Svartifoss

the black one

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Svartifoss is a beautiful, gentle waterfall found in the Skaftafell Nature Reserve at the edge of Iceland’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull. Since 2008, this has officially been part of the larger Vatnajökull National Park, that now covers 14% of the country’s surface. Vatnajökull is also the 2nd largest glacier in Europe (after the ice cap on Severny Island in Novaya Zemlya, Russia).

Now, back to smaller things.

Svartifoss is really slender and only 20m high, yet it is one of the most beautiful and popular waterfalls in Iceland. Its distinctive feature is given by the hexagonal black basalt columns all around it. These are similar to the ones you can find at Reynisfjara Black Beach. This is why the waterfall is called Svartifoss, meaning the black waterfall.

In order to reach the waterfall, you need to park at the Skaftafell Visitor Centre. Aside from the waterfall, this is a great area for hiking in general, with several glacier outlets nearby and spectacular views.

Note that there is a parking fee of 600ISK (~£3.5) and you have to pay this online on the day. The way this works is the entrance to the national park is video controlled and records your vehicle’s plate number - you can see the cameras as you drive through the entrance. This system can be a little tricky. You might not notice that there is a fee (or think you can pretend that you haven’t noticed), but don’t risk it as you would most likely be stung with a parking ticket later on through your rental agency which will likely cost you more. A similar system is in place at Tingvellir National Park.

From the visitor centre, it’s a 30min walk up to the waterfall - it’s a nice walk. We visited during winter and the whole place was covered in white. Along the way, you walk past another waterfall, Hundafoss, which is worth a quick stop, though it’s no match for Svartifoss, and, in the distance, you can see Iceland’s highest peak, Hvannadalshnukur (2110m).