Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss is pronounced SEL-ya-lands-foss in Icelandic. This name can be a little hard to pronounce when visiting, so be sure to listen to your tour guide or locals if you need further help with pronouncing it.

The Seljalandsfoss waterfall is located on the river Seljalandsá in South Iceland. It sits below the Eyjafjallajökull glacier, which rose to global fame after the volcano below it erupted in 2010. You can easily spot both the waterfall and the glacier from the Ring Road.

You can drive to Seljalandsfoss in about 2 hours from Reykjavík. The waterfall is located just minutes from the Ring Road on road 249. You’ll find a dedicated parking lot at the site, where you can leave you car for a small charge.

In the summer months, you can absolutely walk behind the plume of the waterfall. Be sure to wear suitable shoes, though, as paths can be slippery and rough in some places. Waterproof clothing is also recommended, as there can be quite a lot of (refreshing) spray!

In the wintertime, it might not be possible to walk behind Seljalandsfoss because of ice buildup on the paths and icicles around the waterfall itself.

You should never attempt to swim at Seljalandsfoss since the impact of the water is exceptionally strong and could put you at risk of severe injury. Another thing to keep in mind is that the Seljalandsfoss waterfall is glacier-fed, making the water extremely cold and unsuitable for swimming.

Visiting the Seljalandsfoss waterfall is free. However, you will have to pay a one-off parking fee for your day if you stay at the parking lot just moments from the waterfall. For that, you can stay for as long as you like, up to a full day.

You can stay at the Seljalandsfoss waterfall for as long as you like, but most people spend around an hour taking in the beauty of this truly iconic waterfall.

If you want to stay a bit longer, you can drive 2 minutes down the road to the Gljúfrabúi waterfall. Many people skip visiting this hidden waterfall, but there’s no reason you should!

Getting to Seljalandsfoss is very easy. Many people visit as part of planned day tours, but if you’re visiting on a private road trip, simply take road 1 until you see the junction for road 249 which leads to Þórsmörk. Then follow it briefly until you see the parking lot for the waterfall itself.

Thanks to its convenient location just off the Ring Road and the fact that it’s one of Iceland’s most popular attractions, you can visit Seljalandsfoss all year round. It looks drastically different in summer and winter, but always stunning.

It’s worth keeping in mind the path behind Seljalandsfoss waterfall may be closed during the winter due to the risk of icicles dropping from the cliff. That said, you can always catch sight of the waterfall from the nearby parking lot.