Reynisfjall Observation Deck is a viewpoint on the cliffs of Reynisfjall, the 333-metre mountain between Vík í Mýrdal and Reynisfjara beach in South Iceland. It is reached on foot, by a track that climbs from the road below and is steep at the start. From the top the view covers the black beach directly underneath, the Reynisdrangar sea stacks offshore, Dyrhólaey along the coast and the village of Vík. There is no built platform. The viewpoint is the open clifftop.
Reynisfjall Observation Deck
Local name: Reynisfjall
The name promises a platform. What is actually there is the bare edge of a sea cliff, with nothing between you and the drop.
- Accessibility
- No wheelchair access: the approach is a steep mountain track.
- Parking
- Cars are left by the highway at the foot of the mountain; a few spots further up the track are for 4x4 only.
- Difficulty
- Steep at the start, easier higher up, and not technical. One visitor's watch showed about 4 miles (6.5 km) round trip and just under 1,000 feet (300 m) of ascent.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
- Address
- 871 Vík, Iceland
What makes it special
There is no platform here. The viewpoint is the open edge of Reynisfjall, and the ground simply stops. Reynisfjara lies directly below, close enough to see people on the sand. Offshore stand the Reynisdrangar sea stacks; along the coast is Dyrhólaey, and behind you the roofs of Vík í Mýrdal and open ocean beyond. Everyone else in Vík sees these things from sea level. From up here you look down on all of them at once. The cliff edges also hold puffins: one July visit found hundreds of them along the rim near the top.
Good to know
- Allow more time than the shortest estimate. Accounts of the round trip run from 30–40 minutes to over two hours.
- Dress for wind. The clifftop is exposed, and the wind is part of the place rather than a bad day.
- Nothing marks the edge. There is no railing and no fence between the viewpoint and the drop.
Getting there
No road reaches the viewpoint itself, so the last stretch is walked. A track climbs the mountain from the highway at its foot, and 2WD cars are left down there by the road. A 4x4 can reach a few spots further up the track, though one driver who did it called the drive sketchy. From either starting point the path goes steeply uphill at first and eases higher up. It is a walk on a mountain path, not a viewpoint you can pull in beside.
Best time to visit
Better: early morning. One visitor had the whole path to themselves at 8am, and another was up near the cliffs at around 10am in July, when hundreds of puffins were on the edges.
Avoid: windy days. The top is exposed, the edge is unfenced, and a gust matters far more here than it does at the car park below.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
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Reynisfjall Observation Deck on the map
The viewpoint is an unfenced cliff edge with a sheer drop. Stay well back from the rim: the ground falls away steeply and there is no railing to stop a slip. The top is windy, which makes standing near the edge worse, not better.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there an actual observation deck?
No. It is a rock cliffside at the top of the mountain, with no platform and no railing. The edge is steep, so keep back from it.Can you drive up instead of walking?
Only with a 4x4, and even then partway: there are a few spots up the track. One driver who took a 4x4 up called the drive sketchy. 2WD cars are left by the highway at the bottom.How long does the walk take?
Accounts differ, from 30–40 minutes to at least two hours for the round trip. One visitor's watch showed about 4 miles (6.5 km) and just under 1,000 feet (300 m) of ascent.Can you see puffins from the top?
One July visit found hundreds of puffins along the cliff edges, seen at around 10am.What can you see from up there?
Reynisfjara beach below, the Reynisdrangar sea stacks off the shore, Dyrhólaey along the coast, the village of Vík í Mýrdal and open ocean.