Bruarfoss Waterfall
Bruarfoss Waterfall
5
00:00 - 23:59
Monday
00:00 - 23:59
Tuesday
00:00 - 23:59
Wednesday
00:00 - 23:59
Thursday
00:00 - 23:59
Friday
00:00 - 23:59
Saturday
00:00 - 23:59
Sunday
00:00 - 23:59
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5.0
392 reviews
Excellent
323
Very good
58
Average
7
Poor
2
Terrible
3
Bezi
London, UK629 contributions
Mar 2023
Depending on the time of year you do this walk, it can probably be nice and dry or, in March (and I suspect April) incredibly muddy!
The first part of the walk is fine, it's on a gravel trail. Once you get to the bit where you have to cross the steam, it gets messy!
My first tip would be to wear decent hiking boots, don't wear your nice shoes as they will get ruined. The mud was ankle deep, I suspect it could get deeper as the ground was still partly frozen.
There is no way around the muddy stretch and it lasts all the way until you reach the river.
Tip number 2 is to take a walking pole if you have one as mud is very slippery!
Tip 3 is to do the walk in the morning and pray the ground is still frozen as when the sun comes out it will get muddier!
It's a great walk up to the falls, once you get to the river and start walking towards the falls it is less muddy although there are still patches that you will have to wade through. It's a fast flowing river so be careful if you have small children.
We enjoyed the walk as we had hiking boots but I felt sorry for some people unprepared for the the mud!
The first part of the walk is fine, it's on a gravel trail. Once you get to the bit where you have to cross the steam, it gets messy!
My first tip would be to wear decent hiking boots, don't wear your nice shoes as they will get ruined. The mud was ankle deep, I suspect it could get deeper as the ground was still partly frozen.
There is no way around the muddy stretch and it lasts all the way until you reach the river.
Tip number 2 is to take a walking pole if you have one as mud is very slippery!
Tip 3 is to do the walk in the morning and pray the ground is still frozen as when the sun comes out it will get muddier!
It's a great walk up to the falls, once you get to the river and start walking towards the falls it is less muddy although there are still patches that you will have to wade through. It's a fast flowing river so be careful if you have small children.
We enjoyed the walk as we had hiking boots but I felt sorry for some people unprepared for the the mud!
Written 6 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
senglish0410
Milwaukee, WI50 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
It was so hard to figure out where to park and start the hike. We figured it out but didn't see anyone the whole hike and then saw a few people at the Waterfalls who had come another way so not sure... the hike was narrow and tricky at some parts but so worth it and the falls were so blue!!!
Written 30 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
elvistcbpresley
Leeds, UK63 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
A beautiful waterfall. Lovely walk and not as busy as nearby attractions.
Parking here can be problematic as it gets busy and the car park is only small. The walk starts pretty easy before getting muddy. You’ll fairly quickly get to the first waterfall which is lovely and because it was a nice day it had a lovely rainbow in the falls. After this you follow the river on a flat east to walk path. You’ll get to the second waterfall and finally you’ll reach bruarfoss. It took us a couple of hours but I was photographing everything.
If you do this on a sunny day it’s easy to get great photographs. When we got to bruarfoss we spent maybe an hour there and there was never more than 15 other people there
Parking here can be problematic as it gets busy and the car park is only small. The walk starts pretty easy before getting muddy. You’ll fairly quickly get to the first waterfall which is lovely and because it was a nice day it had a lovely rainbow in the falls. After this you follow the river on a flat east to walk path. You’ll get to the second waterfall and finally you’ll reach bruarfoss. It took us a couple of hours but I was photographing everything.
If you do this on a sunny day it’s easy to get great photographs. When we got to bruarfoss we spent maybe an hour there and there was never more than 15 other people there
Written 1 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Birgit Maria B
1 contribution
Jul 2022 • Friends
Dear nature friends. It is 14 days ago that a tr
agedy took place at the river Brúará: a canadian traveler drowned in Brúará whilst achieving to rescue his 6 year old son who had fallen into the river. As a local I want to stress that the river Brúará is as beautiful as dangerous: heavy masses of water are swirled through a deep and x km long gourge in the middle of the river, create caves and whirlpools. The shallow border of the river ends abruptly and gives way to the depth of the river. In addition the vulcano eruption affects the whole south west of Iceland and lets the earth shake. When walking this path some days ago I saw travelers sitting on the edges of the falls for a selfie...leading young children close to the waterfalls on slipery rocks...and was simply shocked.
