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 · Bláskógabyggð
Öxarárfoss
Öxarárfoss is a waterfall in Þingvellir National Park, Iceland. It flows from the river Öxará over the Almannagjá .
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.
Öxarárfoss drops over a series of steps, inside Thingvellir National Park. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Bláskógabyggð, 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
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 Bláskógabyggð, Iceland
- Country Iceland
- Region Bláskógabyggð, Nordics & Baltics, Europe
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Öxarárfoss
Iceland
Height—Width—
Most similar
Grand Galet Falls
France
Height—Width—
Also a cascade waterfall, with swimming and in France
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
979 m
Victoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
We don't have a reliable crest width for Öxarárfoss 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
64.26582, -21.11804
Quick answers
Where is Öxarárfoss?
Öxarárfoss is in Iceland (Bláskógabyggð), inside Thingvellir National Park. The nearest base is Bláskógabyggð, Iceland. Its coordinates are 64.2658, -21.1180.
When is the best time to visit Öxarárfoss?
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 Öxarárfoss?
Beyond the viewpoints: swimming, hiking, photography and wildlife & safari. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint.
Can you swim at Öxarárfoss?
Yes — swimming is a normal part of a visit to Öxarárfoss, in the pools away from the falling water. Only swim where it is permitted on the day, stay clear of the base of the falls where currents recirculate, and skip it after heavy rain.
How do you get to Öxarárfoss?
The usual base is Bláskógabyggð, Iceland. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there.
Nearby
Closest to Öxarárfoss
Glymur
Iceland · 190 m · 16 km away
Glymur is a waterfall in Hvalfjarðarsveit, Vesturland, Iceland. It is the second-tallest in the country with…
Tröllafoss
Iceland · 20 km away
Tröllafoss is a waterfall in Iceland.
Brúarfoss
Iceland · 30 km away
Brúarfoss is a waterfall in Iceland.
Álafoss
Iceland · 30 km away
Álafoss is a waterfall on the river Varmá in Mosfellsbær, Iceland.