In
wintertime tourists are persuaded to hike to the glacier, which shines blue and the way to it is relatively easy, rather than to the waterfall, which carries less water in winter and the way to it is more dangerous.
Svartifoss is a phenomenally beautiful waterfall that is located in the Skaftafell Nature Reserve – a remarkable place full of glacial tongues and lagoons, forested with birch, covered with lava, divided by rivers and streams.
The beauty of Svartifoss waterfall
Despite being only 20 meters high, Svartifoss is one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland due to its beauty and location. A distinctive feature of the waterfall is the hexagonal basalt columns that surround it. Some of them also lie broken at its base. Such basalt columns are quite common in Iceland and have inspired many artists and architects. The most famous example of this inspiration is the Hallgrímskirkja, the largest church in Reykjavik referring to basalt columns in its architecture. Also pouring through similar basalt columns is the larger but harder-to-reach Aldeyjarfoss in the north of the island.
Avid hikers, photographers and nature lovers consider the entire Skaftafell area a true gem of Icelandic nature.
Hiking trails around Svartifoss – Skaftafell
There are several hiking trails in the Svartifoss area, from near the Skaftafell parking lot and campground, to the slopes of the mountain, known as Skaftafell Heath (Skaftafellsheiði) and towards the nearby Skaftafellsjökull glacier. The trails are provided for from 1 to as much as 10 hours and are marked with the letters S and M. The trails can be combined quite freely with each other, depending on one’s abilities and intentions.
Trail plans: general and close-up
Svartifoss trails overview
Svartifoss trails – close-up
Download the plans in full resolution:
Skaftafell master plan (3.2 MB)
Svartifoss area plan (1.2 MB)
In
wintertime tourists are persuaded to hike to the glacier, which shines blue and the way to it is relatively easy, rather than to the waterfall, which carries less water in winter and the way to it is more dangerous.
Detailed information about each route and its current status can and should be obtained locally from park rangers or tourist information. In brief, they look as follows:
S1: Skaftafellsjökull
length: 3.7 km / 2.3 miles
time: 1-1.5 h
difficulty: easy
This road, located somewhat next to the other trails, leads to the foot of the Skaftafellsjökull glacier It starts at the tourist center and follows a paved road, which turns into a gravel, clearly marked path towards the end. If you want to approach or climb the glacier itself, be sure to follow the warnings and instructions on the signs and boards at the end of the trail.
Skaftafellsjökull is a glacial tongue emerging from Iceland’s largest ice sheet, the Vatnajökull Glacier, covering as much as 11% of the island.
S2: Svartifoss-Sjónarsker-Sel
length: 5.5 km / 3.4 miles (there and back)
time: 2h
difficulty: easy
This is the basic and shortest trail to Svartifoss waterfall. The trail starts at the tourist center, passes the campground and goes up towards Hundafoss and Magnusarfoss waterfalls. After about 1.5 km, it reaches a viewpoint above the waterfalls, then descends a bit into the gorge, crosses it by a pedestrian bridge and ascends the steps of basalt columns on the other side, heading to the Sjonarnipa viewpoint. Further down, it passes the turf-covered traditional Sel house and returns to the tourist center. Alternatively, you can choose a slightly shorter return via the S3 route, straight down, without visiting Sel.
S3: Skaftafellsheiði
length: 17 km / 10.5 miles
time: 5-6 h
difficulty: demanding
This is the main and longest loop around the surrounding peaks. The trail starts similarly to S2, but above Magnusarfoss waterfall it crosses a bridge and heads straight for Sjonarsker hill (you can also continue on S2 and go to S3 higher up, only after seeing Svartifoss).
Further on, the trail heads for a large loop past Skerholl Hill and on to Fremri-Hnaukur and Nyrdri-Hnaukur. In this area, you can switch to the more difficult S4 trail and ascend the Kristinartindar peak (1126 meters above sea level) towering over the area.
The trail then proceeds to Glama hill and along the Skaftafellsjökull glacier, via the Sjonarnipa viewpoint, back to the center of Skaftafell.
S4: Kristínartindar
length: 18 km / 11 miles
time: 6-8 h
difficulty: difficult
This trail is actually a variant, an extension of the S3 route involving a side trip and ascent to the highest peak in the area – Kristinartindar (1126 m).
The trail starts and ends exactly the same as the S3 trail and only in the middle, farthest part, separates from it. It passes through steep rock debris to the top of the ridge.
Because of melting snow, the trail is often closed even until the end of June.
S5: Sjónarnípa
length: 6.5 km / 4 miles
time: 2-2.5 h
difficulty: demanding
The trail goes up the same way as S2, S3 and S4, but relatively early on – at the crossroads at Svartifoss and Sjonarnipa – it heads northeast (to the right) just toward Sjonarnipa.
If you want to see both Svartifoss and Sjonarnipa, you must follow the S6 trail.
