By Monika
Svartifoss Hike – One of Iceland’s Most Unique Waterfalls.
Svartifoss is one of South Iceland’s most unique and picturesque waterfalls.
Nestled in a quiet cove and best known for its dramatic backdrop of dark basalt columns, it is a magical spot to visit.
So if you’re looking for a scenic trail with a big reward for relatively little effort, the Svartifoss hike is for you!
I visited Svartifoss as part of a packed day during our second trip to Iceland, and it was one of the highlights.
Let me give you all you need to know about this beautiful waterfall, including how to get to the trailhead and what to expect on the hike.
Let’s go!
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- Svartifoss Hike – One of Iceland’s Most Unique Waterfalls.
How to get to Svartifoss trailhead
Svartifoss Waterfall is located in Skaftafell Nature Reserve, which is part of Vatnajökull National Park.
Most visitors just call this area Skaftafell National Park, which is not quite correct.
To get to this trail you need a rental car, as there are no tours that include this stop in their itinerary.
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The hike to Svartifoss starts from Skatfafell Visitor Center (Skaftafellsstofa), which is easily accessible from the Ring Road – it’s just a short detour to get to the parking lot.
It’s a large gravel lot and can get busy fairly quickly.
Make sure to pay the 1000 ISK parking fee, either on the Parka.is website, via the app, or onsite at the pay kiosks.
Helpful hint: if you happen to visit Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon on the same day as Skaftafel, the parking fee for one of these locations will be automatically discounted by 50%.
At the Visitor Center you’ll find park rangers who can give you an update on the weather forecast and trail conditions.
That information is also posted just outside the entry door.
There are also restrooms and a souvenir shop and a cafeteria next door.
When you’re ready, just head towards the campsite and follow the signs. The trails are coded by letters and numbers.
The Svartifoss hike is marked as S2.
How long is the Svartifoss hike?
You have two options for hiking to Svartifoss, depending on how much time you have:
The out-and-back hike is about 1.5 km (1 mile) long. On average, it takes about 45 minutes to complete one way, and I’d describe it as an easy-to-moderate trail, as it has some uphill sections and some stairs.
Good to know: you can hike to the waterfall and back (which is what we did) or extend it and turn it into a loop trail, taking you to by the Sjónarsker viewpoint, turf houses at Sel, and Lambhagi sheep pastures.
The second loop trail option will take you about 2-3 hours to complete.
I’ll show you exactly where the path splits a little later in this article.
Our hike to Svartifoss
As I mentioned earlier, we came to hike to Svartifoss right after our Ingólfshöfði puffin tour that we squeezed into our 10-day Ring Road and Highlands adventure itinerary last minute.
We headed for the campsite (which looked really nice!) and started hiking. The path is very clearly marked and goes uphill pretty much immediately.
You will also go up some stairs, and past a few smaller waterfalls.
Then the trail levels up a little and you can see Svartifoss in the distance.
You get other fabulous views, too!
Keep hiking and you’ll eventually get to a spot where you’ll see a bridge to your left and Svartifoss and a metal viewing platform on your right.
That’s the end of the “out-and-back” trail! You can retrace your steps to head back to the Visitor Center or cross the bridge and follow the trail to continue the loop trail I described above.
But first, take some time to enjoy Svartifoss and the amazing black basalt columns forming its enclosure.
No wonder it’s sometimes called the “Black Waterfall”!
Fun fact: the black basalt columns surrounding Svartifoss are said to have inspired the design of the famous Hallgrímskirkja Church in Reykjavik.
You can get closer by stepping on the viewing platform or onto the bigger rocks along the shore but please don’t go right up to the waterfall!
First and foremost, there are signs, telling you it’s forbidden in a clear way, it’s also dangerous and last but not least – you end up in everyone’s pictures!
After we rested a bit and enjoyed the views, we headed back the same way we came, as we did not have the time for the longer loop.
Is Svartifoss waterfall worth visiting?
Yes, it is!
While at only 20 meters (about 66 feet) high, it’s not the tallest or powerful waterfall you’ll see in Iceland, it is one of the most unique ones.
Definitely worth the short hike!
Bonus hike: Skaftafellsjökull glacier trail
If you have some extra time, and you haven’t seen a glacier yet, I highly recommend the short walk to Skaftafellsjökull Glacier.
That’s the S1 trail marked on the sign posted by the entrance of the Visitors Center.
We didn’t do it as we had our ice-climbing adventure on that very glacier just the day before, but I came back a year later with my dad and we hiked to it then – the glacier views are amazing!
Svartifoss hike at a glance:
Option 1: Out-and-Back Trail (what we did)
- Length: 3 km (1.9 miles) round trip
- Time: 1.5 hours total + time to spend at the waterfall
- Difficulty: easy to moderate (some uphill and stairs)
- Route: start at Skaftafell Visitor Center → hike to Svartifoss → return the same way
- Best if: you’re on a tighter schedule and just want to see the waterfall
Option 2: Loop Trail (a longer trail with more views)
- Length: 5.5 km (3.4 miles) loop
- Time needed: 2–3 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Route: start at Skaftafell Visitor Center → hike to Svartifoss → cross the bridge → continue past Sjónarsker viewpoint, Sel turf houses, and Lambhagi sheep pastures → return to the Visitor Center
- Best if: you have more time and are looking for a longer hike
Where to stay near Skaftafell Visitors Center
If you have a campervan, you can stay right on the campsite.
Otherwise, the closest hotel to the Svartifoss hike is Hotel Skaftafel, only 7 minutes away. We stayed in Selfell Guesthouse in Kalfafel, about 30 minutes from the hike, and loved the little cottage.
Klausturhof Guesthouse (and a few other options in Kirkjubæjarklaustur) is just a little further towards Reykjavik at 50 minutes.
I can also recommend Hali Country Hotel, located about the same distance (50 minutes) in the opposite direction, near Jökulsárlón Lagoon.
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Nearby attractions
- Ingólfshöfði puffin tour
- Glacier lagoons: Jökulsárlón and Fjallsárlón
- Vatnajökull glacier hikes/ice-climbing
- Fjaðrágljúfur Canyon
- Hofskirkja turf church
Let me help you pack for your trip!
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- Snæfellsnes Peninsula – A Complete Guide and Top Things to See.
- Waterfall Way – Your Ultimate Guide to the Skógafoss Hike.
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About Monika
An avid traveler and a passionate trip planner, mildly obsessed with being organized and prepared 🙂
Well aware of how precious travel time is, I’m here to share my experience and help you get the most out of your vacation time.
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