Gullfoss Falls

Overview

Gullfoss, located about an hour and 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik, is an iconic waterfall in Iceland that offers an incredible view of the powerful force of nature. This waterfall is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland and is part of the Golden Circle, alongside Þingvellir National Park and the Great Geysirs.

Quick Facts

Time Spent25 minutes

Best Time to Visit?Early Morning or Evening

Bathroom Available?Yes

Cost for EntryFree

Worth It?Must Go

Seasonal?Year-Round

Attraction Tips

Visit at Off Peak Hours

Gullfoss Falls is a very popular attraction along the Golden Circle and there are many tour buses that stop here. We would recommend visiting this attraction either first thing in the morning or in the evening after the crowds have subsided.

You will get wet if you walk close to the falls

The falls are very powerful and there is a viewing point up close that offers an interesting perspective of the falls, but you’re almost guaranteed to get wet.

See the falls from different viewing points

There is an overlook viewing point over the falls, but if you walk down the stairs after the boardwalk, there is another viewing point that offers a closer view. You can even walk right up to the falls, if desired.

How to Get There & Parking

Address:

Gullfoss Falls, Iceland

Directions via Google Maps

Parking: Free

There is a massive parking lot for this attraction, as it is one of Iceland’s most visited attractions.

Attraction Details

When you arrive, there is a very spacious parking lot with plenty of room to park, as this is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland. There are information plaques to read about the history, an indoors visitor area and plenty of bathrooms available. There is a path right off of the parking lot and once you get to the staircase, we recommend walking up to the left first, which leads to the outdoor viewing area over the falls.

We stayed here for a few minutes before walking back to the stairs and down for a more up close view. While you can walk all the way up to the falls, we saw people walking back who were soaked, so we decided to skip. That said, if you’re going to go all the way up, make sure to have the appropriate rain gear!

Also, a good tip if you’re visiting the Golden Circle later in the day, go to Gullfoss Falls first, then the Great Geysirs because you could be waiting around for the geysir to go off and lose daylight to see the falls. Keep the geysirs as the last stop just in case!