The Dettifoss waterfall is one of the most famous places to visit in North Iceland. Located in Jokulsargljufur national park, Dettifoss is wide and majestic. And if you want more, a walk will take you to the Selfoss waterfall, which is spread out and delicate. Both are a pleasure for the eyes! Here is my guide with photos and planning tips.
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The Jokulsargljufur Canyon National park and its waterfalls
About Jokulsargljufur – the canyon
Jokulsargljufur Canyon
Jokulsargljufur is the largest and most impressive canyon in Iceland. It is approximately 25km long, about 500m wide and its depth comes close or exceeds 100m in many places. The canyon is believed to have been formed by catastrophic flooding in the glacial river Jokusla, which originated on the northern side of Vatnojokull glacier after the last glacial period.
Jökulsárgljúfur forms the northern part of Vatnajökull National Park.
Its name means Glacial River Canyon.
It has been made famous by its series of waterfalls: from South to North: Selfoss, Dettifoss, Hafragilsfoss and Rettarfoss, Dettifoss being the most famous
Selfoss and Dettifoss Map
About the Dettifoss waterfall
Dettifoss Waterfall
Dettifoss is one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland because it is reputed to be the biggest waterfall in Europe in terms of volume which varies between 200 and 500 cubic meters of water per second.
Dettifoss is a curtain-shaped waterfall that is 100m (330ft) wide and 44m (144ft) in height.
About the Selfoss waterfall
Selfoss Waterfall
Selfoss is lesser known because it is smaller and requires walking to reach it from Dettifoss.
The waterfall is a horse-shoe shaped waterfall. It is 10m high and continues into a veil like series of small waterfalls.
About the Hafragilsfoss waterfall
Hafragilsfoss Waterfall
The 3rd waterfall is Hafragilsfoss and is far less famous because you need a 4WD to reach it. There is no easy track to reach its bank, but the views from the ridge of the canyon are magnificent. You can learn more about it and see more photos on my article about Hafragilsfoss.
Hafragilsfoss is a curtain-shaped waterfall. It is 27m high.
Rettarfoss
To the North is also Rettarfoss: 75m wide and a 7m high drop (or 12m depending on sources...). I have not seen it.
More photos of Dettifoss and Selfoss after the Practical info and Planning tips.
How to get to the Dettifoss and Selfoss waterfalls Iceland
Dettifoss Location
- Located in North Iceland (see my guide about North Iceland)
- East of Lake Myvatn and the town of Reykjahlíð
- There are 2 roads to reach views of the waterfalls, on each side of the canyon
- East bank - Road 864 (Hólsfjallavegur) - 30km on that road and the parking is on the left - Also accessible from Husavik
- West Bank - Road 862 (Dettifossvegur) - 25km on that road and parking on the right with 3 more km. It is now paved from the Ring Road (before as you can see on other articles is was a gravel road)
- All these locations (and their GPS coordinates), along with many other beautiful places, are included in my travel guide:
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Getting to Dettifoss and Selfoss
If you are visiting North Iceland and the Myvatn area, I strongly recommend renting your own car. This gives you the freedom to visit all the locations you are interested in. I personally rented my car with Route 1 car rental and really appreciated the experience (you can see my article about driving in Iceland)
Otherwise most of the Iceland Organized tours will stop at this location because it is so easy to access - to compare tour operators and programs, I recommend GuidetoIceland.
Dettifoss: Best side to visit? East or West Bank?
Ideally you should visit both side of Jokulsargljufur 🙂
They bring something different. But for those who are limited in time, here is a summary of the comparison, or you can check the pictures below.
- East Bank – easy road all the way along the canyon, better views of Selfoss, access to Hafralgilsfoss
- West bank – easier walking paths (especially to Selfoss), better views of Dettifoss (in my own opinion), less tourists
These two waterfalls are generally inaccessible in winter, and hard to access during early spring
Note: Do not mix the Selfoss waterfall in North Iceland with Seljalandsfoss, the waterfall near the town of Selfoss in South Iceland...
What to wear to Dettifoss?
It is essential to wear good waterproof shoes, a waterproof jacket and have something to protect your camera from the mist.
Check out my complete article with detailed suggestions and tips on what to wear and pack for Iceland to stay warm and comfortable
Accommodations in Myvatn
- I stayed at the Dimmuborgir Guesthouse, one of my favorite places to stay in Iceland (I booked myself and paid entirely for my stay). Right next to the lake and with the Hverfjall crater in the background... perfect! check out photos and availability
- Or check out the accommodation options in Myvatn
Dettifoss waterfall Iceland - West Bank
Selfoss and Dettifoss walks on the West Bank
- Easy access to both Dettifoss and Selfoss on the West Bank
- 10min walk to Dettifoss – you can go to the top section or take stairs for another view
- 15min more to Selfoss on a flat path
Dettifoss from the West Bank
On this side of the canyon, you can get really close to the waterfall and appreciate a lot more its width.
Here is the view from the top (no stairs):
And then you can walk down the stairs to get up close to the massive flow of water. Be reasonable and don't walk too close to the edge, it is slippery!
Dettifoss Iceland - East Bank
Selfoss and Dettifoss hikes on the East Bank
- Beware, there is a lot of spray from the waterfall and rocks can be slippery. Good footwear is recommended
- Parking to Dettifoss: 1.5km return (30min to 1h)
- Parking-Dettifoss-Selfoss – Loop 2.5km (1h to 1h30) – the path is not paved. There are rocks and boulders.
Dettifoss falls from the East Bank
The path is clearly marked but there are a lot of slippery stairs because of the rain and the mist. You can walk right up to the edge of the waterfall and realize its power.
On this side, you can't grasp the width, but you can see the height better:
On this photo you can see the edge of the West bank with the people at the top and the track down to the waterfall:
Selfoss waterfall - West Bank
Selfoss isn’t nearly as tall or as powerful as Dettifoss but it has a horseshoe shape with many smaller waterfalls which are very elegant.
Below are my pictures of Selfoss from the West bank. The walk was very easy and flat. We see less of the many waterfalls, but it is still very pretty
Selfoss Iceland - East Bank
When I was planning to see Selfoss on the East Bank, it was the end of the day and I was very tired so after 5 minutes on the path to Selfoss I decided to turn around. This is not an easy flat path. There are boulders and it requires focus. I decided it was not reasonable for me to continue.
So, here is a shot by another photographer:
And if you love waterfalls, check out my list of 21 falls in Iceland which includes the famous Gullfoss, Godafoss, Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss.
Need help planning your road trip in Iceland? Check out my travel guide that simplifies the creation of your itinerary:
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This is perfect! I”ve been trying to figure out which side is best to access these falls and this is exactly the info I need. Although, now I have to get to both sides so perhaps it would have been better not to have found it… 😉
Thank you very much for the explanation, both clear and precise, it was very useful in planning our trip. Great blog!!