Faxafoss is a broad cascade on the Tungufljót river in South Iceland. The water drops over a dark rock ledge in one wide step rather than into a canyon, and a viewing platform stands beside it. A salmon ladder is built into the right-hand side of the falls. The site is compact — car park, path, platform, café — with no trail network beyond it, so most people stop for minutes. It is far quieter than the bigger waterfalls nearby.
Faxafoss Waterfall
Local name: Faxafoss
A salmon ladder is built into the right-hand side of the falls, and in season the fish can be seen climbing it from the platform.
- Accessibility
- The car park has wheelchair-accessible spaces.
- Parking
- Paid car park with an asphalt surface, about 170 m from the falls; a second car park lies about 655 m away. Pay at the kiosk on the barrier by card — there is no app payment — and the barrier opens. Spaces are plentiful.
- Difficulty
- About 170 m from the car park to the falls, downhill to the viewing platform, with a path continuing to the base of the water.
- Transport
- No bus stop within 5 km of the falls; access is by car.
- Address
- Route 35, 806 Iceland
What makes it special
Faxafoss is wide rather than tall. The Tungufljót spreads across a dark rock ledge and drops in one broad step. The viewing platform stands close enough for the mist to reach you, and the noise of the water carries along the path. A salmon ladder is built into the right-hand side of the falls, and in the season when the fish run you can watch them work their way up it. From the platform a path continues to the base of the water. The site is compact — car park, path, platform, café — and that is the whole of it. It is also why Faxafoss stays quiet while Gullfoss, the bigger name nearby, does not.
Good to know
- The stop is short. Beyond the platform and the path to the base there is no trail network, so plan on minutes here, not an afternoon.
- Toilets and drinking water stand about 270 m from the falls.
- A café sits on the way down from the car park to the water.
- An information board stands near the car park, about 140 m from the falls.
- Card payment works throughout, including contactless.
Getting there
No bus stop lies within 5 km of the falls, so people arrive by car. The car park sits about 170 m from the water, with a second one about 655 m away. From there the way is on foot and downhill, past a café, to the viewing platform beside the ledge. A path carries on to the base of the falls.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you get close to the waterfall?
Yes. A viewing platform stands beside the falls, close enough for the mist to reach you, and a path continues down to the base of the water.Is there a salmon ladder at Faxafoss?
Yes, built into the right-hand side of the falls. The salmon run once a year, and in season you can watch them climb it from the platform.How long does a visit take?
Minutes rather than hours. There is no trail network beyond the platform and the short path down to the base of the falls.Is Faxafoss crowded?
It stays far quieter than Gullfoss and the other big waterfalls nearby, and it rarely feels busy.Are there toilets and somewhere to eat?
Toilets and drinking water are about 270 m from the falls, and a café sits on the way down from the car park to the water.