The EPIC Iceland Road Trip: The South Coast (Part I)
Öxarárfoss Waterfall, Þingvellir National Park, Iceland (ISO 400, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 0.8 s)
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**This post is the 1st of a 6-post series discussing what to see in this part of Iceland (You can check out the other parts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6. Everything is also summarized in another post here.**
If you’ve got more than just a weekend in Iceland, you should not limit your holiday to just seeing Reykjavik (though if that’s all the time you had, use my Reykjavik post as a guide for what to do in the Icelandic capital). But if you’re looking to see more, just know that Iceland is the perfect country for a road trip.
Furthermore, you can get ultimate flexibility with time and price by hiring a campervan. There are many companies you can do this from (I went with GO Campers). This covers your accommodation and transportation and there are plenty of campsites throughout Iceland where you can shower and park for the night.
The South Coast is perhaps one of the more popular areas in Iceland due to its close proximity to Reykjavik and absolute plethora of sights to see and take in. It includes Þingvellir National Park where you can see a variety of waterfalls, geysers, and even the tectonic plates. The journey I will describe will take you to these places and so much more.
You can find a Google map of the places I will discuss at the end of this post.
Check out my drone video below of Iceland!
Before we go South, we can actually start our journey by going Northeast to see two waterfalls. If time permits, I would suggest making the detour to see them, however if it’s tight, then head on South to the other attractions.
Hraunfossar, Iceland (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/2.8, 0.8 s)
Hraunfossar is located in a gorgeous area of Iceland with sweeping vistas of the entire country all along the drive there. Once you get to the car park, the walk is very short to a few viewing platforms along the cliffs, where you can get an up close view of the turquoise colored falls. The name ‘Hraunfossar’ comes from the Icelandic word for ‘Lava’ (Hraun) and ‘Waterfalls’ (Fossar). Makes sense.
Just south of Hraunfossar is the Glymur Waterfall, the 2nd tallest waterfall in Iceland. Getting here by car is easy (to the car park rather). Getting to the waterfall itself is a little trickier. The hike from the car park takes about 3-4 hours, covering approximately 7.1 km (4.4 miles). The best time to go is in the summer months when there is no snow to hinder you from accessing any parts of the trail. If you’ve got the time and the energy, why not give it a go.
After conquering these two places, head down south to see another waterfall that the guided tours don’t take you to. Bruarfoss means ‘bridge falls, which is exactly where you’ll have to hike to to get a great view of it. Rest assured, the hike to get there is not as taxing nor as long as for the Glymur waterfall.
Start off by parking your car in the designated parking area for the waterfall. Another area used to serve as parking for the falls that was much much closer, however most of the area was considered private property and tourists had damaged nearby plant life so they established this newer area. Nonetheless, the path towards Bruarfoss is more or less well kept.
There are some spots where multiple trails can be taken, all with the same end point. You will start the hike (about 1 hour each way) by going through a field of brush, which will gradually lead you through a wooded area and finally along the river itself. There are also two smaller waterfalls on the way to Bruarfoss that are nice to take a rest at (Midfoss and Hlauptungufoss).
Once you get to the bridge spanning the river, you will see the most bluish water emanating from the falls. You have reached Bruarfoss at this point, so best to take some time and enjoy it, especially if you have it to yourself. This is a good area to have a picnic at.
Gulfoss Waterfall, Þingvellir National Park, Iceland (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/22, 1/4 s)
The next two spots are popular on part of the Golden Circle (the name mainly derived for marketing purposes, but also because it includes ‘Gullfoss’ meaning Golden waterfall). The area around Geysir has geysirs (go figure) with the most famous one, called ‘Strokkur’ erupting every few minutes).
Just down the road is the Golden waterfall, Gullfoss. The best time to see this waterfall is definitely in the mornings or late evenings, but nonetheless, it’s a beauty. Take the pathway towards the viewpoint to get the best photos without much spray. The width of the fall is rather impressive as well as the speed of the rushing water.
Öxarárfoss is located in Þingvellir National Park. It’s such an ideal waterfall to see since it has 1) no spray, 2) you can get very close to it, 3) easily accessible by car, and 4) not as popular (less people) than Gullfoss. The translation of Öxarárfoss is ‘Axe Falls’ and was an absolute joy for me to photograph on water level and from elevation. I especially liked the raw, earthy colors with the vivid blue and white from the waterfall, all combining together in such a sublime way. I saw this place twice on my road trip and found that when I went in the later evening, I had it all to myself and was able to quietly reflect on everything I had seen on my trip.
If you like some of my photos that you have come across, just know that I have many prints showcasing a variety of landscapes in Iceland, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames and Wooden-Frames).
There is a main parking area near the paths towards Öxarárfoss that you must pay for online or at the machines on site. There is no attendant, however cameras allowing you into the area take note of your license plate so there is no escaping having to pay. Nonetheless, there is another parking area a little further away from the main one where you don’t have to pay and it’s just an extra 3 minute walk.
Kerid Crater, Iceland (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/8, 1/125 s)
Not too far from here is yet another waterfall, called Faxifoss. This is a pretty chill spot, especially on a hot day where you can cool down with the spray of the falls. Just on top of the hill is also a nice cafe with sweeping views of the entire area. The drone shot I was able to get from here is one of my favorites.
Venture further south from Faxifoss towards the ring road and you’ll eventually get to Kerið crater. This volcanic crater lake is aged to be about 3000 years old and is known for its red-colored volcanic rock (as opposed to black). There is a 400 ISK entrance fee to this site and no drones are allowed to be flown here. It’s a nice spot to get out, stretch your legs and take a lap around. There is also a path leading down to the water level. The water color is something from out of this world.
Next, we venture back Northeast towards a set of four different waterfalls: Hjalparfoss, Haifoss, Gjáin, and Þjófafoss. Each have strikingly different features and also require different grades of gravel roads that you must traverse. Hjalparfoss is essentially two waterfalls, situated where the rivers Fossá and Þjórsá converge.
Gjáin Waterfall, Iceland (ISO 110, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 s)
This was a very nice area to relax at after an hour long drive. What struck me the most was just how beautiful it looked bathed in the sunlight. At this point during my trip, much of the weather had been with scattered storms and cloudy skies so this was a welcome difference.
The next waterfall I ATTEMPTED to conquer was Gjáin. I use the word ‘attempted’ because in my entire trip around Iceland, the gravel road that one has to take to get there was the worse I experienced. As I didn’t have a 4x4, I got more and more nervous as I went down the road that I knew I had to come back on. I drove down to an area that was only 1 km away from Gjáin and flew my drone in to get a shot. I could have hiked the rest of the way but decided to pass. Nonetheless, I managed to get a decent photo from above.
The road to Haifoss consists of a better gravel road, albeit a bit longer one from the main (paved) road. This is the fourth highest waterfall in the country and is particularly striking from the rainbow that stretches across the valley and the tiny glacier that lingers in one of the nearby crevices. Particularly wonderful was also being alone here in the middle of the day.
Þjófafoss is a little more difficult to find however there is one sign post on Road 26 that will tell you when to turn. The gravel road to the falls isn’t too bad either (corrugated in some parts).
Given my timing of this trip during the Icelandic summer, this area was replete with Lupines, the purple/blue color Icelandic wildflowers peppering the landscape. Just a few kilometers later, I once again had the falls all to myself (another great place for lunch).
