Lonely Planet IcelandLonely Planet
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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 · Golden Circle
Gullfoss
The Golden Falls of the Hvítá — a glacial river that drops 32 metres in two stepped, right-angled cascades into a narrow canyon. Iceland's most-visited waterfall, the anchor of the Golden Circle, and the site of a still-debated fight to keep it undammed.
Full guide Checked September 2026 by David Bussell · 26 sources
The Hvítá thunders off a wide ledge, doglegs hard right, and drops again — two stepped falls totalling 32 metres, angled at roughly ninety degrees to each other, before the entire river squeezes into a canyon only about 20 metres wide and 2.5 km long. It's the turn, not just the height, that makes Gullfoss unusual: from directly above you can watch a glacial river disappear sideways into its own crevasse, throwing up a permanent curtain of spray that reads gold in low sun — hence the name, Golden Falls.
Two platforms handle almost everyone who visits. The upper viewpoint sits level with the car park and café, a short flat walk with the whole two-step drop laid out below; a stone marker here honours Sigríður Tómasdóttir, the farmer's daughter popularly — if not entirely accurately — credited with saving the falls from a hydroelectric scheme in the early 1900s. A stairway drops from there toward the canyon edge and the lip of the upper cascade, close enough to feel the spray on your face; open in summer, routinely closed without notice once ice takes hold from November to April.
Gullfoss anchors the Golden Circle, Iceland's best-known day-trip loop with Þingvellir's rift valley and the geysers at Geysir and Strokkur, and most visitors see it as one stop among three rather than a destination in its own right. That undersells it: the same river that falls here is run commercially for white-water rafting a few kilometres downstream, the Langjökull ice cap above it is reachable by snowmobile straight from the car park, and on a clear winter night the open ground around the falls is one of the better places in the southwest to watch for aurora.
Book this trip
All activities & prices ↓- White-water rafting the Hvítáfrom US$181 Check availability
- Snowmobiling on Langjökull, departing Gullfossfrom US$276 Check availability
- Into the Glacier: the Langjökull ice tunnelfrom US$321 Check availability
Stays in Golden Circle IcelandFlights to KEF Where to stay ↓
Upper or lower viewpoint?
The upper viewpoint & rim path
Open year-roundLevel with the car park, café and visitor centre
A flat, paved path a couple of hundred metres long that keeps you at canyon-rim height throughout, with the Sigríður memorial stone about halfway along. You see the full two-step drop end to end, the canyon vanishing round its right-angle bend, and on a clear day Langjökull on the horizon behind it. It's the view every postcard uses, it's wheelchair- and pushchair-friendly, and it's the one place at Gullfoss that stays open in essentially any weather.
Sigríður Tómasdóttir memorialFull two-step panoramaCafé Gullfoss & gift shopPaved, accessible path
- Entry Free, unstaffed, accessible 24 hours; café and shop roughly 09:00–18:00, shorter in winter
- Best for First-time visitors, photography of the whole falls, anyone visiting outside summer
The lower path to the canyon edge
Closed in ice, no fixed scheduleStairway down from the rim toward the first cascade
A steeper gravel-and-timber stairway drops from the rim to a lower platform almost level with the top of the first drop, close enough that the spray reaches you in any kind of wind. It's the better vantage for scale and noise, and for the rainbow that forms in the spray on sunny afternoons. The catch: the same spray that makes it dramatic coats the steps and railings in ice from roughly November to April, and it's closed without much notice whenever conditions turn — there's no live status page, so treat it as a bonus rather than a plan.
Close-up spray and noiseAfternoon rainbow (weather-dependent)View along the lip of the second drop
- Entry Free when open; closed at ranger discretion in icy conditions, typically Nov–Apr
- Best for Summer visits, photographers after the close-up shot, anyone who wants the full sensory version
The short answer
Start at the top regardless of season — it's the view that defines Gullfoss and it never closes. If the lower path is open when you arrive, walk down; if a chain and a sign say otherwise, believe them rather than the ice-slicked handrail.
When to go
June to August for guaranteed full flow and both viewpoints open; if aurora and the ice cave matter more to you than the falls themselves, aim for a clear stretch in February or March instead.
The single biggest variable is ice, not water: the Hvítá keeps flowing year-round, but from roughly November to April the lower path to the canyon edge closes whenever conditions turn, and daylight shrinks to a few hours either side of noon.
Summer — full flow, long light
June – AugustNear-midnight sun, both viewpoints open, and the fullest the falls get outside a spring flood, as glacial melt off Langjökull keeps the Hvítá running high through the season. This is also when rafting from Drumboddsstaðir and the tour-bus traffic on the Golden Circle both peak; arrive before 09:00 or after 17:00 to get the car parks and the viewpoints to yourself.
