Waterfalls · Iceland
Svartifoss
Svartifoss drops about 20 metres over a wall of hanging basalt columns in Skaftafell, part of Vatnajökull National Park. The dark hexagonal pillars are what people come for — the same rock formation that inspired the front of Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík. It is roughly 1.5 km uphill from the visitor centre.
I stayed at the campsite in Skaftafell and walked up from there, then carried on past Svartifoss to the other viewpoints on the same trail network. That is what I would suggest: the fall is the headline, but the path keeps going and the views back over the glacier plain are the reason to stay out longer. It is uphill the whole way to the fall — not hard, but not the flat stroll the word trail suggests.
My rating
Scale 1–5. On Cost, 1 means free and 5 means pricey. On Crowd level, 1 means near-solitude and 5 means tour-bus central.
Four out of five. The waterfall is modest in size; the basalt behind it is what earns the score. The columns hang down like organ pipes and the water falls clear of them, so you get the shape and the drop in one view.
Visitors can reach Svartifoss by a moderately easy hiking trail of about 1.5 kilometers (just under 1 mile) from the Skaftafell Visitor Center. The hike winds through scenic landscapes rich with native flora and occasional views of glaciers before arriving at the waterfall. The trail is accessible for most fitness levels but involves some uneven terrain.
Parking at Skaftafell is 1,040 ISK through the Parka app. Worth knowing: if you visit another fee-paying part of Vatnajökull National Park on the same day, you get 50 percent off the second one. Svartifoss itself is free. Checked August 2026.
Though popular, Svartifoss remains less crowded than many southern waterfalls due to its location within a larger national park, with trails designed to spread out visitors and protect the environment.
Before you go
Planning your own Ring Road trip?
Iceland Ring Road Campervan Guide
My full 14-day route — roughly 2,500 km, every campsite I used, what I actually spent, and the stops worth the detour. The plan I drove, in one PDF.
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How I booked my campervan
I compared three rentals before I chose mine. These are the ones worth checking — Lava gives 5% off with code CREATOR.