Seljalandsfoss
Seljalandsfoss is a 60-metre waterfall on Iceland's South Coast, fed by meltwater from Eyjafjallajökull glacier flowing down the Seljalandsá river. It is one of the first major waterfalls visitors encounter heading east from Reykjavík along the Ring Road, about 120 kilometres from the capital. What makes it unusual among Iceland's waterfalls is a path that runs around the base of the cliff and directly behind the falls, allowing visitors to stand inside the curtain of water and look back out through it. The walk takes about 10 minutes and the cavern behind the falls is large enough to move around comfortably, though the path becomes extremely slippery and is closed in winter when ice makes it dangerous. The waterfall faces west and catches sunset light particularly well in the late afternoon. A second waterfall, Gljúfrabúi, is hidden inside a narrow gorge two minutes drive east and is worth the small detour.
One of Iceland's Most Famous Waterfalls, Where You Can Walk Behind the Curtain of Water and Stand Inside the Cliff
Seljalandsfoss formed where the ancient coastline of Iceland's south ran directly beneath a tall basalt cliff. As the shoreline receded over centuries and the lowland plain built up from sediment and volcanic material, the cliff was left standing inland, and the Seljalandsá river, fed by glacial meltwater from Eyjafjallajökull, continues to drop over its edge. The 60-metre height, combined with the relatively narrow stream, produces a thin, elegant curtain of water rather than a broad wall of cascading flow. Over time, the impact of the falling water eroded the soft rock directly beneath the overhang of the cliff, creating a broad, shallow cavern that runs the full width of the falls. A path constructed through this cavern allows visitors to walk completely behind the waterfall and view it from the rear, an experience that is genuinely unusual and produces exceptional photographs with the falls as a translucent curtain and the surrounding landscape visible through them. The falls face west, and on clear evenings the low sun creates rainbows in the spray.
The behind-falls path is open in summer but closed in winter when ice on the rock surface makes it too dangerous. Even in summer the path is wet and slippery throughout, and waterproof clothing and footwear with grip are strongly recommended. The spray from the falls is constant and reaches well beyond the immediate path. In September 2017 a 100-kilogram rock fell from the cliff above onto the path; helmets are not required but the risk of rockfall is real and visitors should move through the cavern area at a steady pace rather than lingering directly beneath the overhang. The waterfall is floodlit at night, giving a dramatic evening view from the car park even when the path behind is closed.
Seljalandsfoss is just off Route 1, about 120 kilometres east of Reykjavík and two hours by car. A paid car park is directly beside the falls and small facilities including toilets and a snack stand are available in summer. The hidden waterfall Gljúfrabúi, which falls inside a narrow canyon and requires wading a shallow stream to view properly, is about two minutes drive east along the same road and is frequently missed by visitors who do not know to look for it. The two falls together make a satisfying combined stop of about 45 minutes. From Seljalandsfoss the South Coast continues east to Skógafoss, Reynisfjara, and Vík.