Open
- Both viewpoints
- Rafting on the Hvítá (May–Sept)
- Secret Lagoon and Silfra snorkelling
- Easy driving on Route 35
Closed or compromised
- Nothing at the falls itself
Shoulder — golden light, thinner crowds
May and SeptemberFlow is still strong, tour-bus numbers drop off sharply after the last week of August, and the low sun through the canyon is when the water actually earns the name Gullfoss. Weather is the wildcard — expect anything from a calm, bright afternoon to sideways sleet within the same day.
Open
- Both viewpoints, most days
- Rafting through September
- Aurora chances begin from late August
Closed or compromised
- Rafting after the season ends, usually late September
Winter — ice, aurora and short days
October – AprilThe Hvítá never fully freezes — there's too much volume and movement — but spray coats the rock in a permanent ice shelf and the lower path closes on and off through the whole season. In exchange: snowmobiling and the Langjökull ice cave both operate, the open ground around the falls is a genuine spot to watch for aurora on clear nights, and December daylight runs to only about four or five hours.
Open
- Upper viewpoint (weather permitting)
- Snowmobiling and Into the Glacier ice cave
- Northern Lights tours
- Secret Lagoon, year-round
Closed or compromised
- Lower path, intermittently and without notice
- Hvítá rafting
- Some rest-stop cafés keep shorter winter hours
The path that isn't always there
There's no live status page for the lower path at Gullfoss — it's a call made on the day, based on ice on the steps and handrails, and it can close and reopen within the same week in shoulder season. If you've built a trip around the close-up view, build in a spare morning rather than a single shot at it.
Everything you can do here
Prices are 2025/2026 advertised rates in ISK or USD from operator and booking-platform listings, converted to USD at roughly 121 ISK/USD; they move with season, group size and exchange rates and should be treated as a planning guide rather than a quote.
White-water rafting the Hvítá
US$181adult, self-drive to base; Reykjavík pickup extra
Grade II–III water on the same river that falls at Gullfoss, run from Arctic Rafting's own base at Drumboddsstaðir, about 45 minutes downstream near Selfoss — not from the falls themselves. Wetsuits, guides and a stop in the narrow Brúarhlöð canyon are included, and the base has a hot tub and sauna for afterward. Milder than most commercial white water, and openly marketed as a family trip rather than an extreme one.
May – September
Check availability
or compare on Viator
Doing this one? Check your travel insurance covers adventure activities before you go — SafetyWing is one option.
Snowmobiling on Langjökull, departing Gullfoss
US$276per person sharing a snowmobile; solo-rider surcharge applies
The one glacier tour that actually starts at Gullfoss: meet in the upper car park, transfer by super-truck onto the Langjökull ice cap, then drive your own snowmobile across it in convoy behind a guide. A full snowsuit, boots and gloves go on over your own clothes. Weather cancels or shortens tours here more often than on the more sheltered glaciers further east — build in flexibility if it's the highlight of your day.
Year-round, weather and glacier conditions permitting
Check availability
or compare on Viator
Doing this one? Check your travel insurance covers adventure activities before you go — SafetyWing is one option.
Into the Glacier: the Langjökull ice tunnel
US$321combo with snowmobiling, per person sharing a snowmobile
A genuine man-made tunnel bored into Langjökull's ice, complete with a small chapel, walked on fixed paths with crampons supplied. Worth separating from the Gullfoss snowmobile trip above: this one departs from Húsafell or the Klaki base camp, not from the falls, and the access road over Kaldidalur is typically closed October to June, so winter departures run a longer paved route instead. Book the combo if you want both the tunnel and a longer snowmobile run.
Year-round
Check availability
or compare on Viator
Doing this one? Check your travel insurance covers adventure activities before you go — SafetyWing is one option.
Golden Circle day tour
from, roughly US$90–130 per adult depending on operator; widely sold
The default way to see Gullfoss without a rental car: coach pickup in Reykjavík, then Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss in sequence with 45–60 minutes at each. Reliable and unglamorous — you're on a bus with 30–50 other people and the itinerary rarely deviates. Fine for a first pass at the loop; look at the super-jeep or small-group versions if that sounds thin.
Year-round
Check availability
or compare on Viator
Golden Circle by super-jeep
from, per adult, small-group; varies significantly by operator
The same three stops in a modified 4x4 that can leave the tarmac — typically for a detour to Kerið crater, a highland F-road, or a river crossing a coach can't reach. Groups run to six or eight passengers rather than a full bus, and drivers double as guides rather than following a fixed script. The better choice in winter, when a super-jeep's tyres and clearance handle Route 35's rough patches with less drama.