Please and especially when travelling with children take care and walk the area with respect of the unpredictable powers of nature. No selfie is worth the danger you take. With the best wishes for you to travel savely!
agedy took place at the river Brúará: a canadian traveler drowned in Brúará whilst achieving to rescue his 6 year old son who had fallen into the river. As a local I want to stress that the river Brúará is as beautiful as dangerous: heavy masses of water are swirled through a deep and x km long gourge in the middle of the river, create caves and whirlpools. The shallow border of the river ends abruptly and gives way to the depth of the river. In addition the vulcano eruption affects the whole south west of Iceland and lets the earth shake. When walking this path some days ago I saw travelers sitting on the edges of the falls for a selfie...leading young children close to the waterfalls on slipery rocks...and was simply shocked.
Please and especially when travelling with children take care and walk the area with respect of the unpredictable powers of nature. No selfie is worth the danger you take. With the best wishes for you to travel savely!
Written 7 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Tim A
74 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
This fall was on of my favorite even tho it’s smallish. The unique horseshoe shape and the amazing color were impressive. There were only a handful of other groups there, probably because of the little hike required.
I don’t think we parked in the right area because because others came from a difference direction. Google maps took us down a dirt road and told us to drive a hiking trail lol. We parked along the dirt road and took our chance on the unmarked hiking trail. It was a 30-40 hike and we have to walk over slipper boulders in a stream (both of us got wet).
Definitely worth the effort.
I don’t think we parked in the right area because because others came from a difference direction. Google maps took us down a dirt road and told us to drive a hiking trail lol. We parked along the dirt road and took our chance on the unmarked hiking trail. It was a 30-40 hike and we have to walk over slipper boulders in a stream (both of us got wet).
Definitely worth the effort.
Written 10 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Andrea
Fishers, IN12 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
Easy 2 mile hike there and back. Took our family of 5 75 minutes. Muddy in spots. Parking is next to the road by the river. Take the rocked trail to the right at the start. Trailed marked by yellow tape on trees. The waterfall is phenomenal to see, cutting through large boulders. The color of the water is so blue. Sit and spend some time enjoying the view.
Written 28 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Owen Thesaints
Kent653 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
The trail head wasn’t signed but we realised that as there was a parking area next to the river, this was the likely starting point. It took over an hour to reach the feature waterfall, with the trail sometimes necessitating crossing a stream over stepping stones, scrambling over branches and stumps through a small area of woodland and negotiating some rocks beside the river. The rest of the trail was easier going, walking on hardened mud or stones. Walking boots were necessary although the route wasn’t too muddy. On the trail we encountered two further waterfalls before reaching Bruarfoss, crossed by a footbridge. It was quite a wide waterfall with a relatively shallow drop. The return leg of our hike was speedier, with a gentle downhill gradient back to the trail head.
Written 13 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
FindingMyself
Mumbai, India7 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
It's an absolutely stunning waterfall - not the tallest or the widest or the mightiest, but boy, is it beautiful!
We took around 3.5 hours for the round trip, walking at a leisurely pace and stopping plenty of times along the way to take photos and fly our drone. For the most part, the walk was pleasant, along streams, on level ground and with two other waterfalls (although Midfoss really wasn't much of a waterfall) before reaching Bruarfoss. But there was a 20 min (one-way) stretch that was extremely muddy and slushy and our shoes & pants were pretty much covered in mud by the end of it.
Overall, it was definitely worth the effort and the time spent.
We took around 3.5 hours for the round trip, walking at a leisurely pace and stopping plenty of times along the way to take photos and fly our drone. For the most part, the walk was pleasant, along streams, on level ground and with two other waterfalls (although Midfoss really wasn't much of a waterfall) before reaching Bruarfoss. But there was a 20 min (one-way) stretch that was extremely muddy and slushy and our shoes & pants were pretty much covered in mud by the end of it.
Overall, it was definitely worth the effort and the time spent.
Written 31 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
travellerjock
newcastle60 contributions
Apr 2022 • Family
We did this as our first stop on the golden circle tour. Described as a hidden gem it’s worth doing but only if you’re prepared. Shortly after the track begins you experience a 20 minute walk through ankle deep mud. This is unavoidable and unless wearing the right walking clothes would be a horrible experience. Once passed that you reach the first falls (our favourite) and from then to the top it’s very much more manageable. The colour of the water is beautiful and the falls are pretty. I’d say there were two not three and some rapids midway. Enjoy but at your peril
Written 19 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
PManoogian
59 contributions
Mar 2022
Very cold, long walk up a steep hill, stairs were frozen, so had to be very careful but AMAZING views and SO glad we went.
Written 13 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Laura G
1 contribution
Are there any F-Roads to get here? Trying to find out if i need a 4x4 or not for my trip next may.
jmondal
Kolkata (Calcutta), India58 contributions
Hi, thinking to do this hike with 3 year old kid. Can anyone suggest which one is the closest parking other than official parking from which it takes only 10 mins to reach the waterfall? Read in many reviews they hiked from private property which is the easiest trail but not able to find in Google maps. Please help.
Thanks in advance 😊
Robert J
Bow, NH175 contributions
You definitely do NOT want to try to cross private property to get to the top of the trail to see Brúarfoss. The hike will be long (2.5 km each way) from the parking lot, for a three year old, but there are some smaller falls along the way.
asacs
Wareham, MA3 contributions
Hello!
Is this a doable hike in late November if we hit the trail right when the sun comes up? If not does anyone have another suggestion? Thanks in advance?
orkydd
Melbourne, Australia153 contributions
The hike took me about 2 and a half hours in good weather. You should expect to take a bit longer if the trail is muddy. Check the weather report and be prepared. Enjoy.

gregorwolf
Nusa Dua, Indonesia2 contributions
How to get there? I did not find a proper description and read areas are blocked
valchris2015
Gif-sur-Yvette, France4 contributions
Bonjour,
Pouvez-vous m'indiquer les coordonnées du parking officiel pour se rendre aux chutes Bruarfoss ou des informations complémentaires pour le trouver.
Merci d'avance. Cordialement.
Hello,
I am going to Iceland in 2 weeks. I read lot of article about "how to reach Bruarfoss" but still not sure how to go there from Reykjavik.
Regards,
Raj
Bryan O
Pittsburgh, PA8 contributions
We used WAZE as our navigator. We typed in Bruarfoss and it took us to the parking lot just after the bridge. From there we followed the directions on the internet. The first half of the trail is easy to navigate. But when you get almost halfway the trail is blocked with a big sign saying no trespassing and private property. From there the trail goes tot he right and up a small hill then cross country until you come out on a road. Make a left on the gravel road and follow it for about 3/4 of a mile. Then follow the small wooden signs that direct you back into the path thru thick brush and next to the creek again. Then up to the waterfall. It is worth the trouble. The falls are incredible because of the color of the water. Takes 45-60 minutes.
Ami P
Nj8 contributions
Did you take a tour of the golden circle or go by car
Is it difficult or easy.
Daniel H
Chicago, IL69 contributions
Going by car gives you the freedom to stop whenever you want and stay as long as you want to. It is no faster because the entire country is two lane roads so you go as slow as the slowest person on the highway no matter if you are in a bus or in a car. The bus allows you to relax and sleep as you drive, so that is a plus for the bus. Cars are unbelievably expensive to rent. They are ridiculously costly, so there's that to consider as well. It depends on who you are and what you want to do. I am a car guy, so I rented a car and it was fantastic!
Dma
6 contributions
where did u exactly park? I read over 100 reviews, all a bit different, if u are willing to share, appreciate, i have 3 kids, don't think we will be able to do the official route, if I were single, i will not mind. thank you.
pdxphototraveler
Portland, OR49 contributions
We parked at the lot near 355 and 37. I believe this was the official lot and the correct way to hike it up until recently. I cannot comment on the new closures.
Dma
6 contributions
When u mentioned route #36, do u really mean #37? on the map there's 37 close to Bruarfoss, but not 36.
michael minarik
New York City, NY266 contributions
Yes37
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BRUARFOSS WATERFALL (Brekkuskogur) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Bruarfoss Waterfall
- Bruarfoss Waterfall is open:
- Sun - Sat 00:00 - 23:59
- Hotels near Bruarfoss Waterfall:
- (2.96 km) Efstidalur Farm Hotel
- (11.48 km) Hotel Geysir
- (11.92 km) Heradsskolinn Historic Guesthouse
- (11.74 km) Litli Geysir Hotel
- (1.57 km) Summerhouse in south of Iceland
- Restaurants near Bruarfoss Waterfall:
- (2.96 km) Efstidalur II
- (10.05 km) Friðheimar
- (10.12 km) Restaurant Mika
- (14.50 km) Skjol
- (11.68 km) Restaurant Lindin Bistro Cafe