Háifoss is a 122 m (400 ft) waterfall near the volcano Hekla in South Iceland, the fourth highest in the country after Morsárfoss, Glymur and Hengifoss. The river Fossá drops over it in a single leap, with its smaller neighbour Granni beside it, and the road to the viewing area is a bumpy gravel track where a four-wheel-drive vehicle is advised. This page contains partner links: if you book, we earn a commission at no cost to you.
Highlights
The falls
a single 122 m drop into a gorge, seen from the car park south of the falls or from the platform above.
Granni
a smaller neighbouring fall, visible together with Háifoss from the south-side viewing area.
Gjáin
a nearby valley stop, listed 6.6 km from the falls.
Stöng
the site of the reconstructed farm Þjóðveldisbærinn, listed 7.9 km from the falls, destroyed by an eruption of Hekla; a longer hike follows the Fossá from there to the falls.
Practical info
Tips
- The road ends at a car park south of the falls. From there, a short hike leads to the best viewing spot, and a path also goes down toward the base. The hike from Stöng takes 5 to 6 hours each way, so most visitors drive. The site is free and open day and night, but there are no services: bring water and layers, and keep back from the rim, which has no barrier. The gravel road can be rough; check road.is before you go and ask the rental company about gravel-road rules. In winter, access depends on weather and snow,. A rental with four-wheel drive is the practical way to reach the falls on your own: the Discover Cars page for Iceland is linked in the box above, and Iceland 4x4 rental explains the differences between models. Háifoss fits well into a day that also covers Gullfoss and Geysir, which are the other big waterfalls on the south side; for guided options see Golden Circle tours. For gravel roads in general, read Iceland F-roads.
How to get there
The falls are in Þjórsárdalur in South Iceland, near Hekla. The road is gravel and bumpy, and the vehicle must handle rough surfaces; the road ends at a car park south of the falls.
Opening hours
Nearby
See on the map →
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