The S5 trail climbs up along the Eystragil canyon, and from Sjonarnipa returns along the southern path, along the Austurbrekkur slope.
S6: Svartifoss and Sjónarnípa
length: 7.5 km / 4.7 miles
time: 2.5 – 3 h
difficulty: demanding
The trail starts the same way as S2 and together with it heads up to the viewpoint above Svartifoss (ignore the first signpost at the bottom directing you to Sjónarnípa).
After viewing Svartifoss, head east (right) toward the S5 trail and continue along it to Sjonarnipa and back to the Skaftafell tourist center.
M1, M2 and M3: Morsardalur and Iceland’s highest waterfall – Morsárfoss
Morsarjokull Glacier and Morsarfoss Waterfall as seen from the S3 route
T
aking the M2 trail (to the Morsárjökull glacier) and the S3 (Skaftafellsheiði, towards Skerholl and Nyrdri-Hnaukur) you have the chance to see Iceland’s HIGHEST waterfall: Morsárfoss. Ask the rangers where you will see it best from and how much time is needed for each trip under current weather conditions.
M1: Bæjarstaðarskógur, 16 km, 4-5 h;
M2: Morsárjökull, 21 km, 6-7 h;
M3: Kjós, 30 km, 8-10 h;
Walk to the Skaftafellsjökull glacier
Iceland’s glaciers, including Skaftafellsjökull, are unfortunately a prime example of how climate change is affecting the planet. Although numerous and sometimes quite decisive measures are being taken in Iceland to protect such glacial tongues, they are steadily receding.
In older Photos, you can sometimes see them coming right up to the parking lots, as you can walk onto them almost directly from the road. Today they are withdrawn deep into the valley, and at the tourist parking lots you will first find a rather sizable bay or lagoon, but not the glacier itself.
W
ater temperature in glacial lagoons and rivers is usually around 2 ºC / 36 ºF. They also usually have a highly unstable bottom and are difficult to climb out of. Avoid walking on thin ice, climbing on floating blocks of ice and traversing steep slopes that threaten to slide into the lagoon.
Despite this, or perhaps because of it, the area around the glacier provides excellent conditions for hiking and enjoying Iceland’s natural beauty (even if the glacier itself is now viewed from quite a distance). Depending on your experience and physical condition – and the amount of time available – you can take a simple walking route under and beside the glacier or even climb to its surface. Glacier expeditions, however, are best done in an organized group and accompanied by an experienced guide. The surface of the glacier is full of crevasses and moguls. Falling into one of them can cause serious injury. To stay safe, walk only on designated paths and follow the messages posted on warning signs.
Here’s a selection of tours guided by certified professionals, you can join in Skaftafell:
- Skaftafell 3-Hours Glacier Hike ($105 pp);
- Skaftafell 5-Hour Adventure Glacier Hike ($145 pp);
- Into the Glacier – Glacier Hike & Ice Cave from Skaftafell ($150 pp; October through April only);
- Skaftafell Ice Climbing & Glacier Hike ($215 pp);
H
iking a glacier on your own is very dangerous. Especially if you don’t have the right equipment and experience. Use extreme caution, and best of all – don’t go to the glacier without a professional guide.
Remnants of the bridge over the Skeiðará River
5 km south of Skaftafell campsite, on Road 1, we can see a reminder of the great glacial flood of 1996. Through the eruption of the Grímsvötn volcano, water from the melted glacier flowed down the valleys of the Gígjukvísl and Skeiðará rivers on November 5, 1996 at a total speed of more than 50,000 m3/s. The amount of water released at that time would have filled Poland’s largest artificial lake – Lake Solina in the Bieszczady Mountains – as much as 6 times!
The bridge that stood on the Skeidara River at the time was torn down and only fragments of the pillars remain. It is worth seeing how large these pillars are to better understand the force of the water flowing down from the glacier at that time.
Suffice it to say that the coastline was pushed back 800 meters into the ocean as a result of this event, and Iceland has thus expanded about 7 km2 of new land.
You can read more about this flood and other unusual effects of volcanoes in Iceland in a special article: Stunning effects of Iceland’s volcanism
Remains of the Skeidara River bridge destroyed in the 1996 glacial flood
How to get to Svartifoss
Svartifoss is located about 20 km northwest of the settlement of Hof, in southern Iceland. From road #1, turn off onto road 998 to reach a convenient parking lot after about 2 km. Access is clearly marked, but the entrance to the upper parking lot visible on Google maps is closed.
The hike from the parking lot to the waterfall takes just over thirty minutes and is relatively easy, but requires proper hiking shoes. Along the way you can admire additional smaller waterfalls – Hundafoss and Magnúsarfoss.
If you have a free hour, you can also hike a little further northeast (route S1) and see the Skaftafellsjökull glacier up close.
