Iceland is the magical land of ice and fire. When ice and fire combine, they form many things like volcanoes, glaciers, gorges, and of course, waterfalls. Iceland has tons of waterfalls, some pretty huge and others small ripples over continental divides. Whether you’re into riding waterfalls that produce quick rapids, catching a rainbow in front of high waterfalls, or feeling the power of a waterfall, Iceland has something for you. Don’t listen to that old TLC song about not chasing waterfalls – my recommendation is DEFINITELY do go chasing waterfalls in Iceland!

Here are my waterfall recommendations to catch when driving the ring road around Iceland. The entire trip should take no less than 3-4 days, but the more you can spread it out, the better!

Oxararfoss

First stop: Thingvellir National Park. The national park is a stop along the Golden Circle, and it’s a breathtaking place. Hidden away behind the continental divide in the park is Oxararfoss waterfall. It’s an easy walk down a boardwalk with very little uphill walking. At the end, the boardwalk ends in rocks; the same rocks the waterfall drops into! It’s the perfect backdrop for some beautiful waterfall pictures. While not one of Iceland’s most impressive waterfalls, Oxararfoss is one of the main attractions of Thingvellir National Park.

Bruarfoss

Bruarfoss’s secluded location eluded me during my Golden Circle trip, unfortunately. It would have been so easy to see, between Thingvellir National Park and Gullfoss Waterfall! However, I recently saw a beautiful photo of Bruarfoss’s bright blue cascading waters on Extreme Iceland’s Instagram and had to add it to my list. If you’re chasing waterfalls in Iceland, this is an easy one to see and a beautiful one to photograph!

The glacial river Bruara in a deep crevice between dark volcanic rock formations ends in Bruarfoss, literally “Bridge Falls.” The dark rock creates sky blue rapids that defy imagination The lush greenery of summer provide a stark contrast to the dark volcanic rock and bright blue waters!

Gullfoss

Gullfoss literally means “Gold Falls” because when the sun hits Gullfoss at the right angle, the sediments in the water make the falls look gold. Gullfoss is one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland. It doesn’t hurt that it’s on the Golden Circle, so anyone doing the quickest tour from Reykjavik has an easy stop at this waterfall. Gullfoss is beautiful in any season, white with snow or green with summer grass. You can only view Gullfoss from the top, so it makes for interesting pictures. If you have a drone, you’ll get the best photos of Gullfoss, but any picture of this powerful waterfall where the water falls through a crack in the earth is a good picture.

Haifoss

The third highest waterfall in Iceland, Haifoss means “Tall Falls.” Haifoss’s secluded waters come from a tributary to the glacial stream Thjorsa. Thjorsa is Iceland’s longest river and where Urridafoss is, which you’ll see on your next stop. There is another waterfall called Granni right next to Haifoss; Granni means “Neighbor.” Together, these waterfalls are a beautiful sight on Iceland’s south coast! I haven’t been to Haifoss, but it is easy accessible and should be on your list if you’re chasing waterfalls in Iceland.

There is a legend related to Haifoss. An ogress lived in Haifoss, living off trout she caught in the waterfall. A teenage boy came along and threw a rock into the river. That night, the ogress went to the tent where the boy and his companions were sleeping and tried to pull him out by the feet. His companions tried to hold him back, and he was caught in a tug of war. Eventually the ogress let him go, but the boy was bedridden for a month from the attack. So the lesson of the story: don’t throw rocks into Haifoss or risk the wrath of its resident ogress!

Urridafoss

The next waterfall you hit while driving the South Coast is Urridafoss. From Route 1 it looks like a wide river of rapids. Right in the center of the rapids, the ground drops away and the waterfall appears. In colder weather, icicles hang from the waterfall. Urridafoss is the most voluminous waterfall in the country. The lava field surrounding the river is the result of the greatest lava flown earth since the ice age. The entire scene makes a great place to start your journey chasing waterfalls in Iceland!

Seljalandsfoss

You have probably seen pictures from behind a waterfall with a beautiful sunset over green rolling hills that has enticed you to visit Iceland at one point or another. This is Seljalandsfoss, “the one you can walk behind.” It’s also one of my absolute favorite waterfalls in Iceland that I have visited on three different occasions. At 197 feet (60 meters) tall, you can’t miss Seljalandsfoss while driving the Ring Road on the South Coast. You almost drive right into it when heading east! There are lots of little branches off Seljalandsfoss, which leads me to the next waterfall to chase…

Gljufurarfoss

Just a few hundred feet down the road from Seljalandsfoss is the secret hidden waterfall inside a cave that the tours won’t take you to. Gljufurarfoss is behind a little farm, through a river, and inside a rocky cave. The cave has no roof though, so with the right angle from the sun, it looks like the waterfall is falling down from the heavens. Make sure you wear your waterproof shoes and pants for this one; you have to walk through the river created by this waterfall to get to it.

Skogafoss

On every South Coast tour, including self-guided ones, you would have to try hard to miss Skogafoss. At 82 feet (25 meters) wide and 197 feet (60 meters) high, it’s one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland. You can walk right up to the bottom of it but the spray will drench you. You can climb to the top by metal stairs, but the view is better from the bottom.

However, the top of Skogafoss is the beginning of the Fimmvorduhals hike to the Thorsmork mountain ridge (named after the Norse god Thor). There are lots of waterfalls in all shapes and sizes along this hiking trail above Skogafoss. There are over 30 waterfalls during this day-long hike up to the volcano Eyjafjallajokull.

