Goðafoss is a waterfall on the Skjálfandafljót river, 12 m high and 30 m wide, on Route 1, the Ring Road, 35 km from Akureyri (visitakureyri.is, read 7 November 2026). Its name comes from the legend that the lawspeaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði threw his statues of the old Norse gods into the falls after Christianity became the official religion around the year 1000. This page contains partner links: if you book, we earn a commission at no cost to you.
Highlights
The falls
12 m high and 30 m wide, on the river Skjálfandafljót.
Both banks
Parking is on both sides of the river, with trails to viewpoints; the west side has the shortest walk to the falls.
The café at Fosshóll
A souvenir shop, café and restrooms near the falls at Goðafoss Café / Fosshóll.
The legend
Told at the falls: the statues of the old gods were thrown into the water.
Practical info
Tips
- The Route 79 bus stops at Fosshóll–Goðafoss, but the seats are limited to 19 on that bus. Café hours in 2026 were 10:00 to 17:00 from 1 January to 10 May, 9:00 to 17:00 from 11 May to 31 May and 8:00 to 18:00 from 1 June to 31 August; the site gives no hours for the autumn months and recommends checking road and weather conditions before winter trips. Goðafoss is called a popular destination all year round. Next on the loop are Lake Mývatn, the Mývatn baths and Dettifoss; Húsavík is the whale watching town. From Reykjavík the trip is described in Reykjavík to Akureyri, and in the south the equivalent big falls are Skógafoss and Gullfoss. A car gives the most flexibility, see Iceland car rental; the Discover Cars link in the box leads to the Iceland page.
How to get there
On Route 1, 35 km from Akureyri. Bus 79 stops at Fosshóll–Goðafoss (limited seats, 19 maximum); otherwise by car.
Opening hours
Nearby
See on the map →
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