• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Facebook
• Share on Flipboard
• Email this Page

By Monika

Dettifoss East or West Side: Which Is Better + How to See Selfoss & Hafragilsfoss.

Dettifoss is considered one of the most impressive waterfalls in Iceland and after seeing it, I can confirm that it’s not an exaggeration!

It’s incredibly powerful, and you can usually hear it roar from a distance before you actually see it.

But did you know that you can visit Dettifoss from two completely different sides? The west and east sides offer very different experiences.

I’ve visited Dettifoss from both sides and have also visited the neighboring Selfoss, so I’m here to share my experience and help you decide which side of Dettifoss to add to your trip.

I’ll also explain how to visit Selfoss from each side and give you information on a bonus waterfall of the area – Hafragilsfos.

If you have enough time to visit both sides, even better!

But if you have to choose, keep reading to find out whether the east or west side is the better option for you.

This post contains affiliate links to trusted products and services that I use and love myself. If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive compensation at NO EXTRA COST TO YOU. I appreciate your support! Also, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See the Disclaimer Policy and the Privacy Policy for more details.

Dettifoss facts

Dettifoss is about 100 meters (just under 330 ft) wide and 44 meters (145 ft) high.

While it isn’t Iceland’s tallest waterfall, it’s famous for dropping massive amounts of water per second and earned a reputation of being the most powerful waterfall in Iceland and the second most powerful waterfall in Europe when it comes to the force and amount of water coming down its cliffs.

Every second it drops about 190 cubic meters – which is just over 50 thousand gallons – that’s quite impressive!

You can feel its force under your feet when you stand nearby!

How to Get to Dettifoss 

Dettifoss is located in North Iceland and is part of the iconic route of that area, called the Diamond Circle.

It has two parking lots:

• on the west side (the main lot)
• on the east side (the more rugged side)

Depending on which side you’re planning to visit, the directions and the way you get there will be different.

Good to know: from parking areas on either side, you can also visit two other waterfalls: Selfoss, which is very close to Dettifoss, and Hafragilsfoss, requiring just a bit more effort. Both are well worth adding to your itinerary, and I will tell you how to reach them from both the east and the west side.

Getting to Dettifoss West side

By car

Driving is the easiest and most convenient way to reach Dettifoss.

Dettifoss is located between two major cities – Akureyri (west of Dettifoss) and Egilsstaðir (east of Dettifoss)

The drive from Akureyri to the west side parking lot is about 133 km long and takes 1 hour 45 minutes. From Egilsstaðir, it’s a little longer – 163 km and 1 hour 55 minutes.

Just put either Dettifoss (West Side) or Dettifoss West Parking in your navigation and you should have no trouble finding it.

From either town, for most of the drive you’ll be on rt. 1 (the Ring Road) till you turn to road 862 (also paved) that will take you all the way to the parking lot.

---

➡️ Need a rental car? Book from two of the top local Icelandic rental car companies – Blue Car Rental or Lava Car Rental – with an instant 5% discount. No promo code needed!

---

Chances are that if you’re in North Iceland, you’ll also be exploring Lake Mývatn area – from there, Dettifoss West is only about 50 minutes away.

Dettifoss West parking

Dettifoss West parking lot is very large but can get super busy!

We had a hard time finding a spot, but after a few minutes of driving around, we found one. So don’t let that discourage you from visiting this impressive waterfall. And it has restrooms!

As of 2026, there are no parking fees for Dettifoss.

With a tour

Most tours to Dettifoss depart from Akureyri – check out these well-reviewed options below:

If you’d like to visit Dettifoss on a tour from Reykjavik, you’ll have to consider a multi-day option due to the distance from the city.

Getting to Dettifoss East Side

By car

Driving is the only option to reach the east side of Dettifoss.

To get to there, you’ll have to drive on road 864 for the last 30 km – a gravel, bumpy road for which I highly recommend a 4×4 vehicle.

To get directions, just put Dettifoss Parking (East) in your GPS.

From Dettifoss West, you’ll have to make a loop either north or south and drive for about an hour to reach the east side.

Which route you choose will depend on road conditions and your plan for the rest of the day on the Diamond Circle.

Note: If you choose the northern loop, you’ll pass by the third Diamond Circle attraction, Ásbyrgi Canyon Visitor Center (Gljúfrastofa), about halfway through your drive, so you can also stop there on your way to or from the east side of Dettifoss and explore the canyon.

From Akureyri, you also chave a choice of two routes.

The southern route will keep you on the Ring Road for most of the drive and you will pass by another Diamond Circle attraction – Goðafoss – before you turn to road 864 (the gravel part of your drive).

The northern route will take you on road 85, through Húsavík (a perfect stop for a whale watching tour) and Ásbyrgi Canyon before you start your drive on road 864.

We drove the southern route, having stopped at Hverir Geothermal Area before continuing to Dettifoss.

The drive on road 864 is really bumpy, the road is full of ridges and potholes, and the barren landscape makes you feel like you’re on another planet.

The 30 km long final stretch to the parking lot took us about 45 minutes.

Is a 4×4 rental car required for Dettifoss East?

