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 · Árnessýsla
Háifoss
Háifoss is a waterfall situated near the volcano Hekla in southern Iceland. The waterfall Granni is next to it.
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.
Háifoss drops 122 metres (400 ft). It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Árnessýsla, Iceland. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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 Háifoss itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Árnessýsla 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 Árnessýsla, Iceland
- Country Iceland
- Region Árnessýsla, Nordics & Baltics, Europe
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Háifoss
Iceland
Height122 mWidth—
Most similar
Raysko Praskalo
Bulgaria
Height124 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall, of similar height and in Bulgaria
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
122 m
124 m
330 m
979 m
Victoria FallsHáifossRaysko PraskaloEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 8.0× taller than Háifoss. It is about the same height as Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Háifoss 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
64.20775, -19.68673
Quick answers
Where is Háifoss?
Háifoss is in Iceland (Árnessýsla). The nearest base is Árnessýsla, Iceland. Its coordinates are 64.2078, -19.6867.
How tall is Háifoss?
Háifoss drops 122 metres (400 feet). It is a cascade-type waterfall.
When is the best time to visit Háifoss?
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 Háifoss?
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 Háifoss?
The usual base is Árnessýsla, Iceland. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there.
Nearby
Closest to Háifoss
Granni Waterfall
Iceland · 0 km away
The Granni is a waterfall that cascades into the Fossardalur right beside the Háifoss.
Hjálparfoss
Iceland · 14 km away
Hjálparfoss is one of several waterfalls in the south of Iceland situated in the lava fields north of the…
Þjófafoss
Iceland · 19 km away
Þjófafoss aˌfɔsː] , "thieves' waterfall"; also Thjofafoss) is located on the river Þjórsá on the east side of…
Full guide Gullfoss
Iceland · 32 m · 20 km away
Iceland's most iconic waterfall, on the Golden Circle
White-water rafting