Dettifoss Waterfall, north-east Iceland

Location: North-east Iceland
Directions on Google maps

Dettifoss is the waterfall with the greatest volume in Europe, with 500 cubic metres of water passing by, per second. It is also known to be the most powerful waterfall in the continent. Situated in the north of Iceland, Detifoss is fed by Jökulsá á Fjöllum, a dominant and all-powerful river glacier. Jökulsá á Fjöllum stems from Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in the country and Europe, in its entirety. This waterfall can be found in the Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland’s biggest natural park. This waterfall is also located north of the Ring road, the Icelandic main road. There are two routes that connect the road to Dettifoss.

Please note: Driving in the winter can be difficult, or even impossible, due to the adverse weather conditions. We recommend you contact travel agents/guides if you are interested in visting during winter time.

How to get to Dettifoss

Road 864 goes from road 85 past Dettifoss on the east side towards road 1. This is a gravel road and driving speed depends on road conditions each time. Road 864 is closed during wintertime due to snow or wet conditions (muddy road) and does not open until early summer (end of May).

For the biggest part of it, road 862 on the west side of Dettifoss has been paved. The parts that have not been completed are gravel. From May-September, the road is passable for normal vehicles from Asbyrgi to Dettifoss, with Vesturdalur (Hljodaklettar) and H