Gullfoss is a waterfall on the Hvítá river in South Iceland. About a kilometre above the falls the river turns sharply west, runs down a wide three-step staircase and then drops in two stages, 11 metres and 21 metres, into a crevice 32 metres deep and some 20 metres wide. Viewing platforms sit on two levels, linked by steps. Together with Þingvellir, Geysir and the geysers of Haukadalur, Gullfoss forms the Golden Circle, the standard day trip out of Reykjavík. It has been a permanent conservation site since 1979.
Gullfoss Waterfall
Local name: Gullfoss
A stone memorial above the falls carries the profile of Sigríður Tómasdóttir, credited with saving Gullfoss from a hydroelectric scheme and said to have threatened to throw herself into it.
- Accessibility
- Upper walkways wide and level; the lower viewpoint is reached by stairs. The visitor centre car park has accessible spaces.
- Parking
- Free parking at the visitor centre, about 550 m from the falls.
- Difficulty
- Easy. Level path to the upper viewpoints, stairs down to the lower one.
- Transport
- Bus stop Gullfoss, about 500 m from the falls.
- Address
- Gullfoss, 846
What makes it special
Two viewpoints, and they show different waterfalls. From the upper platform the Hvítá spreads into a wide three-step staircase after its 90-degree turn to the west. Take the steps down and the drops stack up instead: 11 metres, then 21, into a crevice 32 metres deep. Spray reaches the lower level, so you come back wet. The volume explains the noise — an average of 141 cubic metres per second in summer, and a recorded flood of 2,000. A grey sky costs nothing here: the falls read just as well under cloud.
Good to know
- Spray: the lower viewpoint gets you wet. Bring a waterproof jacket and something to wipe the lens with.
- Steps: the upper walkways are wide and level, but the lower level is reached by stairs.
- Facilities: a gift shop and free toilets stand by the car park, not at the falls.
- Winter: flow drops to 80 cubic metres per second against 141 in summer, and the falls run thinner.
Getting there
Cars stop at the visitor centre car park, roughly 550 metres from the falls. From there it is about a five-minute walk on level ground to the upper viewpoints. Steps lead down from the upper level to the lower platform, which stands close enough for the spray to reach it. The site is also served by a bus stop called Gullfoss.
Best time to visit
Better: summer, when the river averages 141 cubic metres per second and both drops run at full volume.
Avoid: counting on winter for scale — flow falls to around 80 cubic metres per second.
Cloud is no reason to skip it. The falls look the same under grey sky, and sun mainly buys you a rainbow in the spray.
Sun & daylight
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Gullfoss Waterfall on the map
Spray keeps the lower viewpoint and its steps wet, and the crevice beside them is 32 metres deep. Stay on the walkways — wet rock at the edge gives no grip.
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Frequently asked questions
How high is Gullfoss?
The water falls in two stages, 11 metres and then 21 metres, into a crevice 32 metres deep. The crevice is about 20 metres wide and runs for 2.5 kilometres, perpendicular to the river.Is it worth coming in winter?
There is less water. Winter flow averages 80 cubic metres per second against 141 in summer, so the falls are thinner than in the photographs most people arrive with.What else is on the Golden Circle?
Þingvellir, Geysir and the other geysers of Haukadalur. With Gullfoss they make up the standard day excursion from Reykjavík.Is Gullfoss protected?
Yes. Its owners once rented it out to foreign investors who planned to generate electricity from it. The waterfall was later sold to the Icelandic government and made a permanent conservation site in 1979.