Dynjandi Waterfall Hike, Iceland
Located in the beautiful Dynjandisvogur Bay in Arnarfjörður fjord, Dynjandi is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive waterfalls in Iceland; the short hike to get to the base of this waterfall will let you admire this huge waterfall in all its glory. You can really get close to it; you can almost touch it.
At more than 100m high, Dynjandi really is an impressive waterfall, even more so if you consider how tall and wide this waterfall is.
The Mighty Dynjandi Waterfall
Also, while you may have heard about the beautiful and imposing Dynjandi waterfall, you may not have heard about all the smaller waterfalls you will find along this short hike. There are indeed several more beautiful waterfalls on this short trail, in order of appearance:
- Bæjarfoss
- Hundafoss
- Kvíslarfoss
- Hrísvaðsfoss
- Göngumannafoss
- Strompgljúfrafoss
- Hæstahjallafoss
That’s many waterfalls on such a short trail of less than 1km. So much so the sound of the falling water completely dominates the area. As a matter of fact, Dynjandi means “Thunderous”, a really fitting name.
Dynjandi with another smaller waterfall in the foreground
Table of Contents
Overview of the Dynjandi Waterfall Hike
| Max Altitude | 105 m |
|---|---|
| Distance | 1.80 KM |
| Elevation gain | 100m ↑ / 100m ↓ |
| Hike time | 00:45/ 1:00 Hours |
| Hike Difficulty | Easy, but can be muddy/slippery. |
The beautiful Fjord where Dynjandi is located.
How to get to Dynjandi and Parking
Be ready, this is a remote location. Getting there requires driving around a few fjords and crossing a few mountain passes, and road 60 where Dynjandi is located is a gravel road a bit rough in places. To give you an idea, Dynjandi it’s about 370km from Reykjavik (almost 5 hours non-stop) and 500km from Akureyri (almost 6 hours non-stop)
Also, it may not be possible to visit this location year-round. This heavily depends on road conditions and snow, so make sure to check on road.is before heading out.
If you are planning to do this a ring road detour, you will most likely require an overnight in the Westfjords. But no worries, it’s a beautiful area of Iceland and a very scenic drive. If you are looking for car rental options, I can recommend Blue Car Rental(5% discount booking through thephotohikes!) for cars and CampEasy for Camper Vans.
- Driving Directions: From Road 1 (the ring road) turn onto Road 60 after Bifröst (if you are coming from Reykjavik – or before it (if you are coming from Akureyri. From here, keep following the road until you get to your destination. it’s gonna be a few hours.
- Parking: free parking is available by the trailhead. There is also a resting area with toilets and tables for picnics.
- Public Transport: no public transportation options exist.
If you are traveling from or to the Snæfellsnes peninsula, you can also take the ferry Baldur, which runs between Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur. This will shorten the travel time considerably. Plus, the service operates year-round.
The Dynjandi Waterfall Trail
The trail starts right by the parking lot and is fenced almost all the way to the top, so stepping out of the fenced area is forbidden. This is done to protect the vegetation. Also, the trail isn’t particularly steep or difficult, but some areas may be slippery and muddy also due to the water spray for the waterfalls.
Bæjarfoss, the first waterfall on the hike.
Some of the waterfalls have their own viewing platform, which allows you to get quite close to them. So you’ll be stopping every few steps to check out the new waterfall. Also, they all have their own mane tags, in the shape of a wood plaque. So you could also try to pronounce the name of each waterfall. Some may be surprisingly easy :)!
As you progress on the trail, it will become rockier and the terrain more uneven, but nothing too bad. The area at the top, just below Dynjandi is rather flat but can be very slippery so watch out there.
Dynjandi up close.
Anyways seeing this huge waterfall up close is something to be experienced. You can really feel its power – let alone the deafening sound of the falling water :)!
The Dynjandi Waterfall Hike Photos and Photography Tips
This may be a tough one to photograph in terms of light. If the sun is out, you’d better visit in the afternoon since the waterfall faces west and will be directly lit by the sun later in the day. Not a problem, of course, if it is a cloudy day. Definitely have your tripod and ND filters for long exposure and make sure to bring a microfiber cloth to wipe the filters. As you can imagine there is a lot of spray in the area!
Despite the viewing platforms and fenced trail, there still are plenty of compositional choices for each one of the waterfalls. in terms of foreground, you’ll have no problems finding some rocks or patches of grass to include in your foreground to create some depth in the image.
Lastly, flying drones is not allowed here.
Bæjarfoss and Dynjandi
A waterfall I could not positively identify as it had no name tag :)
Hæstahjallafoss, the second tallest waterfall after Dynjandi
The upper part of Hæstahjallafoss
Looking at Arnarfjörður from the last step before Dynjandi
Hæstahjallafoss, the last waterfall before Dynjandi
14mm shot of Dynjandi. Shooting from here rewired constant wiping of the filter. You can actually see the water vapor around the waterfall
Video of the Dynjandi Waterfall Hike.
Here is a short video I made. No music, just the sound of the waterfalls. It’s the Thunderous waterfall after all!
Map of the Dynjandi Waterfall Hike
Where to stay
There is not much of anything in the direct vicinity. The closest facilities are about 20-30 km away, with campsites or hotels in Hótel Flókalundur to the south or Þingeyri to the North.
Trekkers and hikers, however, are allowed to camp for one night at the resting area by the trailhead.
Additional Resources
- This hike was part of an 8-day ring road trip in a campervan. Check out the full itinerary for some inspiration and tips to plan your own!
- More awesome waterfall hikes in Iceland? Check these out: Ófærufoss, Hengifoss, Rauðfoss, Haifoss, Brúarfoss, Dynkur, the Waterfall Circle, Godafoss, Dettifoss, Selfoss Hafragilsfoss, the Skogafoss Waterfall Way or Glymur.
- . If you are in the Westfjords, make sure to check out Valagil too!
- Check out more Photo Hikes in Iceland here.
Car or Camper Van Rentals
I can definitely recommend two companies here:
- Cars: Blue Car Rental, which is the largest Car rental company in Iceland, and for good reasons. Free Cancellation, Unlimited mileage, 24-hour breakdown assistance, SCDW, CDW, TP, and GP insurance are included in the price. Blue Car Rental is also located within walking distance of the Keflavik Airport, so you can be on your way to explore Iceland right away. I’ve always been happy with my rentals there, which is why I’m happy to recommend their services here on my blog.
- Camper Vans: CampEasy. With CampEasy, you can rent 2WD or 4×4 campers alike. With a raised Chassis, larger tires, and extra insurance with reduced liability for river crossing, their 4X4 campers are the best choice for your trip into the Highlands. Their Website also provides extensive information about roads you can take and instructions on river crossings. Perfect choice for a hiking holiday in the highlands!
These are my two favorite companies in each respective rental area, which I why I am happy to recommend both here. If you also like this blog, booking through them is a great way to support it. I’ll get a small commission fee at no additional cost, so you can essentially support the running costs of this blog for free too.
Hey Marco,
There’s also a ferry you can take from Stykkisholmur to Brjanslaekur. It takes 2:30 hours one-way and you can drive from there to Dynjandi.
Hi Colin,
Thanks! That completely slipped my mind when writing the post somehow – I’ll update it accordingly once I get a chance.