Lonely Planet IcelandLonely Planet
Guidebook
Lonely Planet Iceland
Lonely Planet · 2026
Newest Lonely Planet edition: Ring Road planning, road and weather advice, and practical detail for every major Icelandic waterfall.
Iceland · Hvalfjarðarsveit
Glymur
Glymur is a waterfall in Hvalfjarðarsveit, Vesturland, Iceland. It is the second-tallest in the country with a cascade of 198 metres .
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Glymur drops 190 metres (623 ft). It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Hvalfjarðarsveit, Iceland. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Glymur is the second-tallest of the 32 we cover in Iceland. As a cascade waterfall, water tumbles down a series of rock steps rather than falling free.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Glymur itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Hvalfjarðarsveit are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Snowmelt feeds the falls from late May; June to August is the short, bright season, and many access roads close in winter.
Getting there
- Base town Hvalfjarðarsveit, Iceland
- Country Iceland
- Region Hvalfjarðarsveit, Nordics & Baltics, Europe
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Glymur
Iceland
Height190 mWidth—
Most similar
Carbet Falls
France
Height245 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall, of similar height and in France
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
108 m
190 m
245 m
330 m
979 m
Victoria FallsGlymurCarbet FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 5.2× taller than Glymur. It drops 1.8× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Glymur yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
The Rough Guide to IcelandRough Guides
Guidebook
The Rough Guide to Iceland
Rough Guides · 2025
Current Rough Guide with region-by-region coverage of the south coast, Mývatn area, Snæfellsnes and Vatnajökull.
Guidebook
DK Eyewitness Iceland
DK Eyewitness · 2024
Map-heavy illustrated guide, handy for picturing the Golden Circle and south-coast falls before you drive them.
Iceland (Classic Geology in Europe)Thor Thordarson & Ármann…
Natural history
Iceland (Classic Geology in Europe)
Thor Thordarson & Ármann Höskuldsson · 2022
Field geology of Iceland's volcanic landscapes, explaining the lava, basalt and canyons that shape falls like Svartifoss and Dettifoss.
On the map
64.39583, -21.24111
Quick answers
Where is Glymur?
Glymur is in Iceland (Hvalfjarðarsveit). The nearest base is Hvalfjarðarsveit, Iceland. Its coordinates are 64.3958, -21.2411.
How tall is Glymur?
Glymur drops 190 metres (623 feet). It is a cascade-type waterfall.
When is the best time to visit Glymur?
Peak flow is June to August. Snowmelt feeds the falls from late May; June to August is the short, bright season, and many access roads close in winter.
What can you do at Glymur?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint.
How do you get to Glymur?
The usual base is Hvalfjarðarsveit, Iceland. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there.
Nearby
Closest to Glymur
Öxarárfoss
Iceland · 16 km away
Öxarárfoss is a waterfall in Þingvellir National Park, Iceland. It flows from the river Öxará over the…
Swimming
Tröllafoss
Iceland · 30 km away
Tröllafoss is a waterfall in Iceland.
Álafoss
Iceland · 30 km away
Álafoss is a waterfall on the river Varmá in Mosfellsbær, Iceland.
Hraunfossar
Iceland · 40 km away
Iceland's widest 'waterfall' by continuous frontage