Year-round
Check availability
or compare on Viator
Golden Circle & Northern Lights hunt
US$151from, per adult
Runs the standard daytime loop, then keeps the vehicle out after dark and drives away from Reykjavík's light pollution to look for aurora — Gullfoss's open, unlit surroundings make it one of the better stretches of the route for this. No operator can promise a sighting; solar activity and clear skies both have to cooperate, and most sell a free rebooking if nothing appears.
Late August – mid-April, dark-sky months
Check availability
or compare on Viator
Soak at the Secret Lagoon, Flúðir
US$37adult; children 14 and under about US$2
Iceland's oldest swimming pool: a natural geothermal pool held at a steady 38–40°C, with none of the architecture of the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon — a low timber deck, a changing hut, and a small geyser that erupts every few minutes at the edge of the pool. About 30 minutes from Gullfoss and the obvious way to end a Golden Circle day, especially in winter, when the contrast with the cold air is the whole point.
Year-round
Check availability
or compare on Viator
Snorkelling the Silfra fissure, Þingvellir
US$165self-drive/meet on location; Reykjavík pickup extra
Not at Gullfoss, but on the same Golden Circle loop at Þingvellir: a snorkel, in a drysuit, along a submerged rift where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates pull apart. Visibility regularly exceeds 100 metres in glacially filtered water. Cold rather than difficult — no swimming qualification is required, just comfort in a drysuit — and bookable as a standalone stop on the way to or from Gullfoss.
Year-round; water holds at about 2–4°C regardless of season
Check availability
or compare on Viator
Self-guided walk along the canyon rim
free
The path itself — no booking, no guide, no fee. Walk the full rim from the upper car park past the Sigríður memorial to the top of the stairway down, then back; add the lower platform when it's open. Ten minutes covers the highlights, but the rim is long enough and quiet enough away from the main platform to be worth the extra twenty.
Year-round
No booking needed.
What Sigríður Tómasdóttir actually did
The popular version has her threatening to throw herself into the falls to stop a hydroelectric dam, and walking barefoot to Reykjavík to fight it in court. Neither holds up well: historians find no contemporary source for the suicide threat, and her trips to Reykjavík to pursue the case — with lawyer Sveinn Björnsson, who later became Iceland's first president — were made on horseback, not on foot. Her lawsuit against the leaseholder failed. What actually stopped the dam was more mundane: the leaseholder never made the scheme work, rental payments lapsed, and the lease was cancelled; the state bought Gullfoss and made it a nature reserve decades later, in 1979. Sigríður's advocacy was real and it mattered — it just isn't quite the legend sold at the gift shop.
Where to stay
Most people day-trip Gullfoss from Reykjavík, but staying overnight on the Golden Circle buys you an empty upper viewpoint at sunrise and a real shot at aurora in winter.
Hótel Gullfoss
The closest hotel to Gullfoss itself — a modern 3-star with Nordic-styled rooms and a restaurant built around Icelandic lamb and seafood. The obvious base if you want the falls at dawn before the tour buses arrive.
Hótel Geysir
A 77-room 4-star hotel directly across from Strokkur, with views of the geyser field from the restaurant. Central to all three Golden Circle stops and the largest property on this stretch of Route 35.
Efstidalur Farm Hotel
A working dairy farm with rooms above the barn, a restaurant serving its own skyr and beef, and an ice-cream parlour you can watch being made. Horses and hot tubs on site; more character than most Golden Circle options at a similar price.
The Hill Hotel (formerly Hótel Flúðir)
Rebranded from Hótel Flúðir / Icelandair Hotel Flúðir; walking distance to the Secret Lagoon and close to a small golf course. A quieter, less touristed base than Geysir or Gullfoss itself.
ION Adventure Hotel
A design hotel on Þingvellir's side of the loop, built around a geothermal Lava Spa and a glass-walled Northern Lights Bar. The upscale anchor for a Golden Circle trip, though it puts you about 25 km and 40 minutes from Gullfoss rather than in the middle of it.
Héraðsskólinn Historic Guesthouse
A 1928 schoolhouse turned guesthouse on the lake at Laugarvatn, next door to the Fontana geothermal baths. Dorms and shared-bath doubles keep it well below the Golden Circle's usual hotel prices without leaving the loop.
Search all Golden Circle Iceland accommodation
Getting there & getting in
KEF
Keflavík International
Iceland's only major international gateway, about 50 km southwest of Reykjavík and roughly 160 km / 2 hours from Gullfoss by road. Direct flights from North America and across Europe on Icelandair, Play and seasonal carriers.
Keflavík is the only realistic way in — there is no international air access closer to the Golden Circle, so every route to Gullfoss starts with the drive or transfer through Reykjavík.
Self-drive and winter roads
Route 35 to Gullfoss is paved and kept open through winter, but it's the most exposed stretch of the Golden Circle loop and can close for hours at a time in storms. Check road.is for live road status and safetravel.is for weather warnings before you leave, every time — conditions change faster than forecasts here. A tour bus or super-jeep sidesteps the decision if you'd rather not drive it yourself in December.
Visas & entry
- Schengen 90/180-day entry
No visa fee for most Western passport holders Iceland is a full Schengen member. Citizens of the US, Canada, UK, EU/EEA, Australia, New Zealand and roughly 60 other countries can enter visa-free for stays up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period on a passport valid at least three months beyond departure. - ETIAS travel authorisation
€20 when it launches, valid about 3 years Not yet required. The EU has pushed ETIAS's launch back repeatedly — most recently delayed indefinitely in August 2026 alongside continuing problems with the new Entry/Exit System (EES) — and no confirmed date exists at the time of writing. Do not pay any third party claiming to sell it early.
EES and ETIAS timelines have shifted several times through 2025–2026 and are likely to shift again; check the EU's official ETIAS site or your carrier shortly before you fly rather than relying on this guide's date.
Ways to spend the time
1 day from Reykjavík
The classic day
- Morning — leave early, Þingvellir first for the rift valley and the least crowded light.
- Midday — Geysir and Strokkur; time it to catch a few eruptions over lunch.
- Afternoon — Gullfoss: upper viewpoint first, then the lower path if it's open.
- Early evening — Secret Lagoon at Flúðir on the way back, then Reykjavík by dark.
1–2 days, summer
The adventure day
- Morning — Hvítá rafting at Drumboddsstaðir before the standard Golden Circle traffic builds.
- Afternoon — Þingvellir and Geysir, then Gullfoss for late light.
- Evening — overnight near Gullfoss or Geysir rather than driving back.
- Next morning — Silfra snorkelling at Þingvellir on the way out.
2 days
Winter loop with aurora
- Day 1 — standard Golden Circle by daylight, ending at Gullfoss's upper viewpoint for sunset around 16:00.
- Day 1 evening — stay near Geysir or Gullfoss; check safetravel.is and go out after dark if skies are clear and activity is forecast.
- Day 2 morning — snowmobiling on Langjökull from the Gullfoss car park, or the Into the Glacier ice tunnel from Húsafell.
- Day 2 afternoon — Secret Lagoon at Flúðir, then back to Reykjavík before the light fails.
Practical notes
- Money Iceland is close to cashless — cards are accepted everywhere, including at Gullfoss's café and toilets, and many businesses actively prefer not to handle cash. A contactless card or phone wallet covers essentially the whole trip; there's little reason to carry ISK at all.
- Winter roads Route 35 is the most exposed section of the Golden Circle and the one most likely to close in a storm. Check road.is for live status and safetravel.is for warnings before every winter drive, and take a rental car with studded winter tyres — reputable Icelandic agencies fit them by default in season.
- Free entry, uncertain parking future Entry and parking at Gullfoss are both free as of late 2026. A proposed nature pass — about 4,500 ISK a year for non-tax-resident visitors, covering Gullfoss, Geysir and Þingvellir — has been floated for a possible 2027 start but was not in effect at the time of writing; confirm before you rely on free parking.
- What to pack A waterproof shell and grippy shoes year-round — the spray reaches the lower path in any wind. Add proper winter boots, a headlamp and warm layers October to April, when daylight can run to under five hours and paths can be sheet ice even where the upper viewpoint stays open.
- Currency and tipping The Icelandic króna (ISK) is the only currency. Card machines often offer to convert automatically at a poor rate if you let them bill in your home currency, so choose ISK at the terminal when asked. Tipping isn't expected anywhere, including on tours.
- Timing your visit Golden Circle tour buses cluster at Gullfoss between about 11:00 and 15:00. Arriving by 09:00 or after 16:00 — easier if you're self-driving or staying overnight nearby — gets you a near-empty upper viewpoint at any time of year.
How it compares
This waterfall
Gullfoss
Iceland
Height32 mWidth175 m
Most similar
Ban Gioc-Detian Falls
Vietnam · China
Height30 mWidth300 m
Also a tiered waterfall and of similar height
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
30 m
32 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Ban Gioc-Detian FallsGullfossVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Ban Gioc-Detian Falls
300 m
Gullfoss
175 m
Angel Falls is 31× taller than Gullfoss. Victoria Falls is 3.4× taller and 9.8× wider. Khone Phapheng Falls is 62× wider. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Videos from Gullfoss
14:04
11:53
5:32
Chosen from YouTube; videos belong to their creators and play from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player.
