approximately. If you decide to go by car you will have parking next to road 37 and you will have to walk about 3.5 kilometers to get there.

This is one of the most impressive and touristic waterfalls in Iceland. It is located on the Ring Road, on the south side of the island, and is one of the most popular.

It is a beautiful natural landscape with 60 meters high, from where the waters of the Seljalands River fall, with its source in the Eyjafjalljökull glacier. Keep in mind that the visit to the glaciers of Iceland, like this one, already makes it worth the activity.

I recommend that you schedule your visit at sunset, as it is famous for providing an incredible spectacle when the sun hides behind its waters.

This waterfall is located just off the Ring Road, just under 130 kilometers from Reykjavik. If you plan to go by car, note that there is a parking lot right in front of the falls.

But I recommend a better option, which is a guided tour of the South Coast from Reykjavík that includes this dazzling waterfall in its itinerary.

It is one of the largest waterfalls in Iceland, with about 25 meters wide and about 60 meters high, and its waters come from the melting of the Eyjafjalljökull glacier.

It is one of the most famous and visited, not only for its natural beauty, but for having appeared in the renowned series Game of Thrones, like so many other landscapes of Iceland. For this reason, its visit is included in the tours inspired by this series.

Another reason that makes it the perfect waterfall are the single and double rainbows that it gives to its visitors on sunny days, which are formed by the amount of foam produced by the falling water.

This site is also a good place to go to see the boreal aureoles so characteristic of Iceland that usually appear between the months of September and April.

How to get to Skógafoss

You will reach it by the Ring Road and you will have ample parking to leave your car.

You will also have guided tours from about 80 euros that leave from Reykjavik and will allow you to see these falls and other landscapes of the south coast of Iceland.

This hidden waterfall, or rather, secret, is a jewel that you can not miss. It is located a few meters from the Skógafoss waterfall, and you can reach it on foot. In addition, it is not one of the most popular, so it is ideal to get away from the tourists and enjoy it almost in solitude.

Its waters come from the Kverná river, which, like many others, has its origin in the Eyjafjallajokull glacier and has an impressive fall of about 30 meters high.

Like the Seljalandsfoss waterfall, you can live the experience of walking behind it, achieving the best and most varied views and landscapes.

How to get there

Being so few meters from Skógafoss, you can get there by parking the car at the Skogar Museum and walk about 15 minutes following the river.

It is a small waterfall that is located within the Thingvellir National Park. Its base is surrounded by stones and its waters flow along the course of the Öxara River, which flows through a lava field.

Although it is not one of the largest and most imposing, measuring just over 20 meters high, it is a unique natural beauty and its composition makes it worthy of being among the best in Iceland.

How to get to Öxarárfoss

This waterfall is in Thingvellir National Park, about 50 kilometers from Reykjavik, so it is quickly accessible by car.

Although you can also reach it by taking an excursion to Thingvellir National Park.

This is one of the highest waterfalls in Iceland, with a grandiose fall of just under 200 meters high and is easily accessible, as it is located just over an hour from Reykjavik.

To visit this waterfall you should keep in mind that you will have to walk about 3.5 kilometers up and down, which can take about 4 hours.

But it won't be a boring or monotonous hike: you will find amazing views and landscapes all the way and it is really worth it.

How to get to Glymur

If you plan to go by car, the way is quite easy along the Ring Road and you can leave it in the parking lot of Glymur to start the hike. Otherwise, you can take an excursion from Reykjavik that includes this waterfall in its itinerary.

It is one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland and is located on the Snaefellsnes peninsula. Although it is usually crowded with tourists and photographers, it is well worth a visit.

It is also the ideal place to enjoy boreal haloes and unique sunsets with the Kirkjufell mountain in the background.

It is curious, but this waterfall is neither the highest, nor has the highest flow, but there is something that will catch you and you will not be able to stop looking at it. You will only be able to understand it when you are there. And that is exactly what makes it so popular and touristy.

How to get to Kirkjufellsfoss

By car you will arrive by road 54 towards Grundarfjörður and in that same town you will find the parking. If you plan to make an excursion, I recommend one of the many that run along the peninsula of Snaefellsnes.

This waterfall is also located on the peninsula of Snaefellsnes and you should visit it because it has a very particular charm. It is not one of the most popular or famous, so you will not find so many tourists walking around and you can appreciate it almost in solitude and it is well worth it!

The landscape that it draws with the snow-capped mountains in the background, is one of the most beautiful things you will see.

How to get to Grundarfoss

You will see it directly from the road on the left hand side, before reaching Grundarfjörður. Also, being on the peninsula of Snaefellsnes, you may have it included in an excursion, I recommend that you consult the itinerary.

Meet Hraunfossar, one of the lesser known waterfalls but, in my opinion, also one of the most beautiful in Iceland. It is also known as the Lava Waterfall, and its intense blue color makes it unique and special.

I particularly recommend that you visit it in autumn, which besides being one of the best times of the year to visit Reykjavik, is the ideal time for the landscape surrounding this waterfall to be tinged with the most diverse colors of vegetation, making it even more beautiful.

Next to this waterfall you will find another, known as Barnafoss or the Children's Waterfall, which is recognized by a tragic legend that tells that two children died drowned in it several centuries ago. I recommend that you take advantage of your visit to Hraunfossar to see it.

How to get there

You have approximately 120 kilometers from Reykjavík to get to Hraunfossar along the Ring Road.

Undoubtedly, waterfalls are one of the characteristic landscapes of Iceland, but they are not the only ones, since this country offers the most diverse natural beauties and all of them are worth it.

Therefore, I recommend that you take advantage of the guided tours to these waterfalls, or your trip by car, to also visit other magical places in Iceland, such as its glaciers, or to visit its impressive volcanoes.