Waterfalls · Iceland
Hengifoss
Hengifoss drops 128 metres in East Iceland, the third-tallest waterfall in the country. What makes it worth the walk is the cliff behind it: bands of red clay laid between layers of black basalt, each red stripe a gap of thousands of years between eruptions. It is about 30 minutes from Egilsstaðir, and 1.5 to 2 hours on foot there and back.
I walked the whole way up. The trail is described as moderate and that is accurate — it climbs steadily but there is nothing technical about it, and I would not talk anyone out of it. Budget the full two hours including time at the top, and take the walk seriously enough to bring water; there is no shade on the way.
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 fall itself is tall and thin; the striped rock face behind it is what earns the score. It looks like a cut through geological time, which is exactly what it is.
Located about a 30-minute drive from Egilsstaðir with a spacious parking lot, the site is accessed by a well-marked trail of moderate difficulty that takes around 1.5 to 2 hours round trip.
Parking is around 1,000 ISK. The waterfall itself is free. Checked August 2026.
Hengifoss attracts hikers and nature lovers but remains relatively less crowded than south coast waterfalls, allowing visitors a peaceful and immersive experience.
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.
Advertising disclosure: The rental links below are affiliate links. If you book through one of them I earn a small commission — the price stays exactly the same for you.
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.