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Iceland Canyons

42 mapped8 regionsSome need 4×4Watch rim edges
Stuðlagil
Ásbyrgi
Eldgjá

Iceland's canyons split into two kinds: river gorges carved by glacial meltwater — Fjaðrárgljúfur, Ásbyrgi, Stuðlagil — and volcanic fissures where the ground itself tore open, like Eldgjá and Almannagjá at Þingvellir. The headline canyons are reachable by any car; the remote highland rifts sit on summer-only F-roads. Rims are loose and drops are sheer — stay on marked paths and back from the edge.

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Ask anything about Iceland's canyons

Quick answers — which canyons to visit, how to reach Stuðlagil, access and safety.

Conditions right now

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Before you go
Stay on the path
Rims are loose, drops are sheer, rock is slippery when wet
Marked rimsStay behind edges
Highland canyonsOften needs 4×4
F-road accessSummer only
WeatherChanges fast

Top canyons

Iceland’s best-known gorges and rift valleys, with real access info.

Cars & campers

−15%exclusive discountFree cancellationKEF airport pickup 24/74.8
Dacia Duster 4x4
SUV

Dacia Duster 4x4

Cheapest real 4WD in the fleet — gravel, the Westfjords and easy summer F-roads without truck prices.

TransmissionManual
FuelPetrol/diesel
Seats5
Drive4WD
From
5,355 kr6,300 kr/day
Reserve −15%
VW Caravelle
9-seater

VW Caravelle

Whole family or friend group in one car — gear in the back, room to stretch.

TransmissionAutomatic
FuelDiesel
Seats9
Drive2WD
From
12,750 kr15,000 kr/day
Reserve −15%
Key Camper Wild Duo
Camper

Key Camper Wild Duo

Sleep right by the trailhead, wake up at the falls — F-road ready from mid-June.

TransmissionManual
FuelPetrol
Sleeps2
Drive4WD
From
5,304 kr6,240 kr/day
Reserve −15%

Tours near Iceland's canyons

Free cancellationSmall groups
Glacier & Golden Circle
Adventure

Glacier & Golden Circle

Snowmobile across a glacier, then hit the Golden Circle classics.

Duration10 hours
PickupReykjavík
ActivitySnowmobile
VehicleSuper Jeep
From
49.990 kr
View tour →

When & how to visit Iceland's canyons

The most-visited canyons sit near the Ring Road. Fjaðrárgljúfur is a short detour on the South Coast near Kirkjubæjarklaustur, with a marked rim walkway. Ásbyrgi, a horseshoe-shaped canyon in the north, is part of Vatnajökull National Park and has easy forest trails on its floor. Stuðlagil, in East Iceland, is the basalt-column canyon that draws crowds in summer — the west side has a car park and a short walk, the east side a longer hike. Remote canyons like Eldgjá need a 4×4 on summer-only F-roads. Whatever you visit, canyon weather can differ from the surrounding area — bring layers, keep back from unmarked edges, and check live road conditions before driving.

Browse canyons by region

South Coast canyonsSouth Coast
12 canyonsWest Iceland canyonsWest Iceland
2 canyonsNorth Iceland canyonsNorth Iceland
10 canyonsEast Iceland canyonsEast Iceland
7 canyonsWestfjords
5 canyonsHighlands canyonsHighlands
3 canyonsReykjavík Area canyonsReykjavík Area
2 canyonsReykjanes Peninsula canyonsReykjanes Peninsula
1 canyons

The canyons of Iceland, compared

All 42 mapped canyons, ranked — our best-documented picks first. Tap any name for the full guide. Access details come from OpenStreetMap and Wikidata where they exist.

