Dynjandi Waterfall
The Jewel of the Westfjords
Far out in the remote area of the Westfjords, hours away from the ring road and any of Iceland’s tourist hot spots, lies one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country. In fact, having seen quite a few of Iceland’s large selection of waterfalls, I could make a case for Dynjandi being the fairest of them all.
Dynjandi is impressive in its scale. At 100m in height, it is not only the largest waterfall in the Westfjords, but also one of the tallest in Iceland (6th, it seems). The waterfall is 30m wide at the top, extending to 60m at the bottom, as it falls over the face of the mountain, which gives it this trapezoidal appearance of an enormous bridal veil. Dynjandi looks as though it’s made up of lots of smaller waterfalls, which is what makes it so unique. Due to this, it feels gentle in a way, but powerful at the same time. The name Dynjandi means thunderous which alludes to its loud, resonating sound.
Dynandi is fed by a lake and carries water into Arnafjörður, one of the largest fjords in the area, surrounded by stunning scenery that is so characteristic of this region of Iceland. As is the case with most waterfalls, the more it rains, the more spectacular it will look.
This waterfall is as off-the-beaten-path as they get, meaning it never gets too crowded, as is the case with other waterfalls around Iceland - I’m thinking of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss, two great waterfalls that are doomed to be forever popular due to their location. And yet, despite its remoteness, Dynjandi is very easily accessible - it’s not like you need to go on a 2-hour hike to get to it. Once there, it is merely a 15-20min uphill walk from the parking lot to the base of Dynjandi.
Over time, Dynjandi has earned the name of The Jewel of the Westfjords. I can see why.
Seven Waterfalls
Actually, there isn’t just one waterfall at Dynjandi, but seven of them.
In order, from top to bottom, they are:
Dynjandifoss
This would be the full name (foss means waterfall in Icelandic), but the waterfall is more commonly referred to as just Dynjandi. It also goes by the name Fjallfoss.
Haestahjallafoss
Strompgljufrafoss
This is the tallest waterfall downstream of Dynjandi, at 20m high.
Gongumannafoss
Hrisvadsfoss
Kvislarfoss
Hundafoss
Baejarfoss
You’ll be passing by all the waterfalls on your way to Dynjandi. Strompgljufrafoss and Dynjandi make a great pairing and the two look beautiful together, seen from the main path. The other waterfalls are small and relatively unimpressive
Don’t miss in Iceland:
When to visit
A visit to Dynjandi Waterfall, and the Westfjords region in general, is something for the summer months, May to September. You might be able to visit during the winter season, but it would be very impractical.
A few years back, it used to be the case that Dynjandi was not accessible at all during winter, because the roads leading to it from either side, both mountain passes, would be closed from sometime in October to sometime in April. I believe that is still the case for the road towards Flokalundur, meaning you can’t approach from the south (which would be shorter and easier). A new tunnel was opened in 2020 to the north, in the direction of Isafjordur, so it is technically possible to visit Dynjandi from that direction. This works if you are flying there. But if you are self-driving, it’s a 6-7h drive from Reykjavik in good conditions only to get there, and you would have to go back the same way. You wouldn’t be able to loop around the Westfjords and you wouldn’t be able to get to most of the other attractions around the area.
Dynjandi is remote, though still the most popular attraction in the Westfjords. There will be some crowds during the day, but never too much. If you visit early morning or late evening, it’s likely you will have the place all to yourself. We made it to Dynjandi quite late in the day, just before dark, and there was no one else around.
Getting there
by car
Because Dynjandi is so far away from everything, it doesn’t really make sense to visit only the waterfall and nothing else in the Westfjords. It would be best to allow at least 2 days for this part of Iceland, including travel time - this isn’t nearly enough, but should be sufficient for a full loop around the island, with stops at some of the other attractions.
Dynjandi is on the western side of the peninsula, on the road that connects the north and the south. It takes 3-4h to get there from the entrance into the Westfjords, depending on the direction you come from.
The road that goes around the Westfjords is mixed, with sections of paved road as well as gravel, and while it’s no ring road, it is still in great condition. I would recommend a 4WD for the Westfjords, but a smaller car would work as well.
Don’t be deceived by the fact that places look close together on the map. The Westfjords have a very unique layout, due to the many fjords, and having to drive around each one of them, especially on the northern side of the peninsula, takes longer than one might expect. Make sure you allow enough time for driving in and out of the Westfjords. Also make sure you don’t run low on fuel, or you might end up in a situation where the nearest petrol station is still too far away.
Dynjandi lies almost directly on the main road, as it’s only 500m to the parking area. Parking is free and toilets are available (there might be a small charge for this).
You can already see Dynjandi in all its glory from your car, but it’s certainly worth walking up to its base.
by bus
On selected days during the summer months (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday), there is also a bus that goes between Patreksfjordur and Isafjordur, and stops at Dynjandi twice daily. The bus remains there for around 30min, which is just about enough time to walk up to the base and return.
The buses are run by Westfjord Adventures and tickets can be booked on their website. The price for a full journey between Patreksfjordur and Isafjordur is 9,900 ISK one-way (~£58) and less for shorter journeys. The travel time between Patreksfjordur and Isafjordur is almost 4 hours, including the stop at Dynjandi.
The Hike
It’s only a short hike to the top.
There is a marked path that goes past the smaller waterfalls, and ends at the base of Dynjandi. The walk uphill takes about 15min and is fairly easy. The return journey can fit into half an hour, but it would be best to allow for about one hour, including stops and some rest time.
Where to stay
If you are driving all the way to the Wesfjords, you will most certainly be spending at least one night in the area. Even if you only want to visit this waterfall, it takes 3-4h just to get to the waterfalls from the entrance point into the Westfjords, so Dynjandi isn’t really day-trip material.
We stayed at Harbour Inn Guesthousein Bildudalur, which is well situated with respect to the various locations in this part of the Westfjords.
Where to eat
Here are some ideas for food on this side of Iceland:
Best fish soup in Iceland. If you like fish, this is THE place. Worth driving all the way from Reykjavik to Isafjordur even just to eat here - yes, it’s that good.
More in Iceland
Snorkeling between two tectonic plates