13-03-2024
Europe’s most powerful waterfall, the mighty Dettifoss in the northeast of Iceland, is a must-visit for any intrepid adventurers keen to visit the Land of Ice and Fire. A stand-out amongst Iceland’s over 10,000 waterfalls, Dettifoss is one of the impressive natural wonders that makes up the famous Diamond Circle route.
Let’s learn all about these incredible falls, including where exactly Dettifoss Waterfall is, how to get there, when to visit and what you can do while visiting Dettifoss and the surrounding area in our complete traveler’s guide.
Featuring in the famous sci-fi/horror film Prometheus (2012), Dettifoss Waterfall is a gem of Northern Iceland. This epic waterfall in Iceland has an astonishing flow rate of around 193 cubic meters (6,815 cubic feet) of water per second, creating a persistent roaring sound, spraying mist and even a vibration in the ground caused by the waterfall’s power.
If you’re wondering ‘is Dettifoss the most powerful fall in Iceland?’, the answer is yes and, not only that, Dettifoss is also the most powerful waterfall in all of Europe! Make sure to bring your waterproofs when visiting Dettifoss to protect you from the spray emanating from these epic falls.
Located in North Iceland, Dettifoss Waterfall is situated within a sparsely populated and remote natural wilderness area. Part of the expansive Vatnajokull National Park, which covers over 14% of Iceland’s entire landmass, Dettifoss Waterfall is in the northeastern area of the country.
So, how high is Dettifoss? Although this mighty waterfall is one of Iceland’s largest in terms of volume, it’s not one of the country’s tallest. Dettifoss Falls’ height is 44 meters (144 feet), but its width is much larger at 100 meters (330 feet).
The word ‘foss’ means ‘waterfall’ in Icelandic, so you’ll most likely hear this word a lot during your trip to Iceland. Dettifoss in particular means ‘collapsing waterfall’, with the Icelandic word ‘detta’ translating to ‘fall’. This name is apt considering the sheer amount of water that cascades down these falls every second!
Dettifoss is fed by the Jokulsa a Fjollum glacial river, which flows from the vast Vatnajokull Glacier: Europe’s largest glacier. The melting of this glacier ultimately caused Dettifoss to form after the last Ice Age, with the cascading water carving its way through the rocky valley.
Volcanic eruptions on the island are also believed to have catalyzed the formation of both Dettifoss Waterfall and Jokulsargljufur Canyon, which the falls plunge into, by causing glacial melting to take place.
Your experience of Dettifoss Waterfall will vary greatly depending upon the time of year you choose to visit, with the winter causing the falls to transform into an icy and snowy landscape you’d to expect to find on a Christmas card, and the summer seeing beautiful flowers and lush green vegetation growing all around the falls.
We recommend visiting Dettifoss during the summer months of June, July and August for the best chance of experiencing the falls in warmer weather. During summer, you’ll have many more hours of daylight to enjoy visiting the falls than winter, plus Dettifoss is much more accessible in summer, as some of the roads around the island are closed due to harsh weather conditions in winter.
Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to visit Dettifoss if you wish to avoid the crowds and enjoy an unobscured view of the falls in the soft morning or evening light. Just make sure to check the sunset time, so you’re not having to travel home in the dark afterwards.
While it’s completely up to you how long you’d like to spend at Dettifoss, we can tell you that most visitors spend between 1 and 3 hours at the falls, with an average visit time of 2 hours. This amount of time will allow you to explore the surrounding area, soak in the incredible views, take your Dettifoss Waterfall photos and even hike to nearby waterfalls if you so wish.
If you’d like to stay overnight near the waterfall, you can check out Dettifoss Guesthouse, which is located just north of Dettifoss Falls.
Fancy taking a Dettifoss waterfall hike? Well, you have two Dettifoss hikes to choose from: one on the east side of the falls and the other on the west. So, how long is the hike to Dettifoss Falls? If you’d prefer a shorter walk, we recommend taking the east side, as this hike is around 400 meters, whereas the west side has a length of 800 meters.
Keep in mind that the eastern hike crosses rocky land, so you’ll need to be careful while walking. The western side of the waterfall is fairly easy and flatter to walk along, although it can become muddy and slippery due to most of the spray from Dettifoss falling on its western side.
If you’re wondering ‘how do you get to Dettifoss?’, you can take the main Ring Road in Iceland (Route 1) most of the way to the falls, before taking the dusty gravel Road 864 called Holsfjallavegur to reach Dettifoss.
When driving from Reykjavík to Dettifoss, you can expect the journey to take around 6.5 hours, with the best route following Route 1 in a northerly direction from the capital. Renting your own car in Iceland is by far the best way to explore the island, as public transport on the island is very limited and some locations can only be reached by car or campervan.
Another option to visit Dettifoss is taking a guided tour that stops off at these mighty falls. For example, this incredible guided tour of North Iceland takes you to the epic Lake Myvatn and its Nature Baths, as well as three of the most impressive waterfalls in North Iceland, including Dettifoss, Godafoss and Selfoss. Dettifoss tours allow you to sit back, relax and soak in all the incredible scenery along the way.
When visiting the epic Dettifoss Waterfall, you might like to discover more gems of the beautiful and wild North Iceland. Here are a few of our favorites to check out:
Lake Myvatn and Myvatn Nature Baths – The epic Lake Myvatn and steamy Myvatn Nature Baths are must-visit attractions while near Dettifoss. As a volcanic lake, Myvatn is surrounded by hot springs, an incredible lava field and the geothermal Myvatn Nature Baths.
Godafoss and Selfoss Waterfalls – Dettifoss and Selfoss are usually visited on the same day, as they’re super close by. Another incredible waterfall in North Iceland that you just have to visit is the awe-inspiring and historically-significant Godafoss Waterfall, or ‘Waterfall of the Gods’.
Whale Watching at Husavik – North Iceland is one of the best places for whale watching, with the coastal town of Husavik serving as one of the main locations for whale watching in Iceland. Here, you can take a guided boat tour to view these majestic creatures in their natural environment.
Inspired to travel around the unique landscapes of Iceland for yourself? Let’s get started planning your dream Iceland vacation by checking out rental cars, accommodation options and travel dates. Got any questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us and we’ll be happy to help! We’re waiting to welcome you to our beautiful country very soon!