“Seljalandsfoss is the rare waterfall you can walk completely behind — a path loops into the cave behind the 60-metre curtain and lets you look out through the falling water.”
About Seljalandsfoss
Like its neighbour Skogafoss, Seljalandsfoss tumbles off cliffs that once met the sea before the coastline retreated. Fed by the glacier that erupted famously in 2010 and grounded European air travel, the falls have long been a landmark on the route east from Reykjavik and gained further fame as a stop on televised round-the-world races.
Overview Seljalandsfoss is the south coast's walk-behind waterfall. The Seljalands river drops about 60 metres off a former sea cliff, and a path loops into the cave-like recess behind the curtain, letting you stand between the rock and the falling water and look out through it. You will get wet. A short walk north along the same cliff hides Gljufrabui, a second fall tucked inside a slot in the rock.
Overview Seljalandsfoss is the south coast's walk-behind waterfall.
Behind the Curtain The fall is fed by meltwater from the Eyjafjallajokull glacier above. The path behind it is open in summer and closes in winter when ice makes it dangerous. At sunset, with the low sun shining through the water, it is one of the most photographed spots in Iceland.
The Experience
You follow the path off to the side and curve in behind the water, the roar amplifying in the rock recess and spray drifting over everything. Looking out through the curtain, the landscape beyond is softened and silvered. Walk the cliff base a few minutes north to Gljufrabui, which hides inside a narrow canyon you wade into through a stream.
Why It Matters
Seljalandsfoss is one of the signature images of the south coast and, with its walk-behind path, offers a perspective on a waterfall that few falls anywhere allow. It pairs naturally with Skogafoss a short drive east, anchoring the start of the classic south-coast route.
Seljalandsfoss is one of the signature images of the south coast and, with its walk-behind path, offers a perspective on a waterfall that few falls anywhere allow.
Why Visit
The chance to stand behind the water and shoot it backlit at sunset is the draw, along with the hidden Gljufrabui fall next door. Bring fully waterproof gear, and go early or late to beat both the crowds and the harsh midday glare.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Wear head-to-toe waterproofs and protect your camera — the spray behind the curtain soaks everything.
- 2
Walk a few minutes north along the cliff to find Gljufrabui hidden inside a slot canyon.
- 3
Sunset is the moment to shoot, with the low sun glowing through the falling water.
- 4
The path behind the falls closes in winter when ice makes it dangerous, so check before you go.