While a 4×4 is not strictly required, I highly recommend it – a suitable vehicle with good ground clearance can make driving on the rough route 864 much more pleasant.

Always check with your rental company to make sure your car is allowed on that road, especially if you have a smaller, 2WD car.

RAED MORE: Renting a Car in Iceland – How to Choose the Right Car for Your Trip.

READ MORE: Driving in Iceland – Essential Tips for a Great Road Trip.

Dettifoss East parking

You’ll see a sign for Dettifoss right before the turn down the hill towards the parking lot.

You’ll also see the mist from that powerful waterfall long before you reach it.

The parking area is quite large, also gravel – like the access road – and FREE! It does have a small building with restrooms, but unfortunately, they were closed at the time of our visit.

Visiting Dettifoss from the West Side

To reach Dettifoss, just follow the marked path from the parking lot for about 1 km.

The path is rocky and gets quite wet as you get closer to the waterfall.

You can hear Dettifoss thunder like a storm as you approach and the huge amount of water crashing rapidly into the canyon creates a ton of mist, visible over the falls from a distance.

It will also get you wet, so be prepared with some serious rain gear when visiting!

You can walk the path along the canyon edge to get different views of the waterfall, eventually reaching an observation deck.

From that viewing platform, you can see the entire horseshoe of Dettifoss and also get a glimpse of the rocky east side.

Dettifoss is also known for double rainbows forming in the plume on sunny days. Our day was sadly not sunny at all, so no rainbows, but the whole experience was amazing anyway.

Get a glimpse of the power of Dettifoss here:

Visiting Selfoss from the West Side

After you’ve had your fill of the views, you can retrace your steps back towards the parking lot. As you walk, you’ll see a sign on the left for another waterfall, Selfoss, visible in the distance from the path.

It’s about a 15-minute walk one way to reach it.

You can also do this short hike on your way to Dettifoss – the sign for the trail will be on your right in that case.

We didn’t go see Selfoss when we visited the West Side of Dettifoss, and I have to say, in hindsight, I regret it.

I just wasn’t sure if we had enough time to do it all, as we had a packed schedule.

We didn’t start our day as early as we should have due to some travel complications (our flight was cancelled and we arrived a day later than planned, so we had to scramble to catch up with our itinerary, and as a result had a REALLY long arrival day – you can read more about it here).

So my advice is to start your Diamond Circle day early and allow time to take a walk to Selfoss! We just peeked at it…

We did see it from the East Side when we returned to Iceland a few years later – read more below.

How long do you need for Dettifoss and Selfoss West?

I recommend allowing 1-2 hours to explore the West Side. That will give you time to walk along the canyon, get different views of Dettifoss, and take the detour to Selfoss.

Visiting Dettifoss from the East Side

The East Side of Dettifoss was made famous in the opening scene of the movie “Prometheus” so it became quite popular in recent years. 

From the parking lot, follow the stone stairs down to a path (clearly marked by ropes) that will take you to a viewing platform in about 5-10 minutes.

The path is flat but a bit rocky, so just be careful walking on it.

You’ll get great views of Dettifoss even before you get to the viewpoint.

The viewpoint is actually just a flat, rocky area, also clearly roped off, and you shouldn’t try to step beyond those boundaries for any reason – the rocks at the edge of the canyon may be loose and unstable and you may risk falling.

You’ll get much closer to the waterfall from this side, and you can fully appreciate its power. You can also see the West Side from the viewpoint.

Again – our day was cloudy, so we didn’t see the famous rainbows, but it didn’t detract from the experience at all! I do hope that one day I’ll get to see Dettifoss in the sun!

When you’re ready, you can either return to the parking lot or continue to Selfoss.

Visiting Selfoss from the East Side

To visit Selfoss you just need to backtrack a little towards the parking lot.

Then just follow the path marked with the yellow sticks till you reach the viewpoint.

This hike isn’t long but it is more rocky than the trail to Dettifoss, so it takes a little more time than the distance would suggest. It took us 20-25 minutes from Dettifoss.

You have to scramble a bit over some boulders, but the views are well worth the effort.

Selfoss is a much smaller but also very beautiful waterfall, and we really enjoyed our hike to get there.

How long do you need for Dettifoss and Selfoss East?

To hike to and enjoy both waterfalls, I recommend allowing at least 2 hours – or longer if you plan on spending more than a few minutes at the viewpoints.

Also, take into account the time it takes to drive on road 864, as it’s much slower driving than on the Ring Road.

East or West – which side should you visit?

Both sides are worth visiting in my opinion, as each gives you a different experience and different views.

While one isn’t “better” than another, each has its own pros and cons.

Overall, the West Side is more accessible (all paved roads) and can be easily incorporated into a Diamond Circle day trip.

The East Side takes a little more effort to get there, both in terms of access and time expense.

Here is a quick comparison to help you decide if you have to choose one side. 

Choose the West Side if:

Choose the East Side if:

Visit both if you can!

How long do you need to visit both sides of Dettifoss?

Visiting both sides of Dettifoss will take you a solid half day.

Allow about 1-2 hours on the West side, 2-3 hours for the East side, plus 1 hour to drive between both parking lots.

