Dettifoss is a waterfall in Vatnajokull National Park in Northeast Iceland. It is about 100 metres wide and drops about 44 metres into the Jokulsargljufur canyon.
What and where Dettifoss is
Dettifoss is in Vatnajokull National Park in Northeast Iceland. The waterfall is about 100 metres wide, and the water falls about 44 metres into the Jokulsargljufur canyon.
One of Europe's most powerful waterfalls
Dettifoss is often described as the most powerful waterfall in Europe by the volume of water it carries. Its average flow is about 193 cubic metres of water per second.
The river that feeds it
Dettifoss sits on the Jokulsa a Fjollum, a glacial river fed by meltwater from the Vatnajokull ice cap. That meltwater gives the river a greyish-white colour. Downstream, the same river carved the horseshoe canyon at Asbyrgi.
The two sides of the falls
There are viewpoints on both the east and west banks. They are reached by different roads.
Seeing Dettifoss in North Iceland
For live conditions, check road.is and safetravel.is before heading out. If you want to compare options in the region, see North Iceland tours.
Estimate the road time
Use the Driving Distance Calculator to work out how much driving time to allow around Dettifoss Waterfall Iceland: Key Facts.
