#1- Dettifoss Waterfall
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Located in Northeast Iceland’s Jokulsargljufur National Park, Dettifoss is Europe’s most powerful waterfall, with an average flow of over 7,000 cubic feet per second. The massive waterfall is 144 feet high and an impressive 328 feet wide.
#2- Glymur Waterfall
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The highest waterfall in Iceland, Glymur is 643 feet tall. Located in the far east end of Hvalfjordour, or Whale Fjord, due to the height and location of Glymur, one cannot view the entirety of the falls from one location.
#3- Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
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Located between Selfoss and Skogafoss (#5), the 200 foot Seljalandsfoss is connected to the river Seljalandsa. One of the most picturesque waterfalls in Iceland, Seljalandsfoss also offers some of the best tourism as a foot path travels directly behind the falls, allowing tourists to view the waterfall from the backside without getting wet.
#4- Gooafoss Waterfall
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The name means “waterfall of the gods.†Though one may think the name derives from the beauty and immensity of this waterfall, it actually dates back to about the year 1000. According to legend, when Christianity was declared the official religion of Iceland, Porgeirr Ljosvetningagooi threw statues of Norse gods into the falls.
#5- Skogafoss Waterfall
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Southern Iceland boasts the beautiful and massive Skogafoss. At 82 feet wide and nearly 200 feet tall, Skogafoss is one Iceland’s largest falls. A local legend states that Prasi Porolfsson, the first Viking who settled in the area, hid a treasure behind the waterfall that has been glimpsed but has yet to be found. The legend is enhanced by the fact that, due to the fall’s spray, a single or double rainbow appears before it on most sunny days.
#6- Svartifoss Waterfall
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Known as “Black Falls,†Svartifoss is flanked by dark lava columns. The columns formed inside of a slow cooling lava flow, allowing for this natural, unique beauty. Svartifoss is within Iceland’s Skaftafell National Park.
#7- Ofaerufoss Waterfall
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Like Barnafoss (#10), a natural bridge once ran the length of the falls of Ofaerufoss. Until the bridge’s collapse in 1993 due to an earthquake, visitors could walk very near the waterfall, gaining a spectacular view. The falls are just as spectacular today. Ofaerufoss is located in Iceland’s Eldgja chasm.
#8- Haifoss Waterfall
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Southern Iceland’s Fossa river gives us Haifoss, Iceland’s second highest waterfall at about 400 feet tall. Located in the Thjorsardalur valley, Haifoss shares a gorge with the waterfall Granni. Haifoss was named in the 19th century by Dr. Helgi Petursson.
#9- Gullfoss Waterfall
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One of the country’s most famous tourist attractions, Gullfoss is located in the southwest, in Iceland’s Golden Circle. Making the canyon of the Hvita river its home, Gullfoss rushes at a rate of about 5,000 cubic feet per second. Above the waterfall exists a stone memorial to Sigriour Tomasdottier, who is rumored to have saved the falls from industrialization.
#10- Barnafoss Waterfall
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Western Iceland’s Barnafoss is known not only for its beauty but also its folklore. Known as “the children’s waterfall,†the legend of Barnafoss comes from the tale of two boys falling from the natural bridge that once spanned the falls. The mother was so distraught that she put a spell on the bridge, causing it collapse.