One of the greatest natural wonders in Iceland

Gullfoss is a natural cascading waterfall located in South West Iceland and is formed by the Hvita river. Thousands of tourists visit this wonderful spectacle and it remains one of Iceland's top attractions; its natural beauty, power and the surrounding scenery make it a true marvel and it is easy to see why it is so popular.

Location/Getting there

Location - Located in Southwest Iceland, Gullfoss is around 70 miles from Reykjavik and around 30 miles from Thingvellir national park; the drive from Reykjavik with no stops will take around 1 hour and 30 minutes (Most people will want to take breaks and stop at the sights on the way, and admire the stunning scenery however).

Getting there – One of the most popular methods of visiting Gullfoss is through one of the traditional "Golden Circle" tours offered from Reykjavik. Most of the Icelandic tour groups run this tour and it usually consists of visits to Thingvellir national park, the geysers in the Haukadalur region and Gullfoss waterfall; I consider it to be a good way to see much of Iceland if you are restricted for time and the tours are usually good value. I went with Iceland Excursions and found their service and tour to be excellent. If you are not joining a tour group, your other option is to rent a car and drive there yourself and due to Iceland's ring road, this is quite a popular option.

Parking/Accessibility - The parking for Gullfoss waterfall is located just off of Route 35 and there is also a café and toilets. The waterfall itself is a short walk down from the carpark, and has a well maintained footpath with railings if you feel the urge to jump into the water.

The mighty Waterfall

Gullfoss waterfall is just breath-taking, it still remains today as one of my favourite natural wonders bar the things I experienced in Antarctica. As you make your way down the path to the waterfall you can hear the phenomenal sound of the gushing water cascading down in vast volumes to the depths of the river Hvita below. In cooler months the spray from the water freezes and creates a beautiful white blanket on the sides of the falls, while the surrounding greenery turns a golden yellow and gives the waterfall a brooding feel.

There are several viewing points down the path, and thankfully they are only guarded by simple rope railings – This is quite refreshing to see as most natural wonders, or tourist attractions are heavily guarded with metal railings and in some cases this blocks your view or prevents you from getting as close. You can literally get right up to the edge of the main cascade of Gullfoss and feel the spray from the water and get deafened by the noise of the rushing falls.

For me Gullfoss was magnificent and it was undoubtedly a highlight of my trip to Iceland, and I would not hesitate to visit it again during a different season, to see how different it looked. It really shows you the power of nature, and the impressive force that running water can generate. The whole area and landscape is stunning and I think for a second visit I would make my own way there, simply so I could spend more time there. If you visit Iceland and get the chance, don't pass on a trip to Gullfoss!