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Water & Ice · Southern Region, Iceland

Urriðafoss Waterfall — Iceland

Iceland's greatest waterfall by volume — a vast, roaring curtain of glacial water crashing across a wide basalt shelf in the open southern lowlands.

When
Jan — Dec, peak May — Aug
Best viewing
A wide, high-volume waterfall in open southern Iceland lowlands, accessible as a short stop or day-trip from Selfoss or Reykjavík.
Category
Water & Ice
Status
Peak season

About this spectacle

Urriðafoss is a broad, powerful waterfall on the Þjórsá River in southern Iceland, widely considered the country's highest-volume waterfall by water flow. Visitors stand at the edge of a wide, churning curtain of white water that crashes and roils over a basalt step, filling the air with a constant cool mist and a deep, resonant roar. The river spreads across a wide channel before plunging in multiple braided cascades, giving the falls a raw, expansive character quite different from the dramatic vertical drops of more famous Icelandic waterfalls. The surrounding landscape is open Icelandic lowland, offering unobstructed views of the falls against a broad sky. In summer, the long daylight hours mean the spectacle can be enjoyed at almost any hour. In winter, the falls remain partially active even through ice, and the cold light gives the scene a stark, elemental quality.

When to go

Jan — Dec, peak May — Aug

Getting there

Nearest airport: KEF. Nearest city: Selfoss.

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