Seljalandsfoss

The impossible-to-pronounce Seljalandsfoss Waterfall in Iceland lies on the Southern Ring Road between the towns of Selfoss and Skogafoss on the way to the coastal town of Vik. The falls plunge about 200 feet into deep pool. Much of the waterfall is frozen during the frigid winter months, adding to its beauty and drama. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall is popular with tourists, especially during the summer months when you can hike around the pool and go behind the falls for a one-of-a-kind view through the falling water. If you’re driving to Vik from Selfoss (which I definitely recommend), Seljalandsfoss Waterfall is a worthwhile stop along the way.

A stop at the impossible-to-pronounce Seljalandsfoss Waterfall is a must if you’re on the Southern Ring Road between Selfoss and Skogafoss in beautiful Iceland. While the falls themselves are amazing to see, plunging about 200 feet into deep pool, the landscape around the falls is just as impressive. My husband agreed, here capturing a photo of the area’s dramatic, moody landscape. If you’re driving to the quaint coastal villege of Vik from Selfoss, which I highly recommend, Seljalandsfoss Waterfall is a worthwhile stop along the way. The landscape surrounding the falls is just as impressive, just in a different way.

On our second day in Iceland this January, my husband and I visited the spectacular Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, located on the Southern Ring Road between Selfoss and Skogafoss on the way to the quaint coastal village of Vik. We were prepared for Iceland’s frigid January temperatures and wore layers of clothes to stay warm, which worked most of the time. But just as we got out of the car to explore the waterfall on this morning a blustery wind picked up, plunging the already frigid temperatures even lower and dousing us with spray from the waterfall, where it froze on contact. The up side of the temperature was that it made for some killer icicle formations! A short hiking trail runs to the top of the waterfall (great to take in the warmer months for a unique view of the falls), but we only got about half-way up before the snow and ice made the trail too slippery and dangerous to continue. I’m glad we made it as far as this bridge though because the icicles from the waterfall’s freezing spray were otherworldly. On any trip to Iceland, if you find yourself on the Southern Ring Road from Selfoss going towards Vik, a scenic drive I highly recommend, make sure to stop and take in the spectacular Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, conveniently located just off the road. And if it’s winter time, you’ll likely get treated to an icicle display unlike any you’ve seen.

Seljalandsfoss is Iceland’s most famous famous waterfall, noted both for its beauty and its 200ft cascade. Even though Seljalandsfoss is one of Iceland’s most popular tourist attractions, the area is rarely crowded—you may meet a few people in the parking lot or on the soggy trail behind the falls, and that’s about it. Seljalandsfoss is also one of the country’s most accessible sites, just a few hundred yards from Iceland’s main track of road, Route 1. If you’re lucky, you’ll visit on a clear, sunny day. Conditions during our visit were suspect at best. This is as close as I could get to the falls without having the wind whip the spray all over my equipment. Not to say that Seljalandsfoss isn’t worth visiting under any conditions—this is Iceland, and the country is always impressive.

My husband and I traveled around the periphery of Iceland (on Ring Road) over a 9-day trip this summer. This was shot on the second day of our road-trip as we went anticlockwise (starting from Reykjavik) around the island. Seljalandsfoss is a very popular waterfall in the southern part of the country and very easily accessible from Ring Road. You can see the waterfall from the Ring Road, in fact. The best part about the waterfall is that you can go behind it. But be warned, that a trip behind the falls will leave you soaked to your bones. So if you are carrying a camera, make sure you have water-resistant protection for it. I would not think twice about going behind the falls: it’s so much fun!

This past summer I drove around the Ring Road of Iceland - what an incredible experience! A must-do for all of you travelers out there.