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 · Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Kirkjufellsfoss
A small, unremarkable-by-Icelandic-standards cascade earns its fame entirely from what stands behind it — the distinctively pointed, freestanding peak of Kirkjufell, arguably Iceland's most-photographed mountain. It doubled as 'Arrowhead Mountain' in the television series Game of Thrones.
Iceland's most-photographed mountain-and-waterfall combination Essentials guide
Checked September 2026 by David Bussell
Kirkjufellsfoss drops 10 metres (33 ft) on the unnamed stream. It is a tiered-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Grundarfjörður, with KEF the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
As a tiered waterfall, a series of distinct drops, one below the other.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Kirkjufellsfoss itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Grundarfjörður are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Clear winter nights offer a chance at the aurora borealis directly over the mountain.
Entry: Free; paid parking
Getting there
- Base town Grundarfjörður
- Airport KEF
- Country Iceland
- Region Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Nordics & Baltics, Europe
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Kirkjufellsfoss
Iceland
Height10 mWidth—
Most similar
Vchelka
Ukraine
Height10 mWidth—
Of similar height and in Ukraine
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
10 m
10 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
KirkjufellsfossVchelkaVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 98× taller than Kirkjufellsfoss. Victoria Falls is 11× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Kirkjufellsfoss yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Videos from Kirkjufellsfoss
6:18
6:43
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
64.9262, -23.3124
Quick answers
Where is Kirkjufellsfoss?
Kirkjufellsfoss is in Iceland (Snæfellsnes Peninsula). The nearest base is Grundarfjörður and the closest airport is KEF. Its coordinates are 64.9262, -23.3124.
How tall is Kirkjufellsfoss?
Kirkjufellsfoss drops 10 metres (33 feet). It is a tiered-type waterfall on the unnamed stream.
When is the best time to visit Kirkjufellsfoss?
Peak flow is February to March and September to October. Clear winter nights offer a chance at the aurora borealis directly over the mountain.
What can you do at Kirkjufellsfoss?
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 Kirkjufellsfoss?
The usual base is Grundarfjörður, and the closest airport is KEF. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there. Free; paid parking.
Nearby
Closest to Kirkjufellsfoss
Grundarfoss
Iceland · 5 km away
Grundarfoss is a waterfall in Iceland.
Bjarnarfoss
Iceland · 10 km away
Bjarnarfoss is a waterfall in Iceland.
Dynjandi
Iceland · 100 m · 90 km away
Dynjandi is a waterfall located in Arnarfjörður in the Westfjords region of Iceland. It is the largest…
Hraunfossar
Iceland · 110 km away
Iceland's widest 'waterfall' by continuous frontage