Worthy Travelers

Located near the small village of Skógar, Skógafoss is one of the largest and most famous waterfalls in Iceland, reachable from Reykjavik in under two hours and easily visible from Iceland’s Route 1 ring road. The falls are 25 metres wide, and with a drop of 62 metres, is the fifth highest waterfall in Iceland. The name Skógafoss literally means ‘forest waterfall’, reminding us that this area was once covered in trees.

Skógafoss has featured in numerous music videos as well as the Marvel Studios film Thor: The Dark World as well as in Season 8 of Game of Thrones. In The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Skógafoss was used in the footage on his way to the Himalayas, despite it’s true location being in Iceland.

On the eastern side of the waterfall, there is a trail that leads to a staircase with almost 500 steps and that, in turn, leads to an observation platform just above the cascade. The walk up is manageable for most people with a moderate level of fitness, even if you choose to have the occasional breather, and worth it for the views. Look out for nesting seabirds on your way up, as well as the northern fulmars that patrol the skies.

This path also marks the start (or finish) of a popular hiking route known as the Fimmvörðuháls Pass. This trail is 22 kilometres long, accessible only in the Summer. Even if you just venture a short way along it and turn back, you will see a number of additional waterfalls. If walking the entire route from Skógafoss, the route takes you along the Skógá River, between Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull (both of which feed the river…

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