Iceland
The Best Waterfalls in Iceland: 12 Falls Worth the Detour
Iceland has hundreds of waterfalls, and no single road trip catches them all. This list sticks to twelve that earn their place: a few you can photograph from the parking lot, a couple that ask for a real hike, and several that are worth the gravel to reach. We spread them across the whole island, from the South Coast to the Westfjords and the northern highlands, so you can slot them into a Ring Road route or a regional loop. Each entry links to our page for that spot, with the height, the walk involved and the reason it stands out.
Dynjandi, the Westfjords entry on this list, deserves a whole detour built around it rather than a quick stop — it's the centrepiece of day two on our 3-day Westfjords road trip.
South Iceland · IcelandSkogafoss Waterfall
WaterfallA 60-metre curtain that drops 25 metres wide right off the South Coast road, so you can walk to the base with no hike at all. On sunny days the spray throws up a rainbow; climb the 527-step staircase on the east side for a top-down view where the Fimmvörðuháls trail to Þórsmörk begins.
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South Iceland · IcelandSeljalandsfoss Waterfall
WaterfallThe rare fall you can walk behind: a 60-metre ribbon off Eyjafjallajökull meltwater, with a path that loops through the cave-like space behind the water. It faces west, so late-evening light is best. The path gets slick with spray, so bring a rain layer and grippy shoes.
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South Iceland · IcelandGljufrabui Waterfall
WaterfallSeljalandsfoss's hidden neighbour, about 200 metres north and missed by most of the crowd. A roughly 40-metre cascade drops inside a slot in the cliff, so you reach it by wading a shallow stream and squeezing through the rock opening into a mossy chamber. Waterproof boots make the difference here.
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South Iceland · IcelandKvernufoss Waterfall
WaterfallA quieter alternative to nearby Skógafoss: a 30-metre fall tucked in the Kvernugil gorge, reached by a 15–20 minute walk that starts behind the Skógar Museum. You can step behind the water here too, though the rocks are wet and the ledge is uneven, so watch your footing.
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East Iceland · IcelandHaifoss Waterfall
WaterfallCanyonOne of Iceland's tallest at 122 metres, where the Fossá plunges into a deep canyon at the edge of the Þjórsárdalur highland. Its neighbour Granni drops right alongside it, so you get two tall falls in one view. The gravel access road is rough near the end, so allow extra time or a higher-clearance car.
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West Iceland · IcelandHraunfossar Waterfalls
WaterfallNot one fall but a 900-metre run of clear springs seeping straight out of the Hallmundarhraun lava field into the turquoise Hvítá. Boardwalks and a bridge link it to Barnafoss 200 metres upstream, where the same river squeezes through a narrow rock channel. Easy, flat and unlike any other waterfall on this list.
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West Iceland · IcelandGlymur Waterfall
WaterfallHikingAt 198 metres, this is Iceland's second-tallest waterfall, deep in Hvalfjörður west of Reykjavík. It's earned rather than driven to: the round-trip hike runs 3–4 hours and includes a log crossing over the river, so it's a poor fit for small kids or anyone wary of heights. Go for the canyon and fjord views, not a roadside snapshot.
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Westfjords · IcelandDynjandi Waterfall
WaterfallHikingThe showpiece of the Westfjords and the region's largest fall, roughly 100 metres of water fanning out from about 30 metres wide at the top to 60 at the base. The short path up passes a string of smaller falls before you reach the main tier, so the whole approach is part of the show. Well worth the drive out to Arnarfjörður.
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Northeast Iceland · IcelandGodafoss Waterfall
WaterfallHistorical landmarkA wide horseshoe on the glacial Skjálfandafljót in North Iceland, about 12 metres high and 30 across, easy to reach from the Ring Road between Akureyri and Mývatn. Its name, "Waterfall of the Gods," ties to Iceland's conversion to Christianity around the year 1000; viewpoints on both banks let you take in the full curve.
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Northeast Iceland · IcelandAldeyjarfoss Waterfall
WaterfallA 20-metre drop on the upper Skjálfandafljót, framed by dark hexagonal basalt columns that make it one of the north's most striking falls. It sits in the Bárðardalur highlands, and the last stretch of the F26 is rough gravel, so a 4x4 is strongly recommended and often required by rental terms. Best in summer when the road is open.
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Northeast Iceland · IcelandDettifoss Waterfall
WaterfallCanyonOne of the most powerful waterfalls in Europe, hurling glacial water 44 metres down and 100 metres wide into the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon in Vatnajökull National Park. The paved west side (road 862) is the easier approach; the flow peaks with summer glacial melt, when the roar and spray are at their most overwhelming.
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East Iceland · IcelandHengifoss Waterfall
WaterfallHikingThe third-highest waterfall in Iceland at 128 metres, in the East, and the cliff behind it is the draw: dark basalt banded with bright red layers of iron-rich clay. The trail runs about 5 km round trip with real elevation gain and passes Litlanesfoss, a shorter fall wrapped in columnar basalt, roughly halfway up.
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Water levels swing hard with the seasons: glacial falls like Dettifoss peak in summer melt, while smaller streams shrink by late summer. Bring waterproofs for the walk-behind falls and check road status before heading to highland spots on F-roads. Tap any name above to open its page and pin it to your route.
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