Is visiting both sides worth it?

Yes – even though it requires a good chunk of your time.

You’ll get both the more “touristy” and a quieter, more secluded experience, not to mention incredible views of Dettifoss from two different perspectives.

My advice: I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit both sides if it meant rushing through the rest of the Diamond Circle, but if you have time, it’s absolutely worth considering.

Bonus: Hafragilsfoss waterfall viewpoint

Now let me tell you about the third waterfall you can see in that area – Hafragilsfoss.

Full disclosure – I have not visited this waterfall.

During our first visit to the Diamond Circle, we saw Dettifoss West and – as you may remember – didn’t have much time in our day for anything else. And quite frankly, I wasn’t even aware that Hafragilsfoss existed!

During our recent visit, we made our way to Dettifoss East and Selfoss but skipped Hafragilsfoss as it would take too long to hike to it. However – I totally missed the fact that there is a viewpoint nearby!

Now I’ve done some solid research, so let me share all the information with you, so you don’t miss the view – like I did!

Visiting Hafragilsfoss from the West Side

Hike

You can hike to Hafragilsfoss Viewpoint from Dettifoss. According to AllTrails, it’s a 3 km, relatively flat hike, estimated to take just over an hour each way.

Drive

To get to Hafragilsfoss from the west side of Dettifoss by car, continue on road 862 for 2.7 km until the turn for the waterfall viewpoint.

It’s a 9-minute drive. Just put “Hafragilsfoss West Parking” in your GPS.

The last part of the drive is supposed to be unpaved and rough, so be careful driving there, especially in a smaller car.

I’ve read that you can also drive to the end of the paved road and hike the rest of the way to the viewpoint. 

Visiting Hafragilsfoss from the East Side

On the East Side of Dettifoss, you also have two options to get to the Hafragilsfoss Viewpoint.

Hike

From the trailhead for Dettifoss, take a path in the opposite direction from both Dettifoss and Selfoss and follow the trail for 3 km till you reach the Hafragilsfoss Viewpoint.

Since I haven’t done this hike myself, I can’t give you a first-hand estimate of how long it takes but since it’s double the distance of the Selfoss hike, I would at least allow double the time it took you to hike there.

Drive

You can also drive to the viewpoint.

Just exit the parking lot and turn left – follow road 864 till you reach a left turn for Hafragilsfoss.

The drive takes about 6 minutes (3.4 km) – just put “Hafragilsfoss (East Side)” in your GPS to get directions.

Best time to visit Dettifoss

Dettifoss West parking lot is generally accessible all year from the West Side, however, snow and ice can affect the conditions of the trails to Dettifoss viewpoint and Selfoss.

The hiking trail to Hafragilsfoss West is typically closed during winter months, as is the access road past the paved portion of road 862.

The East Side is closed in the winter, as road 864 does not get winter service, so there is no access to Dettifos, Selfoss, or Hafragilsfoss from that side.

If you choose to drive to the West Side in the winter, make sure to check the weather forecast and road status before you head out.

Where to Stay Near Dettifoss

For us Akureyri was a perfect starting point to explore Northern Iceland.

We stayed at the Saga Apartments the first time (wonderful!) and at the Akureyri campsite the second time during our campervan trip (also wonderful!), but there are other towns nearby that are also very convenient for visiting this region, like Reykjahlíð, Laugar, Húsavík or Mývatn.

Check some great accommodation options on the map below:

And for a truly unique experience, consider spending a night at Möðrudalur Farm – one of my favorite places in Iceland. 

Nearby attractions

• Lake Mývatn area sites (Skutustadagigar Pseudocraters, Dimmuborgir, Hverfjall Crater and more!)
• Hverir Námafjall Geothermal Area
• Earth Lagoon Mývatn (former Mývatn Nature Baths)
• other Diamond Circle attractions (Goðafoss Waterfall, Ásbyrgi Canyon, Húsavík)
• Möðrudalur Farm

Ready to plan your trip? Check out our 10-day itinerary to see how you can include visiting Dettifoss in your Iceland travel plan!

👉 Don’t forget TRAVEL INSURANCE! I don’t travel without it. Get a quote from my personal #1 choice – Travel Guard – or check more options here!

🛜 Stay connected during your trip with an eSIM like Airalo, Saily or Sim Local!

• Share on Facebook
• Save to Pinterest
• Share on Flipboard

---

---

You may also like:

• 6-day Iceland Itinerary (How to See the Best of Iceland in a Short Time)
• How to Plan Your First Trip to Iceland: Tips for 1-st Time Visitors.
• Golden Circle in One Day – Full Guide to the Main Stops and Best Detours.
• Snæfellsnes Peninsula – A Complete Guide and Top Things to See.
• Thjorsardalur Valley, Iceland: Best Things to Do + Travel Tips.
• 10+ Easy Hikes in Iceland You Shouldn’t Miss.
• Why Seyðisfjörður Should Be on Your Iceland Itinerary.
• Brúarfoss – How to Visit Iceland’s Bluest Waterfall.
• Best Things to Do in Vik, Iceland – Your Ultimate Guide.