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 · Skaftárhreppur
Ófærufoss
Ófærufoss is a waterfall situated in the Eldgjá chasm in the western part of Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland. Until the early 1990s a natural bridge spanned the falls, but it collapsed from natural causes.
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.
Ófærufoss drops over a series of steps, inside Vatnajökull National Park. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Skaftárhreppur, 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 Ófærufoss itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Skaftárhreppur are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotographyWildlife & safari
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 Skaftárhreppur, Iceland
- Country Iceland
- Region Skaftárhreppur, Nordics & Baltics, Europe
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Ófærufoss
Iceland
Height—Width—
Most similar
Faxi
Iceland
Height7 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall and in Iceland too
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
7 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
FaxiVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
We don't have a reliable crest width for Ófærufoss 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
63.9655, -18.61875
Quick answers
Where is Ófærufoss?
Ófærufoss is in Iceland (Skaftárhreppur), inside Vatnajökull National Park. The nearest base is Skaftárhreppur, Iceland. Its coordinates are 63.9655, -18.6187.
When is the best time to visit Ófærufoss?
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 Ófærufoss?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking, photography and wildlife & safari. 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 Ófærufoss?
The usual base is Skaftárhreppur, Iceland. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Ófærufoss
Fagrifoss
Iceland · 20 km away
Fagrifoss is a waterfall located in the Highland in Iceland. It is almost on the road leading to Lakagígar…
Systrafoss
Iceland · 30 km away
Systrafoss is a waterfall in Iceland, found at Kirkjubæjarklaustur in Skaftárhreppur in the Suðurland region.
Granni Waterfall
Iceland · 60 km away
The Granni is a waterfall that cascades into the Fossardalur right beside the Háifoss.
Háifoss
Iceland · 122 m · 60 km away
Háifoss is a waterfall situated near the volcano Hekla in southern Iceland. The waterfall Granni is next to…