Glanni Waterfall

The Norðurá does not come over in one piece here. The river breaks into channels across an old lava flow, and several of them run in bursts rather than steadily, so the shape of the falls keeps changing while you watch. Spray hangs over the lower channels and rainbows form in it when the sun is out. Gulls work the water below. A viewing platform and a set of smaller viewpoints take you along the whole width of the drop. The lava field behind is, in local folklore, the home of the huldufólk, the hidden people. A short walk on lies Paradise Hollow (Paradísarlaut), a pond enclosed by lava rocks and vegetation.

• Parking is paid by app or QR code. There is no card terminal and no cash box, so without a mobile connection you cannot pay.
• Nothing at the turn-off says the parking is charged. Cameras cover the car park, and a large car cannot easily turn around once inside.
• Facilities are seasonal. In early April 2026 the toilets and the small restaurant on site were both closed.
• The path ices over in winter and early spring. Boots with grip make the difference on the way down to the viewpoints.
• Walk the main path to the end first. Take the side paths on the way back — they improve as you go.

The last stretch is a drive off the road down to the car park, and nothing at that turn tells you the parking is charged. From the car park a maintained path leads to the viewing platform and on to the other viewpoints. The walk is short and easy, and families with children manage it without trouble.

Best: summer, when the moss and vegetation between the channels are at their greenest, and autumn for the colour along the river.

Avoid: late winter and early spring, when the path is icy and the toilets and the restaurant may be shut.

The falls run all year, and snow turns the lava field around them white. Glanni Waterfall stays quieter than Iceland's headline waterfalls, and out of season you can have the viewpoints to yourself.