Faxi (Vatnsleysufoss) Waterfall
Faxi (Vatnsleysufoss) Waterfall
4.5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Faxi (Vatnsleysufoss) Waterfall
The area
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
2 within 3 miles
Attractions
3 within 6 miles
See what travellers are saying
- spitzy135944 contributionsUnderrated Beautiful WaterfallWe saw this waterfall as part of our Golden Circle Tour. It wasn’t crowded, and doesn’t seem to get as much attention as some of the others in Iceland. But we loved every waterfall we’ve seen, each has its own special beauty and character. It not as big as Gullfoss or some of the others, but it is very wide and in a very scenic area. What’s nice is you can easily get very close to these falls and feel the mist and its power. It’s actually nice to visit a beautiful waterfall without fighting the crowds!Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 9 October 2023
- Abi YDunkeswell, United Kingdom47 contributionsAn absolutely beautiful waterfallI can't believe this waterfall isn't listed on all the tours, it's beautiful! Lovely waterfall with easy access to great viewing points. We visited with a tour group so we didn't have to pay any additional entry fee. I am really pleased they took us to this one, it was beautiful and so quiet. We were literally the only people there.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 28 November 2023
- CSNZSingapore River, Singapore678 contributionsBeautiful, worth the visit at dawn.In winter, the falls are partially frozen, leading to a gorgeous and surreal waterfall. Pictures explain everything - also there is an excellent photo point, a small tree beside the water on the right of the path. The morning sunrise makes for an amazing sight.Visited December 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 7 December 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
230 reviews
Excellent
121
Very good
83
Average
23
Poor
3
Terrible
0
tigg189074
Hartford, CT1,141 contributions
Feb 2020
We stopped here while driving along the Golden Circle. This was less crowded than the more famous waterfall, but just as beautiful. With it being winter there are some incredible views you can get of nature in Iceland. This is a good stop if you want some piece and quiet while observing.
Written 27 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Edwelsh
North Canton, OH7,156 contributions
Sept 2022 • Couples
Faxi (Vatusleysufass) is only a 5 minute detour and definitely worth it. There is a small fee to enter and they do have toilets. We took in the view from above then drove down to the lower parking lot. It along powerful falls that has a fish ladder. We saw a fisherman pull a big fish out of the water. Interesting feature is that the river takes a hard left turn at the bottom of the falls
Written 7 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Abi Y
Dunkeswell, UK47 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
I can't believe this waterfall isn't listed on all the tours, it's beautiful!
Lovely waterfall with easy access to great viewing points. We visited with a tour group so we didn't have to pay any additional entry fee.
I am really pleased they took us to this one, it was beautiful and so quiet. We were literally the only people there.
Lovely waterfall with easy access to great viewing points. We visited with a tour group so we didn't have to pay any additional entry fee.
I am really pleased they took us to this one, it was beautiful and so quiet. We were literally the only people there.
Written 28 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DrMarkES
Rochester, MN450 contributions
Aug 2021
Crystal clear waterfall. Beautiful walk along the stream below the falls and a terrific view from above the fall. A small fee for parking but this waterfall can be easily overlooked but it worth going into see it.
Written 23 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CSNZ
Singapore River, Singapore678 contributions
Dec 2023 • Friends
In winter, the falls are partially frozen, leading to a gorgeous and surreal waterfall. Pictures explain everything - also there is an excellent photo point, a small tree beside the water on the right of the path.
The morning sunrise makes for an amazing sight.
The morning sunrise makes for an amazing sight.
Written 7 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul Legate
United Kingdom21,893 contributions
Mar 2022 • Friends
The Faxi waterfall is on the Golden Circle circuit but for some reason it is not always included in Golden Circle itineraries, having been before we decided to see the waterfall again. Something we like is that it is possible to get very close to the falls which are accessible by steps and a slope down to the water's edge which was quite treacherous after fresh snowfall on top of an icy layer. Being so close we could feel the vibration of the the thundering waterfall only a few metres away. It is a shame that Faxi isn't always rated as a top draw attraction but as for us it is a major highlight on a visit to the area.
Written 12 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sharon Q
Kralendijk, Bonaire452 contributions
Aug 2020
Very nice waterfall where we ended up unexpectedly.
We just followed the sign to see where it would bring us and we did not expect this.
Beautiful waterfall and very quiet.
You can see the waterfall from below or for the daredevil from up in the small stroke of ground when you cross the stones.
A nice waterfall that is worth a stop when you drive by
We just followed the sign to see where it would bring us and we did not expect this.
Beautiful waterfall and very quiet.
You can see the waterfall from below or for the daredevil from up in the small stroke of ground when you cross the stones.
A nice waterfall that is worth a stop when you drive by
Written 5 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Megan K
Chicago, IL45 contributions
Aug 2022
A less crowded Golden Circle stop! Faxi waterfall has a parking lot. At the end of the parking lot you can see the waterfall, but then you walk down a little foot path to get to a better look out point. Very scenic and secluded.
Written 8 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
spitzy135
Buffalo, NY944 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
We saw this waterfall as part of our Golden Circle Tour. It wasn’t crowded, and doesn’t seem to get as much attention as some of the others in Iceland. But we loved every waterfall we’ve seen, each has its own special beauty and character.
It not as big as Gullfoss or some of the others, but it is very wide and in a very scenic area. What’s nice is you can easily get very close to these falls and feel the mist and its power. It’s actually nice to visit a beautiful waterfall without fighting the crowds!
