Kaefufoss is a waterfall in South Iceland, high on the Fimmvörðuháls trail above Skógafoss. It sits just above Skálabrekkufoss, well up the chain of falls the path follows. Green cliffs and broken rock enclose the drop. The walk takes 1–1.5 hours from the upper viewpoint at Skógafoss. Most people turn round at this point, which makes a half-day hike, and far fewer walkers get this high than stand at Skógafoss below.
Kaefufoss Waterfall
Local name: Kæfufoss
Getting here means 370 steps up beside Skógafoss and another 2.6 km of trail past a run of smaller falls.
- Entrance
- Free
- Parking
- No car park at the waterfall. The nearest are about 2.3 km and 2.6 km away; the asphalt one charges a fee.
- Difficulty
- About 2.6 km each way on a mountain trail, after the 370 steps up to the Skógafoss viewing platform. 1–1.5 hours up, climbing steadily.
- Transport
- Nearest bus stop: Skógar, about 2.8 km away. The rest of the way is on foot.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
- Address
- Waterfall Way (Skógá), 861
What makes it special
The waterfall stands high on the Fimmvörðuháls trail, just above Skálabrekkufoss. Several smaller falls line the path below it, and they get better the higher you climb. Green cliffs and rough rock close in around this one. The ground is open and undeveloped, with no road, no railing and no building in sight.
Numbers thin out with every kilometre above the Skógafoss platform. By here there are few people, which is the main difference from the falls at the bottom of the trail. Most walkers stop at Kaefufoss and turn round, so it also works as the natural end point of a half-day climb rather than a stop on the way to somewhere else.
Good to know
- Plan a half day. Skógafoss to Kaefufoss and back fills a morning or an afternoon.
- The way back is the same way. There is no loop and no road at the top: you return down the trail and the steps.
- Skálabrekkufoss is the last fall below Kaefufoss. Passing it means you are close.
- The Fimmvörðuháls trail carries on past the waterfall. Going further turns a half-day walk into a much longer day.
Getting there
No road reaches Kaefufoss. Drive to Skógar, start at Skógafoss and climb the 370 steps to the viewing platform. From that upper viewpoint the Fimmvörðuháls trail runs on up the gorge for about 2.6 km, passing a string of smaller falls. Allow 1–1.5 hours each way on foot.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does the walk to Kaefufoss take?
From the upper viewpoint at Skógafoss, 1–1.5 hours each way. That is about 2.6 km of trail beyond the 370 steps up to the platform.Where is Kaefufoss on the Fimmvörðuháls trail?
High up, immediately above Skálabrekkufoss. Counted from Skógafoss it is the seventh or the ninth fall, depending on which of the smaller drops you count.Is Kaefufoss a good place to turn back?
Yes. Out and back from Skógafoss makes a half-day hike. The Fimmvörðuháls trail continues well beyond the waterfall, and that is a far longer day.Is it crowded?
No. The number of walkers drops with every kilometre above Skógafoss, and few get this far up the trail.