Gullfoss Waterfall (Iceland): photos + visit tips

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Why visit the Gullfoss Waterfall in Iceland?

The Gullfoss Waterfall Iceland is one of the iconic Icelandic waterfalls.
Located on the Hvítá river which is fed by the country's second biggest glacier, the Langjökull.
Some people compare its beauty to the Niagara Falls. I recognize that its shape is more intriguing and the fact that it is surrounded only by nature is better. However it is not as impressive.
With Thingvellir and the geysers of Haukadalur, it forms the Golden Circle Iceland.

This article about Gullfoss in Spring, Summer  and autumn. For information about visiting Gullfoss in Winter, head to this article.

The river rushes southward but about one kilometer above the falls it turns sharply to the right and flows down into the 32m crevice (105 ft) in two stages (11m and 21m). The average amount of water running over this waterfall is 140 m³/s in the summertime and 80 m³/s in the wintertime.

Its 20th century history is considered as the first environmentalist fight in Iceland: protecting the waterfalls vs generating power from it. Its area was designated as nature reserve in 1979.

Where is Gullfoss located - map

• On the Golden Circle, north east of Reykjavik.
• From Geysir, continue east on Route 35 for approximately 8.5 km.
• Reykjavik to Gullfoss = 2h drive
• Thingvellir to Gullfoss = 1h drive
• Below is a map to help you get oriented:

All my favorite locations are included (with GPS coordinates, map of region and planning tips) in my travel guide eBook to help you easily plan your Iceland road trip (for 5 days, 7 days, 10 days, 14 days...)

Visit tips

• From the upper carpark: easy walking paths to 2 viewpoints
• From the lower carpark: easy path leads up close to the big drop and to the higher part of the waterfall. Be careful with the mist it can be slippery. The lower viewpoint is open, but the path is closed during winter
• At the upper carpark there is a visitor center with toilets, food and souvenirs.
• There are steps between both levels.
• Don’t forget to bring protection gear for your camera, it can get very misty
• On a sunny day, you can be lucky and see rainbows
• More info on the official website for Gullfoss

Where to stay?

You can find nice options South of the lake and on the Golden circle.

• I personally stayed at the Geysir Cottages next to the Haukadalur geothermal area (not far from Thingvellir on the Golden circle) . The food was tasty in a room with atmosphere. The room was comfy and clean. It allowed me to go early to the geyser before all the tourists arrived - Check out photos and book 
• Or you can have a look at the best rated accommodations on the Golden Circle
• Or head to Selfoss, if you are on your way to the South Coast after the Golden Circle - see best rated accommodations
• Or head to Fludir near the secret lagoon - see accommodations

View of Gullfoss - Lower section

This is the view of the waterfall from the lower carpark.
You can see the path getting up close to the Gullfoss waterfall Iceland and the silhouette of people to give you an idea of proportions.
The sound of the rushing water is impressive.

Walking path to get close to the waterfall

As you walk closer to the waterfall the noise becomes impressive.
The path is easy and well-maintained (but not accessible in Winter).

End of the path

Continuing on the path, you arrive close to the rapids section of the waterfall. This is prettier but not as dramatic.
By the time I got there the light was bad and I was not able to get a good image...

Staircase between carparks

Upper viewing platforms - Sigridur trail

The most visited is the upper viewing platform. It is on the trail called Sigridur.
It is named in memory of Sigridur Tomasdottir. You can enjoy this view today thanks to her. She lead a long fight to preserve and protect the Gullfoss waterfalls.,The plan was to harness the power of the falls with an hydraulic plant was built but she did all she could to block it. And the area became a nature reserve in 1970.

View from the platform

In the picture below is the view you can enjoy from the platform.
You can see the upper flow cascading at the top in the canyon.
The flow starts in the second biggest glacier Langjokull, creating the Hvita river.

Gullfoss in Winter