Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
Hraunfossar ("lava falls") is a series of small waterfalls in Borgarfjörður, West Iceland, formed by water seeping out from beneath the Hallmundarhraun lava field over roughly a kilometre of riverbank. It sits right beside Barnafoss, a smaller, more turbulent waterfall on the same river. It is about 125 km (around 1 hour 45 minutes) from Reykjavík, free to enter, open all year, and most people spend 30–45 minutes there.
Unlike most waterfalls, which drop from a visible river or lake, Hraunfossar is made up of countless small streams that emerge directly from under a wall of lava rock and trickle down into the Hvítá river. The lava field, Hallmundarhraun, is thought to date from a large eruption roughly a thousand years ago, and the water filtering through it stays clear and strikingly blue-white.
A short walk upstream from the main viewing platforms leads to Barnafoss, a narrower and much more forceful set of rapids where the same river forces its way through a tight rocky channel. The contrast between the calm, wide falls of Hraunfossar and the churning water at Barnafoss is part of what makes this stop worth the detour from the Ring Road.
Well-kept paths, viewing platforms and a footbridge over the river let you see the falls from several angles, and the walking is gentle, with no steep sections. On a clear day you can make out the white dome of Langjökull glacier in the distance behind the falls. In winter the trickles partly freeze into curtains of ice, which is a different sight altogether.
Barnafoss means "children's falls", after a local legend about two children who fell to their deaths trying to cross a natural stone arch that once spanned the river here, on their way to church while their parents were away. According to the story, their grieving mother had the stone bridge destroyed so that no one else could suffer the same fate, and cursed anyone who tried to rebuild a crossing at that spot.
The drive is on paved roads all the way. Most of it is on Route 1, but the roundabouts and bridges on the way out of town can be confusing, so set your navigation to “Hraunfossar” before you leave.
Come early in the day if you can. There is less traffic on the road and fewer coaches at the falls. Deildartunguhver hot spring and Reykholt are on the same road, so it is easy to stop at them on the way there or back.
There is a large car park at the site, with toilets and a restaurant beside it. For more services, Reykholt and Húsafell are both a short drive away.
Reykholt and Húsafell, both a short drive away, have hotels and guesthouses convenient for this part of West Iceland. Borgarnes is a larger base with more services.
Yes, there is no entrance fee, and parking is free.
About 125 km, around 1 hour 45 minutes by car.
Hraunfossar is a wide series of small falls seeping from a lava field; Barnafoss, just upstream, is a narrower, faster set of rapids on the same river.
The main viewing platform for Hraunfossar is reached by a short, flat path, though the ground near Barnafoss is more uneven.
Yes, the site is open all year, though paths can be icy.
Take Route 1 north through the Hvalfjörður tunnel, turn right onto Route 50 just before the bridge to Borgarnes, then take Route 518 past Reykholt. The falls are signed from the road.
On a clear day, yes. Langjökull is visible in the distance behind the falls.
Tours and trips that include Hraunfossar, booked directly with a local travel agency in Iceland.
DAY TOURInto the GlacierFrom 38,990 ISK per person
PACKAGE5 Day Iceland TourFrom 212,289 ISK per person
MULTI-DAYBest of Iceland in 5 DaysFrom 195,990 ISK per person
MULTI-DAY6 Day Around Iceland TourFrom 309,990 ISK per person
MULTI-DAY7 Day Iceland Ring Road TourFrom 339,990 ISK per person
MULTI-DAY2 Day Snæfellsnes Peninsula TourFrom 69,990 ISK per person
