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Fjadrargljufur Canyon (Iceland, Feather canyon) – Visit tips + Photos

Last updated on May 16, 2020 By Claire, the Travel Planning Geek

The shape of the Fjadrargljufur Canyon Iceland is as strange and tortuous as its name. An easy path allows you to walk along its 2km all the way to a waterfall. It is a favorite for photographers because of all of its angles. Here is my travel guide to help you plan your visit.

Travel Guide Iceland : Plan your visit to Fjadrárgljúfur canyon
Quick Navigation
About the Fjadrargljufur Canyon
PLANNING TIPS - Fjadrargljufur Iceland
Photos from the Fjadrargljufur canyon's entrance
Hike to Fjadrargljufur waterfall
Other things to know about the Fjadrargljufur Iceland canyon

Navigate back to the complete Iceland Travel Guide

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About the Fjadrargljufur Canyon

Located is South Iceland, Fjadrargljufur (or Fjadra Canyon) is a 100 m deep and about 2 kilometres long serpentine canyon with the Fjaðrá river flowing through it.
Its Icelandic spelling is Fjaðrárgljúfur.

Fjadrargljufur iceland map

Fjadrargljufur geology - how was it formed

The bedrock is mostly patagonite from cold periods of the Ice Age and it thought to be 2 million years old. It is believed the canyon formed at the end of the last Ice Age, about nine thousand years ago. When the glacier retreated a lake formed in the valley behind a hard resitant rock. The runoff from the lake flowed to where Fjadragljufu is today and erosion did the work.

It is a favorite for most tourists in Iceland, but for me, it did not make it to my top 10 landscapes in Iceland.


PLANNING TIPS - Fjadrargljufur Iceland

Where is the Canyon of Fjadrargljufur Iceland

  • Located a short drive from Road 1 on the South Coast, East of Vik
  • Vik to Fjadrargljufur = 1h
  • Driving West on the Ring road, it is 6 km from the town of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. 

How to get to Fjadrargljufur Iceland

  • You need to rent your own car to reach the canyon (check out my guide about car rental in Iceland)
  • Turn North on Route 206 for approximately 2.3 km (gravel road). It is clearly indicated.
  • Pass the intersection, continue straight on; there is a parking area on the right before the bridge.
  • The Fjadrargljufur canyon (with its GPS coordinates) is included in my eBook that helps you easily plan your road trip:
small Road trip Iceland cover

Plan your perfect trip to Iceland!

  • 8 maps to easily plan your itinerary
  • 100+ selected locations so you don't miss the most beautiful places
  • GPS + info to make the most of your time
  • 110+ original photos to get inspired

LEARN MORE

Visiting Fjadrargljufur

  • Clear paths take you along the edge of the canyon. It leads you to a waterfall. But I did not have enough time to get there. I think it says 1 hour
  • When the water is low you can also walk through the bed of the canyon, being cautious
  • Amenities: toilets

Fjadrargljufur closed?

  • The Environmental agency may decide to close the Fjadrargljufur trail if the vegetation is suffering because of weather and tourism

Accommodation near Fjadrargljufur

  • You can stay in Vik only 1h away (see the best rated accommodations in Vik) or choose something closer to Nature such as
  • The Hunkubakkar Guesthouse with its cute cottages - Check out photos and availabilities
  • The adventure Hotel Geirland also with individual cottages - Check out photos and availabilities

Photos from the Fjadrargljufur canyon's entrance

Here are some pictures from the beginning of the path going along the edge. Some are looking into the canyon and some are looking towards the coast where there is a beautiful lava field.

It was the end of the day, I was tired and did not take good pictures that truly give you an idea of the strange shapes and arches of the canyon. It is a very special place.

Fjadrargljufur canyon Iceland photo 1
Fjadrargljufur canyon Iceland, photo 2
Fjadrargljufur canyon Iceland, photo 3
Fjadrargljufur canyon Iceland, photo 4

Hike to Fjadrargljufur waterfall

The trail takes you all the way along the canyon sometimes called the 'feather river canyon'.
It is as long as the canyon itself - 2km

And at the end you can see a waterfall inside the "feathers": 

Fjadrargljufur waterfall

Other things to know about the Fjadrargljufur Iceland canyon

The Bieber canyon

Tourism has also increased to the canyon because it was featured in one of the Justin Bieber videos.

Fjadrargljufur in Winter

It is rarely accessible during Winter because the road will be blocked by snow.
However if you see the road open, this is a beautiful sight

Fjadrargljufur pronunciation

If you want to talk to locals without them laughing, check out how the name is pronounced - click here.

Need to rent a car for your road trip in Iceland?

  • You can choose from some great local companies - Iceland has a lot of specificities and their offerings are  adapted - you can compare cars and prices of quality local brands on this expert Icelandic website
  • Otherwise you can compare offers from international companies on RentalCars.com
  • Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!

Want to see more of Iceland's beauty?

PREVIOUS LOCATION: 

SKOGAFOSS WATERFALL

NEXT LOCATION: 

SVARTIFOSS & SKAFTAFELL

Tourism Iceland Travel Guide

Strange shapes, don’t you think?

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