Svartifoss

Svartifoss is a long way down Route 1 from Skogafoss, and then a long hike through Skaftafell National Park. But it’s a picturesque sight once you get there. You’ll pass 3 small waterfalls along the hiking trail, but the main attraction is the big waterfall flowing over the basalt columns. The natural structure of the basalt columns of this waterfall have inspired plenty of architecture and artwork, including Hallgrimskirkja church in Reykjavik. Between the green grass, the brownish black of the basalt columns, and the white frozen water of the falls, Svartifoss is a beautiful and colorful waterfall.

Hengifoss

Hengifoss, or “Hanging Falls,” is the fourth highest waterfall in Iceland, measuring 128 meters (420 feet). In east Iceland, to get there directly it’s a one hour flight or an 8 hour drive from Reykjavik. On the ring road, it’s about halfway through your trip. Once you get to the parking area, you’ll have about a one hour hike uphill. The waterfall is in a gorge, so the best lighting for photos is in the morning if you can swing it. What makes the waterfall incredible is that it’s surrounded by basaltic strata with thin, red layers of clay between the basaltic layers. On the way to Hengifoss, you’ll come across Litlanesfoss, which is flanked by basalt columns much like Svartifoss. Litlanesfoss is also called Studlabergsfoss, which means “Basalt Column Falls.”

For many years, Icelandic people believed there were many elves in the gorge in Hengifoss. One year, on New Years Day, two men traveling below the gorge heard a hymn coming from the rock. When the singing ended, the men heard the chime of a small bell. Then, they went on their way. Just proof that Hengifoss is a spiritual place…and that elves do exist.

Dettifoss

Imagine walking a nice 34 km (21.1 mi) hiking trail along a canyon in the Vatnajokull National Park in northeast Iceland. All of a sudden, BAM! Waterfall. And not just any waterfall. At over 500 cubic meters per second, Dettifoss is one of the most powerful waterfalls in all of Europe. The grayish-white waters come from the Vatnajokull glacier, the largest and most voluminous ice cap in Iceland and one of the largest in Europe.

The road past Dettifoss is gravel so it’s slow-going, and it’s only open in summer due to risky winter weather conditions. If you want to do the long hike, there are also camp spots along the hiking trail if you want to make a night of it. Otherwise, there is a car park only 1 km from the waterfall. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to Dettifoss. I will add it to my “chasing waterfalls in Iceland” list for my next trip!

Selfoss

Don’t confuse Selfoss the waterfall with Selfoss the town! Selfoss town is in southwest Iceland. Selfoss waterfall is on the river Jokulsa a Fjollum in the north of Iceland, only 1 km south of the mighty Dettifoss waterfall. Though it’s smaller than Dettifoss, it is much wider and still very impressive. There are parking lots on both sides of Selfoss, but locals recommend parking on the east side of the falls because most of the water falls on the west. It’s easier to see the whole waterfall from the east side. Also note that Selfoss and Dettifoss share the same parking lot, so prepare to walk from one waterfall to the other.

Godafoss

To get to Godafoss, or “God’s Falls,” you’ll need a big all-wheel drive car to pass through the highlands in northeast Iceland. Godafoss reminds me a lot of Niagara Falls’ Horseshoe Falls with its 30 meter-width (98.4 feet) and the way it curves. One thing you’ll never see at Niagara Falls though is the northern lights hovering above the pouring water! Sadly, Godafoss is another waterfall I didn’t get to chase, but I hope to see it on my next trip!

Hraunfossar

Hraunfossar, meaning “Lava Falls,” is a beautiful series of creeks and cascades streaming over a lava field created by one of the volcanoes under the glacier Langjokull erupting. The waterfall is about an hour and a half north of Reykjavik in west Iceland; you’re now on the home stretch from chasing waterfalls in Iceland. Just next to Hraunfossar is Barnafoss, or “Children’s Falls.” Besides the waterfalls, you can see the lava field and glacier.

Glymur

If you like to combine chasing waterfalls in Iceland with hiking, Glymur is the waterfall for you. Even though it is Iceland’s second highest waterfall, it’s not visible from the road so make sure you get directions, then get your hiking boots out and get started. Glymur is in Hvalfjordur in west Iceland, between Hraunfossar and Reykjavik. There are majestic, mossy canyons along the hike, and you will cross streams, rocky paths, and even go through a cave. It is beautiful (as all of Iceland is), but you will get your exercise. The hike takes about 3 to 3.5 hours roundtrip.

Chasing Waterfalls In Iceland

From Glymur, you can head back to Reykjavik for a good hot dog and Icelandic beer – you deserve it! Chasing waterfalls in Iceland is a great reason to book that trip. These 14 waterfalls don’t even scratch the surface of all of Iceland’s waterfalls though. These are some of the most impressive waterfalls Iceland has to offer, but don’t be afraid to pull over and pave your own path when you find a beautiful waterfall somewhere isolated and beautiful! Even small rapids creating tiny waterfalls is a great reason to pull over. The traffic decreases drastically the further away from Reykjavik you get, so you can literally stand in the middle of the road to get that perfect photo.

Have you found any other beautiful waterfalls in Iceland that I missed? I’d love to read your posts on chasing waterfalls in Iceland! Share your links or stories with me in the comments below!

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P.S. You might also enjoy When is the Best Time to Visit Iceland or 6 FAQs About Iceland