Gullfoss

Visit the Golden Waterfall

Gullfoss, or the ‘Golden Waterfall’, is a breathtaking two-tiered waterfall that drops 32 metres into a narrow canyon 70 metres deep and 2.5 kilometres long. From the car park there’s a footpath leading to a viewing platform where you can experience the waterfall in all its glory.

Standing above the falls is a stone memorial to Sigríður Tómasdóttir, who, a number of years ago, threatened to throw herself into the falls in protest against foreign investors who wanted to buy the waterfalls and use them as a power supply. The government eventually intervened, bought the falls and made them the property of the Icelandic nation.

Caution should be exercised at many Icelandic natural attractions. Do not stray from clearly marked paths and respect all warnings and signs.