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Water & Ice · Western Region, Iceland

Glymur Waterfall — Iceland

Iceland's near-tallest waterfall drops through a raw basalt canyon, reached by a rewarding trail through lava fields and river crossings.

When
May — Sep, peak Jun — Aug
Best viewing
A half-day hiking experience involving river crossings and steep canyon paths, culminating in dramatic close-up views of a powerful multi-stage waterfall.
Category
Water & Ice
Status
In season

About this spectacle

Glymur is Iceland's second-highest waterfall, plunging through a dramatic basalt canyon in the Hvalfjörður area of the Western Region. The hike to reach it crosses a log bridge over a glacial river, traverses mossy lava fields, and rewards visitors with a thundering cascade framed by sheer canyon walls streaked in rust and black. In summer, the gorge glows with Arctic light and wildflowers cling to the cliff edges. The roar of falling water fills the canyon long before the fall itself comes into view. From the upper rim, hikers look straight down onto the white churn of water meeting the pool far below — a vertigo-inducing and genuinely spectacular payoff. The surrounding landscape of volcanic rock and tundra vegetation gives the approach a raw, elemental quality.

When to go

May — Sep, peak Jun — Aug

Getting there

Nearest airport: KEF. Nearest city: Reykjavik.

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