Walk to Svartifoss Waterfall

A brief walk into Skaftafell National Park in South Iceland offers site visitors a breathtaking view of Svartifoss (Black Falls). Ice-cold meltwater from the Svinafellsjokull glacier feeds the well known Svartifoss waterfall. The waterfall tumbles down 20 meters (80ft) over a cliff which is bordered on both sides employing tall black basalt columns, comparable to pipes of a massive organ, which is where the waterfall gets its name.

This marvel of herbal structure inspired the design for Iceland’s National Theatre and the Hallgrimskirkja church in Reykjavik. The hexagonal columns shape internal a lava drift which then cools extremely slowly, giving upward push to crystallization. 

The base of this waterfall is noteworthy for its sharp rocks. New hexagonal column sections destroy off faster than the falling water wears down the edges.

How to get to Svartifoss waterfall

The hike to Svartifoss starts evolved at the Visitor Centra in Skaftafell. There you can also locate all kinds of data and advice about the area. The hike to Svartifoss, starting from the Visitor Centre in Skaftafell, is about 1.5 kilometers or 45 minutes (one way), On the way to Svartifoss you come throughout three other waterfalls; Þjofafoss (thieves fall), Hundafoss (Dogs fall) and Magnusarfoss (the Falls of Magnus). Once you get to Svartifoss there is a small bridge shut to the waterfall that lets in you get closer. There trail leads barely uphill, so even though we’d say that it is pretty easy overall, it does require a little bit of effort for these who are out of structure and/or not used to hiking.