Iceland · Southern Iceland
Gullfoss
Gullfoss
The glacial Hvítá River drops in two stages into a jagged crevice 32 metres deep, seemingly vanishing into the earth from certain angles. Early 20th-century farmer Sigríður Tómasdóttir is credited with saving it from a hydroelectric scheme by threatening to throw herself into the falls.
The glacial Hvítá River drops in two stages into a jagged crevice 32 metres deep, seemingly vanishing into the earth from certain angles. Early 20th-century farmer Sigríður Tómasdóttir is credited with saving it from a hydroelectric scheme by threatening to throw herself into the falls.
Gullfoss drops 32 metres (105 ft) across a face roughly 20 metres wide on the Hvítá, inside Gullfoss Canyon nature reserve. It is a tiered-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Fludir, with KEF the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
Summer gives easiest access and near-constant daylight; winter brings ice formations and fewer crowds.
What you can do here
White-water rafting
Below a great waterfall there is usually a great gorge, and in that gorge some of the biggest commercially runnable water on earth.
Hiking
From ten-minute boardwalks to multi-day approaches through cloud forest.
Photography
Light angles, moonbows, spray management and the hours that actually work.
When to go
Summer gives easiest access and near-constant daylight; winter brings ice formations and fewer crowds.
Entry: Free; paid parking
Getting there
- Base townFludir
- AirportKEF
- CountryIceland
- RegionSouthern Iceland, Europe
- AccessEasy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
On the map
64.3271, -20.1199
Quick answers
How tall is Gullfoss?
Gullfoss drops 32 metres (105 feet), across a face about 20 metres wide. It is a tiered-type waterfall on the Hvítá.
When is the best time to visit Gullfoss?
Peak flow is June to August. Summer gives easiest access and near-constant daylight; winter brings ice formations and fewer crowds.
What can you do at Gullfoss?
Beyond the viewpoints: white-water rafting, hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint.
How do you get to Gullfoss?
The usual base is Fludir, and the closest airport is KEF. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there. Free; paid parking.
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