CanyonRegionKnown for
AlmannagjáReykjavík AreaWorth discovering
ÁsbyrgiNorth IcelandWorth discovering
EldgjáSouth CoastWorth discovering
FjaðrárgljúfurSouth CoastWorth discovering
JökulsárgljúfurNorth IcelandWorth discovering
MarkarfljótsgljúfurSouth CoastWorth discovering
RauðfeldsgjáWest IcelandWorth discovering
StuðlagilEast IcelandWorth discovering
ÁlfagjáReykjanes PeninsulaCanyon in Reykjanes Peninsula
BrúarhlöðHighlandsCanyon in Highlands
DrekagilNorth IcelandCanyon in North Iceland
FlosagjáReykjavík AreaCanyon in Reykjavík Area
HafrahvammagljúfurEast IcelandCanyon in East Iceland
HvítárgljúfurSouth CoastCanyon in South Coast
KolugljúfurWest IcelandCanyon in West Iceland
KotagilNorth IcelandCanyon in North Iceland
SveinsgilSouth CoastCanyon in South Coast
DrangagilNorth IcelandCanyon in North Iceland
DraugagilWestfjordsCanyon in Westfjords
EinistorfaHighlandsCanyon in Highlands
FaxagilEast IcelandCanyon in East Iceland
FjallgilSouth CoastCanyon in South Coast
GimbragilWestfjordsCanyon in Westfjords
GrasafjallsgilNorth IcelandCanyon in North Iceland
GrasgilSouth CoastCanyon in South Coast
GulsgilNorth IcelandCanyon in North Iceland
HoltsgilSouth CoastCanyon in South Coast
HveragilHighlandsCanyon in Highlands
IllagilSouth CoastCanyon in South Coast
IllugilWestfjordsCanyon in Westfjords
KrossgilEast IcelandCanyon in East Iceland
LakalandsgilSouth CoastCanyon in South Coast
MarkagilSouth CoastCanyon in South Coast
MerargilEast IcelandCanyon in East Iceland
MosgilNorth IcelandCanyon in North Iceland
PartsgilEast IcelandCanyon in East Iceland
RaufargilSouth CoastCanyon in South Coast
SeljagilWestfjordsCanyon in Westfjords
SpanarhraunEast IcelandCanyon in East Iceland
StafnsgilNorth IcelandCanyon in North Iceland
SurtarbrandsgilWestfjordsCanyon in Westfjords
VegagilNorth IcelandCanyon in North Iceland

While you're planning

Canyons pair well with the rest of Iceland's outdoor wins — many hide a waterfall inside, and the remote ones share the same F-roads as the highland hikes.

Waterfalls
Many canyons hide a waterfall inside
F-Roads
How to reach the remote highland gorges
Hikes
Trails along canyon rims, with GPS tracks
Interactive Map
Every canyon, plotted and searchable

Canyon
questions

Which is the most famous canyon in Iceland?
Fjaðrárgljúfur, near Kirkjubæjarklaustur on the South Coast, is the best-known — a 100 m-deep, 2 km-long gorge with a marked rim walkway. Stuðlagil, in East Iceland, is the other headline canyon, known for its basalt columns and blue river.
Can I visit Stuðlagil without a tour?
Yes. Stuðlagil has two access points: the west side has a car park (parking fee) and a short walk to the upper viewpoint; the east side is a rougher road and a longer ~5 km walk each way to reach river level. No guide is required, but check the river level — the view is best when flow is low.
Are Iceland’s canyons safe to walk around?
The marked ones are, if you stay on the paths. Canyon rims are often loose and undercut, drops are sheer, and rock gets slippery when wet. Keep back from unmarked edges, keep children and dogs close, and never climb down into a gorge that has no trail.
Do I need a 4WD to reach the canyons?
It depends on the canyon. Fjaðrárgljúfur, Ásbyrgi and the Stuðlagil west car park are reachable by any car on paved or good gravel roads. Highland canyons like Eldgjá sit on F-roads that require a 4×4 and only open in summer — check road status before you drive.
What is the deepest canyon in Iceland?
Eldgjá, a volcanic fissure in the southern Highlands, reaches around 270 m deep and runs about 40 km — one of the largest volcanic canyons on Earth. It is remote, F-road access only, and open in summer.
What formed Iceland’s canyons?
Most were carved by glacial meltwater rivers and catastrophic glacial floods (jökulhlaups) cutting through soft volcanic rock — Ásbyrgi and Jökulsárgljúfur are classic examples. Others, like Eldgjá and Almannagjá, are volcanic fissures or rift valleys where the ground itself split apart.