Gullfoss

Gullfoss, the Golden Falls, is one of the most powerful and beautiful waterfalls in Iceland, where the glacial Hvita river drops in two great tiers, turning at a right angle, into a rugged canyon amid clouds of spray. On a sunny day rainbows arc over it, and in winter it half-freezes into ice sculptures, the grand finale of the Golden Circle.

History

In the first half of the 20th century and for some years after, there was much talk of using Gullfoss to generate electricity, and its owners, Tómas Tómasson and Halldór Halldórsson, rented it indirectly to foreign investors, whose plans failed, partly for lack of money. Sigríður Tómasdóttir, daughter of one of the owners, is popularly credited with saving the falls, campaigning for legal protection against foreign control and reportedly threatening to throw herself into them (Wikipedia, Gullfoss).

Highlights

• The two-tier falls - the great double cascade into the canyon.
• The viewing paths - the walkways above and close to the thundering water.
• Rainbows and spray - the rainbows on sunny days and the drenching mist.
• Winter ice - the frozen edges and ice formations in the cold season.

When to go

Year-round; sunny days bring rainbows, winter brings ice, and the falls thunder in any season. Early or late avoids the coach crowds.

Good to know

It is a busy Golden Circle stop, so the viewpoints are crowded in season. The paths get wet and, in winter, icy and slippery, so tread carefully. It is a short but spectacular stop.

Nearby

Geysir is minutes away; the Golden Circle loops back to Reykjavik via Thingvellir.

Key facts