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 · Rangárþing ytra
Þjófafoss
Þjófafoss aˌfɔsː] , "thieves' waterfall"; also Thjofafoss) is located on the river Þjórsá on the east side of the Merkurhraun lava fields in the south of Iceland, at the southwest tip of the hill Búrfell.
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.
Þjófafoss drops over a series of steps. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Rangárþing ytra, Iceland. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
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 Þjófafoss itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Rangárþing ytra 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 Rangárþing ytra, Iceland
- Country Iceland
- Region Rangárþing ytra, Nordics & Baltics, Europe
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Þjófafoss
Iceland
Height—Width—
Most similar
Langfoss
Norway
Height612 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall and in Norway
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
330 m
612 m
979 m
Victoria FallsEiffel TowerLangfossAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
We don't have a reliable crest width for Þjófafoss 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
64.0566, -19.86633
Quick answers
Where is Þjófafoss?
Þjófafoss is in Iceland (Rangárþing ytra). The nearest base is Rangárþing ytra, Iceland. Its coordinates are 64.0566, -19.8663.
When is the best time to visit Þjófafoss?
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 Þjófafoss?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Þjófafoss?
The usual base is Rangárþing ytra, Iceland. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Þjófafoss
Hjálparfoss
Iceland · 6 km away
Hjálparfoss is one of several waterfalls in the south of Iceland situated in the lava fields north of the…
Háifoss
Iceland · 122 m · 19 km away
Háifoss is a waterfall situated near the volcano Hekla in southern Iceland. The waterfall Granni is next to…
Granni Waterfall
Iceland · 19 km away
The Granni is a waterfall that cascades into the Fossardalur right beside the Háifoss.
Faxi
Iceland · 7 m · 30 km away
The Faxi waterfall is located on the Golden Circle, a popular tourist trail approximately 120 km east of…