Iceland’s Magic Waterfalls: Five of the Best

Iceland should really be called WaterfallLand. There are thousands of the beauties all over the island. The glaciers melt in the spring and summer and produce striking white stripes and countless rainbows that contrast with the landscapes and micro-climates. Sometimes, they genuinely seem infused with magic.

And because Iceland’s waters are some of the most unspoiled in the world, you can even drink directly from them!

In our two trips in Iceland we’ve managed to see all the major waterfalls that most guidebooks suggest, from the crowded and famous Seljalandsfoss in the South to Dettifoss in the North.

Seljalandsfoss

 

One of the most famous of Iceland’s waterfalls, found on the South Coast between Thorsmok and the Westman Islands. It’s about 50 minutes outside of Selfoss, or 9ish from Reykjavik. It was featured in Where the Hell is Matt? videos, too!

Skogarfoss

Skogarfoss Waterfall is found in the South of Iceland. It can be reached by car or by foot on the famous Skogar Trail over the mountains from Thorsmok. We went in January 2015.

Gulfoss

The Golden Circle takes its name from this waterfall, which translates as “Gold Falls.” The light in the afternoon makes the water look golden. We went in early August 2016, and it was the most impressive of the sights in the Golden Circle. It also happens to be the gateway to the Icelandic Highlands.

Dettifoss

Europe’s most powerful waterfall lies in the North of Iceland, about 1.5 hours from Akureyri. It’s a huge, gray waterfall in the middle of a lava field. Massive and impressive!

Dyjandi

 

My personal favourite. This waterfall is the hardest to access on this list, in the Westfjords of Iceland. The main fall is just the biggest of several in the area, and it’s a magical drive to the foot of the falls. I definitely drank from this one. Find more about the waterfalls of the Westfjords in my previous post.

There are still more beautiful waterfalls to see in Iceland. I guess we’ll just have to come back! Oh dear.