Haifoss is a waterfall in the Thjorsardalur area of Iceland's southern highlands, on the river Fossa. It is about 122 metres high and stands in Fossardalur, the innermost part of the Thjorsardalur valley. The waterfall is reached by rough gravel Road 332, a summer route in the highlands.
Haifoss at a glance
Haifoss is on the river Fossa, which is a tributary of the Thjorsa. It is in the Thjorsardalur area of the southern highlands. The waterfall is about 122 metres high.
You may see Haifoss described as one of Iceland's highest waterfalls. In this area, the setting is tied closely to the broader Thjorsardalur valley, which holds farmland and woodland and has been affected by past eruptions of the volcano Hekla.
Where Haifoss is
Haifoss lies in Fossardalur, the innermost part of the Thjorsardalur valley. This places it within a part of the southern highlands where valley landscape and canyon terrain meet.
The waterfall sits in the Thjorsardalur area, and the surrounding valley includes both farmland and woodland. The area has also been shaped by past eruptions of Hekla, which is part of the geographic background of Thjorsardalur.
Haifoss and Granni: two falls in one gorge
A second waterfall, called Granni, drops beside Haifoss in the same gorge. The name Granni means the neighbour.
Both falls plunge into a deep canyon cut by the river. At the top of the canyon, a viewpoint looks down on both Haifoss and Granni. A path also runs along the rim, following the edge above the gorge.
This pairing of waterfalls is a defining feature of the site. Rather than a single drop in isolation, the gorge contains two separate falls side by side, with the canyon viewpoint above them.
Getting there on the highland road
Haifoss is reached on a rough gravel road, Road 332. This road branches off the main Thjorsardalur road.
Road 332 is better suited to a four-wheel-drive vehicle. It is also a summer route, and highland gravel roads are usually closed outside the warmer months. For highland road conditions, check road.is.
Visiting Haifoss and highland tours
Haifoss is in Iceland's highland region, and access is tied to a seasonal gravel road approach rather than a paved roadside setting. The site includes a viewpoint at the top of the canyon and a path along the rim.
One guided option pairs the waterfall with the nearby valley on a Háifoss and Gjáin tour. To compare options across this part of the country, see highland tours.
Look at the roads first
Use Iceland road conditions alongside this guide to Haifoss: waterfall in Iceland's southern highlands, particularly when weather may affect access.
