Fjaðrárgljúfur

Quick Facts

Time Spent1 hour 15 minutes

Best Time to Visit?Morning

Distance1.2 Miles (Roundtrip)

Type of TrailThere & Back

Bathroom Available?Yes

Cost for EntryFree

Worth It?Must Go

Elevation Gain278 ft

Hiking DifficultyBeginner

Seasonal?Year-Round

Note: Always check trail status and weather conditions before visiting

Attraction Tips

Visit in the Morning

This attraction gets pretty busy as the day goes on, so be sure to visit first thing in the morning. There are three bathrooms, but the water available runs out by 12pm.

Soak in the Experience

This is truly one of our favorite attractions in all of Iceland. Fjaðrárgljúfur offers a incredibly beautiful views and a peaceful ambiance that is very unique – you have to be there to experience it.

Walk Down by the Bridge

Follow the road down past the parking lot by the bridge that offers a full view looking up the canyon. This is a different perspective that allows you to see up through the canyon instead of over the river on the hike.

How to Get There & Parking

Address:

Fjaðrárgljúfur

QRCH+G7

Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Iceland

Directions via Google Maps

Parking: Free

There is a good bit of room in this parking lot, but as the day goes on, there is single lane traffic getting in and out of the parking lot, so people park along the road.

Attraction Details

This attraction is a short drive off the main road and although the road is gravel, it can be driven on by any type of car. As you arrive at Fjaðrárgljúfur, there is a modest parking lot, but as the day goes on, more people arrive and park along the road. That means there is only single lane traffic getting in and out, which can be a bit of a pain, so if you get there later in the day, try to park away from the entrance, facing out towards the exit and walk up to the entrance a bit. Due to the parking and bathroom situation, we would highly recommend making this your first stop of the day and arrive around 9:30-10am at the latest.

Also, if you arrive earlier in the morning, it is much more peaceful and for this particular attraction, we feel that it enhances the experience to have the place more to yourself. It was an overcast morning during our visit and as you walk up to overlook the canyon, it reminded us of a scene right out of Jurassic Park – this place is truly something special. There is a clear trail path to follow from the parking lot that leads to three different stops to soak in the views and take some epic pictures. The last stop has a platform to stand on and overlook the waterfalls that lead into the canyon.

One thing to note is that there is a path after the third stop that looks like it leads somewhere further up the canyon – it doesn’t. While enticing, especially hidden by the fog during our visit, it just leads to another parking lot and no other sightseeing stops. So after that last stop, just turn around and walk back the way you came.

As you get back to the parking lot area, be sure follow the trail / road down to the right where there is a bridge that offers a full view looking up the canyon. This is a different perspective that allows you to see up through the canyon instead of over it from various stops along the short hike. Overall, words can only say so much about this attraction because being there makes you feel like you’re on another planet. Definitely add this to your “must visit attractions” list when visiting Iceland!