It not as big as Gullfoss or some of the others, but it is very wide and in a very scenic area. What’s nice is you can easily get very close to these falls and feel the mist and its power. It’s actually nice to visit a beautiful waterfall without fighting the crowds!
Written 9 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Califdan69
Palo Alto, CA965 contributions
Cute waterfall close to the highway. Nice place to take a break, relax and get some good Photographs
Aug 2015 • Couples
Faxi Falls is in Southern Iceland, along route-35 between the junction of route-256 and route-37. This is a 8.9 km (5.5 mi) north of Reykholt. If you’re heading North on Rt-35 from reykholt, look for a little blue sign on the left that says “TJALDSVAEDI VID FAXA” and has icons for campground. At this sign turn right and the parking lot is a few hundred yards down a gravel road. This waterfall is in the same general vicinity as Gulfoss Falls and Geyser so you can see all three in a half day if you’re in the area.
This is not anywhere near as popular as the much larger and more impressive Gullfoss Falls but it does make for a nice place to get out of the car and stretch your legs and have a snack if you brought one with you. This cute falls is on the Tungufljót river and is a wide but not too tall waterfall. You get a very nice view from just off the parking area. The story goes that in 1917 the western Icelandic poet, Stephan G Stephansso toured this area and found this waterfall called Vatnsleysufoss. He felt that the waterfall deserved a more appropriate name. Since the shape of the falls reminded him of the mane of a horse (Fax is the Icelandic word for horse), he called it Faxi Falls and that name has stuck since then – and is a lot easier to pronounce for westerners. I guess it takes quite a bit of imagination to see the horses mane.
There’s a sign with a bit of history (in several languages) and nearby there seems to be a campground that we didn’t go over to. It’s easy to see the falls from an un-maintained area a few feet from the parking area.
PHOTOGRAHING FAXI FALLS
This waterfall is quite easy to photograph. The river at this location is flowing mostly toward the south, but the face of this waterfall is facing west. As luck would have it, the parking area is on the west side of the river so you have a great, head-on view of the falls. Faxi Falls is not in a deep canyon so except when the sun is extremely low it should be in full sun. When we were there it was overcast but on a sunny day this falls should have some very nice late afternoon light hitting it’s front. The parking area is a bit higher than the top of the falls so you’re looking down to the falls. This gives photographers an opportunity to include some sky if there are nice clouds or to minimize and even eliminate the sky if it’s blank sky like on a cloudless day or a completely overcast day.
By the parking area are some spontaneous trails where you can roam around looking for a different angle or an interesting foreground element. It seems that you can wander down very close to the falls (we didn’t so this is speculation). Unlike Gullfoss falls, Faxi does not produce nearly as much mist, so you’ll have a much cleaner image of the water. If you have a tripod, try some slower shutter speeds as well as those fast – action stopping – speeds.
If you found this information useful in your decision making process, you gleaned information you may not have otherwise discovered, or you just enjoyed reading it and appreciate the time I put into writing it, please give me a "helpful" vote. You’re welcome to contact me through danhartfordphoto dot com (where you can see photos of my travels) or through the “Ask Caifdan69 about .........” button at the bottom of this review
This is not anywhere near as popular as the much larger and more impressive Gullfoss Falls but it does make for a nice place to get out of the car and stretch your legs and have a snack if you brought one with you. This cute falls is on the Tungufljót river and is a wide but not too tall waterfall. You get a very nice view from just off the parking area. The story goes that in 1917 the western Icelandic poet, Stephan G Stephansso toured this area and found this waterfall called Vatnsleysufoss. He felt that the waterfall deserved a more appropriate name. Since the shape of the falls reminded him of the mane of a horse (Fax is the Icelandic word for horse), he called it Faxi Falls and that name has stuck since then – and is a lot easier to pronounce for westerners. I guess it takes quite a bit of imagination to see the horses mane.
There’s a sign with a bit of history (in several languages) and nearby there seems to be a campground that we didn’t go over to. It’s easy to see the falls from an un-maintained area a few feet from the parking area.
PHOTOGRAHING FAXI FALLS
This waterfall is quite easy to photograph. The river at this location is flowing mostly toward the south, but the face of this waterfall is facing west. As luck would have it, the parking area is on the west side of the river so you have a great, head-on view of the falls. Faxi Falls is not in a deep canyon so except when the sun is extremely low it should be in full sun. When we were there it was overcast but on a sunny day this falls should have some very nice late afternoon light hitting it’s front. The parking area is a bit higher than the top of the falls so you’re looking down to the falls. This gives photographers an opportunity to include some sky if there are nice clouds or to minimize and even eliminate the sky if it’s blank sky like on a cloudless day or a completely overcast day.
By the parking area are some spontaneous trails where you can roam around looking for a different angle or an interesting foreground element. It seems that you can wander down very close to the falls (we didn’t so this is speculation). Unlike Gullfoss falls, Faxi does not produce nearly as much mist, so you’ll have a much cleaner image of the water. If you have a tripod, try some slower shutter speeds as well as those fast – action stopping – speeds.
If you found this information useful in your decision making process, you gleaned information you may not have otherwise discovered, or you just enjoyed reading it and appreciate the time I put into writing it, please give me a "helpful" vote. You’re welcome to contact me through danhartfordphoto dot com (where you can see photos of my travels) or through the “Ask Caifdan69 about .........” button at the bottom of this review
Written 12 September 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Airport exclusive: extra 20% off beauty
Sponsored by Armani Beauty, YLS & Lancôme
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing