Gullfoss Waterfall on the Golden Circle

The loop's grand finale is Gullfoss, where the glacial Hvítá river drops in two great steps into a rugged canyon and throws up spray that catches the light.

The golden falls

Gullfoss — ‘golden falls’ — is the third landmark stop and, for many visitors, the highlight of the loop. The glacial Hvítá river, fed by the Langjökull ice cap, drops in two stages, first over a lower step and then plunging into a deep, narrow canyon. On a bright day the spray refracts into rainbows, which is one explanation for the ‘golden’ name; another points to the amber tint the glacial water takes in evening light.

The woman who helped save it

In the early twentieth century there were plans to dam the Hvítá and harness Gullfoss for hydroelectric power. Sigríður Tómasdóttir, daughter of the landowner, campaigned fiercely against the scheme, reportedly walking to Reykjavík repeatedly to protest and threatening to throw herself into the falls if the work went ahead. The dam was never built, and Gullfoss was later protected. A memorial to her stands above the falls, and she is remembered as one of Iceland's first environmental campaigners.

The two viewpoints

There are two ways to see the falls, and it is worth doing both. An upper viewing platform, reached from the main car park, gives the wide, classic panorama of both tiers and the canyon. A lower path leads much closer to the water, out along the rim above the second drop, where the scale and the noise are at their most powerful. The lower path can be wet from spray and, in winter, coated in ice, so grippy footwear matters.

Gullfoss through the seasons

In summer the falls run full and loud with glacial melt, and the surrounding heath is green. In winter the spray freezes onto the canyon walls and railings, framing the falls in ice, and the lower path is sometimes closed for safety. Each season gives a different photograph; neither is the wrong time to come.

How long to allow

Thirty to forty-five minutes covers both viewpoints at a relaxed pace. There is a large visitor building at the upper car park with a cafe — famous locally for its lamb soup — a shop and facilities. Gullfoss is the furthest point of the classic loop; from here tours turn back toward Reykjavík, often via Keríð or a geothermal lagoon.

Visiting notes

The falls are open-air and free to enter, year round, with free parking at the visitor centre. To plan the whole day around this finale, see the visiting guide and the seasons page; to combine Gullfoss with a warm soak on the way home, the Blue Lagoon and Secret Lagoon pages compare the options. Facilities and path access vary with conditions, so check before you travel.

The power of the falls

Gullfoss is among the highest-volume waterfalls in Europe, and in summer, when the Langjökull ice cap is in full melt, the Hvítá thunders through the canyon with a force you feel as much as hear. The gorge below the second drop is deep and narrow, which concentrates the sound and the spray. Old folklore tells of a local farmer who, rather than let anyone else have his gold, threw a chest of it into the falls — one more story behind the ‘golden’ name.

Access and the seasons

The upper viewpoint is reachable year round and step-free from the car park, giving the classic wide view. The lower path, out along the rim, is the dramatic one but is the first to close when ice or high water make it unsafe, particularly in winter. If the lower path is roped off when you visit, the upper platform still gives the full sweep of both tiers and the canyon.