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
Questions people actually ask
Is Gullfoss free to visit?
Yes. There's no entrance fee and both car parks are free as of late 2026, though a proposed annual nature pass for non-tax-resident visitors — covering Gullfoss, Geysir and Þingvellir — has been discussed for a possible 2027 start. It wasn't in effect at the time of writing.
Did Sigríður Tómasdóttir really save Gullfoss?
Her advocacy and lawsuit were real, but the popular version is exaggerated: she rode to Reykjavík on horseback, not on foot, there's no contemporary evidence she threatened to jump into the falls, and her court case actually failed. The hydro scheme collapsed for its own financial reasons, and the state bought and protected the falls decades later, in 1979.
How far is Gullfoss from Reykjavík?
About 120 km by the Þingvellir–Geysir route, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours' driving without stops. Most day trips take 6 to 8 hours once you include Þingvellir, Geysir and time at each stop.
Can I walk right up to the edge of the falls?
In summer, yes, via the lower path from the upper car park. From roughly November to April that path closes whenever ice makes the steps and handrails unsafe, with no advance schedule — the upper viewpoint, which stays open in nearly all conditions, is the fallback.
When is the best time to see Gullfoss?
June to August for the fullest flow, longest daylight and both viewpoints reliably open. Late winter — February or March — is the trade-off choice if aurora, snowmobiling and the Langjökull ice cave matter more to you than guaranteed access to the lower path.
Do I need a car, or is a tour enough?
Either works. A standard coach tour covers Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss in a day for roughly $90–130. Self-driving gives you control over timing — arriving before the tour buses is the single biggest difference to your experience — but means checking road.is and safetravel.is yourself in winter.
Do I need an ETIAS or visa to visit?
Not yet. Iceland is in the Schengen Area and most Western passport holders enter visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. ETIAS, the planned €20 pre-travel authorisation, has been delayed repeatedly through 2026 with no confirmed launch date — check before you fly rather than assuming it's live.
Where is Gullfoss?
Gullfoss is in Iceland (Southern Iceland), inside Gullfoss Canyon nature reserve. The nearest base is Fludir and the closest airport is KEF. Its coordinates are 64.3271, -20.1199.
Sources (26)
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullfoss
- www.climatechange.ie/the-badass-woman-who-saved-this-icelandic-treasure/
- gullfossfalls.com/entrance-fee/
- icenews.is/2026/09/25/iceland-plans-isk-4500-pass-to-access-major-nature-sites/
- www.icerental4x4.is/en/icerental-4x4-blog/etias-iceland/
- www.euronews.com/travel/2026/08/12/europe-has-officially-delayed-the-roll-out-of-the-etias…
- goldencircle.is/blog/golden-circle-driving-times-and-distances
- www.goldencircledaytours.is/blog/gullfoss-in-winter
- arcticrafting.com/river-fun-rafting
- arcticrafting.com/about-us/
- adventures.is/iceland/day-tours/rafting/rafting-tours-near-reykjavik/river-fun/
- mountaineers.is/tours/meet-us-at-gullfoss/
- intotheglacier.is/tour/snowmobile-tour/
- www.viator.com/tours/Reykjavik/Golden-Circle-Afternoon-and-Northern-Lights-Tour-from-Reykj…
- adventures.is/iceland/attractions/the-secret-lagoon/
- secretlagoon.is/booking/
- www.dive.is/diving-snorkeling-tours/snorkeling-day-tours/silfra-snorkeling-day-tour
- guidetoiceland.is/accommodation/golden-circle-hotels-accommodation/hotel-gullfoss-2
- guidetoiceland.is/accommodation/golden-circle-hotels-accommodation/hotel-geysir-1
- guidetoiceland.is/accommodation/golden-circle-hotels-accommodation/efstidalur
- thehillhotel.is/hotel-fludir/
- guidetoiceland.is/accommodation/golden-circle-hotels-accommodation/ion-adventure-hotel-2
- guidetoiceland.is/accommodation/iceland-hotels-laugarvatn/heradsskolinn-laugarvatni
- www.holdurcarrental.is/travel-inspiration/your-self-drive-guide-to-gullfoss-waterfall
- www.distancesfrom.com/distance-from-Keflavk-International-Airport-to-Gullfoss-Waterfall/Di…
- pluang.com/en/tools/currency-converter/isk-usd
Prices, fees and entry rules change. We re-check full guides regularly; spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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