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 · Fljótsdalshreppur
Hengifoss
Hengifoss is the third highest waterfall in Iceland, 128 meters. It is located in Hengifossá in Fljótsdalshreppur, East Iceland.
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.
Hengifoss drops 128 metres (420 ft). It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Fljótsdalshreppur, Iceland. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Hengifoss is the third-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 Hengifoss itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Fljótsdalshreppur 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 Fljótsdalshreppur, Iceland
- Country Iceland
- Region Fljótsdalshreppur, Nordics & Baltics, Europe
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Hengifoss
Iceland
Height128 mWidth—
Most similar
Cascate Nardis
Italy
Height130 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall, of similar height and in Italy
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
128 m
130 m
330 m
979 m
Victoria FallsHengifossCascate NardisEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 7.6× taller than Hengifoss. It drops 1.2× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Hengifoss 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
65.09513, -14.889
Quick answers
Where is Hengifoss?
Hengifoss is in Iceland (Fljótsdalshreppur). The nearest base is Fljótsdalshreppur, Iceland. Its coordinates are 65.0951, -14.8890.
How tall is Hengifoss?
Hengifoss drops 128 metres (420 feet). It is a cascade-type waterfall.
When is the best time to visit Hengifoss?
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 Hengifoss?
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 Hengifoss?
The usual base is Fljótsdalshreppur, Iceland. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there.
Nearby
Closest to Hengifoss
Litlanesfoss
Iceland · 30 m · 1 km away
Litlanesfoss is a waterfall in Hengifossá in Fljótsdalur, Eastern Iceland, also known as Stuðlabergsfoss .…
Fardagafoss
Iceland · 30 km away
Fardagafoss is a waterfall in Iceland.
Full guide Dettifoss
Iceland · 44 m · 110 km away
Among Europe's most powerful waterfalls
Aldeyjarfoss
Iceland · 20 m · 120 km away
The Aldeyjarfoss waterfall is situated in the Highlands of Iceland at the northern part of the Sprengisandur…