Guide to visiting Seljalandsfoss Waterfall in Iceland

If you’ve seen photos of Iceland, chances are you’ve seen photos of the beautiful Seljalandsfoss waterfall. This is the gigantic waterfall where you can walk behind it for an epic photo op – and get soaked in the process! If you’re looking at adding Seljalandsfoss to your Iceland vacation itinerary, you’ve come to the right place! In this guide, I’ll tell you everything you need to know before your visit to this amazing waterfall!

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall Location & Parking

Seljalandsfoss is located in the Southern area of Iceland. This is one of the most popular areas for toursim in Iceland as there are so many iconic natural wonders in the region.

Related: Going to Iceland? Check out all of my Iceland posts!

Seljalandsfoss is about a 2 hour drive from Reyjkavik, making it a good day trip if you’re staying in the city, and you could combine Seljalandsfoss with other attractions in the area.

Seljalandsfoss has its own parking lot and it will cost you around $6 USD to park. We arrived in the early afternoon and while it was very crowded, there were people directing traffic to parking spots, so it was less hectic than it could’ve been.

Lodging near Seljalandsfoss

For us, we were doing a clockwise Ring Road trip and after visiting Seljalandsfoss, we would be staying the night in Fludir, at the Stay Inn Gardur, which is the on-site lodging at the Secret Lagoon. For the previous night, we stayed about 40 miles outside of Vik, at the Hunkubakker Guesthouse near the Feather Canyon. If you’re looking for nearby places to stay, I would look at towns within the “Golden Circle” such as Fludir or Selfoss.

Hours and Amenities at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

The waterfall is open 24/7. From the parking lot, there is a short trail that leads to Seljalandsfoss. There are a few other waterfalls you can visit here, but we didn’t have time to see them. Seljalandsfoss was the main attraction.

There are restrooms and a small gift shop.

Our Experience visiting Seljalandsfoss waterfall

This was my favorite waterfall in all of Iceland – it’s so amazing! Granted, from looking at this waterfall head-on, it doesn’t look that special. Because, let’s face it, once you’re in Iceland, you’ll see so many waterfalls that they might not phase you much after a few days into your trip. To get the most out of this one, you’ll need to take the trail behind the waterfall to get the money shot — and the best experience! Had it not been for the trail behind this waterfall, I’d probably have passed Seljalandsfoss up.

I carry mirrorless camera gear with me and I wanted to get the shot behind the falls. This meant putting a plastic rain cover over my camera as not to damage it from the waterfall spray I’d encounter behind the falls. I also put on rain paints, raincoat, and my hiking boots to prepare for the trail behind the falls. I also carried extra lens wipes with me to wipe off any water droplets.

Did I need all of that? ABSOLUTELY! Going behind the falls is amazing, but you will get wet. Some people get soaked. The rocks behind the waterfall are slippery so you will need to wear proper footwear and watch your step.

I visited Seljalandsfoss at around 1pm in July. Despite the crowds, it was relatively easy to take photos without anyone in them once behind the falls. Not everyone visiting Seljalandsfoss attempts to go behind the falls.

Because I was wearing raingear and waterproof hiking boots, I didn’t get wet at all. I just took my gear off in the car and my clothes underneath were dry. You may want to pack a microfiber towel in the car to wipe off your gear when you’re finished.

If you are visiting during winter, the trail behind the falls is closed due to ice. If you’re visiting in the shoulder season and the trail is open, you likely will need crampons.

Seljalandsfoss Final Thoughts

Should you add Seljalandsfoss to your Iceland itinerary? ABSOLUTELY. This is a can’t-miss spot. And yes, you do need to go behind the falls to get the full experience. If you don’t, it’s kind of just another waterfall.

Seljalandsfoss – Pros
– My favorite waterfall in Iceland. It was amazing
– Can capture epic photos here
– The trail behind the falls is really fun!

Cons:
– You’ll get wet. Wear proper rain gear and footwear, as well as waterproof cases for phones or any camera equipment.
– Very busy! This is one of the most popular attractions along the Southern coast of Iceland.
– Gift shop was so crowded, you could barely move around
– Trail behind the falls is closed in the winter

If you have any questions about visiting Seljalandsfoss, I’m happy to answer in the comments!